If you haven’t heard the buzz on Chico’s GRUB programs then you’re way past due for an introduction. GRUB (Growing Resourcefully Uniting Bellies) is a locally formed nonprofit organization established in 2007. Not only do they strive to minimize their ecological footprint by sustainable living practices, but they intend to nourish our community with knowledge and food and hope to deepen connections within the community. This group of individuals has been working hard to aid the community in sustainable development, and their latest project, the GRUB Community Gardens, invites the community to get in on the fun.
The Community Gardens first began with one garden back in September. This garden, located at 14th and Mulberry, was initially developed to help feed people at the Jesus Center and those who helped tend the garden. They have since expanded into a multiple-garden operation. Gardens have cropped up all over town, each with a different target demographic GRUB wants to help support. They have a garden off of West Lindo set up; most of the veggies grown here will be donated to a local food bank. They also hope to create a site off of East First Street that will become a training center for people with disabilities to learn the gardening process. The newest garden that they are currently working hard to get up and running is located in Walnut Grove Apartments off of Nord Ave. Here, they plan to take an old basketball court and turn it into a full-fledged garden, complete with raised beds, a sitting area and maybe even a small greenhouse.
Everything about these gardens is sustainable. Local businesses such as the Durham Worm Farm and Waste Management have donated compost, and Chico Food Network donates seeds. GRUB also tries to use all recycled materials to set up and maintain garden plots. For example, the garden off of 14th and Mulberry has an enclosed grow box that they threw together using leftover wood from a housing project and window panes collected by a GRUB member. They have also been able to use the blacktop from the basketball courts they dug up at the Walnut Grove Apartments.
Currently they have 14 members who live out at the “GRUB house” (a co-op located off Dayton Rd.) and seven people who keep the nonprofit programs running. Besides living by example, they have done a lot to spread awareness about sustainable practices and developed programs such as the gardens to aid the community. They want to see as much food grown in the community as possible and have been more than willing to share what they know to help that become a reality, but at the heart of things, these are community gardens that need to be worked on by the community at large, not just those who were good enough to get things started. Active member, Stephanie Elliot says, “If it is a need of the community to grow food, then we hope the community can support that need.” Anybody is welcome to take part in this amazing project. Help can come in a variety of ways; donate supplies, volunteer time during workdays out at one of their garden plots, or if you’re extra ambitious take on the garden coordinator position at a site. On Sundays, the GRUB house off Dayton welcomes community members to drop by and lend a hand, or even just to take a peek at what they are trying to do. There are plenty of ways to help out, and you can check out their web site grubchico.com for more information. The weather has been getting better everyday, and what better way to celebrate the rebirth of spring, than to get out in a garden and get your hands dirty to support the community, and of course, yourself.
By Jess krager
