I was thinking this evening whilst walking home round the block that vege
gardening can be quite a social past time. I am not meaning allotment
gardening here, where you work alongside like minded people, but backyard
vege gardening. Last year I decided to put some gardens in to our current
place not having done it for a few years of renting.

Aside from the benefits of better eating etc it has provided good social
interaction. As an example, since I have been talking about vege gardening
at work other co workers who also have an interest also talk more about what
they grow. We now share from time to time excess crops or swap seeds.

If I have too much of one thing I can share a bit round the neighbours and
get the odd offer of stuff back from them. Not all my neighbours garden
however dropping round an excess lettuce or some tomatos gives us a chance
to have a yack. I can pop over the road and ask the old chap about certain
aspects of propogation or have a nose at the building being done by the guy
on the corner and offer some 'constructive advice'. We can also update
ourselves on the comings and going round the neighbourhood, the gossiping
that women do without the gossip.

Tonight I started yacking to a joker down the road I had only occasionly
talked to and noticed he had a rabbit. I offered him some lettuce going to
seed and he mentioned he has chickens. His chickens and rabbit will get the
odd bit off gone to seed vegetables whereas I get his chicken and rabbit
poop for the garden. I can get rid of excess food that would go to waste and
some manure in return which means I needent bother going hunting for it
again. Apart from that we also had a yack about all number of other things.

As well as a nice therapeutic past time (and a method for getting me out
from under the wifes feet) and some decent home grown grub vege gardening is
also proving a good way of building a community with my neighbours and
allows me to be a good excuse to be a nosy *******.

rob