A rising number of Lubbock residents, stung by high food prices and the deepening recession, are turning to their backyards for nutrition. "Any kind of seed I can get my hands on, I'll be planting," said resident Sherry Pullen, who has grown several different kinds of beans and vegetables to supplement her economical diet.
The South Plains Food Bank, which recently reported a 36% increase in demand for its Kids Cafe program, is capitalizing on the trend with a 5-acre youth garden designed to supplement the canned food available at its warehouse with between 90,000 and 150,000 pounds of produce annually.
Roy Riddle, the garden's land manager, pointed out the irony of such hunger in a land of plenty.
"We're sitting here in the middle of 5 million acres of farmland and we don't even grow enough to feed the people of Lubbock," he said.
1 comment:
Even before the recession, my family has always been into planting some fruits/veggies in our own back yard. It saves a lot of money and you know what you're eating.
- Imee
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