The Peas are Taking Over!

I was browsing an apartment-hunter magazine today when I came across something quite interesting - one of the apartments listed in its amenities, among other things, a Pea Patch!

I found this to be amazingly awesome and relevant - my Anthropology of Food class just took a field trip two weeks ago to visit the Pea Patches of the University District. I had never heard of Pea Patches before this class, at least not in this context. The idea of a small subsistence garden in an urban environment had never even occured to me - though it did interest me immensely. I've actually given quite a lot of thought to starting a container garden of a few favorite herbs and vegetables, though I've since realized there is not enough sun on the small covered porch of my current apartment. However, the idea interests me enough to have sufficient outdoor space/light as a new consideration when looking for my next apartment.

I guess I was astonished that the people who build this brand-new housing complex were so aware of this burgeoning interest in home gardening that they integrated it as a key feature in their new "green" living space. Though I'm very wary of any and all who immediately hop on the new "green" bandwagon, it seems that this particular feature might actually be aimed less at making a profit off of trendsetting consumers and more at meeting a genuine demand for genuine change.