A unique and
viable approach to establishing local food self-reliance while
building stronger communities.
We've
been watching the dramatic weather world-wide: floods, droughts,
tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves and record snows! Every continent
that grows food is experiencing some kind of significant crop-failure
this summer; pests, weather and “super-weeds” are all taking
their toll. It seems more important than ever to be helping people
learn the basic skill of growing food while building community ties
amongst neighbors.
Here
in Monroe and Alpine, Oregon we are developing a model that is
helping people learn about gardening, grow their own food and address
the needs of local food-security. It by-passes “business as usual”
in that it generates a bountiful surplus of organic fruits and
vegetables, feeding far more people than it takes to run it and no
money ever changes hands. We call it a “Sharing Garden”.
What
makes these "Sharing Gardens" unique is that,
instead
of many separate
plots that
are rented by individuals, these gardens are one
large plot,
shared by all. All materials and labor are donated. The food we grow
is shared amongst those who have contributed in some way as well as
others who are in need in our community. All surplus is donated to
our local food-bank and other charities. No one is ever charged money
for the food that is grown. This model is easily replicated anywhere
there are vacant lots and people with enough gardening experience to
oversee the project and does not require a large input of money to
make it work. It can also be adapted to many different scales of
gardening, from a few families who live and garden on the same block
to a multi-acre production farm. “Sharing Gardens” help keep
materials out of burn-piles and the land-fill through re-using,
re-purposing and encouraging people to share their surplus.
To
view the Peak Moment video interview about our project: The “Sharing Gardens” - Giving and Receiving
Our
blog covers gardening tips, ideas for starting your own “sharing
garden” and updates about the “Sharing Gardens” of Alpine and
Monroe, OR – http://thesharinggardens.blogspot.com/
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