Volunteering at the Starrett Lehigh Rooftop Garden

One of my first life memories is picking strawberries with my mom. Since that amazing discovery that wonderful edible things can grow from the earth, I’ve been fascinated with learning how to tend for plants.

I started volunteering at the rooftop garden last year in April. I came up with colleagues from Johnson & Johnson and kept coming back. What brings me back is the gradual progress of watching the plants move through each life stage and the welcoming community that includes people from all over the building. We talk about what we look forward to growing, the progress of the plants and share the excitement of picking our food. There truly is nothing like a vine ripened heirloom tomato.

Whether it is weeding or planting, I enjoy putting my hands into the dirt. There’s something so pure and visceral about it.

I’m glad that a colleague took the opportunity to share the garden with me and that I am able to share it with others. I hope it’s a project that remains for a long time.