Published in the Feb. 5, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Joseph and Demetria Iacocca
Photo courtesy Demetria Iacoca
Giavanna Iacocca, 3, loves her garden plot.
When we had our daughter three years ago, we decided we needed to get closer to our roots. We wanted to offer her the experience of playing in dirt, watching things grow and learning where her food comes from.
We got on the Community Garden waiting list and within a few months got the chance to meet the other Community Garden families and learn about the garden. Our first season was so much more fun than we had expected. Our daughter pulled ripe red tomatoes off the vines, putting them right into her mouth. She learned that she had to wash a carrot that she pulled out of the ground before she could eat it. And we learned that the benefits of gardening not only bring us physical health but emotionally connects us as a family and community like we never imagined.
The community garden has the potential to bring people together. Each plot is rented on an annual basis by one family. Working side by side with other families gives us a chance to slow down enough to meet our neighbors.
The community garden offers our family a rich experience by bringing people together from many different ages, economic backgrounds and ethnic cultures. We have had the opportunity to discover a variety of new fruits and vegetables to try. When neighbors come together, pride, volunteerism and community involvement increase.
This is our family’s second season with the Morgan Hill Community Garden. We have planted seeds and we love watching them grow. The five community garden members who are Santa Clara County Master Gardeners are always available to answer questions and offer suggestions. The monthly community garden work days give us a chance to meet up with our gardening neighbors and learn how their gardens grow. We look forward to each season as it brings forth new life in our garden and our family.
Many of the new homes being built in our town are without property big enough for a healthy vegetable garden. The Morgan Hill Community Garden provides 50 garden spots for residents like our family to tend and experience the joy of planting, nurturing and harvesting our own food.
Demetria Iacocca is a local addiction therapist. She and her family reside in Morgan Hill. The Iacoccas have been community garden members for one year. Demetria, Joseph and their daughter look forward to planting carrots and tomatoes.
Visit the Morgan Hill Community Garden’s website by clicking HERE.
