Victory Garden group

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Clarence on April 3, 2009 at 9:06pm

A few years back tried to get some folks motivated to "plant a row for the hungry'' and donate the food to the Michigan food bank... a lot of folks said it was a good idea but no one followed through. I did plant a row for a few years but every year my extra went to someone different each year who was out of work. So even though none of my extra made it to the food bank I helped some folks out.

This year I am hoping to plant "extra rows", as I know many who are out of work and there are some local groups that I can give any surplus to as well.

As far as getting others involved... I have no advice. I think sometimes people need to see someone else doing something before they are willing to get involved, so you and your friend may be enough to show others how it is done.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Emily Kaminsky on April 3, 2009 at 9:19pm

I'm organizing a Food Not Lawns chapter - a very informal network of people in my community who are interested in planting a front yard garden. We are meeting for a potluck on Earth Day to share ideas for how we can promote our counter-lawn concepts in our neighborhoods. We each plan on making a sign and putting it in our front yard next to the garden. We also have a similar concept - that a portion of your front-yard garden's yield goes to the local food shelf. Part of our April 22nd meeting will include a presentation for the director of the local food shelf. I don't know how well it go. I hooked in with the Transition Towns movement in my area and that's yielded some new participants.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Emily Kaminsky on April 7, 2009 at 9:46pm

I just managed to get a well-known square foot gardener trainer to come to our April 22nd meeting. My thought is that if the topic is slightly broader than front-yard social impact gardening that maybe more people will come. Normally, this trainer charges for his trainings...he's going to offer some of his wisdom and help with Q&A to get some of our Front Yard Gardeners started.

The other thought I had was just starting to work in your own neighborhood. I have some neighbors who love to garden, and I'm going to invite them to join me so that we can all feel/see the benefit of gardening together in our neighborhood.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bill Paradis on April 8, 2009 at 1:58am

agronomy requires as much patience as politics. Do what you're doing, get the word out, sweat as a volunteer, and your cause will win the day. Remember too that the Obama supporters may already have gardens... target the folks who like Cheney - they need the most guidance.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joy Williams on April 8, 2009 at 7:07am

People who like Cheney don't like growing things. Remember, he works on the "dark side".

Anyone who supports Cheney at this point, is the equivalent of a murderer. She need not appeal to that element, why bother?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cielce on April 8, 2009 at 3:05pm

Joy, when I read 'dark side' I was thinking maybe they'd like growing mushrooms then :D

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Oz Gardener on April 8, 2009 at 4:20pm

The Oz Victory Garden

Hello, follow the link above and see my drawing plans for my Victory Garden, you will be also able to comment on my article.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Katherine Evans on April 8, 2009 at 9:16pm

I honestly don't know. I have a disabled neighbor who can not grow his own food, he gave me a bag of miracle grow potting mix to use in my container/patio garden in exchange for some of what we produce. I felt it was a fair trade :) I live in a trailer court and while we have "lawns" or "yards" I do not feel they are safe to grow directly in as many stray and dumped dogs use the grass as a toilet. So I am encouraging others here to try to grow food in containers as well. This is our first year here that we can grow (we moved in in July last year) so I hope our example will lead others to do the same.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Linda Vallentyne on April 8, 2009 at 9:32pm

Don't forget that a small fence (say chicken wire) around your garden will pervent unwanted dog doo. Of course you will wash any veggies brought incase of unwanted "spraying".

I should mention that even if your veggies are coming from a farm from across the world or across your state, farm workers even in the US do not have out houses in the field and all veggies need to be washed from unwanted "spraying". As a girl working on a farm I can tell speak first hand, that the chances of a plant having unwanted materal from direct contact or just unwashed hands is very large.

Another reason for growing your own. lol

▶ Reply to This