How about you and I grow (something) together?

My friend Kiel is starting an urban gardening class. I've dreamed of a garden in my backyard since buying our home in 2005, but getting started is overwhelming, so I'm using the class as a final push.

I'm intrigued by the concept of urban gardening, not only for the benefit of my own health and well-being (gardening is good for the soul, so I'm told), but for the potential impact on the community. Consider this:

1. Millions of gallons of water¹ are used each year to nurture grass and decorative landscaping in Fresno—these offer aesthetic value only. What would it look like if a portion of that landscaping was converted to a vegetable garden? (The easy answer is "delicious.") A well-manicured garden can be easy on the eyes, and on the stomach.
2. Gardening can be a community activity. Several Valley cultures live out that model—it seems so simple. Imagine people from throughout a neighborhood or the larger community coming together to work the soil and share a meal.
    

Hard to picture? Look to other communities. "Crop mobs" are forming in other cities, drawing crowds of workers from a variety of ages and backgrounds.

I think this is a perfect fit for Fresno—a marriage of our agricultural heritage and the emerging generations that take it for granted. Then again, I think a lot, so I'm curious what you think. Would you join a mob? Know of a spot or two that could be farmed? Leave a comment, or shoot me an email at james@tastefresno.com with your thoughts. (If you can't tell, I'd really like to see this happen here, at least once.) ²

¹ This is a guess; I don't know what the actually usage is, but I can't imagine it's less.
² Thanks to Renee for the links.