Vacant lot before DMZ Garden I.

Today I received an email from a legislature aide with questions about a possible event at DMZ Gardens. I have not been directly involved in the garden the last few years but my name was still listed at the UW Extension as the contact person. So I called one of the other co-founders who are still deeply involved in the DMZ, Dawn. She told me how the second DMZ garden, DMZ II, started on another vacant lot nearby had received a grant from the government and via Growing Power and had established a very successful garden. She told me of the plans for DMZ 3 and 4.

I had known Dawn from the good work she does providing housing for those with mental illnesses. I introduced her to another friend, Marna, who I had known through my work at the time with Mothers Against Gun Violence. They, like I, were interested in gardening and when I introduced them to Will Allen of , my mentor in gardening. Thus D for Dawn, M for Marna and Z for me, DMZ gardens was born.

I gradually pulled out but they, with help of Growing Power and the community, kept right on going. It is really a good feeling to know that something that you helped plant a seed has grown so much. The three of us used to meet for lunch once a month to enjoy our good food and discuss our plans. I suggested to Marna and Dawn that we have another lunch soon. Dawn says I was a co-founder of DMZ Gardens but now am an ‘honoree member’. I am honored to be one.

The name DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) came to me since we were building the first garden in the middle of a neighborhood torn by poverty and crime. Our community garden was a place of peace. With the commitment of Growing Power and the City of Milwaukee community gardens on vacant lots have exploded all over Milwaukee. The DMZ gardens are lands of calm and safety in between urban war zones. We need more DMZ’s to grow food and community.

See DMZ Gardens for pictures of old. New pictures of DMZ 1 and 2 to come.

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