Urgent Evoke

A crash course in changing the world.

First Steps to Create a Gratitude Garden


This idea has been inspired by several other Agents, from Agent McLellan's Hyperlocavore movement to Agent Buentrostro's Community Urban Farms , Garden Earth Project, and even Agent Falconer's connection with the local ecovillage and his heritage as a South African.

I think all of these agents are on the right track, so I created the Gratitude Garden Movement as a way of making this work something anyone can contribute to and create a global resource for sustainable gardening practices.

What is a Gratitude Garden?


Gratitude Gardens will be combination social enterprise incubators, living seed banks, and community gathering spaces. Their goal is to give thanks for the gifts of those who came before us, and to create something future generations will be grateful to us for.

Can I plant a Gratitude Garden?

Yes, but the first step is not planting.

First Step: Research

  1. Find out what grows best in your climate, where you live.
  2. Find out what edible and useful plants are native to your area.
  3. Explore the food and nature-crafts that the indigenous people of your area created.
  4. Learn about any colonizers to your area and what food they introduced.
  5. What are some heirloom or landrace plants (or livestock) that grow your area?
  6. What kind of indigenous cultivation and fertilization was used in your area? How did they ensure long-term fertility, instead of short term yields?
  7. Does any of this appeal to you? Seem tasty, useful, interesting? What do you want to grow?

So thats step one: find out about the edible and useful plants in and from your area, discover the rich cultural and culinary heritage that you've inherited from your ancestors and predecessors.

Now can I plant the Garden?

We're not ready to grow just yet. No garden should be an island (unless you live on one), we need to tie into larger networks to make sure your efforts and knowledge serve the community at large.

Second Step: Make Contact

  1. Find local organizations you can team up with (don't reinvent the wheel) that support farming or gardening. It could be a government agency, a university, a nonprofit, or just a club
  2. Interview local farmers and gardeners that still use traditional methods.
  3. Ask them about fertility, planting, harvesting, and seed saving.
  4. Working with your new contacts, find the seeds and cuttings to grow the plants that interest you. Maybe you get them from a farmer, maybe from a nursery, maybe a mail order catalog. Its possible you could share some really exciting ones with the groups or individuals that you've met...

These first two steps are the most important part of the project. This Evokation isn't just about starting a wh*** new global effort, but helping YOU tie into existing ones and support them with traditional and new knowledge. The Third Step is to plant your garden, either in your home, or better yet in a community location.

But lets do these first couple steps first, then we'll truly be able to plant a garden that expresses GRATITUDE to those who came before, and will inspire future generations to give us thanks for safeguarding something truly valuable.

If you would like to participate in this Evokation, add the tag GRATITUDE to your blog, video, or photo. We'll be getting all this info on the wiki.

Views: 975

Comment by Nick Heyming on March 31, 2010 at 12:52am
We just made a huge section of our garden devoted plants that are good at attracting beneficial insects. We don't spray or use poisons unnecessarily, although sometimes we spread diatomaceous earth for the nasty crawlies or garlic/pepper for the suckers...
Comment by Michael Texeira on March 31, 2010 at 3:28pm
This is brilliant. This has long been spinning in my mind in some form or another. I have already begun research, and have refrained from reaching out only out of fear. I find myself in a conservative community far from home these days. Excuses. This is what I want to see in my life and in my community. Thanks for the post.
Comment by Lynn Caldwell on March 31, 2010 at 3:48pm
Hi Nick - a lot of schools in the UK have little farms and gardens that the children tend - do you have a downloadable doc**ent that I could send to my local school governers - perhaps our schools could participate?
Comment by Ethan Gray on April 15, 2010 at 1:09pm
Your efforts are greatly appreciated =D thank you for your contribution
Comment by Theodore Burt on April 20, 2010 at 4:26am
This is a create article. I am doing a project similar to this here in my area. I am starting a hub of "user friendly" plants that are low maintenance and easy to grow, and giving them away to anyone who brings me pots to put them in. I have papayas, basil, delicata squash and cantelopes seeded, every week I will seed things that are compatible to the time of year and propagating plants to give away the same way. I have been giving friends plants and such for some time but now I put into a new gear. I eventually hope to create a movement of guerrilla gardeners who can put these plants in under utilized areas.
Comment by Andrew Bessette on April 20, 2010 at 4:49am
great idea i think were all thinking of this right now how can i help
Comment by Miaomiao Huang on May 13, 2010 at 4:39pm
Hey, I like the awesome idea of gratitude garden. You are really impressive.
However, I just wonder that agriculture is not familiar to most modern people, so how can your website attracts people to gardening with a new way that they themselves may not know much about?
Comment by Nick Heyming on May 13, 2010 at 5:30pm
Good point Miaomiao. We're going to use a website similar to Urgent Evoke, with ranks and awards for participation. I'd also like more regular prizes, such as seeds from Seed Savers, or seed saving equipment, or grants from a large foundation. I think when people start seeing the rewards for participation, and start meeting people in their community and learning about their heritage, we'll get alot of participants.

I don't expect everyone on earth to start, but if a few young people in each city, or even each country, started gratitude gardens, it would be a great start!
Comment by Patricio Buenrostro-Gilhuys on May 13, 2010 at 5:39pm
Great Evokation!!! I know we will find ways to share information, knowledge, seeds. Your idea of REAL prices like seeds and grants is brilliant!!!

Comment

You need to be a member of Urgent Evoke to add comments!

Join Urgent Evoke

Latest Activity

Ning Admin is now a member of Urgent Evoke
May 17, 2023
N updated their profile
Sep 25, 2020
Sophie C. commented on Asger Jon Vistisen's blog post Stinging Nettle
"I love that you've brought this to attention. An extensive database of uncommon but resistant and hardy plants/foods could be developed and organized by climate. Ease of growth and processing should also be taken in to account. I will try to…"
Aug 19, 2020
Meghan Mulvey posted a blog post

Fourth of July on the Lake

This past weekend was the annual celebration at the lake house in Connecticut. It is amazing that the lake is still so clear and beautiful after all these years. The watershed association has done a wonderful job protecting these waters from the damaging effects of development.The wood grill was finally ready to cook on, so we didn't miss the propane tank fueled grill anymore. The food actually tasted fresher than in the past and was easy to keep fueled.Dad was very proud of the solar hybrid…See More
Jul 6, 2020
Asger Jon Vistisen posted a blog post

Stinging Nettle

In this blog post I will focus on a plant that is abundant in our nature, and which is immensely nutritious. It's of course the Stinging Nettle. Let's start with the chemical constituents of this plant:37 % Non-Nitrogen-Extracts19 - 29 % Ash9 - 21 % Fiber4 % Fat22 % ProteinOnce the leaves are drid, their protein content can reach an astounding 40 %, which is much higher than beef, which even under the best of circ**stances can never exceed 31 % protein. In addition the Stinging Nettle consists…See More
Apr 13, 2020
Jonathon McCallum posted a blog post

The meal

It is 7'oclock, I was late home from work due to an assignment that i wanted to get ahead on. By the time I get home I am feeling extremley tired and I cannot be bothered to make a proper meal. I walk to the fridge and open it to see what there is for me to eat. All of the out of date foodstuffs have been automaticaly thrown away by the fridge, they will be recycled tomorrow as animal feed or something. I see i have organic local eggs and some local cheese. Foods are vacc** sealded for easy…See More
Mar 10, 2020
Jean Paul Galea shared a profile on Facebook
Mar 1, 2020
Kevin posted a blog post

Future

FutureToday is 2020/1/1. It is just like yesterday. The war is still continuing. It has started since 2010. In 2010, that year was a horrible year. Almost every energy ran out. Every country’s governments were crushed down at the same time. There were riots everywhere. All of the big company’s bosses were killed xdeadx in the riots. Troops fought each other everywhere. Food was bought up xawayx at once. There were no more food supplies in any shops. The economy was all crushed down. All the…See More
Jan 1, 2020
Namwaka Mooto posted blog posts
Jan 13, 2016
T D updated their profile
Sep 3, 2015
Brook Warner posted blog posts
Aug 25, 2015
Santiago Vega posted blog posts
May 5, 2015
Santiago Vega commented on Santiago Vega's blog post Act 8
May 5, 2015
Santiago Vega posted photos
May 5, 2015
Rico Angel Rodriguez posted blog posts
May 2, 2015
Rico Angel Rodriguez posted a photo

public servants

The exchange works directly for state and public workers and servants. It gives them credit in exchange for the amount of public work they contribute to the community. The more constructive they are based off a base rate the more credit they recieve.
May 2, 2015

Follow EVOKE on Twitter




Official EVOKE Facebook Page




EVOKE RSS Activity Feed










© 2024   Created by Alchemy.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service