[Community_garden] Great comments from Jack and Betsy!

[Diane Dodge]

Hi Folks,
 
Jack, your list of positive questions is terrific!  Sometimes one (read either an individual or a group) gets so embroiled in the "struggle against" that we look at that half empty glass and get burned out.  So; Eyes on the Prize, Make Lemonande (or Sumac-ade, or Hibiscus-ade, depending on what you can grow locally), and keep on track!
 
Betsy, the idea of regional conferences is something we've all been talking about for years, and this may just be the time for ACGA to change it's focus a bit and become more of a "clearing house" and network supporter so that those regional conferences could be successful (and they'd probably cost way less and have simpler logistics than putting on a large international conference...those of us who have worked on large conferences can certainly attest to the fact that planning and bringing them to fruition can be a really big pain in the butt, even when working with the half FULL glass).
 
The Twin City Metro had an extremely successful "Fourth Annual Community Garden Resource Fair" this past weekend, so we can add that to Betsy's list.  Finding the money to "do it right" is perhaps the hardest nut to crack when shooting for a successful conference....it can be nail biting anxiety for the conference planning team, so in the present climate of penury among funders, we really need to cooperate across regional lines, and a network of regions might be a good tool for that, too.
 
I'll pass on a short report that is being written about the Resource Fair weekend for GFJI as soon as it is completed.
In solidarity,Diane Dodgelistserv administratorGrowing Food and Justice for All Initiativeemail: dianefaydodge at hotmail.comcell:   (651)278-6748"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable ... It comes only through the tireless efforts and passionate concern of dedicated individuals ... This is no time for apathy nor complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action."— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1958)
 
 
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