When my apartment complex began to rip out and replant the landscape, I jumped on an opportunity to claim a tiny patch of sun-blessed earth for the garden I had been craving. My 3x6 foot garden now contains kale, lettuce, spinach, and peas, and I plan to expand my plot to plant other crops soon. The mere act of working the earth in a space along a semi-public drive invites my neighbors to inquire, strike up conversation, or jump in to help, as is the case with the 3-year olds two doors down.