Alice's Garden

I spent an afternoon at Alice's Garden on 20th Street & Garfield Avenue, celebrating the Roots & Shoots International Day of Peace. It turns out, I learned a lot.

The beautiful two-block community garden has been around for 20 years but underwent a major revitalization this year in conjunction with the rebuilding of Johnson's Park - a previously neglected 13 acre green space that had fallen to disrepair. Both the garden and park are connected through a walkway which symbolizes the path of the Underground Railroad in Milwaukee. Johnson's Park was once part of a farm owned by Samuel Brown, who in July of 1842 helped protect 16 year old runaway slave, Caroline Quarlls. Caroline became its first "passenger" and Wisconsin a leader in the abolition movement.

I learned this all from the wonderful Venice Williams, the lady behind much of the outreach and great community events that take place at the garden. Venice shared with me the history of the garden, her own personal history, delicious homemade veggie soup and a sense of pride for her food, community and planet.

I asked Venice how she got her start in harvesting, growing and gardening: "It's a part of my roots, it's in my blood," she answered. We're lucky passionate people like Venice exist.

Read here to learn more about Alice's Garden and how to rent a plot of land to grow on.