Meet Dirt’s garden geeks

WARWICK, N.Y. — For Raphael Cox, it’s not about having the biggest or most beautiful garden. Instead, he’s working toward creating a better future.
“When I kick off my shoes and put my hands in the soil, I feel whole, connected and at peace,” said Cox. “Growing together with nature, building a healthy environment and developing a community for the future is what I dream and work toward every day.”
Cox and fellow Warwick grower Jamie Lanza are bringing their passion and expertise to Dirt magazine’s 3rd annual Kitchen Garden Tour, serving as one of the official Garden Geeks — a unique duo of backyard food growers who will be reviewing the diverse set of veggie patches on display for the July 24 event. They volunteered to help out on one condition: they felt weird about being "judges."
"Anyone who makes the effort to grow their own food and share their knowledge and experience are all winners," said Cox. So for the first time this year, the tour will feature "geeks" instead.
Cox recently hosted a permaculture event at his family's garden, teaching others how much they can grow with just a little bit of space and time, and has competed in past Kitchen Garden Tours.
Catch Cox's gardening bug, and explore the backyard veggie patches you never knew your neighbors were growing at Dirt’s 3rd annual Kitchen Garden Tour: www.kitchengardentours.com.