Artist and designer Ron Finley couldn’t help but notice what was going on in his backyard. “South Central Los Angeles,” he quips, “home of the drive-thru and the drive-by.” And it’s the drive-thru fast-food stands that contribute more to the area’s poor health and high mortality rate, with one in two kids contracting a curable disease like Type 2 diabetes.

Finley’s vision for a healthy, accessible “food forest” started with the curbside veggie garden he planted in the strip of dirt in front of his own house. When the city tried to shut it down, Finley’s fight gave voice to a larger movement that provides nourishment, empowerment, education — and healthy, hopeful futures — one urban garden at a time.

“Gardening is the most therapeutic and defiant act you can do, especially in the inner city. Plus, you get strawberries.”

“We gotta flip the script on what a gangsta is — if you ain’t a gardener, you ain’t gangsta.”

This is a super inspiring and frustrating TED talk. It’s worth the 10 minutes of your day to take this in.  CHECK IT OUT

Orcas Island in the San Juans is a very special place to us, and for a couple of weeks we’ll be working from our friend Wendy’s house. We need more friends like Wendy. Every day is a new adventure with new sights smells and sounds.  CHECK OUT SOME OF THE SIGHTS HERE