The OSS trip was a visit to the bronx. We visited a site in the middle of multiple apartment complex’s after getting off the train at Dyckman. The trip to get to the site was about 35 minutes. Once we got to the site we were greeted by a barking dog from a window, chilly air and unturned soil. We turn the soil so the nutrients the plant starts to resurface this is a good practice for plant growth. Jumping into it I used my hands to move the soil from the pot. It was a relaxing experience. Grabbing the soil and moving it was satisfying because you can see the amount of space you cleared. In the process I found a couple of worms. If you find worms thats a good sign that the soil is good. We had fun looking at the worms, some people in the class were worried about the worms getting to close to them, Other people complained about using their hands to dig the soil. I had was just having fun. It reminded me of being on my grandpas garden in Trinidad. It made me reflect on the fact that I never appreciated that side of my family way of living. They grow crops and sell them to supermarkets. Basically like a farmer, only he’s not a farmer. These urban gardens are effective because they are so small and they comeback up every year. This garden in particular is in the center of all these different apartment buildings, it unifies the entire space. In addition its ironic to have such a sustainable garden next to old buildings that may not have the LEED certifications that modern buildings have. LEED grades how sustainable a building is.
