December 10, 2019

Meet Jenna Pierides of Dig it, Grow it, Share it in Arcadia Lite

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Pierides.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jenna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My idea to start a Community Garden began in July of this year. It was a part of a leadership course I was attending through a company called Landmark Worldwide. The goal was to do a project that involved the community in some capacity and complete it by September 27th, 2019. My vision for the garden was something small and simple; a handful of local planters, seeds in the dirt by that day in September, easy-peasy. Well, that didn’t happen. What did happen is much better, and much, much bigger!

One day in late July I was driving through my neighborhood looking for a spot for the garden. Maybe a front lawn that appeared to belong to someone liberal and earthy, a courtyard of a four-plex, maybe a patch in a park… I had no clue. Then I saw it. This big corner lot, with untamed trees, overgrown weeds, and no house.

So, I did some digging (pun intended) and found the owner, a woman in Southern California and owns several properties in Phoenix and elsewhere. I gave her a ring, no answer, no surprise there. IF she does call back, it will be to tell me no, why would this CA investor let some cooky chick in AZ put a garden on her (very valuable) lot in The Camelback Corridor? Well, she called back, and said “sure, sounds like a great idea”.
We agreed on a lease, for $1 per month (I know, WAY over market value, right?!)

That brings us to today, There are still no seeds in the ground, but there will be. Dig it, Grow it, Share it (DGS) now has a team of people who have come together to plan and develop the 22,000 sq. ft lot into a thriving community garden in their neighborhood!

Has it been a smooth road?
There have been more highs than lows, thankfully. Some parts were easy when I thought they would be hard, getting the land, for example. Other parts were harder than expected; I didn’t think it would take two months and two thousand bucks to get water on a property that formerly had two homes on it.

The other struggles are only due to my lack of know-how. However, I am now skilled (we’ll use that term loosely) at transporting and operating heavy machinery, land leveling, metal forging, welding, chain sawing, and wrenching on the motor of a 1989 pick-up.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Dig it, Grow it, Share it – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am most proud of how big the project has become. I started it all with literally no knowledge of how to start a single garden bed (it couldn’t be that hard, right?). I wound up forming a non-profit organization and building a garden the size of a small farm.

What sets DGS apart from other Community Gardens is the involvement of the community from the very beginning. Everyones participation is so imperative because, well, I have no idea what I’m doing! We are all figuring it out together. I only hope every person involved realizes how important they are, because when DGS comes to fruition, they deserve to be as proud as I am. DGS is not my garden, it’s the Communities Garden.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I have always liked Phoenix, but I really fell in love when I moved to Arcadia/Biltmore (Camelback Corridor if we are getting technical). Everyone knows everyone and they are involved with and passionate about their neighborhood.

I haven’t put much thought into what I like least, probably the pollution. The garden will help that, measurably or not, it will.

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