Ron Finley: A Guerilla Gardener in South Central LA

A man sees a problem.

A man sees a solution.

A man gets others involved.

The people rejoice...

...and then?

A man gets a citation...

All for growing food on a piece of property that not even the city wanted to maintain. A city that owns 26 sq miles of it's vacant lots large enough to hold 20 NY Central Parks, 724,838,400 tomato plants.

I've posted many threads where people were fined, forced to take out the gardens they had on their own front yard because it didn't meet city codes. Where officials stated that neighbors complained, when none had done any such thing.

Vacant lots in a run down part of the city being used to not only grow healthy food for the community but it gives a sense of purpose and beautifies what otherwise would be just another stain on the landscape...and it's wrong?

My favorite quote from the vid: "Aren't you afraid people will steal your food? Hell No! That's why it's on the street! That's the whole idea."

And: "If kids grow Kale...Kids eat Kale!"



Here is the man: ronfinley.com...
Here are a few of his fellow criminals and accomplices. Dangerous looking bunch.


And here is the movement:
lagreengrounds.org...

And this my friends is how a great idea starts and takes hold. Get friends, family, community involved and just do it. Take back your right to eat healthy, the right to be healthy.

I just viewed a thread here where one small town has taken a stand to do just this: www.abovetopsecret.com...

So, it can be done.

Peace

This guy has a Exellent idea, and the mere fact that things like this get shut down is plain proof things "need" to change....big time.

The trouble is this goes against one of the fundimemtals of control. Divide and conquer vs unite and grow.

"growing your own food is like printing your own money" absolutely!

Originally posted by Wifibrains
This guy has a Exellent idea, and the mere fact that things like this get shut down is plain proof things need to change....big time.

The trouble is this goes against one of the fundimemtals of control. Devide and conquer vs unite and grow.

If a few million people started to grow and benefit from these gardens, where would the few hundred food controllers get their $millions$ from?

Can't have the rich go without getting richer can we?

And to have the people actually know what is in their food without having to ask...? Absolutely Insane!

Peace

reply to post by jude11


Like your OP says, the problem is the solution, and this mans idea is perfect. People will have food and need to spend less. "they" do not want us to sort the problems out ourselves in this way, "they" want to provide the solutions, so they can claim the role of hero and act as if we need them.(gubment and mega corperations)

Eta: This Thread may receive more worthy attention in another forum. (social issues and civil unrest perhaps?)

Originally posted by Wifibrains
reply to post by jude11

 

Like your OP says, the problem is the solution, and this mans idea is perfect. People will have food and need to spend less. "they" do not want us to sort the problems out ourselves in this way, "they" want to provide the solutions, so they can claim the role of hero and act as if we need them.(gubment and mega corperations)

Eta: This Thread may receive more worthy attention in another forum.

edit on 10-3-2013 by Wifibrains because: (no reason given)

edit on 10-3-2013 by Wifibrains because: (no reason given)

I believe you may be right on the forum issue so if a Mod can move it? Perhaps to ???...

Thanks.

Jude11

reply to post by jude11

This is fantastic! Love it! I can't believe everyone isn't 100% on board with the concept. We live in crazy times.

Originally posted by gwynnhwyfar
reply to post by jude11

 

This is fantastic! Love it! I can't believe everyone isn't 100% on board with the concept. We live in crazy times.

A lot of Countries not only encourage but celebrate these types of gardens. As it should be.

But here...? It's criminal.

Peace

reply to post by jude11


Here s a family living the lifestyle.

www.urbanhomestead.org

running with the wolves

Originally posted by chagahunter
reply to post by jude11

 

Here s a family living the lifestyle.

www.urbanhomestead.org

running with the wolves

Thanks!

I did a thread about this family some time ago but can't remember where I put it.

Peace

If anyone is into this sort of thing in Toronto, there is a group called Occupy Gardens that guerrilla gardens regularly.

Last year we planted a community Garden in Queens Park which lasted until a few days before last harvest when city officials came and ripped it all up replacing it with grass.

This Mayday (May 1st) we will be replanting the garden & adding another one in the front lawn of Queens Park to highlight the growing food inequality & to promote food sustainability projects. More people are showing up to use food banks then ever before in Toronto & community food gardens are the best way to empower the individual and family. We don't need a grocery store when we have seeds!

We have also started Toronto's First Seed Library where people can exchange rare heirloom seeds and other various plant species amongst there community members. To follow the happenings you can check out the facebook page as the website is under construction: www.facebook.com...


Here is an article talking about the recent 'Seedy Hall: Seed Library event': rabble.ca...

We also went to Parliament Hill last September & again for PowerShift and planted Garlic on the hill

Here is some clips following the progression of the garden in Queens Park...


See you on MayDay...

Originally posted by Novaisking
If anyone is into this sort of thing in Toronto, there is a group called Occupy Gardens that guerrilla gardens regularly.

Last year we planted a community Garden in Queens Park which lasted until a few days before last harvest when city officials came and ripped it all up replacing it with grass.

This Mayday (May 1st) we will be replanting the garden & adding another one in the front lawn of Queens Park to highlight the growing food inequality & to promote food sustainability projects. More people are showing up to use food banks then ever before in Toronto & community food gardens are the best way to empower the individual and family. We don't need a grocery store when we have seeds!

We have also started Toronto's First Seed Library where people can exchange rare heirloom seeds and other various plant species amongst there community members. To follow the happenings you can check out the facebook page as the website is under construction: www.facebook.com...


Here is an article talking about the recent 'Seedy Hall: Seed Library event': rabble.ca...

We also went to Parliament Hill last September & again for PowerShift and planted Garlic on the hill

Here is some clips following the progression of the garden in Queens Park...

See you on MayDay...

edit on 11-3-2013 by Novaisking because: (no reason given)

I have watched and kept track of this in T.O.

Keep up with the fight and update us as needed. I will be watching as many others will as well.

Peace

This is a fantastic idea and I love it! But if they know, or at least think there may be a chance of the council digging it up, why don't they create individual gardens in their own back yards?

I've always had a veggie patch in all the houses I've lived in, all within my own property. I just don't see how a council has the right to come and take it all away from someone?

I've never seen this sort of thing (community guerrilla gardening) happenen in Australia but I'd think, orat least like to think the council would rejoice it?

I think at the end of the day they should be planting them in their backyards to prevent having them destroyed. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the idea of a community getting together to do this, but I think doing it in the yard would save a lot of effort and heartbreak.

Haha that's awesome! Plant some #. Classic.

I wish there were more people around like this. I live in Sydney and I know a lot of areas could really benefit with something like this. I have a small garden at home and it's great to see things growing and being able to seed save etc.

Star and flag for thee.

The more and more I read stories like this leads me to believe that a few of the major factors for them being fined or the gardens being destroyed is due to pride and jealousy of those in charge of the town/city. As if they are upset that they didn't think of it themselves or didn't have to knowledge or willingness to do the same, which in turn causes them to want to punish the people who were smarter then them. This is not always the case but sure does seem like it's more then 90% of the time.

People who get into a position of power like to think they are the smart ones, mainly due to them being where they are. Thus when someone comes along and one ups them, they go after that individual/group and try to make an example out of them. Really sad that this seems to be the case. I do hope I'm wrong but why else are they wanting to destroy such amazing ideas then?

I love gardening. I applaud these guerilla gardeners, they are doing a community service.

In my region meteorologists are predicting extreme drought this summer. Depressing.

reply to post by jude11


Rage... RAGE against the Agenda 21 food control grid unto the dying of the light....

The starry dynamo, and the machinery of sustainable urban agriculture.

O.riginal G.ardner

S+F

I like the operation in a poor area of Melbourne, Australia a few years back which I'd like to share.

Some people wanted to plant fruit trees so the citizens had access to fresh fruit. They applied for a permit, and got permission to plant something like 40 trees.

So they spent the day digging 40 holes by the side of the road and at the end of the day they left 40 trees next to these holes.

The next day, they got to the site and the trees were gone! So they got 40 more trees and left them by the holes.
The next day, the trees were gone again.
So they continued to place fruit trees next to the holes until they stopped disappearing.

Roughly 3000 trees later, they finally planted their permissible 40 trees. Today, that area is covered in fantastic fruit trees and almost every back yard has one - mission accomplished!

The lesson here is that you can effectively subvert an oppressive system without raging against it. It takes creativity but the victory is all the sweeter :-)

reply to post by jude11


agenda21, thats why he recieved the citation.