Last week we were working with a group of students from Jefferson High's Green Academy; they are planning to design and install an edible garden at the home of one of our neighbors on East 40th Place. These same kids had connected with RootDown once before in the Jefferson garden, where we tended to our crops, blanched some broccoli and made a little homemade salsa.
Jerson Ramirez said he'd been making that "stuff" (salsa) ever since we made it in the garden. He wanted to know where we got those blue corn chips. Trader Joe's we said. Which, still won't come to South LA because it doesn't fit into their business model. But that's ok. We'll keep building the demand for healthier processed foods, and the stores already here will start offering them - organic blue corn chips included.
To anyone who says it's hard to get kids to eat healthy food, we say - talk to Jerson. Maybe he'll make salsa with you and get you to eat your tomatoes.
