Frontenac ResilienceSustainable community and more

Here’s a twist on gardening that may interest non-gardeners too!

This particular idea arose when a group of folks were planning the 2010 Guide to Local Producers (you should get the Guide as a supplement in your news later this year). At the meeting, local commercial producer Tom Waller spoke of encouraging more local food production; pretty soon we were wondering how everyone could help us grow more stuff this season. We came up with this idea:

Everyone who wants is invited to grow a small extra plot this year – could be a single pot, a few square feet, or something more – it’s extra to trade or even give away during harvest time. This extra is your “Abundance Plot.” Imagine folks up and down Central and North Frontenac (and others close by) all growing their part of what is effectively a community garden, spread out all over.

The Abundance Plot is a way to extend the trading circle for vegetables that many gardeners already have – and that the early settlers used in order to help each other out. It’s not a farmer’s market but it’ll have some of the elements of that; it’s not a potlatch but it has some of that too. How we’ll trade the vegetables has yet to be finalized; it could be as simple as a few market days during harvest season, or a list of who has what. We’ll see. Those who register will have more fresh, local, pesticide-free veggies grown by people you’re getting to know, coming your way; how much more is up to us. I was out talking up the Abundance Plots at Heritage Festival at Crow Lake Schoolhouse last Saturday and a mess of people signed up already. You’re invited too. Details below. Future Country Know-how columns will discuss how to do the canning and preserving that will help you do more with more food. (Is it possible that giving away fresh produce could be overdone as in the joke: “Do you lock your car?” . . . “Not usually, only during zucchini season . . .”?)

The Abundance Plot is a non-contiguous community garden. The World’s First!

Everyone gets more stuff and has some fun – and hopefully some conversation with other gardeners. You give some produce away, you get some. Beginners will be welcome and Tom Waller will be available for a limited amount of gardening help, coordinated through Country Know-how to minimize stress on him.

If you want to take part, please declare yourself “in” TODAY to the Abundance Plot so you’ll be on the list, can get updates and information and so others can know how many people are in with them. I’m working on a neat little identifying sign for your Plot, for those who would like one.

To register, just let me know. Phone (613) 279-1966 or countryknowhow@frontenac.net, or on the website. I’ll post some gardening info there as well.

And upcoming, Don’t forget the Tiny House work bee meeting, 1:30 PM, Saturday March 6th at Soldiers Memorial Hall in Sharbot Lake. At this mini-workshop you can learn about and sign-up for a “bee” on making small structures on your property (and helping others do the same). Details on the Tiny Houses, and full progress reports on the Abundance Plots at www.FrontenacResilience.org.

Lastly, if you’re a gardener and willing to share what you know about early planting, or a musician willing to host a musical soiree, I’d love to speak with you.

My friend Carol’s indoor water lillies are stirring and sending out new shoots, indicating that some secret winter tide has shifted and we’re bound for spring. No doubt the plants can feel the increased sun and lengthening days and we can too. Which is all definitely a good thing and the right time for that annual celebration, the Heritage Days festival, a pack full of ways to honor where we came from and where we are. It’s a good time to acknowledge that we really do stand on the shoulders of pioneers who set the stage for us, and on the long experience, skill and generosity of local first nations people without whom nothing much could have happened.

Taking part in the Festival is a way to feel more connected and at home here, meeting your neighbours of today, just like the early settlers did in their time.

Although Heritage Festival events will be held all over, one centre is Crow Lake Schoolhouse, 1867 Crow Lake Rd. (Hmmm, nice heritage number). Stuff happens inside and out from 10 to 4 PM. For example, Tom Waller of Elm Tree farm, an experienced local commercial gardener, will answer your gardening questions and help you with early planting advice. He’ll talk about heritage and heirloom seeds and how you can get your own. Carol Pepper of the local gardening group GGG, will be there with seed catalogues and knowledgeable gardening help too.

I’ll be there, registering folks like you for a local gardening initiative we call “Abundance Plots.” Abundance Plotters will grow a small extra plot this year – could be just a few square feet – to trade or give away at harvest time. Doing this is a way to extend the trading circle for veggies that many gardeners already have – and that the pioneers certainly used. We’re hoping that those who register will have plenty of produce coming their way; future columns will discuss how to do the canning and preserving that will make more local food a reality. (Is it possible that giving away fresh produce could be overdone as in the joke: “Do you lock your car?” . . . “Not usually, only during zucchini season . . .”?)

Herbalist Cathy Martin will share about traditional herbal medicines, and I imagine she’ll have some with her.

Gerald Stinson who knows a lot about old tools will be at the schoolhouse to show how they work and John DeWagner will demonstrate owner-built bows. Outside Mike Procter and Bob Miller will show and tell some tricks from their wealth of old-time skills, bannock making, tomahawk throwing, rifle and bow making, making fire. I love it that we live in a community where a man who can build a fire from scratch, Mike Procter, is also the speaker at the business breakfast (Friday morning at 8:30 at the Sharbot Lake legion).

It’s the Heritage Festival with some seeds from the past and some of where we’re going. See you there. See event listings in this and last week’s News.

Sharbot Lake is going to have a community garden this summer! You can be part of it even if you live way north of Plevna.

It’ll be official when it comes out with details in Frontenac News shortly but here’s your heads up on this home grown idea: Abundance Plots will be small additions to your garden where you grow a little extra of something for trade during the harvest season with other abundance plotters. It’s like a non-contiguous community garden. The World’s First! You give some produce away, you get some. Everyone gets more stuff and has some fun – and hopefully some conversation with other gardeners.

Beginners will be welcome and likely gardening help will be available too.

You’ll be encouraged to declare yourself “in” to the Abundance Plot so you’ll be on the map and others can see who’s trying to grow what. The first bunch get a neat little identifying sign for their Plot. Perhaps a local commercial producer will give free consultation to one registered Plotter.

The idea is to have some fun and grow more stuff. People who declare themselves in will get a l’il garden sign to stick in their Abundance Plot.

Really it’s a community garden, with bits of land (and they could be very small) all over.

Roll out coming soon!