COMMUNITY GARDENS PROJECT
Dee Matreyek – Chair
P.O. Box 9244, Alta Loma, CA 91701
Email: rcgarden@earthlink.net
909-946-6092
July 27, 2009
Dear Garden Supporter,
Remember the days when the Spring air was filled with the intoxicating smell of citrus blossoms and the Fall saw the community gather together for the grape harvest? Remember when a locally grown peach or home- grown tomato was just about the best thing you have ever tasted?
If you do, you will be pleased to hear about the new Community Gardens Project of Rancho Cucamonga!
We are excited to announce the launch of the Community Gardens Project of Rancho Cucamonga (15 acres on the south side of Foothill Blvd, west of Day Creek Blvd in an Edison easement.).
We are in the process of developing a collaborative community project that will include four main components: (1) A community garden in which fruits and vegetables will be grown for private consumption, public sale, and donation to local food pantries; (2) A grape vineyard – renewing and preserving the area’s viticulture heritage (3) A farmer’s market that will sell fresh produce to the public and generate funds to support the project; (4) An educational component providing programs in nutrition, food production and preservation, organic gardening, and healthy lifestyles.
This project will be an innovative and vital new addition to our community! Why is it needed?
NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
There is a growing national awareness of the value of locally grown fruits and vegetables that can enhance the health and wellbeing of the community’s citizens. With the current economic downturn, (California has an unemployment rate of 10.5% San Bernardino County 12.4%, and the City of Rancho Cucamonga is at approximately 5%) and the cascade of problems that brings (poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, diet related health concerns, growing senior citizen needs due to diminishing retirement funds, needs for cheaper, alternative green energy solutions, etc.) there is a tremendous need to develop projects that focus on community sustainability. Fifteen percent of San Bernardino County’s citizens live in poverty, 14.7% are children, and additionally 30% of adults live in low-income households in which food insecurity is a concern. 64.7% of adults and 33.6% of 7th graders are at an unhealthy weight and/or obese, in part due to the lack of affordable and nutritious fruits and vegetables. San Bernardino County has the worst access to healthy food options in the state. With the development of the Community Gardens and Farmer’s Market Produce Exchange, it is our intention to increase the access to low-cost, locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Given that the greatest cost of buying produce in the local grocery stores comes from packaging and transportation, we intend to alleviate this burden by providing produce picked fresh the day it is sold in the market, and distributed to local food pantries and government food programs.
REVITALIZING OUR HISTORY
Cucamonga’s first large agricultural development began in 1838. In 1859 rancher John Rains began large grapevine plantings (125,000+) in Cucamonga and began a local revolution by introducing agriculture on a large scale to replace cattle and sheep ranching. By 1917, Secondo Guasti was advertising his Italian Vineyard Company’s vineyards as, “The Largest in the World.” Cucamonga-Guasti vineyards spanned over 20,000 acres. Rancho Cucamonga also boasts home to the first and oldest winery building in California – established 1839 and identified as California Historic Landmark No. 490. The region was also one of the state’s most reputable growers of seedless table grapes. Local grower and viticulturalist George F. Johnston resided in the Etiwanda area and developed and perfected the process of “girdling” the vine – the practice of girdling removes the bark, phloem and cambium from around the trunk or cane. In 1995 the United States Treasury Department’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) ruled Cucamonga Valley an approved viticulture area that allows local wineries to use the words “Cucamonga Valley on their wine labels utilizing at least 85% Cucamonga grapes. Today, only a few of the valley’s original winegrowing family operations with less than 800 vineyard acres remain. The loss of vineyard land continues and some of the nation’s oldest vines will soon disappear.
EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN
The Community Gardens Project will provide educational opportunities, not only for our children, but for everyone within the community. We will be collaborating with the local school districts to develop curriculum around the subject of food production, horticulture, nutrition, gardening and healthy lifestyles. With the help of the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners many of these programs will also be offered to the public. In addition, we plan to develop a volunteer program pairing up high school students who need community service hours with those who may need extra help in their garden plots.
THE VALUE TO COMMUNITY
Growing food together has the same value as breaking bread together. We get to know our neighbors, develop strong family bonds, share information, and feel more connected to our larger community. What are some of the other benefits to developing and growing a community garden?
ü It grows leaders
ü It helps to feed people and save money
ü It promotes healthier communities
ü It helps people learn about civic participation
ü It helps save energy and keep urban air cool and clean
ü It provides job training
ü It reduces stress
ü It gives at-risk people access to healthy foods
ü It preserves cultural heritage
ü It provides children with places to play and learn
ü It helps cities with recycling
ü It makes people more productive
ü It helps people keep physically fit
ü It teaches patience
In order to make the COMMUNITY GARDENS PROJECT a great success
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
We have already developed collaborative partnerships with a number of organizations including:
The Restorative Justice Center, Cucamonga Valley Viticultural Conservancy, Foothill Crossing LLC, Land Matters, Northtown Housing Development Corporation, University of California Cooperative Extension – San Bernardino County Master Gardeners, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, San Bernardino County Department of Agriculture, Burrtec, Edison, the City of Rancho Cucamonga, the Cucamonga Valley Water District, Architerra Landscape Design, Pitassi Architects, Laird Construction, Toro Irrigation, Diversified Pacific, San Bernardino County Resource Conservation District, and the California Table Grape Commission, the Rancho Cucamonga Senior Center, the Historical Preservation Association of RC, and the Rotary Club of Rancho Cucamonga. We are beginning our outreach to many individuals, families, community organizations, businesses, local schools districts and churches.
Many of the above organizations are giving in-kind support with their time, expertise, materials, and perhaps most important the land! Thanks to the owners Foothill Crossing LLC, the 15 acre site is located along Foothill Blvd, West of Day Creek Blvd and Sears Grand. But we also need financial support. We are in the beginning stages of developing a site plan and need to pay the landscape architects. We also need money to pay Edison to review the plans. In addition we will need financial backers to help with the water infrastructure for the site. For the first phase of the garden development (approximately 4 acres) we anticipate needing $100,000. We are also embarking on a membership drive, and a fundraising and grant writing campaign to cover some of these costs.
But we can’t move forward until the site plans are completed and the Edison review process is successful.
Please consider contributing to this exciting project! Our membership levels are as follows:
$10 Friend of the Garden
$20 Individual
$40 Family
$50 Business or Organization
$100 Founding Member
$500 and Above Garden Sponsor
However, a donation of $1000.00 or more would seed the Community Gardens Project so that it could grow into a sustainable community project into the future.
We thank you for your interest and support of this project. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 909-946-6092 or e.mail me at rcgarden@earthlink.net.
Sincerely,
Dee Matreyek, Chair – Community Gardens Project
The Community Garden is currently a project of the Restorative Justice Center of the Inland Empire (a 501 c 3 non-profit org.)
