Before I joined Cohousing ABQ in Albuquerque, I had a house in Seattle whose backyard I completely transformed over a period of 20 years into a garden paradise. At least that’s what other folks said about it. I don’t think I spent more than 10 minutes just sitting on a garden bench actually enjoying my creation.
For me, gardening was a magnificent obsession. I was enthralled with plants, with their differences in color, shape, and texture, and in finding combinations that would please the eye throughout the growing season. For this wannabe artist, it was my canvas, and my escape. Maybe that’s why I never planted vegetables, a decidedly practical choice compared to the more aesthetic choices I made.
Gardens are very common in cohousing communities, and generally dominated by organic food production that can then be used in common meals, as well as available to individual cooks. Decades ago, our land along the Rio Grande was devoted to agriculture, and we’ll be paying homage to that history. Our plans include a fruit orchard, grapevines, and berry plantings; raised beds for vegetables; and plants to attract pollinators. Several members are interested in hydroponics, an approach to growing food without soil by using nutrient-rich water.
Raising food also supports our goal of environmentally sustainable living. “By growing as much food as we can,” explains one member, “and contracting with local farmers to grow local foods we don’t have room to grow, we’ll reduce the carbon footprint of our diets.”
The 150-foot-deep well on our land will help with watering our orchards and gardens. And we plan to compost our vegetable waste and use it onsite to help protect trees and landscape by keeping moisture where it belongs, in the root zone. There will be an herb garden, and possibly a labyrinth or meditation garden.
But Why Wait? The Mary Brown Community Farm
Two summers ago, member Alexej and then five-year-old son Quincy grew a few tomato plants. “Papa, let’s go outside and do our farm work,” Quincy would say. Then a year later in late spring, Quincy said, “Can we have a farm again, Papa?” So in 2023, they decided to turn the entire front yard into a “farm” with help from the community, kids included. They tore out the Bermuda grass and weeds, worked in compost, planted tomatoes, strung lines to hold up the vines, and celebrated with harvest potlucks throughout the summer. Nothing like seeing three-year-olds walk up to tomato plants, pluck a few baby tomatoes, and pop them in their mouths.
For this summer, 2024, Alexej and Quincy decided to try something different: 11 rows featuring different vegetables planted by different families (parent and child) in the community. Last I heard, 8 of the 11 rows were reserved and families stop by to care for and admire their burgeoning seedlings.
“Being involved in gardening definitely encourages my kids to try new vegetables and reconsider ones they’ve rejected in the past,” says Jenna, mom to three kids under the age of five. “By getting their hands dirty and watching plants slowly grow over time, they become invested in the process and are much more interested in sampling the fruits of their labor.”
This habit of pitching in and gardening together will be even easier for us once our community is built and we’ve moved in. For major chores like spring planting or putting the gardens to bed as winter approaches, it’s common to have a large work party with everyone helping and then celebrate with a yummy potluck.
Gardening in the High Desert
Gardens and gardening are surprisingly popular in Albuquerque. For example, you’ll find all kinds of advice, events, and resources from the Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardeners organization. Or the Rose Society. You’ll find inspiration and ideas at the BioPark’s Botanic Garden with 32 acres of exhibits, including plants that thrive in the American Southwest. You can experience local farm produce from throughout the region at the massive Rail Yards Market, open Sundays from May through October. Or join the non-profit Rio Grande Community Farm, which promotes urban farmland and education and features a Maize Maze in the fall.
Member Michelle will certainly know how to garden in the high desert; she’s been a successful gardener for years in Las Vegas, NV. “Our home’s previous owners had already amended the soil and there were already thriving fruit trees. My husband was the grandson of a farmer and a Midwesterner, so he took to planting immediately. I love walking out to the garden and picking herbs and cutting lettuce for dinner. I’ve also been canning and preserving for most of the past 20 years. So I expect to continue working in the edible part of our coho garden.”
Carmela looks forward to gardening with the kiddos, designing plantings, and watching the birds attracted to the garden. Norma loves preparing the soil and planting trees and vines. And what about me? Well, I cured my gardening obsession when I sold my Seattle home, which my back is grateful for. In cohousing, I’ll probably take a more supportive role, one that is less physical, like watering or trimming or maybe creating garden signs. I’m sure the gardeners will find something I can do. After all, that’s what community is all about: each of us finding our own way to contribute and thrive—like a garden.
– Pat
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