Firefighter Robbins Brings Attention to his Garden

Before Mountain View became the tech center of the world, there used to be lots of orchards. 

Now only a few fruit trees remain and probably even fewer gardens, except for one in an unusual place—behind Fire Station No. 1 on Shoreline Boulevard.

Tucked away on Oak Street between Villa and Dana Streets, you'll find kale, brocoli, onions, carrots, strawberries and sometimes even tomatoes, all thanks to the green thumb of Mountain View Firefighter/Paramedic Mike Robbins.

Well, Robbins has brought a lot of attention to his garden with interviews in California Bountiful and NBC Bay Area News. 

According to Robbins he used to garden with his father in their Lake County home, but embraced it again three years ago.

"Farmer Mike" shares the bounty of his harvests with the firefighters at his station and since his garden bears crop all year long, he and his colleagues eat what's in season.

What's not consumed—and the leftovers—goes into the compost, which he in turns then uses as soil for the garden.

Robbins keeps careful track of what's in his garden and notices if a crown of brocoli goes missing. However, for the most part the community respect the unfenced garden. He noted that it engages those neighbors and passersby curious about the project.

And even the crows know to respect the garden with a scarecrow dressed as a firefighter keeping a watchful eye.

But most of the time, between medical and fire calls, it's Robbins who you'll find tending the garden.

Swing by! He'll show you what's for dinner!

Here's a recipe Robbins shared with California Bountiful:

Fire Station No. 1's Kale Smoothie

Ingredients
2 to 3 leaves kale
1 banana 
1 to 2 cups sweetened almond milk 
2 to 3 ice cubes (optional)

Instructions
Blend on high until liquefied.