GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Grow A Little Extra This Year If You Can! Help A Neighbor :)

brooklyn1 · 27-02-2010, 02:17 PM posted to rec.gardens

(EVP MAN) wrote:

I have been out of work for over two years now when my company downsized
in this poor economy. Times are tough and going to get a whole lot
tougher for sure! I'm very lucky in the respect that I'm 61 years old
and only have one more year to go till I can retire on social security.
That is if that program is still in existence a year from now. Guess
what I'm really trying to say is: help your neighbor out a little if
you can. I'm planting way more vegetables in the garden this spring
than my wife and I could ever use. The reason being, I want to be able
to do what I can to help out other less fortunate people in this dire
time of need. I plan to put a folding table near the curb on my front
lawn and fill it with fresh veggies each day. I'll also have some saved
grocery bags on the table and a sign that says FREE ......PLEASE TAKE
WHAT YOU NEED BUT REMEMBER OTHERS MAY BE IN NEED TOO!

You already figured out that there are greedy *******s.

Folks where I live used to do exactly what you propose and even placed
very low price tags (really not even enough to cover the costs of
growing, like 10¢ a piece). This was a pay on the honor system but
still hardly anyone actually paid the few pennys plus they grabbed all
they could leaving little for others.

I found a much better system for sharing with neighbors is to trade
produce with those who also have gardens... everyone grows a different
mix of crops so the barter system works well, and it needn't be
anything formal... whenever I have extras I leave a bagful at my
neighbor's doors and they in turn do likewise.