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Food

James West, a resident of St. Benedict’s Place since 2013, waters the garden he and other volunteers tend on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, near the complex operated by Grand Valley Catholic Outreach in Grand Junction, Colo. Photo by Barton Glasser / Special to The Colorado Trust

“Look at that. Isn’t that beautiful? That’s last year’s carrot.”

James West was pointing at a clump of lacy white flowers poking up in a jumble of blossoms and vegetables. He continued talking, as he is known to do, by telling a story he heard many decades ago in school about the relationship of carrots to Queen Anne’s lace. Both produce similar flowers, but Queen Anne’s lace has a tiny red bud in the center.

“That bud was plucked by servants who used it to dye the clothes for Queen Anne,” West explained.

West, 66, can tell stories galore about horticulture and plant history. He can also toss out a string of Latin names for many of the plants growing in the garden at St. Benedict’s Place in downtown Grand Junction, which houses people who have been homeless for at least three years. And he can grow the heck out of all sorts of vegetables and flowers.

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September 14, 2017

SNAP Decision

More than 80,000 Colorado households could lose food and nutrition assistance under proposed federal cuts.

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