“The Food Revolution starts with a seed and you are the seeds of change,” encourages the newly formed Guerrilla Gardening Montclair group, led by foodie Melina Macall.
Macall was inspired to start Guerrilla Gardening by a TedX talk titled “How we can eat our landscapes.” The goal of Guerrilla Gardening Montclair is for a collaboration with the intent of introducing as many people as possible in the community to the power of ‘growing your own’ food.
Macall says, “Many residents are already working on some kind of community gardening project or their own home gardens. Whether you have access to one small window sill, a backyard, a community plot or a piece of sidewalk where you can put a pot—every one of us can grow something.”
It all starts with seeds. Guerrilla Gardening Montclair is looking for 10 people to volunteer to start seeds. The group will supply everything you need to get started and step by step illustrated instructions if you choose to be a pioneer. Guerrilla Gardeners will share stories and pictures, swap ideas and get advice as they go through the process.
Once those seeds are seedlings, they will need space.
“With our 10 Pioneers starting seeds we should have enough seedlings to offer a community seedling swap in mid-May just in time to avoid the last frost and for people to plant out,” Macall says. “Of course, anyone or any group with spare seedlings would be most gratefully welcomed to share at this event.”
Those Pioneers have been blogging about their experiences on GGM’s website. Laura Torchio wrote:
Well, here goes. I had a garden about 15 years ago and each spring, I started off with a lot of momentum and enthusiasm only to let the weeds and the deer take over. But this time it’s different, right? Right? I have a great room with a lot of daylight so I think the seeds will do fine – so my contribution to the “swap” will be A-OK.
The outdoor plot is an experiment. I’ll go out again tomorrow and water. I’ll put up a fence. I’ll weed. And then we’ll see how I do. I may become a Guerrilla Gardener, yet!
Macall shares, “The hope is that this is our pilot year during which we can enjoy our successes and learn from our failures so that next year we can really expand and build towards a truly Edible Montclair Landscape.”
Guerrilla Gardening is made possible with funding from Partners for Health.
If you have an organization that would be interested to partner with GGM to share information, offer tools and/or equipment, offer seeds, provide a space for the seed swap or join in, contact Macall here.
WOOHOO Montclair. I truly have garden envy!
Guerilla Gardening is such a great way to expand interest in gardening and healthy eating. Now as Alma Schneider and Michael Pollan suggest, more of us need to learn to cook or return to doing so. Go GGM!