Washingtonians

[drumstick diva]

I don't know that every county has a fair - I'm fairly certain Cook country in Chicago doesnt. Springfield does have a state fair, which I believe is about 200 miles away. Not very accessible if you don't have a car, or the money to spend for a train or bus ticket.

I would imagine alot of low income families live in remote areas that do not have public transportation.It was suggested that food banks might provide info or have someone on hand to plant the "seed" ion their minds that they could grow some food themselves.

Some city and suburban areas do provide local garden plots to anyone who wishes to grow their own veggies etc. I have heard they are well utilitzed. This year of horrible drought and prolonged excessive heat probably has made it impossible to keep up.

 

[itsren]

I disagree with you FlyRobinFly, granted I don't know the attitude out there but every county has a county fair and every state has a state fair. For the last 2 years Mother Earth News has had a fair in Washington. From what I have researched Washington has more farmers markets then we have here in Kansas. If people wanted to learn to grow a garden they would. A lot of people just want something for nothing even if that person does not need it, my FIL is that way.

I think a lot of it comes down to economics, combined with how people have been raised. It costs money to learn how to do things. I've had to learn how to garden on my own (grew up near Seattle & a child of the welfare system - which meant I was limited on access to extra-curricular educational activities). I can tell you - it is expensive to learn how to garden well enough to be able to provide enough food for ones own family. I've been trying, and I can supplement my family with home grown food, but we certainly can't live off of what I've managed to grow.

Today, my immediate family is not poor, by poverty standards (in no way would our kids qualify for reduced or free lunches at school), yet our city has a lot of people who are. You can look up the demographics of any Washington school on-line at: http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ In our school, for example, 67.5% of the kids who attend get free lunches every single day - which translates to mean there are a lot of kids who live off of food stamps and food banks attending our school.

Our city is set up to teach people how to garden. The school system owns a garden and hosts classes to teach gardening skills to kids. The problem is, they charge quite a bit of money for kids to attend (for some reason, the # sticking in my head was $75.00 per kid). The kids who attend come from more affluent families. For families of low income, they can't afford to send their kid(s) to a class that is that expensive. Interestingly enough, our city provides free lunches to all kids ages 1-18 who wish to pick up lunch in all of our city parks (yes, even my kids pick up free lunch if we're at the park at the time they are serving it). Many of the vegetables that are served come from the school garden. I've often wondered why the school system, if they're capable of feeding thousands of kids lunch for free, why don't they have a program in place to teach impoverished kids how to grow food.

As for county fairs, state fairs and Mother Earth fair... we're a family of five - it is very expensive to take a family of five to any one of those fairs. I wanted to go to Mother Earth this year - but we couldn't justify it in our budget. I certainly wouldn't expect a family who lives off of food stamps to be able to come up with enough cash to attend a fair in hopes to learn how to garden.

Could they learn how to garden on their own by researching in a free public library - sure, they could try, but there's a lot of time, skill and expense that goes into growing a garden. Many work 2 low-paying jobs just to pay the rent. Some may not have the money to pay the extra water bill, or to buy the rain barrels needed to provide "free" water. And, if they're not confident that what they plant will actually yield food, they could be hesitant to put the money into it.

It's easy to judge others who don't have similar circumstances as our own. But there are many facets to the problem of people learning to garden beyond telling them to go buy seeds.

Edited to fix the link.

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

I don't know that every county has a fair - I'm fairly certain Cook country in Chicago doesnt. Springfield does have a state fair, which I believe is about 200 miles away. Not very accessible if you don't have a car, or the money to spend for a train or bus ticket.

I would imagine alot of low income families live in remote areas that do not have public transportation.It was suggested that food banks might provide info or have someone on hand to plant the "seed" ion their minds that they could grow some food themselves.

Some city and suburban areas do provide local garden plots to anyone who wishes to grow their own veggies etc. I have heard they are well utilitzed. This year of horrible drought and prolonged excessive heat probably has made it impossible to keep up.

I am not sure if every county has a fair but I believe county has a 4H Extension office. I did find that cook county does have an Extension office and they have Cook County Day at State Fair. Also I found there was a Cook County South Suburban unit 4-H fair Saturday, July 21, 2012 Palos Park, IL

 

[KMHunter]

Quote:

Here you go!!! Isn't she pretty?

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

I don't know that every county has a fair - I'm fairly certain Cook country in Chicago doesnt. Springfield does have a state fair, which I believe is about 200 miles away. Not very accessible if you don't have a car, or the money to spend for a train or bus ticket.

I would imagine alot of low income families live in remote areas that do not have public transportation.It was suggested that food banks might provide info or have someone on hand to plant the "seed" ion their minds that they could grow some food themselves.

Some city and suburban areas do provide local garden plots to anyone who wishes to grow their own veggies etc. I have heard they are well utilitzed. This year of horrible drought and prolonged excessive heat probably has made it impossible to keep up.

Chicago also has Growing Power http://www.growingpower.org/

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

Quote:
I see and understand your point. I need to remember that not everybody just jumps into things like me even if I don't know what I am doing. I have always been learn as I go type of person.

 

[Sanjuanchicken]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone is breeding/selling Japanese, D'uccle, phoenix bantams or sultans?
Please let me know, I have been looking everywhere.
Thanks

 

[Imp]

I think a lot of it comes down to economics, combined with how people have been raised. It costs money to learn how to do things. I've had to learn how to garden on my own (grew up near Seattle & a child of the welfare system - which meant I was limited on access to extra-curricular educational activities). I can tell you - it is expensive to learn how to garden well enough to be able to provide enough food for ones own family. I've been trying, and I can supplement my family with home grown food, but we certainly can't live off of what I've managed to grow.

Today, my immediate family is not poor, by poverty standards (in no way would our kids qualify for reduced or free lunches at school), yet our city has a lot of people who are. You can look up the demographics of any Washington school on-line at: http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ In our school, for example, 67.5% of the kids who attend get free lunches every single day - which translates to mean there are a lot of kids who live off of food stamps and food banks attending our school.

Our city is set up to teach people how to garden. The school system owns a garden and hosts classes to teach gardening skills to kids. The problem is, they charge quite a bit of money for kids to attend (for some reason, the # sticking in my head was $75.00 per kid). The kids who attend come from more affluent families. For families of low income, they can't afford to send their kid(s) to a class that is that expensive. Interestingly enough, our city provides free lunches to all kids ages 1-18 who wish to pick up lunch in all of our city parks (yes, even my kids pick up free lunch if we're at the park at the time they are serving it). Many of the vegetables that are served come from the school garden. I've often wondered why the school system, if they're capable of feeding thousands of kids lunch for free, why don't they have a program in place to teach impoverished kids how to grow food.

As for county fairs, state fairs and Mother Earth fair... we're a family of five - it is very expensive to take a family of five to any one of those fairs. I wanted to go to Mother Earth this year - but we couldn't justify it in our budget. I certainly wouldn't expect a family who lives off of food stamps to be able to come up with enough cash to attend a fair in hopes to learn how to garden.

Could they learn how to garden on their own by researching in a free public library - sure, they could try, but there's a lot of time, skill and expense that goes into growing a garden. Many work 2 low-paying jobs just to pay the rent. Some may not have the money to pay the extra water bill, or to buy the rain barrels needed to provide "free" water. And, if they're not confident that what they plant will actually yield food, they could be hesitant to put the money into it.

It's easy to judge others who don't have similar circumstances as our own. But there are many facets to the problem of people learning to garden beyond telling them to go buy seeds.

Edited to fix the link.

Very well stated itsren.
It is not possible to support yourself out of an urban backyard, well unless your backyard consists of 40 acres and a mule + all the stuff itsren mentioned & more. When I grew veggies in my yard, I figured it cost me $50 to $80 a pound for about 8 bug infested meals. And I imagine the last couple of cloudy rainy summers my harvest would have been nil. Thankfully it was just for fun.
Imp

 

[Imp]

I kind of took a slight 50 mile round trip out to Rain Tree Nursery out in Morton. I had to high tail it in order to make it before 5pm. I was hoping and praying that they would be open when I got there. They were and I managed to get a black hydrangea. some bamboo, a couple of Aronia berry plants, and a couple of raspberry starts. My car was super full on the way back home. Now I have to get them all planted.

So JB, What are going to do with the Aronia berries?
Mine are covered with berries this year and I'm not sure what to do with them. Really not into syrups and a lot of jams.
What kind of bamboo?
All my plants from Raintree have done awesome.

Now I have to get thing tidied up around here, and set up for class. I am now expecting as many as 6 to 7 WA thread
members to show up about noon on Saturday. It should be a lot of fun getting to know everyone better. Then I think that there is a bonding of friendship, after finding out that you really can produce some of your own food.

Well I am off to bed. I am beyond tired to tonight.

Hope you got lots of rest.
Everyone have fun at freezer camp class. I'd have joined you, but already had other plans. If anyone's at the Bellevue Arts Festival, I'll be there wandering about. I'll probably be in a BYC tee shirt.

Russ

 

[LakeBird]

I think a lot of it comes down to economics, combined with how people have been raised. It costs money to learn how to do things. I've had to learn how to garden on my own (grew up near Seattle & a child of the welfare system - which meant I was limited on access to extra-curricular educational activities). I can tell you - it is expensive to learn how to garden well enough to be able to provide enough food for ones own family. I've been trying, and I can supplement my family with home grown food, but we certainly can't live off of what I've managed to grow.

Today, my immediate family is not poor, by poverty standards (in no way would our kids qualify for reduced or free lunches at school), yet our city has a lot of people who are. You can look up the demographics of any Washington school on-line at: http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ In our school, for example, 67.5% of the kids who attend get free lunches every single day - which translates to mean there are a lot of kids who live off of food stamps and food banks attending our school.

Our city is set up to teach people how to garden. The school system owns a garden and hosts classes to teach gardening skills to kids. The problem is, they charge quite a bit of money for kids to attend (for some reason, the # sticking in my head was $75.00 per kid). The kids who attend come from more affluent families. For families of low income, they can't afford to send their kid(s) to a class that is that expensive. Interestingly enough, our city provides free lunches to all kids ages 1-18 who wish to pick up lunch in all of our city parks (yes, even my kids pick up free lunch if we're at the park at the time they are serving it). Many of the vegetables that are served come from the school garden. I've often wondered why the school system, if they're capable of feeding thousands of kids lunch for free, why don't they have a program in place to teach impoverished kids how to grow food.

As for county fairs, state fairs and Mother Earth fair... we're a family of five - it is very expensive to take a family of five to any one of those fairs. I wanted to go to Mother Earth this year - but we couldn't justify it in our budget. I certainly wouldn't expect a family who lives off of food stamps to be able to come up with enough cash to attend a fair in hopes to learn how to garden.

Could they learn how to garden on their own by researching in a free public library - sure, they could try, but there's a lot of time, skill and expense that goes into growing a garden. Many work 2 low-paying jobs just to pay the rent. Some may not have the money to pay the extra water bill, or to buy the rain barrels needed to provide "free" water. And, if they're not confident that what they plant will actually yield food, they could be hesitant to put the money into it.

It's easy to judge others who don't have similar circumstances as our own. But there are many facets to the problem of people learning to garden beyond telling them to go buy seeds.

Edited to fix the link.

I worked for the state for about 3 years. What I learned during that time is that our government enables people to continue to be dependent on the system, from the welfare system to the unemployment system and everything in between. Instead of teaching people to fish, we give them the fish. I read somewhere that it takes 8,000 sq ft to feed a family of 4. And you could probably feed more if you grow a vertical garden.