[Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

Wed Apr 2 14:58:38 EDT 2008

I figure most folks don't really start to focus in on a conference until
it's about a month away.

The way I look at it, the main challenge organizing community gardeners
is that they tend to be gardeners rather than meeting-ers or
community-ers.  Getting folks to come together to talk about stuff and
form alliances is a lot like the old "teaching the pig to sing" (wastes
your time and annoys the pig), but it's worth doing.  Sometimes it helps
to have a crisis to get people out.  Otherwise, good eats and free stuff
are often necessary or at least helpful.

Our program started out centralized, so all the gardens in Hartford are
related to us.  A challenge here is that people continue to look to us
to solve problems, make the rules, and run interference for the whole
shebang.  It's not a terribly onerous task, but we would like to build
the level of self reliance and interdependence among the gardens (we
have 14 sites).  

Actually that's a pretty good conference roundtable conversation - how
to convert an over-dependent garden system into one that encourages
garden level self reliance.

Regarding your situation, I bet Atlanta could handle 2 alliances, one
focused on political stuff and the other focused on resources.

Be well.

JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Conrad [mailto:fred.conrad at acfb.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 2:44 PM
To: Jack Hale; James Kuhns; ACGA Listserv
Subject: RE: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

Jack,
That's a great idea and one that I have been thinking of posting a
question about.

Here in Atlanta, one of our community gardens, a leader in the movement
really, has been very interested in establishing an
alliance/association/confederation of the local autonomous community
gardens.  There have been a couple stabs at it, but it hasn't gone
anywhere.

Our own local ACGA Board member, Bobby Wilson (and Cathy Walker) of the
Atlanta Urban Garden Program, hosts a Leadership Program that is open to
all.  It's fun, educational, but does not draw from the entire pool.  I
for one enjoy every meeting and co-host it myself once a year.  I
promote it heavily with the gardens I work with, but we (AUGP really)
still only get turn out from part of our constituency.  It's a great
opportunity and I wish everyone would come.

This other group envisions something more of an advocacy role than that
of educational, volunteer, material support.  I think.  We keep not
locking into a good vision.

Anyway, I guess I'm asking for feedback from cities that lack a
municipal/umbrella program but have formed a working group representing
many many many extremely autonomous community gardens from a fairly wide
geographic area (six counties at least).  What is your mission?  What
have your accomplishments been?

I'm surprised there hasn't been more reaction to the conference
cancellation, by the way.
fgc

Fred Conrad
Community Garden Coordinator
Atlanta Community Food Bank
732 Joseph E Lowery Blvd, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
ph: 678.553.5932 fx: 678.553.5933
fred.conrad at acfb.org    <http://www.acfb.org> 
Our mission is to fight hunger by engaging, educating and empowering our
community. 

-----Original Message-----
From: community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Jack Hale
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 10:22 AM
To: James Kuhns; ACGA Listserv
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

I'm sorry to hear about the conference cancellation.  Was really looking
forward to seeing everyone down there.
Perhaps this is the year of sticking close to home and recognizing
community gardens as the epitome of local agriculture.  This could be a
boost for our local alliances.
For those from the Northeast, consider the Connecticut Community
Gardening Conference coming up on April 12.  Go the CCGA website for
details (http://ctcommunitygardening.org/).
JH 

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-----Original Message-----
From: community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
James Kuhns
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 7:17 AM
To: ACGA Listserv
Subject: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

Hello all,
I am sorry to have to announce that the ACGA will not be able to have
its annual convention this October in New Orleans.  There are many
reasons why we have had to make this decision. To do a proper job, to
have a proper conference, we would need to be well-resourced. This and
the time crunch we were under made this difficult decision necessary to
take. Any funds collected in the name of this venture will be forwarded
to New Orleans community garden organizations or returned. 

James Kuhns
President
American Community Gardening Association
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