BS: Incredible Edibles

Subject: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 07 Feb 10 - 04:39 PM

So, there I was this morning, watching one of my favourite programmes..'Country File'..and out they came with this wonderful lady who started this....

Incredible Edibles

Her whole town is covered in vegetables! :0)

She and her friends plant them by bus stops, in parks, front gardens, any bit of green space..and recently they've planted an entire orchard in a graveyard...

Anyone can help themselves to the fruit and vegetables, whenever they want. They're free.

It's been a huge success, and all you have to do, to bring it to your town, is contact your council and apply for the correct permission to use the land..and off you go!

She wanted to see her town entirely self sufficient, and they're now well on the way to the goal.

Cool, huh?

Covering the planet in our own food...

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: Rowan
Date: 07 Feb 10 - 06:59 PM

Guerilla gardening has a bit of history;
UK version
Oz nonsense
are two versions but there are many others and even a Wiki page.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: Maryrrf
Date: 07 Feb 10 - 07:20 PM

Now that is a wonderful idea!

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Feb 10 - 09:31 PM

It is wonderful, but out here, it is so dry, someone would have to take responsibility to water every patch, esp. through the summer or it would all die. I can see it working really well in CT and MA, from my experience living there. Neat idea. We do have community gardens.

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: open mike
Date: 07 Feb 10 - 10:08 PM

great! i hope this fosters more community gardens
here is one not far from my area Seeds of Life Garden
Kathy Irving creates gardens for jails, and other
facilities...in the shape of mandalas..very cool
http://www.mynevadacounty.com/iwm/index.cfm?ccs=561&cs=1464
http://www.theunion.com/article/20070404/NEWS/104040136
http://www.mynevadacounty.com/presentations/index.cfm?ccs=1263&cs=3513

I am in the process of creatiing (another) labyrinth garden ...each one i make doubles in size,,,i first painted a labyrinth on a tarp
that was 8 feet in diameter. The next one i created was 16 feet ...
and then in my yard i constructed a 32 foot one
with discarded fire hoses forming the outlines...then a 64 foot one
that had been roto-tilled with drip irrigation lines installed.
the next one is destined to be 128 feet in diameter!!

growing gardens...
good stuff..
edible gardens!
and edible landscaping...
also including meditation and theraputic effects..such
as healing herbs, aroma therapy, and more...

i also want to build a labyrinth in the local park..
you often find them in churches, hospitals, and other
places where people seek calming and helpful activities..



I am in the

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 08 Feb 10 - 08:03 AM

"She and her friends plant them by bus stops, in parks, front gardens, any bit of green space..and recently they've planted an entire orchard in a graveyard...

Anyone can help themselves to the fruit and vegetables, whenever they want. They're free."

No thanks. The thought of eating sprouts that the Saturday night drunks have pissed all over really does not appeal.

It would make more sense for councils to provide more space for allotments, and make them secure.

IMHO. YMMV.

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 08 Feb 10 - 02:12 PM

What makes you think they don't p*ss on the allotments too? :0)

No, the 'secure' bit is not what this is about is it? It's about comunity, it's about trust, it's about deciding to think of the good in people, rather than the bad..and hoping..

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: Gurney
Date: 08 Feb 10 - 04:03 PM

There used to be a group who scattered flower seeds from their cars are they motored merrily along. Are they still extant in England?
The memory is 40 years old.

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Feb 10 - 04:29 PM

Defacing the city plantings in parks? Not likely. Prosecution inevitable.

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Feb 10 - 11:19 AM

A friend who shall remain nameless for obvious reasons used an unusualy warm summer to plant canabis all over a lovely south facing motorway embankment. I don't think anyone noticed and he had a wonderful harvest that year. When I asked what he would have done if someone had taken it he just used the same reply as he would have given to the law - "It's not mine, mate, I just saw it growing there". Dunno if he would have got away with it:-)

Wonder if they could use other embankments for more legitimate purposes?

DeG

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: theleveller
Date: 09 Feb 10 - 11:31 AM

"What makes you think they don't p*ss on the allotments too? :0)"

What makes you think the allotment holders don't, as well? As organic gardeners like Bob Flowerdew will tell you, urine is the best compost activator you can get. It works - and it's no worse than putting manure on your veg patch.

"someone would have to take responsibility to water every patch, esp. through the summer or it would all die"

Not necessarily. I seldom water any of my vegentables, with the possible exception of tomatoes and chillis, and I get good crops.

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 09 Feb 10 - 08:55 PM

I knew a group of people who lived next to the railway in town in Brisbane. They planted veges on the spare ground there on the other side of the mutual fence - dunno if they got it harvested, or had hassles with the weed sprayers.. I lost contact with them.

The Oz TV show about Guerilla gardening was a bit pathetic....

Subject: RE: BS: Incredible Edibles
From: SINSULL
Date: 10 Feb 10 - 06:35 PM

Our Children's Garden in NYC produced enough corn, basil, pumpkins and squash to produce a tasty meal for the co-op. The kids were so proud when they picked, cleaned and boiled the corn so sweet it didn't need butter. Plus our sunflowers fed birds throughout the fall and early winter.