A grassroots group of Santa Barbara neighbors is encouraging others to grow and share their locally grown food, seeds, and ideas in an effort to promote the transformation of unused lawns and other urban land into sustainable organic micro farms.

The group, Santa Barbara Food Not Lawns, is having fun while building a community of urban farmers who share food, ideas, and support for new exchanges.

To inspire curbside sharing, local architect Dennis Thompson designed a prototype for a free box kiosk that can be used to share community resources,  garden harvest surplus, seeds, books, toys, games, and neighborhood information.

According to the group’s website, they are encouraging carpenters and artists to be creative and build these structures for their own yards and perhaps those of their neighbors. Some have suggested using found materials, such as scrap wood or driftwood, for construction and possibly adding solar lighting.

Local Events
Sunday, September 20
Downtown Neighborhood Exchange
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
314 Loma Vista Avenue
Meet Emma and learn about the dozens of chili varieties she is growing.

Hidden Valley Garden Exchange
2:30-4:30 PM
3683 Montalvo Way