There is a Chinese proverb that is as true today as when it was first said: "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime."

As we pull together in the spirit of community this holiday season, filling our grocery carts with bags of food for our families and also for those families in our midst who are less fortunate, we should take a few moments to consider a more long-range view of feeding ourselves in the future.

We all have enough "stuff" — more than enough in most cases. We are blessed to live in one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, surrounded by some of the most beautiful open space in the state. In fact, Novato is a town whose historic roots are firmly planted in farming. Several multi-generational family farm properties can still be found amid the pastoral rolling hills that spread from our city. With all this as our inspiration, why not consider giving the gift of a sustainable community garden to ourselves and future generations who will call Novato their home.

Currently the Novato Community Garden, a project six years in the making by the Novato Live Well Network, is looking for funding to complete its final stages. Despite many obstacles along the way, the project’s board of dedicated volunteers has continued to persevere and find solutions that have kept the garden moving forward.

A two-acre plot adjacent to Dog Bone Meadow on Novato Boulevard has already been leased from the city for the garden, a development plan approved and a water well drilled at the site.

The Novato Live Well Network's vision for the community garden is to enable people from diverse backgrounds to grow food and foster community in a sustainable manner, while working to educate families, schools, and our community about the positive benefits of choosing sustainable ways of eating, gardening, and living.  

I recently met with Veronica Valero, Novato Community Garden committee chairperson and staunch advocate for the project. She graciously took me on a walking tour of the site and described the next phases of the project: installing an access road and parking for the garden, a gravity-flow water tank, perimeter fencing and approximately 70 organic garden plots of varying sizes, including raised beds for disabled and elderly residents.

The garden plans to be completely sustainable with a goal of operating "off the grid" — supplying its own water, electricity and developing a closed-loop system for recycling, composting and waste management.

In addition, the Novato Community Garden Project will have a demonstration "mini-farm" that will serve as an instructional venue for educational workshops on organic gardening techniques as well as providing access to local organic produce. There will also be a sharing component in place for collaborating with organizations that can distribute excess produce to local low income, homebound, disabled and elderly residents.

Once the garden is complete, which could be as early as later this year if fundraising goes well, there will be many additional opportunities to collaborate with local businesses, adult service organizations, and youth groups to provide ongoing educational opportunities on land stewardship, nutrition, and health.

"Applications of Interest" are currently being accepted for those interested in securing a plot for rent in the garden. You can download your application from their website (see last paragraph for details). Submitting an application will insure that you're among the first to know when plots are available.

Herein lies a grassroots opportunity for the citizens of Novato to create a wonderful legacy that says something about the value we place on the quality of the food we consume. Have you ever had the experience of plucking a vegetable or fruit straight from the garden and tasting the difference between fresh and what you purchase from a heap in a grocery store? There is no comparison. The garden wins hands down every time.

I remember the first time we grew tomatoes in our back yard. My children were little at the time and their attention span was short. Still, they were enthralled with the idea of planting a seed and watching the miracle of a sprout emerge from the barren earth. The lessons learned from nurturing that seedling, seeing it flourish, and having a hand in its care, made the harvest of those Early Girl tomatoes all the sweeter in the end.

My son didn't even like tomatoes — but he loved to eat ours! I believe it was because he had a personal investment in those rosy, sun-ripened globes that he didn’t have with the specimens that appeared on our kitchen counter on market day. Before the harvest of our backyard vines my attempts to seduce him into tasting tomatoes had always fallen short. Yet when it came to eating the tomatoes he'd had a hand in growing, there was no hesitation. Funny how such a simple thing can make such a profound impression. 

So I challenge my fellow Novato residents in this season of giving, to consider a gift that will truly continue to benefit our community for years to come. Instead of more "stuff," join me in making a donation to support the Novato Community Garden Project. It's the perfect antidote for the person who has everything, or the friend, colleague or family member who appreciates knowing exactly where their food comes from. While you're at it, consider making a recurring gift on a monthly or quarterly basis, and asking your employer to make a matching donation that will maximize your contribution power.

When we invest in our community and each other, we invest in strengthening our local economy. When we endeavor to expand our vision of providing for ourselves in the most base of ways, our food, and teach our children to do the same, we create a perpetual cycle that renews and nourishes itself in the process.

Back to that old Chinese proverb. Revamp it a little and we have a mantra for the Novato Community Garden Project : "Give a man some food, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to garden, and he will eat for a lifetime".

To donate to the Novato Community Garden Project, visit their link on the Novato Live Well website at www.novatolivewell.org or call 415-897-2302. Volunteers who would like to become involved with the project, or businesses that are willing to donate materials, labor or services are welcome!