Urban Farm Hub

Sue

Who are the people behind the urban farming projects cropping up all over the Puget Sound Region? What inspires them? What foods nurture them?

Urban Farm Hub has launched a weekly spotlight series to celebrate the amazing people who spend their days creating a healthier, more sustainable local food system. This week we’d like to celebrate the community-oriented work of Sue Gibbs.

In addition to being a big fan of potlucks in the garden, Gibbs was one of the key organizers of the Hillman City P-Patch garden and now serves as a Coordinating Committee Member of Sustainable South Seattle.

What inspired you to get involved in the local food movement?

Getting involved in the local food movement has been coming for a long time in my life. My mom was raised on a farm in Iowa, and my family spent a lot of time visiting my grandparents there. We often stopped at farm stands to pick up fresh sweet corn, tomatoes and green beans. I’ve been gardening organically for over 30 years–most of that time at my home in Columbia City. I have raised a daughter and son here and think I have instilled in them an appreciation of fresh, local food.

My first experience in organizing around urban farming was helping to create the Hillman City P-Patch and being a coordinator for the first three years. I loved the sharing that went on there–of seeds, produce and knowledge–but also of cultures since we had gardeners from several countries with plots in our patch.

If you could change only one thing about our local food system, what would it be?

The one thing I would change about our food system would be integrating free or low cost cafeterias at all workplaces and schools. They would serve healthy food for all three meals and snacks–and the workers would be paid a living wage and respected as much as any employee.

If you could bring only one pack of seeds on a long trip what kind would you bring?

My choice for a packet of seeds to take on a long trip would be Kentucky Wonder pole beans. I love the taste and they are easy to grow with a short time from planting to harvest. They can also be grown vertically so they don’t use much space. The variety has stood the test of time and you can save the seeds for your next crop.

What do you think about the adage “It’s not the food we eat; it’s our eating habits”?

I’m seeing a trend here–the thread of sharing and collectivity in the production and enjoyment of the fuel for our bodies.I do think that our eating habits are just as important as what we eat.

Speaking of eating habits, what’s your vision of the perfect meal?

The perfect meal would be a potluck in my back yard on a balmy summer evening. The food would consist of homemade and homegrown dishes. I love the variety of food at potlucks and learning new ways of putting ingredients together.