Call for ideas, suggestions, guidance

[mensplace]

SO, the conclusion is that one model, one paradigm, one approach must be the be all and end all and anyone with other ideas for other situations for those with neither the land, the physical means, the economic ability, or the knowledge and experience must comply or they are simply swine. How can I even begin to reason, much less attempt a dialogue or creative thought sharing towards creative alternatives which reject raised bed gardening, square foot gardening, French Intensive, Bio-dynamic, permaculture, sustainability or countless other approaches, never mind people working together in thoughtful, creative ways to assist, support, coordinate, and foster others who might well welcome and appreciate the extended hand while allowing other resources to contribute in a host of ways whether as individuals, businesses, conventional community organizations, or even a government and school/university means of assistance. I guess pure handouts and more government expenditure that make people dependent upon welfare and the dole is preferable. People don't need helpful alternatives and the ability to contribute, be involved, realize personal success, or even be given something to do according to their own abilities as in the elderly, the disabled, or those with less knowledge or fewer resources. THESE swine!

[Worth1]

It was 6:30 AM I go outside and walk around in my yard with a cup of coffee.
A wild tomcat comes by and greets me.
I give him some food and he follows me around and rubs on me.

It is 70 degrees outside and it rained 2 3/4 inches last night.
The weather couldn't be better.
I look around and I am about the only person outside.

This goes on day after day.
The only people I see outside doing things are Oscar and Alexandria 2 houses up and some folks 3 houses down.
They are always outside doing things in their yard.
Oscar and Alexandria are from Chile and the other people are from some other country.
They love this country and dont take it for granted.
Every day I see Alexandria go to the back of her yard and drink coffee and watch the critters on a bench.
Both families are friendly and always stop and talk to me and wave.
The family down the street has chickens and their yard is nice and kept up.

Everyone else is in the house hiding from the world.
The only time you see them outside is when they have to mow their lawn.

It is a chore to them they dont want to be outside.
Something on TV is too important for them to go outside.
Their yard is a canvas from which they hide behind.

People in apartments dream of having a yard and a house.
They dream of a garden.
They pay twice as much for rent than they would a house payment.
They dont qualify for a loan and the landlord sucks them dry every month.


This is the USA and this is how many of us live.
People are like ticks on a cow.
We are the ticks and the cow is our country.

If we suck too much then one day that cow will die.
We have to take care of our cow.

Worth

[mensplace]

EXCELLENT...and a very accurate depiction of life for so many of us. I am glad that I was raised in the fifties and sixties. I have my chair from which I think and observe, as in cogitating upon all that is. Some simply have no awareness that there are so many who can't have the large gardens. It took me two years just to walk again without my left leg dragging. Once climbed a tree with the riding mower when I couldn't get to the brake. Wrote a book in my mind the other day about the coming singularity and computer control of everything that is reachable through nets. Otherwise, I live totally in the now. I enjoy today today. nobody knows about tomorrow. As an emergency room chaplain after my main career, I saw many a life totally changed in a minute. Even in my career positions were guaranteed for life...until the weren't. Life savings were aplenty until 40% disappeared in a week. Life changes and you either change or you don't. Still, I thought it would be a good thing for those who could never manage a large garden, much less run a tiller, or simply don't have large expanses of space to have a means to not only grow something, but to be enabled to do something. We used to have community, values, belief systems and SO much more, but most haven't a clue. America will be what she shall be, but it will not be the America of our forefathers regardless. Not a judgment, but a simple acknowledgement. Not negative or positive but a recognition of what is.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by mensplace

EXCELLENT...and a very accurate depiction of life for so many of us. I am glad that I was raised in the fifties and sixties. I have my chair from which I think and observe, as in cogitating upon all that is. Some simply have no awareness that there are so many who can't have the large gardens. It took me two years just to walk again without my left leg dragging. Once climbed a tree with the riding mower when I couldn't get to the brake. Wrote a book in my mind the other day about the coming singularity and computer control of everything that is reachable through nets. Otherwise, I live totally in the now. I enjoy today today. nobody knows about tomorrow. As an emergency room chaplain after my main career, I saw many a life totally changed in a minute. Even in my career positions were guaranteed for life...until the weren't. Life savings were aplenty until 40% disappeared in a week. Life changes and you either change or you don't. Still, I thought it would be a good thing for those who could never manage a large garden, much less run a tiller, or simply don't have large expanses of space to have a means to not only grow something, but to be enabled to do something. We used to have community, values, belief systems and SO much more, but most haven't a clue. America will be what she shall be, but it will not be the America of our forefathers regardless. Not a judgment, but a simple acknowledgement. Not negative or positive but a recognition of what is.

I feel your idea is a good thing, there is so much more at stake than the monetary value of things.
There is the value of life and what we do with it.

If it cost more than it is worth monetarily to help folks that cant other wise do things.
Then money itself becomes worthless.

Go out and do what you think is right and help the few that are willing.

It is far better to lead a few than to follow many.

Worth

[saltmarsh]

Originally Posted by mensplace

I know virtually nothing about state or federal grants, much less gaining support, assistance and financial commitments across branches of government, various departments, corporations, and other organizations that work together to launch new programs. However, as I look across the senior community, the disabled, the needy, and families simply doing their best to make it week to week with ever rising costs of healthy food...especially those which could assist in both improving American diets and health...I am convinced that there is so much, literally from the ground up, that could be done to economically assist in essentially turn key gardening units that would be sized upon the family size, dietary needs, and space availability.

Currently, most approaching gardening resort to in ground, labor, chemical, fertilizer based, hybrid dependent approaches. This is needless for the small family. Too, few communities have processes in place to develop safe alternatives to in ground soil. Instead of converting the endless mountains of waste into compost, most municipalities would rather generate methane generating waste sites. This could mostly be used to make compost that would serve those family garden units.

So, my idea would be standardized, scalable above ground packaged systems, that would be filled with virtually free compost and used to provide those referenced above with the ability to assure seasonable, balanced produce at minimal cost.
What would be involved? Easy to assemble raised bed frames, the free compost, seed and a minimum of work.

I am sure there are many organizations that could work together while creating deliverables that would put such a garden into place within a week of starting. The trick would be how to fund and grow such a program through coordination with business and industry? Your thoughts and suggestions?

Here's a suggestion, change the title of this thread to I refuse to listen to sound advice, will not tolerate different ideas and will not be guided by those with decades of experience. Just a suggestion.

[mensplace]

Worth, the funny thing is that so many billions are already spent on programs that pollute the air, water, and soil by the billions, while the organic materials are buried or burned in all but a very few cities and communities. Then there are the numbers on the dole, never mind the elderly, disabled and many others who would love such an opportunity. I miss the original Victory Garden and all that it taught. The basic frame, especially with the assistance and input of so many sources would be a pittance if a little thought and ingenuity went into them. But, truth be told, I am already tired of all the negativity from those who know SO MUCH! The current generation and those that follow will see changes that will make those we have seen since the fifties seem like nothing. Regardless, I am back to enjoying today.