Hey Oscar...

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:37 pm

Just saw that Hugh was in your neighborhood. Is this garden near you, and is it still producing food?

Here's a link to all the episodes...

http://ipb.quicksilverscreen.com/index. ... s-youtube/

Scrat · Post by **Scrat** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:53 pm

So the city government is obliged to give over derelict land if people want to use it for a community garden? Not here in Kent Wa. Here they're obliged to fight you every step of the way and when they do relent impose ridiculous restrictions on what you can do.

A stones throw from me is about 50 acres of city land. You aren't even allowed to walk across it, they spent a lot of money to fence it off from the public. In it is an old orchard and you can see the neglected apple trees being strangled by the brambles. Part of it used to be a tree farm, the fancy trees are dying also.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 1:57 pm

Scrat;1354376 wrote: So the city government is obliged to give over derelict land if people want to use it for a community garden? Not here in Kent Wa. Here they're obliged to fight you every step of the way and when they do relent impose ridiculous restrictions on what you can do.

A stones throw from me is about 50 acres of city land. You aren't even allowed to walk across it, they spent a lot of money to fence it off from the public. In it is an old orchard and you can see the neglected apple trees being strangled by the brambles. Part of it used to be a tree farm, the fancy trees are dying also.

How do they justify such a policy?

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 8:22 pm

Scrat;1354376 wrote: So the city government is obliged to give over derelict land if people want to use it for a community garden? Not here in Kent Wa. Here they're obliged to fight you every step of the way and when they do relent impose ridiculous restrictions on what you can do.

A stones throw from me is about 50 acres of city land. You aren't even allowed to walk across it, they spent a lot of money to fence it off from the public. In it is an old orchard and you can see the neglected apple trees being strangled by the brambles. Part of it used to be a tree farm, the fancy trees are dying also.

How awful Scrat. We should be helping our communities not wasting needed city space that could feed the community and give them pride in their city.

I think this community garden in Bristol is a fabulous idea and hope it's still producing.

We have community gardens in New York city that are shared and taken care of by the locals. They're all very proud of themselves and rightfully so:-6

Post by **spot** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:59 pm

I've a suspicion that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is based a good 70 miles from Bristol.

As for "the city government is obliged to give over derelict land if people want to use it for a community garden" bit, yes, England has had legislation for the last 80 years that anyone wanting land on which to grow food has access at an affordable rent (though some places like London have waiting lists)- my local allotment's rate is currently £30 a year for 66 feet by 20, and plots are available. Which bits of ground are made available is more up to the authority than to people choosing to move in. The Guerrilla Gardening Homepage is an attractive urban response to "waste" local authority land.

Allotment (gardening) describes conventional English allotments more thoroughly.

Scrat · Post by **Scrat** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 12:03 am

How do they justify such a policy?

Lawyers. They want to limit their liability is probably the main reason. Also all of the environmental rules imposed by the state. Say for example the city actually wanted to save the orchard (it does have a value no doubt) they probably couldn't get rid of the black berries because there is a state law that says a certain percentage of all land is supposed to be wild. Strange thing is, the brambles that are strangling the orchard and not native. Koan is probably familiar with these blackberry bushes. They're a scourge of nature. It's like Day Of The Triffids.

We do have others around. The one me and my wife use is private property owned by the Mormon church. Of course the city regulates it. How the city got involved I have no idea. You start planting here April 1, the refuse to turn on the water until the 3rd week of May. You have to carry buckets of water 50 - 100 meters in order to water your seedlings if it doesn't rain enough.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:24 am

Is Oscar back?

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:39 am

SnoozeAgain;1354500 wrote: Is Oscar back?

Not to the best of my knowledge

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:54 pm

SnoozeAgain;1354500 wrote: Is Oscar back?

Oscar can log on as a guest and read posts. She could then respond to me in an email.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 5:08 pm

No offense but that seems kind of hit or miss in case she no longer visits here that often (or at all.)

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 5:15 pm

SnoozeAgain;1354527 wrote: No offense but that seems kind of hit or miss in case she no longer visits here that often (or at all.)

I wasn't picking her name out randomly. Oscar does visit and views posts....check the "who's on line" list.

It's not a hit and miss. Former members are returning, and hopefully she and others will be back soon.

Post by **spot** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 11:09 pm

Kathy Ellen;1354529 wrote: Former members are returning, and hopefully she and others will be back soon.You're really making a week of it, aren't you.

Four days ago I responded to all this stirabout with "If anyone would like to know exactly who's banned on this site and why they could always PM me and ask, it's not a state secret". Reasonable people might have thought that was sufficient.