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Albany Mayor Encourages Residents To Buy Local, Grow Local

Stacy Pettigrew and Mayor Kathy Sheehan at the Radix Center on Earth Day 2020.
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Stacy Pettigrew and Mayor Kathy Sheehan at the Radix Center on Earth Day 2020.

Earth Day was overshadowed this year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan spent Earth Day sowing the seeds for an urban vegetable garden.
On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Maypr Kathy Sheehan stopped by the Radix Center in downtown Albany.

"Kids in Albany get really excited when they learn that we have a farm right here in the South End. They don't even realize some of them and it's here, but for those who live in the neighborhood and who discovered it to our Summer Youth Employment Program, they know we're really special place it is."

Radix is the South End's Ecological Sustainability Center, which teaches gardening and ecological literacy to area residents. Sheehan was there to discuss how folks can begin backyard victory gardens

"We can grow gardens, even in a pandemic right?"

Radix Executive Director Stacy Pettigrew says whether you have space at your home or you'd rather utilize a plot at one of the community gardens throughout the city, now is a great time to get planting.

"As part of responding to the pandemic, here in Albany one of the things that we're doing is supporting our pandemic resilience garden, promote our own local food security, and also gardening is a great stress reliever and a way to get outside and get some excercise amd some sun."

Pettigrew says this past Monday, the Albany Common Council unanimously approved, and Mayor Sheehan signed, a resolution encouraging Albany residents to buy local and grow local.

"Here in the South End of Albany, it's officially a food desert, which means there aren't local source,s many local sources, of fresh nutritious food that are easily accessible for the residents. And so I think one of the things that this pandemic and the resulting crisis from it really has brought to the surface is how broken our food system is and distribution networks. And how many people are, you know, a paycheck or two away from really needing to go to the food pantry, and needing help. And so the more now more than ever, it shows that a great way to increase access to food and food security, is through growing it yourself."

Pettigrew says the Radix Center will test your soil for free if you live in the South End: others will pay a modest fee. Staffers are ready to help anyone who would like to start a new home garden. You can also access instructions to get your garden started along with more information about the Victory Garden initiative on the Buy Local, Grow Local Facebook page.

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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