Guerilla Gardening
I've been having some subversive thoughts. And when I say "subversive," I mean "cool, but could get you arrested."
I'd kind of like to go back to school. I'd like to study economics because I really, really would like to solve the problem of keeping small, insulated communities like the one I live in safe from large economic fluctuations. Right now, families are moving out of the area taking their incomes and spending habits with them. Every family that moves out means that money is being taken away from our locally-owned grocery store that employs 20+ people, away from the four restaurants in town, away from our locally-owned pet store, barber shop, coffee place and gas station. Essentially, everyone who moves away takes money away from their neighbors.
I'm trying to figure out how to fix that. Given what I have (not a whole lot) and what I can do (considerably more), what can I do? And then I started thinking about all those parcels of land nearby that have been sitting vacant because housing purchases have fallen off. There are whole organizations in places like Detroit that are taking foreclosed homes and matching them up with homeless families who are willing to move in despite the possible legal repercussions.
What I want to do is a little less invasive. Instead of moving into empty houses, I'd just like to be able to cultivate a little empty land. I was thinking about how great it would be to get folks who are still here and out of work to get some garden plots going on vacant land, and then set up a small-scale farmer's market where they could take their surplus produce and sell or swap it.
I think that idea could work not just in lean times like these, but in good times too. Imagine if people who are currently day laborers or temporarily unemployed could work at a cooperative community garden where they could grow food for themselves and their own families, and have the chance by their own labor to earn a little money.
One of the problems that owners of vacant land face in these parts is that pot farmers are likely to come in and cultivate unoccupied land. If the pot farm is found, the landowner is liable for the consequences. If we got permission from the property owners, legal food gardening could discourage illegal pot farming because the land would have people coming and going constantly.
I think it could work, but I also don't think that I know enough to make it happen. It would be cool, though. I just have to do a little digging, ask a few questions, talk to some folks.
I'd kind of like to go back to school. I'd like to study economics because I really, really would like to solve the problem of keeping small, insulated communities like the one I live in safe from large economic fluctuations. Right now, families are moving out of the area taking their incomes and spending habits with them. Every family that moves out means that money is being taken away from our locally-owned grocery store that employs 20+ people, away from the four restaurants in town, away from our locally-owned pet store, barber shop, coffee place and gas station. Essentially, everyone who moves away takes money away from their neighbors.
I'm trying to figure out how to fix that. Given what I have (not a whole lot) and what I can do (considerably more), what can I do? And then I started thinking about all those parcels of land nearby that have been sitting vacant because housing purchases have fallen off. There are whole organizations in places like Detroit that are taking foreclosed homes and matching them up with homeless families who are willing to move in despite the possible legal repercussions.
What I want to do is a little less invasive. Instead of moving into empty houses, I'd just like to be able to cultivate a little empty land. I was thinking about how great it would be to get folks who are still here and out of work to get some garden plots going on vacant land, and then set up a small-scale farmer's market where they could take their surplus produce and sell or swap it.
I think that idea could work not just in lean times like these, but in good times too. Imagine if people who are currently day laborers or temporarily unemployed could work at a cooperative community garden where they could grow food for themselves and their own families, and have the chance by their own labor to earn a little money.
One of the problems that owners of vacant land face in these parts is that pot farmers are likely to come in and cultivate unoccupied land. If the pot farm is found, the landowner is liable for the consequences. If we got permission from the property owners, legal food gardening could discourage illegal pot farming because the land would have people coming and going constantly.
I think it could work, but I also don't think that I know enough to make it happen. It would be cool, though. I just have to do a little digging, ask a few questions, talk to some folks.
posted by Aoibheall | 7:19 PM
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