Have you shifted your food choices from those recommended by the old pyramid of daily requirements to the newly announced pyramid? If you have, you are ahead of the average person related to 'greening' your diet.
What was wrong with the old food pyramid recommendations? The biggest problem was too many people misunderstood them. For example, the old pyramid recommended six to 11 servings in the Bread Group, so most people thought they could eat up to 11 servings. As a result, they ate entirely too much bread and pasta simply because it appeared to be an important part of a healthy diet and failed to move up the pyramid and eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.
While the new pyramid in some ways is similar, there is a significant difference. The new format doesn't talk about servings. Instead, the daily recommended 'amounts' from each group is stated in terms of ounces (for grains and meats) or cups (for vegetables, fruits and milk).
To aide with your identification of healthy food choices, excellent analysis tools are available. Check out www.mypyramid.gov and enter personal data related to age, sex and daily activity. To further develop your analysis, select options that assist with developing a weekly worksheet. For instance, If you are interested in weight loss, select options related to weight control. Once a personalized food intake diet is identified, move forward to the next step -- acquire reliable 'green' food sources.
Barbara Kingsolver in her newly published book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle", stated while she strived to develop a 'grow your own' strategy, she heavily depended on local farmers markets. In a past Eco-chic column, local markets were defined as varying from where you live -- from a 75-mile to a 500-mile radius. For central Virginia, a 75-mile radius is sufficient. Acquiring food within this radius will not only support the local economy but will be in season and fresh. To identify a nearby market, check out this link.
Still, although interest across the Nation has occurred related to healthier food choices in our diets, specifically 'grow your own' vegetables, for many Virginians the challenge is not necessarily acquiring 'how to' knowledge but permission to include edibles in their urban/suburban landscapes. Unfortunately, as Virginians moved away from their agrarian heritage, they created regulatory as well as neighborhood restrictions prohibiting the installation of edibles in urban/suburban landscapes. So, for the present, let's assume this is your reality.
Nevertheless, regardless of the source of limitations, participating in a community garden program is always a viable option that provides a wonderful opportunity to let your garden grow! Typically these sites are organized as individual associations with their own set of by-laws. However, be aware governmental regulations can supersede all garden association regulations.
Community garden programs, in general, are lead by a Chief Gardener and/or Executive Director who is responsible for assigning plots and collecting all related fees. Fees can vary by location because they offset costs for fence and water system repairs as well as maintenance. Because the concept of community gardening is gaining popularity, there are waiting lists. For this reason, half plots are assigned to new gardeners, though you may be able to acquire a whole plot after gardening in good stead.
The Greater Richmond Area is fortunate to have a flourishing community garden program. For information specific to Richmond's Tricycle Gardens or a 'how to' for starting a community site, see Web site www.tricyclegardens.org. As Lisa Taranto Executive Director for the Church Hill-based Tricycle Gardens says, "Our plots range from about 100 square feet to 120 square feet, [which is] the size determined by our overall gardening space ... and seems like a reasonable size for people to manage."
To help others understand the mechanics of community gardens, the Tricycle Gardens is holding four identical informational workshops, named "How to Start & Sustain a Community Garden". These workshops are free and will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on June 25, July 9, July 30 and August 13 at 211 W. 7th. St. in old Manchester.
For Henrico residents, the Extension Office is accepting applications for its new Gardens Growing Families program. "The program," says Lisa Sanderson, "is designed for families that could benefit from having fresh fruit and vegetables." The garden located in the Fairfield district is near the Bloomingdale area of Lakeside. For details, contact the Extension Office at (804) 501-5160.
Have you made a commitment to green your diet? If not -- why not? In addition to the fact that you will create a healthier you, each step taken decreases your eco-footprint contributing to the overall green of our community – the Greater Richmond area. So, step outside of the confines personal space and solicit the assistance of neighborhood civic groups or interested neighbors and commit to creating curb, median, community or alley gardens, or a roof or courtyard garden for a shared building space.
To share advice or the results of your choices related to this subject, contact me at syhwright@comcast.net or post comments below. Together, let's create a series of column topics that assist the 'greening' of our community. Let's move the Greater Richmond area from Eco-weak to Eco-chic, creating a legacy of healthy green.
About the author -- Sylvia Hoehns Wright, a landscape-garden designer located in Glen Allen, specializes in eco-chic strategies. For details of Wright's activities, contact (804)672-6007, syhwright@comcast.net or see web site, www.TheWrightScoop.com.