Monday, April 21, 2008
Local commerce.
Another key to re-localization is a healthy local economy that can provide goods and services using local talent and resources. That's a large part of why we want to garden, although the Springfield project is still more of a back-breaking construction site with no paid workers than a lush and delicious paradise garden! Trust me, we'll get there.
Some of our Springfield garden helpers have started a small manufactory of bike messenger bags, called Burro Bags. They coexist with a new bike cooperative called Zombie Bikes. These two operations inhabit the space between Chan's and Shantytown (name that compound, folks!), between 5th and 6th on Main Street.
I just heard about another small business start up: a bookstore in the Gateway Shopping Mall. I think it's called GateWay Book Store, from the caption of the photograph. The name of the shop isn't in the article.
The owner, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, has the right idea when she says, "We're trying to find out what the community doesn't have and try to attract it."
There are problems attached to our market economy, and to the profit motive run wild, but this characteristic of optimism and responsiveness is truly positive: find spaces and fill them. Find hungers and feed them. Find neglect and negate it with care.
I hope she does well.
Some of our Springfield garden helpers have started a small manufactory of bike messenger bags, called Burro Bags. They coexist with a new bike cooperative called Zombie Bikes. These two operations inhabit the space between Chan's and Shantytown (name that compound, folks!), between 5th and 6th on Main Street.
I just heard about another small business start up: a bookstore in the Gateway Shopping Mall. I think it's called GateWay Book Store, from the caption of the photograph. The name of the shop isn't in the article.
The owner, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, has the right idea when she says, "We're trying to find out what the community doesn't have and try to attract it."
There are problems attached to our market economy, and to the profit motive run wild, but this characteristic of optimism and responsiveness is truly positive: find spaces and fill them. Find hungers and feed them. Find neglect and negate it with care.
I hope she does well.
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Hey guys. I am not commenting on this post, but rather commenting about something I heard about while in Chicago this weekend. I don't want to insult your intelligence about this, so I'm sorry if you already know about this. But there's an activist living in Chicago named Ken Dunn, and his project is really cool. He reclaims abandoned lots in Chicago's inner city. He collects organic waste from local restaurants, and then composts it. He then uses this compost to grow vegetables in the abandoned lots. Then he gives the small gardens to families in need. When the vegetables are ripe, he buys them from the families, and sells them to the restaurants. Something like that.
http://consciouschoice.com/2003/cc1610/urbanfarms1610.html
This reminded me of your garden. Once again, sorry if you already knew this, but I thought this was really cool. Especially that as a future student at the art school, this might be something I get to work with (artists as urban farmers? Awesome.).
http://consciouschoice.com/2003/cc1610/urbanfarms1610.html
This reminded me of your garden. Once again, sorry if you already knew this, but I thought this was really cool. Especially that as a future student at the art school, this might be something I get to work with (artists as urban farmers? Awesome.).
CITY FARM! Yes! I haven't visited yet, but it's an incredible project. I would love love love to have all the vacant lots in Jacksonville used like his.
They also run a salvage shop called the Resource Center that connects artists and builders to reclaimed materials.
AND they have a youth-run bicycle repair shop.
Beautiful work.
You should visit and report.
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They also run a salvage shop called the Resource Center that connects artists and builders to reclaimed materials.
AND they have a youth-run bicycle repair shop.
Beautiful work.
You should visit and report.
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