Marin City cultivates ‘good vibes’ with new garden project

In an expansion to its community gardens, Marin City is opening a new intergenerational garden to promote neighborhood bonds and healthy eating.

The Marin City Community Services District is set to ceremonially unveil the garden at 640 Drake Ave. in May, but staff and volunteers have been working on final touches. Its completion marks a more than 10-year effort to educate children on nutrition and bring healthy food options to residents.

“The purpose of the intergenerational garden is to have Marin City residents of all ages come in and plant fruits and vegetables and to be a community gathering space,” said Geornae Pryor, the garden manager for the district.

Elaini Negussie, a program manager for the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services, said the benefit of community gardens is multifaceted.

“Growing your own food is a public health win-win,” Negussie said. “We’re cultivating way more than healthy produce here. It’s about community well-being.”

Community gardens increase access to healthy fruits and vegetables, foster social connections, promote physical activity, reduce stress, expose kids to career paths and improve overall mental health and wellness. Additionally, Negussie said, studies have shown that gardening can lead youths consume more fruits and vegetables.

The intergenerational garden project aims to take these benefits a step further by having a youth stewardship program. In the program, middle school students will be trained to maintain and manage the garden by older residents.

“It’s to share stories about the food and culture and just growing up,” said Juanita Edwards, general manager for the Marin City Community Services District. “It’s kind of missing, especially for some people who may not have big families or some people, like older people, still in their lives. That connection is really important for both sides, the older and young ones.”

Marin County’s involvement in the project began in 2012 as part of the Nutrition Wellness Program, according to Negussie. The county collaborated with the Marin City district after a community assessment showed disparities in health along with a lack of access to healthy food and physical activity options.

The county program works to address these disparities by promoting equitable, accessible and culturally relevant strategies — like community gardens — for healthy living.

“The involvement of elders in the garden further enriches this exchange, as they share their gardening knowledge and historical experiences, strengthening social bonds and community cohesion,” Negussie said.

The garden was originally established as a container garden. The effort was led by Marin City residents Terrie Green and Sharon Turner and funded through donations. The goal of the container garden was to provide children with experience in gardening and educate them about nutrition, despite being in a “food desert” — defined as a residential area with poor access to healthy, affordable food.

“Growing up in the community, Sharon and Terrie have done nothing but show what it means to be intergenerational,” Edwards said. “I’ve seen them work with all generations of people.”

For people living in food deserts, the lack of healthy food options can lead to poor diets and diet-related conditions such as obesity or diabetes, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. This is compounded with food insecurity, when lower-income people have to pay more for food because of the lack of affordable options.

The county nutrition program began supporting the garden financially in 2017, when the community services district transitioned it into a permanent structure. Funding for the partnership comes from various state and county grants, according to Negussie.

Edwards said a lot of volunteer help, time and supplies also went into getting the garden running. She said Eagle Scouts from Tiburon helped build the outdoor kitchen, a fire pit seating area and planter beds, which augmented the greenhouse and container garden. However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted efforts for a while.

“It kind of evolved every year,” Edwards said.

Negussie said the county expects to continue its partnership with the garden because it works toward the program’s goal of expanding access to culturally relevant and nutritious food.

“The completion of the garden not only increases healthy food production but also exposes youth to potential career opportunities in agriculture and horticulture,” Negussie said

Pryor herself was introduced to the garden project around five years ago through an internship with the county, which eventually led to her managerial position. Now, she waters, weeds and plants in the garden, which is right outside her front door in Marin City, along with two student interns.

Pryor said the garden is for community gathering as much as it is for learning. She said the kids seem to enjoy the gardening experience, especially working with the younger, elementary-aged students. In the summer, she helps teach the children about plants and how to eat well.

“Then when they get to the garden they plant seeds, watch it grow, and learn about beneficial bugs,” Pryor said.

The district held a cleanup day on April 20, and the ceremonial opening of the intergenerational garden is scheduled for May 25.

“I would say this community garden is to provide fresh fruits and vegetables and connection and good vibes, that’s all we really want,” Pryor said. “It’s been really awesome to see how everything is coming along and I’m just excited for the journey.”