Meet the People Behind our Global Academic Experiences
Written by Annie Merkley
Have you ever looked at your sidewalk and thought, “Let’s make this edible!” Well, that is exactly what Austral Group Program Manager Sofía Guardone did during the midst of pandemic lockdowns in her hometown of San Isidro—a neighborhood at the mouth of Río de la Plata just north of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her mother had come across a TED talk by Pamela Warhurst, co-founder of Incredible Edible, a UK initiative dedicated to making edible landscapes. Inspired by Warhurst, Sofía and her mom took notice of an unused sidewalk next to the train tracks and thought it would make for the perfect place to lay the roots for “Huertavereda,” their community garden. After breaking ground in August 2020, more urban spaces began beckoning them to come and bring life to the dead soil hidden beneath piles of rubble.
Now, she says it’s wonderful how she can go for a walk down the block and pick fresh herbs for dinner whenever she pleases. The sense of community is electric as neighbors have gotten involved sharing seeds, plants, and even beloved family recipes. Though there are signs up that state how to pick leaves and plants properly, there has been some minor damage and people taking plants, roots, and all. However, Sofía said this risk was well worth it, “We’re not going anywhere.” She believes that when people realize that the garden is a permanent fixture and accessible to all 24/7, the desire to sneak off with an entire rosemary bush like a bandit in the night will fade away.
Sofía said Huertavereda was never trying to feed all of Argentina. However, they achieved their goal to act locally, reduce their carbon footprint, and feel a better connection to their nutrition. They are working with the government to organize class trips and have recently been teaching elementary and high school classes about digging in the earth, and how to grow food for themselves. Many students are picking up shovels for the first time. She says that the enthusiasm from the kids is highly gratifying and that planting these seeds in the minds of the youth is where the real change will come from.
At Austral Group, Sofía feels that Huertavereda has made her more aware of the food offered during the academic trips. She’s pushed for local fruit platters to be more of a fixture at coffee breaks because fruit is not only a healthy choice, but it also doesn’t exclude anyone that has dietary restrictions. “Food is a thing that should bring people together rather than isolate them,” Sofía said.
