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2015 Autumn | Agriculture and Food Systems

A Tale of Three Gardens: an Island Community’s Battle with Food Security

Student(s):

Nicole Bergman

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Camille Green

Partner(s):

  • Good Cheer Food Bank and Thrift Stores

Faculty advisor(s):

Eli Wheat, Program on the Environment, University of Washington

During my project, I worked as a garden intern at the Good Cheer Food Bank vegetable garden, as well as, at two other vegetable gardens on South Whidbey Island: the South Whidbey Academy school garden and the Whidbey Institute Westgarden. As an aspiring farmer and food justice advocate, I was interested in learning about how community vegetable gardens could augment food security efforts on a small scale. By working with several food movement organizations (3 vegetable gardens and 1 food bank) I was able to analyze an integrated local food system and the ways in which various partnerships within the system make fresh, nutritious produce more accessible to the community.