Biking to work along the Santa Ana River Trail has given me time to consider some of its quirks. The entrance I take is on Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino, with a path that winds around the 215 and 10 freeways and along a rather barren, sandy bed with little vegetation. What I find amusing are the concrete tables and benches for picnickers, where I have yet to see anyone sit because the climate is so hot, dry, and windy. In fact, the whole trail feels like the arid desert Southern California is, with an occasional stream of water appearing, and then disappearing into the rocks. None of the benches are near the few trees along the path– just miles and miles of sandy, predominantly plant-free soil– uninviting furnishings within an inhospitable terrain.
Other inhabitants, or just plain “the other”
The homeless who live in or near the Riverbed are another curious presence. They usually clear out by 6 or 7 o’clock a.m., but periodically I ride early enough to meet some of them. One morning on the way to work, I was reminded of the homeless folk who attend art openings at the gallery and museum where I work in Downtown Riverside. Since security officers have been hired for receptions, I haven’t seen as many of the downtrodden, but when they come there are a few who line their pockets with cubes of cheese and other buffet fare. Why would someone who gets free food from community services want squares of cheddar? There are two reasons, assures my husband who is a social worker. First is the thrill of taking something that is not yours, or in this case taking more than is socially acceptable. The other is variety. I pondered the luxury of food diversity. I never want to see edamame again after buying an industrial size box from Costco three years ago. I’d imagine it’s the same for those who rely on soup kitchens, though doubtful it’s edamame they despise. Riverside and San Bernardino County food banks and soup kitchens don’t have the resources to keep large quantities of refrigerated goods stocked, which means less fresh milk products, fruits and vegetables. Food found on the shelves is most likely processed, dry packed or canned, according to Catherine Mailliard, director of family outreach at the Community Food Pantry. At present it’s been hard for local pantries to keep up with demand for even the non-perishable items. Donations are down and as the following chart indicates, the number of residents receiving food stamps in San Bernardino and Riverside counties rose considerably this year. Food stamps are rarely adequate and many recipients rely on the generosity of other organizations in addition to what is provided by the county.
Riverside County Food Stamp Recipients
May 2007 31,017
May 2008 40,590
San Bernardino County Food Stamp Recipients
May 2007 46,123
May 2008 57,962
Source: Riverside County Department of Public Social Services and San Bernardino Transitional Assistance Department
Proposal
Contemplating the empty picnic tables, rarity of vegetation along the bike path, and need of novel fresh food, I devised a plan. Why not plant gardens of native edibles and trees along the trail? I enjoy plant propagation and could easily harvest seeds and clone existing California flora to plant. Even more interesting to me is the notion of a guerilla garden, enlisting the help of cyclists and those who live along the river. An unauthorized, reclaiming of county land by those who live or use the site in order to bring back native growth, which will in turn feed those in need, has the makings of something positively transgressive. The project could begin as soon as the heat will allow seeds to germinate and we get some fall or winter rain. A plentitude of native plants in other locations will make the process practically cost free, which also appeals to me. Romantic scenes of nearby residents and cyclists sitting at shade covered tables, eating fresh greens floods my mind, until I question why there are so few plants and trees to begin with.
Scary food
First of all, it’s a dry riverbed most of the time due to the Seven Oaks and Prado dams, but the river has a complicated history, necessitating pause when thinking about growing food in the area. For one thing, western Riverside County contains an industrial liquid waste dump just above the river in the Jurupa Mountains. Between 1956 and 1973, 34 million gallons of hazardous waste was deposited in what is called the Stringfellow Acid Pits. In the past, when the area flooded the waste ran into the river. On March 6, 1978, rainwater containing acids and thirty known carcinogens flowed down Pyrite Street, under the Pomona Freeway, onto Glen Avon Elementary School, and then out to the Santa Ana Riverbed. There are stories of elementary school children playing in the foam generated by waste materials, making beards for their faces and throwing toxic fluffy snowballs at one another.
Although my portion of the trial is north of the industrial waste site, it meanders through a Riverside County landfill on one side of the river with refineries on the other, not to mention the affected water table. Feeding those in need is good. Poisoning the hungry with carcinogenic nopales is bad. To avoid this conundrum, the second portion of the proposal includes do-it-yourself soil/water testing and plant tissue testing. Within the site for each garden there will be a display with test results. As I ride through to work, I’ll collect samples, record the data onsite and also on the project website (http://sartfood.blogspot.com/). I’m working with a chemist in the Bay Area to develop a reliable DIY system, as well as hoping to use resources at local colleges and universities. Once a week, the plants will be tested to determine their level of safety in regard to specific toxins previously found in the riverbed. This could be safer than the food offered in local markets, which have no testing system in place. In California we are all familiar with the spinach and tomato salmonella poisonings of the last few years. Food safety is of primary concern in these troubled times.
What makes this art?
The practice of molding the environment has its roots in earthworks, and collaborating with non-art entities is an important component of socially engaged art. Affecting the environment both physically and socially appeals to me on a conceptual level as an artist. The changes made to the river trail create the artwork, along with the process of building and maintaining the gardens by local cyclists and other residents. Attention drawn to the contamination of the site will be part of the project as well. The California College of the Arts in Oakland calls this ‘new genre’ public art, where the community and formal art practice overlap. I see it as a type of performance that works better in the out-of-gallery spaces. This type of work usually annoys people who try to define it as either activism or art. It’s really a hybrid activity, involving those inside and outside the art establishment. Critic and art historian, Grant Kester, and art programs like Oakland’s California College of the Arts underscore the changing perception of art in their new programs (Kester at UCSD) and writing. The Santa Ana River Trail Native Food Project is part of this evolving geography.
Sources:
http://www.ccaej.org/2006/Issues/Stringfellow/Museum/acid.html
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_S_food30_good.431120a.html
Monday, September 1, 2008
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