Now that my gardening space is limited to a 8’x6’deck, I decided to focus on edible plants(I really hate spending $2 on those tiny packets of herbs).

Besides planning to grow the obvious tomatoes and basil, a friend gave me a fig plant! And also I want to track down an Meyer Lemon tree.

I think it is so funny that you end your post by writing that you planted seeds. I think that is exactly what Pollen was advocating.

The superior taste and the recognition of the work it takes to grow food using fewer resources - these all will make us more aware of what is at stake.

Oh, and sticking it to the man (insert evil agri-corporation name here)is always fun.

http://sharonastyk.com/2008/04/22/we-regret-to-inform-you/

Fritz Haeg’s new Edible Estates book includes an essay from Pollan’s book Second Nature. Even if you’re not into gardening, the book is an entertaining read — and if you hate to garden, the essay (also in Haeg’s book) featuring Pollan’s dad refusing to mow his lawn is pretty great.

Subsidies and support for urban gardeners sound good.

I really did go check out a Jane Jacobs book from the library today. I couldn’t help it.

Matthew, I think your points about apartment living/dense cities are good ones, even if they do come from a love of apartment living.

And the cost of living issue is huge. I’d greatly prefer to live closer to the city center, but cannot afford to. Farmers’ Markets are indeed expensive – though we do shop at them (we have a CSA, actually). Sure, there are ways to shop with savvy, but let’s not even begin to discuss how poverty is about so much more than a lack of money.

The point I was trying to make is: to Pollan, and I think to most people, having more gardens is an obvious environmental win. To me, that’s not obvious at all. To me, environmentalism looks like a high-rise.

But that’s easy for me to say. In answer to your question, Kathleen, about whether the environmental benefits of high-density living make it worth the cost, I should admit that for me, the environmental benefits aren’t part of the calculus at all. I enjoy apartment living, which sure makes it easy to prescribe to everyone else.

That’s where I see Pollan coming from, too. We know he likes to garden. He’s written a whole book on the topic. Any time I find the universe seeming to align in favor of my habits, I should check myself for hubris. (Would any of my readers disagree? Didn’t think so.) I’m now imagining a parody of the Pollan column about how everyone should learn to build wooden boats, because the sea is going to rise.

I have approximately zero interest in gardening. I think it’s possible to be a good cook, a contributing member of society, an environmentalist, and a nice guy without being a gardener.

And Susan has good points as well.

Not everyone can afford to shop at the farmer’s market and Whole Foods and Uwajimaya for all their grocery needs. A little urban gardening can ease the ever-increasing burden of grocery costs by providing nearly-free (seeds, sun, and dirt!), organic, fabulous-tasting produce during the growing season. And if your balcony or back deck or front yard is just a little bigger, or you’ve gotten to the top of the p-patch list, you may can and dry and freeze that produce to get your family through much of the winter as well. Then, maybe you can spend what grocery dollars you have available to support local organic farmers, artisan cheese makers, and fabulous bakeries.