Before writing this story, I spent an afternoon working at the Pisgah View Community Peace Garden combing through rows of garlic and tugging at strongly rooted invaders with caretaker Robert White and a small group of volunteers. I was touched by the scene: Children played games in the grass by the shed; a little girl asked White to tie her shoe laces for her; chickens scratched and clucked in their handmade coop. Most significantly, I was impressed by the common goal that keeps this garden growing — to inspire peace, instill knowledge of the earth and support the residents that live beside it. The story accompanied a photo essay by Xpress Staff Photographer, Jonathan Welch. — Aiyanna Sezak-Blatt, calendar editor, A&E writer
“Three years ago, Robert White and his wife, Lucia Daugherty, sized up an abandoned baseball field at Pisgah View Apartments, the West Asheville public-housing complex they call home, and envisioned a beautiful communal green space. From that prodigious act of the imagination sprang the Pisgah View Community Peace Garden, which today teems with life. Besides providing organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and eggs, the garden gives residents a chance to learn about urban farming in a supportive, empowering community environment.”
To view the full story, visit http://avl.mx/1c.
