Feature
GOING GREEN
Meridian resident Craig Wilkes works to grow healthy eating choices
Story and Photos by Glenda Sanders
Craig Wilkes spends his Saturday mornings working at Love and Peas Community Garden .
From Earth ’ s Bounty to Love and Peas Community Garden , Craig Wilkes is focused not only on supporting local farmers and gardeners but also empowering residents to make healthy eating choices .
A Meridian native who spent 30 years away living in big cities , Wilkes returned to his hometown a decade ago and has worked tirelessly to grow opportunities for local residents to be able to choose fresh , healthy fruits and vegetables over store bought packaged foods .
Through his job as administrative assistant in the city of Meridian ’ s Community Development Department , Wilkes works on behalf of the Earth ’ s Bounty Festival , held the first Saturday of the month between April and November .
He chairs Earth ’ s Bounty ’ s advisory board , vets potential vendors , arrives at the market for set up at 6 a . m . and stays until the last vendor has departed . He has served on the Meridian Tree Commission and is
There was a group of people , when I first moved here , that had gotten together and talked about building a community garden . At that point I am like , ‘ great , let ’ s do it !’ and we did .
Craig Wilkes a co-founder of Go Green , Meridian !, which sponsors the Loves and Peas Community Garden , one of his most prized projects .
“ There was a group of people , when I first moved here , that had gotten together and talked about building a community garden . At that point I am like , ‘ great , let ’ s do
it !’ and we did ,” Wilkes said . Located on a plot of land behind Cater ’ s Market in north Meridian , Love and Peas is a teaching garden that also offers community residents a chance to take part and share in the fresh vegetables , fruits and herbs .
“ It is a teaching garden where everybody comes and works together ,” Wilkes said . “ We teach people how to grow food organically and sustainably .”
Because of Mississippi ’ s mild climate , they are able to grow food year-round . From cilantro , carrots , beets and turnips in the fall to potatoes , chard and lettuce in the spring to beans , tomatoes , cucumbers , squash and eggplant in the summer , fresh vegetables can usually be found in the garden . Native and medicinal plants also are grown , including holy basil and tea hibiscus .
On Saturday mornings , volunteers converge on the garden although Wilkes said he never knows how many will show up . Sometimes it is a group of children and their parents , the next week it may be a group of seniors , and the next week it may be one volunteer .
“ The way it works is that you come and volunteer , and then we share ,” he said . “ This past Saturday , we shared potatoes and string beans among everybody who came and worked .”
Love and Peas hosts tours and children ’ s groups and has shared excess food with nonprofits such as Feed by
12 • MERIDIAN LIFE