WATSONVILLE — When Mesa Verde Gardens first started in 2010, around 30 families came together to create Mi Jardin Verde, its first community garden located at All Saints Episcopal Church in Watsonville.
Today, with seven additional gardens, three orchards and many more ongoing projects, the organization reaches about 200 families throughout Santa Cruz County — most of them in the Pajaro Valley.
“Honestly, a lot of our success is thanks to the community,” said Mesa Verde Gardens’ Executive Director Vicente Lara. “Along with our own outreach efforts, the project has really been spreading by word-of-mouth.”
Currently, Lara says, the organization is looking for a site in Pajaro for a garden to replace the one at Pajaro Middle School. With a recent influx of new students, the school is looking to expand, as well as open up a new Head Start location on the campus.
“What’s been happening is that a lot of people from Santa Cruz are moving in to Watsonville,” Lara said, “and in turn, more Watsonville residents are moving to places like Pajaro and Las Lomas. The schools are steadily seeing larger class sizes.”
Mesa Verde Gardens’ primary sponsor is the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust, and every garden/orchard location is leased from places such as churches, schools and city agencies. Each growing season between April and November, families can use a plot for $8 a month to grow their own vegetables, fruits, cut flowers and more.
Winter months are primarily used to tend to the soil and prepare for planting. It’s in April when things start getting busy. Lara isn’t sure they will be able to find a plot to replace the one at Pajaro Middle School before the season starts, but he remains hopeful.
“If anyone has any ideas, we’d love to hear them,” Lara said. “We know Pajaro is small, with a limited amount of space. But maybe there are some places that residents themselves might know of.”
The new location must be easily accessible to a neighborhood — people have to be able to reach it by foot.
“That’s the point, really,” Lara said. “It’s a community garden. People use it in their day-to-day life.”
According to Lara, a recent survey sent out by Mesa Verde Gardens found that roughly half of their gardeners face some kind of food insecurity over a year. Which is why he believes it’s so important to keep the organization growing.
“It gives people some control over their own health,” Lara said. “And it builds community, with everyone working together. It’s really beneficial.”
To pitch Pajaro location ideas, volunteer or for general information on Mesa Verde Gardens, contact Lara directly at 288-2142.
