Thank you for a bit of history on Victory Gardens. In my little city garden, I started kale and lettuces by seed in a cold frame--they are now nestled in container pots. Along with tomatoes, snap peas, carrots, beets, and radishes, and many herbs. Soon I will supplement with cukes and squashes.
This will be my last year gardening in my urban plot. I've just purchased a small farm in WV where my garden and animals will thrive. Can't wait to get my hands dirty and eat the results. Peace...
Well, this made me cry. I'm sitting in my Parisian suburb looking out my window at a beautiful patch of lawn. If only it belonged to me! but I do have a balcony and now I have plans !
During the covid lockdowns, I became obsessed with gardens and even though I have a little dirt, I was curious about the food that could be grown indoors. It's easier to store dry foods, but getting fresh greens can be difficult. I found glass Ball jar kits for sprouting seeds, and they even sell bulk seeds for this purpose. I'm currently researching mushrooms, which look like people are growing in tent like structures indoors with lights and misters. I've been told Lion's Mane mushrooms taste like lobster - and it may help with cognitive ability, which I could certainly use.
One of the homes I visit (pet sit cat) has a tray of handsome looking lettuce under a grow light. She has me water it as needed. It looks as if it should be very tasty.
And why not ask the owner of the lawn if he would allow you to plant something nice on his lawn. Maybe even some beautiful fruit trees..and share the harvest with the owner..
Apropos: my absolute favourite fruit tree is the the apple tree 'red love'..Breath taking violet blossom, fantastic flavour and taste and the apples are red even inside. You will never find such delicious food in a supermarket!
That's a great idea, but the lawn belongs to an apartment complex so I guess it would be necessary to go through what we call over here "syndicat" - that is the people that manage the complex and then all the owners...And it's a big complex. Though I could start talking to some of my neighbors (who are owners and not renters like me) to if that could fly.
if on a strictly green, just grass no flower lawn, all of a sudden you see yellow dandelions, red poppies, blue cornflowers, cheerful daisies..this might be the act of a nightly, secretly acting guerilla gardener and his 'seed bombs'.
It could be illegal but at least in Switzerland you can buy a large variety of such 'seed bombs' with up to 27 wildflowers, all embeded with a little clay and a little compost. It's up to you what you do with them...
Thanks yes have purchased the seed, clay and have made compost. Love the idea and the natural em of wild native plants on our land has made it unnecessary thus far. Planning to use the materials to beautify some local terrain. Thanks for defining guerilla gardening.
That was a great piece of history to share. Thank you. With the uncertain times being as they are , it is important to be prepared. Who would have thought that we would have formula crisis. I was raised on a farm, we had cattle, my mom would get 150 baby chickens to raise every year and when they were grown she would have the neighbor lady down the road kill them and pluck the feather out so they would ready to eat for the winter. She would throw them into the freezer. She always had a big garden. Mom would can the fruit and vegetables to have for the winter. Of course we would get to eat some fresh.
We grow a small garden every year. We have expanded our garden this year. We have a peach and an apple tree in our yard. I live in town. The blossoms on my apple tree were frozen do to a cold Spring. We hope we get peaches this year. They were blossoming this week but we also had below freezing temperatures this weeks. We had a bumper crop last year.
Take matters into your own hands.
Don’t look to the government to provide. Provide for yourself. If you don’t have room for a garden get pots and plant them with vegetables. You can grow strawberries in pots as well.
If you can have chickens in town get a few chickens. Be independent.
Thank you for this beautiful and empowering message, Jill and Robert 🌻
My hope is that the food crisis will prompt people to escape the industrially manufactured “food” that has been malnourishing and poisoning their bodies for decades, contributing to the cycle of sickness that feeds the medical-pharmaceutical complex.
Reconnecting with the earth and rediscovering your independence through growing your own food makes you more resilient, and if that isn’t possible due to lack of land/time (I admit I’m in this category), supporting your local farmers and producers strengthens the regional economy and contributes to the resilience of your community.
On another note, it was fun to see you both at the WCFH strategy session yesterday, if only virtually 🤗
My husband and I have been improving our gardens for the last several years. I can, and dehydrate, and share with others. AND we enjoy the birds, the deer not so much or the occasional bear. Thank you Jill and Robert for your continued efforts.
They don’t like urine from predators. So we erect a fishing line “fence” and tie stinky cloths to it and that works pretty well. AND I have to spray it on my stargazer Lillys One year they are the blossoms😳
My parents passed their love of gardening to me. I am a city dweller with a house on a typical city lot. My garden is about 600 sq ft which is a nice size, lots of work but beyond rewarding. Not only do you get to enjoy watching everything grow and then eating your delicious, healthy produce but gardens attract birds, bees, yes even rabbits etc that is also a pleasure to see.
Youtube has great 'how to' videos from all over the world. There is no shortage of advice.
I live in southern Ontario where the winters will get cold: daytime -5 to -10 C and night time -10 to -30. However, I still grow my own lettuce even during the winter and put out seed that comes up in early spring with an easily put together green house, A few pieces of 2"x10" x length required planks covered with plexi glass work great.
If you live in an apartment, there are places that will rent a plot of land for you to farm. Do some digging, pun intended.
You are the Wendell Berry of our time, Mr. Malone. I once reserved the domain of FreeRangeGrange.org, and discussed with the Grange president (the first woman!) that we should have Granges in every neighborhood to promote local food production. This farmer collective--full name, the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry--was key to the Populist movement in the '20's that took back power for the people.
But they also were for an economic system that supported that. We're further away than ever, with two income families being necessary, sometimes working more than one job. What my plan creates is a feminine economy that prioritizes the raising of children as its purpose. In my design, food production is the major activity of a community and everyone works a few days a week on community land, learning from people who know what they're doing.
Sometimes the community I envision, and how logistically easy it would be to implement it, seems so tangible that it makes me tear up. So near and yet so far. Your focus on farming along with politics and medicine is what grounds your work, literally.
Sometimes…. I am amazed… at how a beautiful post meant to inspire a creative thought is received as preachy and privileged.
Allow me to explain… I have seen hydroponic tomatoes… growing in kitty litter.. to the ceiling on a sunny window sill… and a whole salad garden nestled on sills as well.. pollinated with a handy paint brush.
Out of a 20’ by 40’ space I fed the family… the neighbours and friends and put up enough root crops and winter squash to last all winter. I have seen amazing balconies… that were reminiscent of a tropical forest… squash and cucumbers on trellises and tall cherry tomato plants. And yes Virginia … I have a Lyme disease challenged and very precious niece… who grew a peach tree in Newfoundland. In this magical… beautiful world… anything is possible.
The actual quote was, "Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now." - so basically it's a paraphrase of what he did say. Expect commies to scream disinformation.
Nice picture of some figs. I’ve got a fig tree too, they are very cool looking.
We started really ramping up our gardening several years ago...just before COVID. I’m in Florida and it feels like cheating because we can grow year round. For folks who maybe have limited space or a limited growing season, there are ways around this. You can build a cheap greenhouse or even dig into the soil and make suken garden. There is a show called Homestead Rescue that we watch sometimes, it’s pretty good and we have gotten a few ideas for our setup from there.
Great writing, very thoughtful and kind. We make kimchi, fermented vegetables, sauerkraut and kambucha and candles! With power outages supposedly coming our way, watch out for perishables in the freezer and deep freeze.
We got a freeze dryer. Large up front cost and it's noisy, but it's one more element in food prep, much like a pricey refrigerator. And the food supposedly lasts as long as 25 years.
The company is called Harvest Right. I have to hand it to you, though. I canned tomatoes - once - and decided it was too labor intensive. I bought a fermentation crock pot at the same time and it's still in its original packaging...I do love kimchi, though.... :)
When food was plentiful and shortages inconceivable, people were concerned with appearances. Across the street from me is a "Master" Gardener" with a yard that one could consider either an unruly mess or nature's paradise. I was walking down the street after we first moved in and one of the neighbors told me they wished she would do something about it, it was so out of control. However, it was the primary reason I decided the neighborhood held promise. My neighbor says everything planted has to be food - either for her, or for the native species that resides in our valley.
I read recently that the state of Victoria in Australia has made it illegal for citizens to grow their own food. I looked up the legislation that was quoted but couldn't really see that it was making backyard farming illegal. The reason that was given was 'to protect biodiversity'.
Does anyone have any knowledge of this?
Here's one link, the page I originally saw is gone:
I think the next attack on growing your own food will be water restrictions, which would be easy to implement particularly in drought prone areas. But I read years ago that Seattle, which is no stranger to rain, makes it illegal to collect your own rainwater.
No, it's not illegal to collect rainwater in Seattle provided it's used in your property. Given that it rains almost incessantly from October to May, one would imagine a plentiful supply of water for growing crops but just when you need it, i.e. the growing season itself, the rain pretty much stops and the soil dries out rather quickly. A full rain barrel can become emptied in a couple of days.
Yep leaving MD in two months for WV. Property taxes on 4 acres is 1/4th taxes on city row house. I guess the rain tax is included in my water bill? My new digs has a well.
I just looked it up and I still think it's absurd. Yes, taxed to death. It reminds me that there have been tax revolts throughout history. I think the LTEC crowd ('let them eat cake' aka Davos) is dreaming up ways to make that revolt hard to do.
I just read up on it. It looks like maybe it's been altered to define how you collect it if you do so - so no longer outright illegal. The west has many convoluted water rights laws so maybe it descended from that until it was revised.
One has never really experienced the good Lord's provision of produce in my opinion, until they've tasted what comes out of their own garden for the first time. Supermarket produce vs that from one's own garden is literally the difference between colorblindness and seeing in full color.
Thank you for a bit of history on Victory Gardens. In my little city garden, I started kale and lettuces by seed in a cold frame--they are now nestled in container pots. Along with tomatoes, snap peas, carrots, beets, and radishes, and many herbs. Soon I will supplement with cukes and squashes.
This will be my last year gardening in my urban plot. I've just purchased a small farm in WV where my garden and animals will thrive. Can't wait to get my hands dirty and eat the results. Peace...
Wow. Congrats and best wishes!
Well, this made me cry. I'm sitting in my Parisian suburb looking out my window at a beautiful patch of lawn. If only it belonged to me! but I do have a balcony and now I have plans !
During the covid lockdowns, I became obsessed with gardens and even though I have a little dirt, I was curious about the food that could be grown indoors. It's easier to store dry foods, but getting fresh greens can be difficult. I found glass Ball jar kits for sprouting seeds, and they even sell bulk seeds for this purpose. I'm currently researching mushrooms, which look like people are growing in tent like structures indoors with lights and misters. I've been told Lion's Mane mushrooms taste like lobster - and it may help with cognitive ability, which I could certainly use.
And don't forget: There is also indoor gardening!!
One of the homes I visit (pet sit cat) has a tray of handsome looking lettuce under a grow light. She has me water it as needed. It looks as if it should be very tasty.
I'll have to look into that! thanks
And why not ask the owner of the lawn if he would allow you to plant something nice on his lawn. Maybe even some beautiful fruit trees..and share the harvest with the owner..
Apropos: my absolute favourite fruit tree is the the apple tree 'red love'..Breath taking violet blossom, fantastic flavour and taste and the apples are red even inside. You will never find such delicious food in a supermarket!
That's a great idea, but the lawn belongs to an apartment complex so I guess it would be necessary to go through what we call over here "syndicat" - that is the people that manage the complex and then all the owners...And it's a big complex. Though I could start talking to some of my neighbors (who are owners and not renters like me) to if that could fly.
It is definitely worth thying!
and then there is also guerilla gardening
what is guerilla gardening ?
if on a strictly green, just grass no flower lawn, all of a sudden you see yellow dandelions, red poppies, blue cornflowers, cheerful daisies..this might be the act of a nightly, secretly acting guerilla gardener and his 'seed bombs'.
It could be illegal but at least in Switzerland you can buy a large variety of such 'seed bombs' with up to 27 wildflowers, all embeded with a little clay and a little compost. It's up to you what you do with them...
Thanks yes have purchased the seed, clay and have made compost. Love the idea and the natural em of wild native plants on our land has made it unnecessary thus far. Planning to use the materials to beautify some local terrain. Thanks for defining guerilla gardening.
Pray tell y’all - please define Guerilla Gardening.
That was a great piece of history to share. Thank you. With the uncertain times being as they are , it is important to be prepared. Who would have thought that we would have formula crisis. I was raised on a farm, we had cattle, my mom would get 150 baby chickens to raise every year and when they were grown she would have the neighbor lady down the road kill them and pluck the feather out so they would ready to eat for the winter. She would throw them into the freezer. She always had a big garden. Mom would can the fruit and vegetables to have for the winter. Of course we would get to eat some fresh.
We grow a small garden every year. We have expanded our garden this year. We have a peach and an apple tree in our yard. I live in town. The blossoms on my apple tree were frozen do to a cold Spring. We hope we get peaches this year. They were blossoming this week but we also had below freezing temperatures this weeks. We had a bumper crop last year.
Take matters into your own hands.
Don’t look to the government to provide. Provide for yourself. If you don’t have room for a garden get pots and plant them with vegetables. You can grow strawberries in pots as well.
If you can have chickens in town get a few chickens. Be independent.
Thank you for this beautiful and empowering message, Jill and Robert 🌻
My hope is that the food crisis will prompt people to escape the industrially manufactured “food” that has been malnourishing and poisoning their bodies for decades, contributing to the cycle of sickness that feeds the medical-pharmaceutical complex.
Reconnecting with the earth and rediscovering your independence through growing your own food makes you more resilient, and if that isn’t possible due to lack of land/time (I admit I’m in this category), supporting your local farmers and producers strengthens the regional economy and contributes to the resilience of your community.
On another note, it was fun to see you both at the WCFH strategy session yesterday, if only virtually 🤗
I always refer to it as “phood” bcz it is fake.
I propose spelling it "pfood."
I only didn’t do that because everyone knows the ph equates to the F sound
Good one! I can’t believe I’ve never seen that used.
My husband and I have been improving our gardens for the last several years. I can, and dehydrate, and share with others. AND we enjoy the birds, the deer not so much or the occasional bear. Thank you Jill and Robert for your continued efforts.
They don’t like urine from predators. So we erect a fishing line “fence” and tie stinky cloths to it and that works pretty well. AND I have to spray it on my stargazer Lillys One year they are the blossoms😳
What a great article! Thanks Dr. Malone!
My parents passed their love of gardening to me. I am a city dweller with a house on a typical city lot. My garden is about 600 sq ft which is a nice size, lots of work but beyond rewarding. Not only do you get to enjoy watching everything grow and then eating your delicious, healthy produce but gardens attract birds, bees, yes even rabbits etc that is also a pleasure to see.
Youtube has great 'how to' videos from all over the world. There is no shortage of advice.
I live in southern Ontario where the winters will get cold: daytime -5 to -10 C and night time -10 to -30. However, I still grow my own lettuce even during the winter and put out seed that comes up in early spring with an easily put together green house, A few pieces of 2"x10" x length required planks covered with plexi glass work great.
If you live in an apartment, there are places that will rent a plot of land for you to farm. Do some digging, pun intended.
You are the Wendell Berry of our time, Mr. Malone. I once reserved the domain of FreeRangeGrange.org, and discussed with the Grange president (the first woman!) that we should have Granges in every neighborhood to promote local food production. This farmer collective--full name, the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry--was key to the Populist movement in the '20's that took back power for the people.
But they also were for an economic system that supported that. We're further away than ever, with two income families being necessary, sometimes working more than one job. What my plan creates is a feminine economy that prioritizes the raising of children as its purpose. In my design, food production is the major activity of a community and everyone works a few days a week on community land, learning from people who know what they're doing.
Sometimes the community I envision, and how logistically easy it would be to implement it, seems so tangible that it makes me tear up. So near and yet so far. Your focus on farming along with politics and medicine is what grounds your work, literally.
Sometimes…. I am amazed… at how a beautiful post meant to inspire a creative thought is received as preachy and privileged.
Allow me to explain… I have seen hydroponic tomatoes… growing in kitty litter.. to the ceiling on a sunny window sill… and a whole salad garden nestled on sills as well.. pollinated with a handy paint brush.
Out of a 20’ by 40’ space I fed the family… the neighbours and friends and put up enough root crops and winter squash to last all winter. I have seen amazing balconies… that were reminiscent of a tropical forest… squash and cucumbers on trellises and tall cherry tomato plants. And yes Virginia … I have a Lyme disease challenged and very precious niece… who grew a peach tree in Newfoundland. In this magical… beautiful world… anything is possible.
The actual quote was, "Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now." - so basically it's a paraphrase of what he did say. Expect commies to scream disinformation.
Gardening produces a seasonal crop for the stomach but more importantly, it also yields eternal Fruit of the Spirit.....!
Nice picture of some figs. I’ve got a fig tree too, they are very cool looking.
We started really ramping up our gardening several years ago...just before COVID. I’m in Florida and it feels like cheating because we can grow year round. For folks who maybe have limited space or a limited growing season, there are ways around this. You can build a cheap greenhouse or even dig into the soil and make suken garden. There is a show called Homestead Rescue that we watch sometimes, it’s pretty good and we have gotten a few ideas for our setup from there.
Great writing, very thoughtful and kind. We make kimchi, fermented vegetables, sauerkraut and kambucha and candles! With power outages supposedly coming our way, watch out for perishables in the freezer and deep freeze.
We got a freeze dryer. Large up front cost and it's noisy, but it's one more element in food prep, much like a pricey refrigerator. And the food supposedly lasts as long as 25 years.
Wow thanks for that Kim😉
The company is called Harvest Right. I have to hand it to you, though. I canned tomatoes - once - and decided it was too labor intensive. I bought a fermentation crock pot at the same time and it's still in its original packaging...I do love kimchi, though.... :)
Love it Rainy, thank you.
many cities and counties have outlawed gardens, especially in front yards. i don't know how they got away with it and why people did not fight it!
When food was plentiful and shortages inconceivable, people were concerned with appearances. Across the street from me is a "Master" Gardener" with a yard that one could consider either an unruly mess or nature's paradise. I was walking down the street after we first moved in and one of the neighbors told me they wished she would do something about it, it was so out of control. However, it was the primary reason I decided the neighborhood held promise. My neighbor says everything planted has to be food - either for her, or for the native species that resides in our valley.
Why does our current regime just send out divisive messages instead of something like this? Rhetorical question.
Thanks Dr. M. !
I bet if the government sent out seed packets and instructions, rather than crack pipes, The People would be much better off. Ya think?
Build back better aka "under nationalist socialist regime" aka "Nazi Fourth Reich"
Because they hate America and are hell bent on destroying it. But they will not prevail.
Amen Sister or Brother
I read recently that the state of Victoria in Australia has made it illegal for citizens to grow their own food. I looked up the legislation that was quoted but couldn't really see that it was making backyard farming illegal. The reason that was given was 'to protect biodiversity'.
Does anyone have any knowledge of this?
Here's one link, the page I originally saw is gone:
https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/australia-citizens-of-victoria-are-reportedly-banned-from-growing-their-own-food/
Now here's a reuters fact check link debuning the claim:
https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-australia-agriculture-idUSL2N2X40ZQ
Where lies the truth?
I think the next attack on growing your own food will be water restrictions, which would be easy to implement particularly in drought prone areas. But I read years ago that Seattle, which is no stranger to rain, makes it illegal to collect your own rainwater.
No, it's not illegal to collect rainwater in Seattle provided it's used in your property. Given that it rains almost incessantly from October to May, one would imagine a plentiful supply of water for growing crops but just when you need it, i.e. the growing season itself, the rain pretty much stops and the soil dries out rather quickly. A full rain barrel can become emptied in a couple of days.
Why would it be illegal to collect rainwater? My city actually promotes it and has a yearly rain barrel sale.
Maryland's "Rain Tax“ another reason we moved, we were being taxed to death.
Not coincidentally, MD Gov Hogan ("R") is at Davos.
One more reason to not vote for the rhino.
Yep leaving MD in two months for WV. Property taxes on 4 acres is 1/4th taxes on city row house. I guess the rain tax is included in my water bill? My new digs has a well.
What is a rain tax?!?
The tax the rain that falls on your property. Wikipedia explains it better. You just never know where the money is going.
I just looked it up and I still think it's absurd. Yes, taxed to death. It reminds me that there have been tax revolts throughout history. I think the LTEC crowd ('let them eat cake' aka Davos) is dreaming up ways to make that revolt hard to do.
That is one of the most absurd things I've ever heard of!
I just read up on it. It looks like maybe it's been altered to define how you collect it if you do so - so no longer outright illegal. The west has many convoluted water rights laws so maybe it descended from that until it was revised.
Thanks for following up!
CO too. But in 2016 that changed via law, but still there are restrictions. Here's a map showing other states with "restrictions". Water Rights is a BIG deal in places like CO. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/states-where-it-is-illegal-to-collect-rainwater
Great to have a positive idea to act on. Thanks for this inspiring post.
One has never really experienced the good Lord's provision of produce in my opinion, until they've tasted what comes out of their own garden for the first time. Supermarket produce vs that from one's own garden is literally the difference between colorblindness and seeing in full color.