COVID Diaries

By the California State Library

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Lesson 6: Agro-Political Science – Modern Pandemic 101

May 1, 2020

Early April is the time I make a trip to my favorite nursery, Yamigami’s,  to get starter plants of heirloom tomatoes and vegetable seeds.  I checked their Facebook page to look for special Shelter in Place hours and I stared in disbelief.  It was April 8, and the nursery had been closed down by County officials as a non-essential business.  I thought, so let me get this straight.  I can go down to the Cannabis Dispensary, deemed an essential business,  and get marijuana to roll myself a doobie, but I cannot go down to Yamagami’s Nursery to buy tomato plants and seeds to grow my own food.  What is more essential than food?  It took a month, but after hundreds of people wrote their County Supervisors and signed a petition, the County announced plant nurseries would be allowed to reopen May 4 subject to social distancing requirements.  A little late for planting, but manageable with the long growing season in California and now I can have both homegrown tomatoes AND a doobie!

Submitted by Margaret Ma, Santa Clara County

Editor’s Note: This is one of a series. The links to all twelve parts are: Syllabus, Lesson 1, Lesson 2, Lesson 3, Lesson 4, Lesson 5, Lesson 6, Lesson 7, Lesson 8, Lesson 9, Lesson 10, and Final Exam.

Filed Under: COVID Diaries, Writings

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