Lumen Winter 2016 - Flipbook - Page 22
story by Genevieve Sanchez
City farmer
cultivates communities
A
community garden in the Bronx,
New York is about as far away as
you can get from the practice rooms
of the University’s Elder Conservatorium. It’s
there among the plots of sprouting spring
vegetables that you’ll find Will Littleton,
musician-turned-garden manager.
Having studied a Bachelor of Music
at the University of Adelaide and playing
double bass professionally for many
years, Will’s music career came to a halt
because of recurring back problems.
Developing an interest in sustainability and
the environment, he undertook a Diploma
of Conservation and Land Management.
Over the next 10 years he worked in
urban and rural settings in Australia, the UK
and New Zealand in water conservation,
bush regeneration, arboriculture and
agriculture, broadening his understanding of
global environmental issues and seeing the
need to change land management practices
to remedy the damage already done.
Will also travelled through South-East
Asia, India, and Samoa, volunteering as
an English teacher and on farms in rural
communities, working alongside people
who were struggling to feed themselves
and their families.
“This made me think about our food
system and the huge inequalities that it
produces, not only between countries
but within communities,” he says.
Returning to Australia, Will enrolled in a
Bachelor of Development Studies where
he built upon his already diverse skill set.
“I thoroughly enjoyed returning as a
mature-aged student,” he says. “I was more
prepared and driven to learn and position
myself to change direction and enhance my
career, which is what I feel I have done.”
After graduating, Will moved to New
York and within six weeks was working
at the Kingsbridge Heights Community
Center (KHCC) in the Bronx, managing
a nutrition and garden program.
The community is made up of
predominantly Latino immigrant families
on low-incomes, many of them living
below the poverty line. Because of the
lack of affordable fresh produce, they
are forced to eat cheaper processed or
takeaway foods. Will says this is resulting
in extremely high rates of food-related
health issues such as obesity, diabetes
and heart disease.
“We need to ensure that the community
has access to affordable fresh produce
and the knowledge from a young age of
the importance of healthy eating and the
food system,” he says.
Will organises fundraising campaigns
and is responsible for projects that provide
food literacy education and an affordable
source of fresh produce for the community.
In April, Will invited New York-based
University of Adelaide alumni to visit the
centre and help prepare the Bronx
garden for spring.
He says everyone felt a sense of
achievement so they have agreed to
keep in touch and make the work day
an annual alumni get together.
“Working at KHCC has shown me a
side of New York that I never would have
seen if I worked downtown or came here
as a tourist,” says Will.
“It is really a city of social and economic
inequalities, but there is a significant
movement to make change with a bustling
non-profit sector working to improve the
infrastructure and support systems to
ensure residents are able to live healthier,
more productive lives.”
Left: Will Littleton
Green thumbs on campus
Ecoversity – the University of Adelaide’s sustainability
engagement program – has helped establish two edible
gardens at the North Terrace and Waite campuses. The
gardens were made possible through start-up funding from
Ecoversity’s Green Project Fund and passionate staff and
students keen to grow food on campus, share skills and
meet like-minded people. Find out more:
www.adelaide.edu.au/ecoversity/action/ediblegarden
20 Lumen | Winter 2016
