Al Renner founded Solano Canyon Community Garden over twenty years ago. Deep inside downtown LA’s Elysian Park, hidden behind a canopy of trees, Al and a crew of volunteers terraced five acres of crumbling hillside. Today, the urban farm is an abundant food source attracting a learning community of gardeners from the surrounding neighborhoods.

“For me, the garden is my temple, and I never get tired of it.” Before the farm entered his life, Al walked with a cane due to his chronic health conditions. Now his routine is completely different. At 79 years old, Al can be found cheerfully strutting around. When he is not busy weeding, he teaches planting, composting, and pruning to everyone he meets.

“I know what the garden does to my physical being and I know what it does to the content in my head. Knowing what I'm doing, I love it, and people appreciate it. That's what gives me all of these nice things. My health is a dramatic improvement over what I was years ago. Yep, and that's for me.”