[Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

[Don Boekelheide]

Three responses:

Well, James, I'm very, very sorry to hear about the cancellation. I know that you, Board members, staff and our members and partners in New Orleans must have done everything you could to prevent this, and I imagine that you are the most disappointed of all of us.

About your questions Fred, we face a similar situation to yours in Atlanta, in some ways, here in Charlotte and in other NC cities. Jack's comment has me thinking - should we try to pull together an informal regional gathering (committees meet...communities gather) for community gardening in the Southeast this year? (Actually, Cordalie has it right, I don't want to miss the food gardeners have at their gatherings)

Speaking as editor of the 25th anniversary edition of ACGA's magazine, I was privileged to learn quite a bit about the history of ACGA. We began as a coalition of coalitions, an informal and wildly idealistic band of people with the mind-boggling notion that rubbish-filled vacant lots were in fact a tool for building community and growing healthful food. Now, more than a quarter century later, the world has changed. Energy is becoming more expensive, folks are aware of global warming, and the costs, health problems and inequities of our current food system are evident to all. Community gardens are growing in popularity, and our communities need our experience and vision - and, as the founders of ACGA showed us, we can all benefit greatly from a continent-wide exchange of ideas, resources and inspiration. Hopefully, we, as rank-and-file members, will be able help ACGA weather this latest challenging passage in our history, and our organization will come
 out stronger in the end.

Don
http://urbanministrygarden.wordpress.com