Though some may have seen my first garden as a failure, for me, it was the first taste of something great. If I was judging my success on my harvest, I didn't have much to show for it. There's just something special about growing food that turns on a light bulb and feels empowering. After tasting your first homegrown tomato, you may never be the same! I felt like I wanted to share this excitement with others but my garden was tucked away in my backyard behind a 6 foot fence.
So I planted my next garden out in the front yard. It was a vulnerable place to be but it also felt exciting to be out front where I had the chance to interact with others. I had plenty of space in my backyard but planting that garden out in front of the privacy fence was a powerful statement even though I didn’t realize it at the time. In a world where we rarely spend much time on our front porch any more, I met more neighbors than I could imagine while tending my small 4×4 raised bed garden. Neighbors out walking their dog or strolling by would stop and ask what I’m growing and tell me about their gardening projects.
One memory that continues to inspire me is of a lady who told me that just from walking past my garden over the season and watching it grow, she was inspired to start her first garden. Now she’s gotten all her friends growing their first broccoli. I hadn’t ever talked to her until that moment and I had know idea that a simple front yard garden could have such power. This was my first taste of the rippling power of our actions.
I started day dreaming of what it would look like if my whole block got to share that experience of front yard gardens and more neighborly connections. One day when walking home from the coffee shop I just saw this vision so clearly of my whole street lined in raised bed gardens where neighbors could harvest from each other and get to know each other. It seemed far-fetched but I felt the call and had to give it a shot.
My background in sales helped me to realize that if I could eliminate the reasons people might say no to a front yard garden, they’d be much more likely to say yes. I rallied some friends and we found a way to build low maintenance wicking bed gardens out of wood pallets and other salvaged materials so we could offer them for free. In January of 2012 we hosted a launch party for the idea and within 5 weeks you were in the minority on our block if you didn’t have a front yard community garden. We were onto something and the Food is Free Project was born!
Before this experience I was feeling paralyzed as to how I could make a difference in the world but by focusing on my immediate community, it was really possible. So I blogged about the process and started to encourage other people to take the idea and make it their own if they were inspired. Six months later, I got an email from a lady who wanted to launch a branch of Food is Free in Tasmania on the other side of the globe!
My little front yard garden had rippled around the world and it was clear to me that food has the power to unite us. Now we’ve had over 350 cities around the world start Food is Free Projects and we’re creating an amazing community of support, inspiration, and action that is growing more each day.
Whatever it is that lights you up, do it out in the open. If not in the front yard, invite others to be a part of it because you never know who you may inspire to take their first step towards following their inspiration.
Onward and upward!
Isn't it amazing how the smallest of steps can lead to the biggest change? Kudos to you for starting this movement!
Thanks so much! I had no idea I what I was doing but felt the call and went with the flow. By giving up ownership of the project and encouraging others to make it their own, it really allowed the project to grow in a new way. All the best and looking forward to learning more from ya!
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Epic story!! I love it!! I also believe that food is indeed free and all humans should have to ability to provide for themselves and family. It grows out of the bloody ground! When pieces of the ground get stuck to your boot, you throw that dirt away! We waste so much us humans... RESTEEMED!
Thank you so much for sharing the vision and passing it along! It really is funny how in the forest, food is growing everywhere, we've just forgotten how to identify it. Here's to returning to that natural wisdom and planting gardens and fruit trees everywhere!
Indeed!
Very inspiring post! I moved out of the suburbs to have more space to garden, and I'm so glad I did. Keep it up!
Thanks so much! What are ya growing?
Veggies mainly. My zucchini and squash, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes are all producing right now. I might harvest the entire potato crop this Sunday depending on what goes on at the house. I've posted several posts with some garden harvest photos.
Nice! Sounds like a great harvest. I've heard if you're in a small town, it's important to keep your car doors locked or you might come back to a car full of zucchini. Haha. It sure can be quite an abundant producer.
Yeah this is my 3rd year trying zucchini, and first year of success. And now I have huge success. The secret was getting my watering system in place. Having the auto-watering system really helped.
good idea for getting to know the community
Food really does bring people together in a pretty amazing way. That little front yard garden and the future ones that came on our block really changed the dynamic of our neighborhood in a very real way.
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Amazing project! Keep up the good work! Food indeed unites people and it makes them healthy too!
Indeed it does! Growing, harvesting, cooking and eating are all more fun when shared. :)
Post is very good and very useful.
I will follow you because for me your post is very good.
Try to see my post @alisya how to hit you.
Way to GROW!!!
Haha! Much love to you, Lyndsay!
So rad! We've found the same thing with a front yard garden, we have SO many folks asking us about it.
I'm also continually amazed at how much food plants deliver, especially fruit trees. When it's peach time we probably give away at least 200 peaches, and that's from a relatively small tree!
It's an abundant world out there, love your onward and upward!
That is so awesome to hear! Thank you for sharing your experience. It's amazing how abundant nature is. As we remember that we are a part of nature, there's no reason we should create a world where abundance is normal. All the best and glad to be connected in this space.
I love this!
Thanks for sharing in the vision! Just followed ya.
Thank you!
Good story. Another benefit with front yard garden is the neighbors can watch out for each other and chase the critters away when they're trying to eat your plants. Good luck
Haha, love it! Indeed. More interaction out in the front yard, also means more people keeping an eye out for each other and safer neighborhoods. The benefits never end! Just followed ya.
Sounds good. I have a lot of gardening posts up so feel free to check them out.
Awesome!
I love your garden! All it takes is one seed, one taste of fresh veg that you grew yourself. There is no other feeling quite like it. I've definitely caught the gardening bug!
Love it! It's true there is such an inspiring force within a seed. And we are but seeds in the garden of life! Sprout forth! Just followed ya.
Wow, you're a gardener AND a poet! Thanks :)
Haha, Thank you! I'd love to get into some poetry writing but so far I've been too self conscious. Someday though!
Inspiring post friend! I want to move away from the desert to start growing some food. Of course I could do a little here if I had some land but I don't.
I'm into Fukuoka's Natural Farming method. I talk about it in my first post here on Steemit... https://steemit.com/food/@steveo/let-s-turn-suburbia-into-a-local-food-mecca
It certainly can be hard to grow food in the desert. Check out this sweet video on greening the desert if you haven't seen it already:
Fukuoka is one of my greatest inspirations. He inspired me to imagine easier ways to grow food and collaborate with nature. I want to read more of his stuff though. Great to connect with you!