This is a Test

Pelleted Seeds

It started with a seed.  The concept was simple.  Give people who want it a chance to grow.  No cost.  No strings.  No catch.  Just an opportunity.  Make it possible for anybody. Make it possible for 50 anybodies.  Give them a community and resources so they are more likely to succeed.

Those seeds you see in the photo above grew into these:

50 Tomato Transplants

Then, it became this, twice:

Materials for the Grow Your Own Tomato Workshop donated by Smart Pots, Farmer D Organics and Home Depot.

The goal was this:

Photo courtesy of Cami Mitelman

Photo courtesy of Cami Mitelman

Photo courtesy of Cami Mitelman

Photo courtesy of Cami Mitelman

Photo courtesy of Cami Mitelman

You can read about the outcome by following this link --> click here! <--

It has been incredibly rewarding for me to be a part of this process.  The energy at the two events was so positive.  I wish I could bottle it.  It's more powerful than any drug man can make.  I am excited to stay connected with the workshop participants throughout the growing season to address any issues or concerns they are having along the way and to be able to cheer them on in their successes.  

You would think this would be enough.  And, it is.  But, at the same time, it isn't.  It isn't because there are additional people in our community who could use an event like this.  I am talking about the food desert in Dunwoody.  You can read about food deserts here and here.  It's just an introduction of the issue, but it will give you an idea.  I would like to scale this event so we can take it on the road, into the heart of the community where it is needed, and try to make a dent.  I don't know how that would work.  I don't know if it would work.  I don't know who would be involved.  I have no answers at this point.  What I do have is an experiment.  Here it is:

In the front is a reusable shopping bag.  In the back is a Smart Pot.  The shopping bag costs somewhere between $.50 and $1.00, depending on where you buy it.  The Smart Pot is under $6.00.  I have selected two tomato transplants.  They are roughly the same size.  They are growing in the same soil and the same amount of soil.  I will treat them exactly the same throughout the growing season.  It's any one's guess which one will perform better or even if one will perform better.

This time, it begins with a test.  And, we'll just have to wait to see how big it grows...

Grow Your Own: Supermarket

(http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/01/16/food-deserts-in-the-u-s/)

Recently, a friend asked me why I had decided to become a Georgia Master Gardener. After hearing my goals (thank goodness I didn't fall off my soapbox during my explanation! It's slippery up there!), she sent me the above image. I think that summarizes my reasons better than hopping back up on my soap box right now. Really, I had a tough workout this morning that included a 6 minute wall sit and so my gams are a little (read: LOT) too unreliable this afternoon to withstand any time on a slippery box. Having just healed from a fractured kneecap, I see no reason to risk further injury.

At any rate, this post is for anyone who would like to grow something this season but doesn't think they have the time/energy/equipment/know-how/resources/etc. Maybe you have visions of plucking a fresh tomato off your vine, slicing it and putting it, still warm from the sun, right onto some bread slathered with mayo. Or, you can think of few things better than biting into a crisp, cooling cucumber on a hot summer day. You could grow beans or peas or some fresh, leafy greens. Or, all of the above. And, the best part? You don't need a traditional garden, lots of space or all your spare time and money. But, you could use this:
These come in a variety of sizes and are not terribly expensive. To give you an idea, a 5 gallon Smart Pot, which would give you plenty of room to grow a tomato plant, is under $6. They are lightweight and space-saving. I could easily see these on a balcony. This website/store also has some excellent soil selections. And, even better, right now, you can buy a voucher valued at $100 for only $50 at Half Off Depot. Click here for the deal!

I bought the deal because I am planning to grow in a few of these this season. And, I am planning to start some seeds and want a prettier light fixture than what I could find at Home Depot or Walmart. I know, I know. But, in my own defense, it is not THAT much more and it will be in plain sight, not hiding out in the basement or laundry room. And, I just have a thing for that crisp, clean white. I am also going to build this, but that is an entry for a different day...

Here's the store's website --> FloraHydroponics

And here's the store's new Atlanta location:

1239 Fowler St. NW

Atlanta, Ga

Phone 404-532-0001