An interesting showdown is happening in Los Angeles. The South Central Community Garden is split into 350 plots farmed by local families and community members who grow crops like cabbage, cactus, brussel sprouts, and medicinal herbs. The land, however, doesn’t belong to the farmers or to the city, but to a private developer who has now decided it is time to do away with the Garden.
You can read more about it on Treehugger, and don’t skip the comments. Private property rights are something Americans take very seriously — and I think it is one of those small differences between our two nations. Canadians are protective, no doubt, but we seem slightly more laid back about these type of things.
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Greetings from Los Angeles! Thought you’re readers might like to know about some other excellent articles that were recently published on the struggle to keep the South Central Farm. I’ve pasted two links below. The clamor article contains interviews with a few of the South Central Farmers and Horowitz (the developer). The counterpunch article provides some intriguing information about political connections and the transfer of the land from the city to Horowitz…
http://www.clamormagazine.org/issues/36/people.php
http://www.counterpunch.org/philpott03162006.html