Community Garden for Charity - getting started

[txdon]

Thanks for the responses so far.

The church land has been the church land since the 1880's so there is no problem with the history of it. The deer are plentiful out here and a deer fence would be #1 priority. When the expenses start adding up people start looking around for other more worth wild projects. This seems like a good project this time of the year but if we have a summer like last year, 90 days over 100 degrees, the cost of county water will be more than the vegetables are worth. And the volunteers will dwindle. We might have to come up with another "neighbor helping neighbor" suggested project in this very rural area.

 

[tlbuser]

I can't find a link for you. There was a guy on TBN awhile back that started a community garden for the less fortunate in his area (Carolina's ?). His name was Jim, but that's where my memory ends.
He had a huge thread at one time, anybody else remember that guy?

 

[txdon]

I kind of remember, 5-7 years ago, he cleared some woods to expand it. Where is that thread?

 

[jinman]

Don, the thread is here and another one here. The poster is Jim57. Do a search for all threads started by him and you have the history of his whole Lighthouse Charity.

 

[txdon]

That is it Jim, thanks. His web page Lighthouse Food Farm - SC Public Charity Number P19429 listed on the second to last page is current, and he has links to several You Tubes he made about the project.

 

[GLyford]

Best of luck...made offers, prepped ground...it was fun for folks to come plant, and they never came back to do anything past that.

When my Dad passed, my Mom was faced with dealing with 50 trees worth of apples. She offered them to a number of local organizations that claimed to be desperate for food, the answer in all cases was "We'll grudgingly take the apples off your hands but couldn't be bothered in the least to pick them." We managed to pick a few bushels and some family friends a few more, but most became deer fodder.

Much the same for plot of potatoes, maybe 50x75' across several varieties. Us kids & families dug as much as we could when up visiting but that amounted to only a few bushels, the rest were left to rot.

While Dad was able to manage all of the trees and gardens himself, it was a full time job (his "keep busy" fun for retirement). He ran a little sale table next to the driveway with most of it, more to talk with people than to make pocket money. If you have similarly motivated people who would enjoy the work (or can find reasonable ways to automate such as cultivating vs. weeding, potato plows vs. hand digging, etc.) then I say have fun, just don't count on getting any help from those who would benefit from it.

 

[pajoube]

I have set up 25 community gardens this past year. 5 are in ground and 20 are above ground. I also trenched in water in both places. The 5 are located on bank property and the 20 are located on our church property.
We use a contract we developed which gives rules and regulations. Stipulation is that they grow and extra row for the food bank.
Total success on all fronts.
PJ

 

[tlbuser]

Don, the thread is here and another one here. The poster is Jim57. Do a search for all threads started by him and you have the history of his whole Lighthouse Charity.

Yep, that's the guy. Thanks for the assist.

 

[forgeblast]

Stipulation is that they grow and extra row for the food bank.

I like that. Its a really good idea.

 

[txdon]

I have set up 25 community gardens this past year. 5 are in ground and 20 are above ground. I also trenched in water in both places. The 5 are located on bank property and the 20 are located on our church property.
We use a contract we developed which gives rules and regulations. Stipulation is that they grow and extra row for the food bank.
Total success on all fronts.
PJ

I like the idea of a contract and the extra row. That would give people incentive if they could pick some veggies for themselves without feeling like they are stealing from the poor. If at all possible could you PM me the contract, or copy it on this thread. Thanks