This commentary is by Sharon Newman, an environmental studies senior at the university of Vermont, who spent the summer of 2020 farming with Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, and has been Chittenden County site coordinator for the Vermont Community Garden Network.
Last summer, I moved into a new place in Burlington’s New North End. For the first time, I had my own lawn. Though it was very small, I got to work digging right away, lugging in soil and compost.
Working at the Vermont Community Garden Network, I took the leftovers of donated plants and built a garden, planting as many vegetables as would fit. The few plants I had seemed only to be a fun project. However, the beauty and abundance of my small garden exceeded my highest hopes.
By July, my porch was overflowing with massive tomato plants filled to the brim with juicy orange sungolds, two giant eggplants drooping with fruit, and as much kale, zucchini and herbs as my housemates could want.
Nevertheless, this wasn’t what convinced me I needed to share gardening with more people. It was watching folks light up as they passed my house. Seeing neighbors stop, stare and smile at the forest of vegetables growing right next to the sidewalk. I handed out tomatoes and saw their moods turn to delight. Many told me the garden made their day or wanted to talk about their garden and share tips.
This experience should be accessible to anyone who wants to be a part of it.
Food Not Lawns is an up-and-coming movement in Vermont, and it must be shepherded by all of us working together. The goal is to convert as many lawns as possible into food gardens, pollinator gardens, or rainwater filtration gardens.
Have you ever walked through your neighborhoods and wondered why we value so much the aesthetic of clean-cut grass, as opposed to a garden rampant with life, flourishing with flowers, birds and vegetables?
Lawns became popularized in the aftermath of World War II, when maintained lawns became a symbol of wealth and status during the movement toward suburban lifestyles. However, to maintain these lawns, immense amounts of chemicals and pesticides are used, which flow right into Lake Champlain. The total turfgrass area in the US is estimated to be 40 million to 50 million acres, leaving natives species without habitat.
Not only are lawns damaging for local ecosystems, but they also represent a space that could offer us radical life improvement. We live in a time where mental illness does not just exist, but is common. We face malnutrition due to food insecurity, but also to lack of nutrients within our food, leading to illness.
Chronic stress is another major input that affects our mental and physical health, leading to a multitude of diseases, including anxiety, depression, asthma, myocardial infarction, and other illnesses.
Conversely, when we spend time in nature, we are mentally and physically restored. Our attention improves, and our stress and anxiety begin to subside. This is where Food Not Lawns provides a solution. The space around our house is nature we experience daily. Every single day, we could be uplifted and brightened by the sight of wildlife — imagine the dramatic effect that would have on our overall mood. Not everyone has a lawn, but as the movement continues, community gardens and shared lawns will be an option.
One feasible way of implementing lawn conversions is through an employee benefits program. When employees are not at their best mental and physical health, they cannot be as productive or bring positivity into the workplace. The proposed solution will provide members of the Vermont workforce with the opportunity to convert their lawns into natural areas.
Within this program, employers will coordinate with local government or nonprofits to retain expert permaculturists or master gardeners who will provide garden consultations and ongoing assistance for employees. Employees would have a choice for a rainwater filtration, pollinator, or food-based garden, and be provided some initial resources, like seeds and transplants. Stipends may be offered to our BIPOC community to promote social equity. For neighbors without lawns, community gardens are a future option.
This is a reasonable project to be funded by the local government because the recent Vermont Climate Action Plan mirrors many of the values held by Food Not Lawns. They emphasize involving and empowering community members, especially BIPOC community members, to embrace a just transition through local, environmentally friendly initiatives. The plan is also rooted in encouraging local food movements and food sovereignty. It highlights rewilding land and environmentally responsible land management.
Within the next few years, a walk through our neighborhood could include flowers and vegetables lining every sidewalk, monarchs and swallowtails floating past, and ruby-throated hummingbirds buzzing by us on the way to work. The power is in our hands!