OKT’s executive director, Lisa Oliver-King, took part as a panelist and presenter in two City of Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit workshops on March 7, one on environmental justice and another on urban agriculture. The 2020 summit theme was “Growing Justice and Community.” For the event, OKT created an updated version of the guide developed with the City in 2019, “Growing Community, Justice, & Food.”

This guide covers how to grow food gardens, with tips on selecting plants and seeds, choosing a garden spot, planning a planting schedule, watering, dealing with pests, and saving seeds for next year and neighbors. Updates addressed how to compost healthy soil, air quality and foods that reduce asthma and allergies, and the importance of trees. In addition, the new version highlighted Grand Rapids Public Schools sustainability initiatives.

You can view and download “Growing Community, Justice and Food” here.