PHOENIX — Folks around the Valley are certainly feeling inflation, as costs everywhere continue rising.
One family is taking matters into their own hands at Spaces of Opportunity in south Phoenix. This community garden is located near 7th Avenue and Baseline Road.
“We have basil, we have broccoli, we have cauliflower,” said Ashley LaRae Sampson.
Sampson says she and her family have been growing in this garden for about two years.
“It smells so glorious in here,” she added.
She tells ABC15 that this garden isn’t just a place to grow food to put on their table, "it’s a family affair and a business affair, because we also do business together."
Sampson, her mom Michele Sampson, and her sister Ciera Holston, own StylePHX, a consulting company.
“Harvesting is my favorite part," she told ABC15.
The garden is also a place they bring their clients to and give them vegetables and herbs.
“We have a community space within Project Roots [AZ], which is the community garden space. But Spaces of Opportunity offers land to farmers all over the place,” said Sampson.
Part of the experience is learning about new foods from their garden neighbors.
“Like kohlrabi or turnips or, you know it’s just fun to see what your neighbors are doing and just learning from them and then trying new foods,” said Michele.
They say growing vegetables saves money and helps keep them in the green, while also feeding their souls.
"For us, we get to use it for the community, and business time, and family time, but for a lot the community gardeners, they’re actually selling their stuff and they’re teaching their kids how to sell their stuff,” said Sampson.
“I like getting down with the earth. It feels like the true farm-to-table and it’s nice to know where your stuff came from,” said Ciera.
She says there is a real sense of community here — something she is thankful for.
“The community gardeners take it very seriously. We’re definitely out here for a purpose, so it’s been great to see it flourish,” Ciera told ABC15.
Their garden, which is called Grow|StylePHX, has become a place they look forward to coming to.
“We’ve been growing with so many people and we’ve been learning so much that I feel like this has become a place that we basically call another home,” Sampson told ABC15.
