Gardening For The Greater Good
I have found that on the whole, gardeners are generous people. We share seeds, we share plants, we share advice. We share just about everything (except underwear – because that would be gross… And spouses – because the 60s are over and nobody wants to go back to the 70s anyway). Anyhoo, the point is that you did not see Charles Dickens portraying Ebenezer Scrooge as a gardener – because he was stingy and gardeners are not stingy.
Wait, that is not the point. That is me taking a sharp left at making a point. The point is that you, by virtue of being a gardener are a kind and generous and loving and wonderful and helpful and undemanding and understanding (do you feel buttered up yet?)person. You want to help the world become a better fed, brighter and more green place. You want to share your garden (because you are a gardening saint – like Mother Teresa would have been if she had had time to garden instead of taking care of all those starving kids).
You can do more with your garden. You can change the world, or at the very least, what ends up on the plate of one of your neighbors. In my opinion, that is a really close second.
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting, Dan Soulsby, the writer behind The Soulsby Farm blog. And he told me about his new non-profit group he was starting called Project Garden Share. Its aim is to take all the ways gardeners are generous and match them with those who would benefit most from that generosity.
If you have a garden, I really encourage you take a look at Project Garden Share and their mission. If you are outside the North East Ohio area, I also encourage you to take a look around. Groups like Project Garden Share are popping up in many cities around the country.
Share your garden… because you are a gardener and that’s just what we do.
I would LOVE to share our garden at the moment as we are shoulder deep in blackberries. Love The Soulsby Farm and would love to help any way that we can in any good cause. Good job on buttering us all up by the way, it apparently worked for me…I am just about to head out and pawn my first born son (he never visits anyway…)to donate to the cause 😉
Thanks for the information. I think I’d love to start one of these in our area. Terrificly generous of you to share.
This is a great idea, I’d never considered it as a possibility before. Gardening has always been a very personal thing, but sharing it sounds like a great way to grow.
The Project Garden Share is a very worthy cause. Is it something that is unique to America or can volunteering be done in the UK?
There is a land share scheme in the UK I believe started by but certainly promoted by the TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage fame.
The website (which I have no connection to is) http://www.landshare.net
Great idea!!!
Good unique idea. People share all sorts of things these days thanks to the internet so why not our gardens. It’s all about getting involved 🙂
Thanks for the information. I think I’d love to start one of these in our area. Terrificly generous of you to share.
So glad I found this blog. I want to start my own little garden, but I have two obstacles: I live in a condo AND I am know as a plant serial killer… with a cactus as one of my victims. Hopefully your tips will help me 😉
I think gardeners do have a generous spirit and we also try to share what we know and what we have with others.
Something that has evolved with our garden is a way to help a homeless man.
Allen, a homeless man, showed up one day, hungry tired and desperate for work. We introduced him to our garden and through the work he did for us and some other garden folks in the neighborhood we got him off the street and into his own apartment.
He now has regular work, eats everyday and is on his way back into functioning in society.
I love my garden and the joy it brings me but now it has new meaning in what it can do to help others.
Great blog Really enjoy the info you have
I love this post!
Seed bombs are a unique and indispensable way of growing a larger garden or something like Project Garden Share.
They are easier to handle than seeds and the seeds within will germinate when it has a conducive environment.
They are much cheaper than plants or seed starters.
I found some that were unique at this website:
htp:\\www.botanicalart.etsy.com
I think they have a good collection.
It’s true, there is indeed something about gardening that makes you want to share. I am basically a no-nothing brown thumb, but after growing a lupine plant from seed, I wantto share the experience and plan on leaving a pot full of soil here for the next tenant.
The Project Of Share is really a different and unique idea.As an owner of HimalayanGardens, I surely think about this proposal and as soon as possible I will try to do some thing based on your thinking in UK.
Thank you so much for sharing the idea.
Where are you? I need more musings!!!
Awww man! I found a great website with enough info to feed my garden obsession and written with a tongue in cheek style that makes me think we would enjoy having dinner together but in the very first post you cast aspersions on non-monogamous people. Like me.
Sincer gardeners are giving folks I’ll share this bit: We modern monogamish types don’t wear bell bottoms, don’t live in a 60’s nostalgia bubble but do love whomever we choose openly, honestly without cheating, lying or shame. Some of us even form long-lasting relationships with other people’s spouses.
So please, don’t disparage. We’re a pretty cool bunch! Educated, thoughtful and very, very into sharing.
MC
Such a great idea, Hannah. Thank you for giving back. I love incorporating conservation in general into my novels (I’m an author.) and am compiling legitamate links for donating trees to third world countries on my site. This was very interesting.
Thanks,
R.T. Wolfe
The writer behind The Soulsby Farm blog. And he told me about his new non-profit group he was starting called Project Garden Share.Such a great idea, Hannah. Thank you for giving back. for more about gardening
I could not agree with you more..I have a blog about gardening and nutrition and my goal is to share all the information I know as a gardener about daily issues and more. I love to be in touch with other who has the same interests with me and having productive conversations. We can make our word better from anywhere we stand and through anything we do!
Wow, this is awesome. I would love to get something like this started in my community. I’m a young gardener, and I just recently bought some pots, fertilizer, and groundcover for my garden at http://www.puckettgreenhouses.com My grandparents love to garden, and I want to keep the family tradition going!
Loved this!
There is a holiday in Russia called Dachnik Day on July 23, a day where people from the Dachas (little vacation homes full of gardens) share from their garden with family, friends, and those in the city without gardens. They create gift baskets and put all their goodies in the baskets to share. I plan on celebrating this in the best way I can. I don’t have much in the garden right now.
lol Very true. Great article, just joined this blog very informative.
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime. I love this post! Thank you! As I mentioned previously, I researched and have included a link on my website to a reputable organization that purchases and plants trees for third world countries. I have a search bar. Hannah, thank you for your contributions to communities!
-R.T. Wolfe
I love the way gardeners share, it works out brilliantly for me too….I pass on the fruit and veg and my neighbours and I all get pies and soups in return! A wonderful arrangement.
What stuck for me was gardeners are generous people. Yes indeed, and usually fair and honest to boot. Track gardeners to small farmers and you have the same breed of people. I just wish our American society would have more respect for the small farmer and realize what a precious commodity small growers are, they deserve better than what they are getting.
Awesome explanation on this topic. I like the way you presented it. It makes me think that I’m going to revive my blog site.
I like the way you have portrayed gardening here, gardening is better with more than one hand..so its useful to share ideas and seeds etc.. keep the great posts coming
I have experienced the sharing of gardeners by some unique seeds given to me by a neighbor and my massage therapist. My neighbor had some squash volunteers grow in her garden–something like butternut but with a very long curved neck. They are delicious and very hardy. And some purple pole bean seeds that I have been growing for 2 years now. Delicious and prolific! I always give my extras to neighbors and it is much appreciated! Thanks for the info!
That’s true. Gardeners do help each other. I come across so many gardeners blogs and they are always filled with advice and a step by step process on how to garden a certain way. Keep the great posts coming.
I always share my ideas with other like minded gardeners and patio ideas to
Nice story Cynthia! Very inspiring!
Thanks for Sharing!
Lighting Barrington IL
The first thing that has come to my mind is – are you OK? This post is from April and that’s very unusual for a garden blogging fanatic. I hope all is well.
Secondly, I agree with you completely. This actually fits with our goals. We just ordered in ten fruit trees to plant at a place we are merely house sitting for. The fruit won’t be for us, but someone someday will have a lot of nourishment.
I wish your friend well! I find gardeners to be very kind and generous people as a whole. You couldn’t ask to hang out with a nicer bunch.