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Robin282
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Recent Entries to this Blog My Garden So Far (2008)
Posted: 31 May 2008
Need 4 Seed has helped 35 families!
Posted: 31 May 2008
Short & Sour: An Admisson from Monsanto
Posted: 30 Mar 2008
If Anyone Wants to Get Involved, or Make a Request
Posted: 18 Mar 2008
...and We're Off!
Posted: 17 Mar 2008

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Robin282's Blog




Need 4 Seed has helped 35 families!

Category: Seeds for the Needy Project | Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 10:07 pm

Hello,
It has been a while since I have posted. I have been very busy managing the project I started. It is called Need 4 Seed, and I have set up a Yahoo! site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Need4Seed/?yguid=238450965

I have mailed out care packages, and have helped over 35 families with the help of some generous seed donors. I am thrilled that things are going well, and I intend to continue in the years to come.

If you are interested (even if it is just to follow the progress) please join the Yahoo! group.

I have also been on demolition clean-up duty from replacing the roof on one side (right down to the rafters). BOY! The material sure didn't look like that much when it was on top of the house. Because of recycling and such, I had to separate everything too.

So, between the roof, gardening, and Need 4 Seed, I have barely been on-line.

Happy Gardening!
Robin

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If Anyone Wants to Get Involved, or Make a Request

Category: Seeds for the Needy Project | Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 3:31 pm

I am happy to receive private e-mails for this project. No one is required to put personal information here. Some do not mind, but for those who do not wish to post their hardship story, just e-mail me privately.

Private message me here

Please put "Need for Seed" in the subject line.

PLEASE**** tell me how many people this is for! I would hate to send a family of 5 or 6 seeds for an individual's garden.

Let me know if you are donating or would like to be a recipient.

Although I do not know what seeds I have available at any given time, please give me information such as NO turnips or whatever. Some people just don't like some vegetables, and it would be better to save those for someone else.

If you are crazy about something not as common, say okra, please note that too. I do not mind someone saying green beans are a favorite that info will help me, and I can give more beans to that person.

I cannot fill orders as I am not a seed company. I will be saving as much as I can from my plants each year to supply this project. I will of course be growing my favorites, but I may get something you like from someone else.

Right now, I am paying for postage myself, but if this project gets huge (as I hope it does), I will not be able to front the postage and will attempt to sell my extra plants to cover it. If the project becomes really huge, I will go for non-profit status. If anyone has any suggestions for me on this please e-mail me.

A little personal information for my motivation: I was a single mom (I preferred to say "Independent Parent") for 12 years. It was tough, but I survived and climbed out of the hole by myself. There were times that I wondered if I would have lights, phone, or food. I did everything I could to make ends meet. I couldn't leave my babies, so I landscaped and took them with me. I also baked homemade bread and sold it. Doing things to help myself allowed me to keep my dignity. At the same time, I needed help too. So, I wish to give a little help and let people keep their dignity.

That said, any hardship qualifies a person to receive these seeds. A fixed income such as Social Security, single moms on aid, working people who cannot cover everything because gasoline has eaten up their food budget, fire victims, people from impoverished areas with little outside work available, people who are temporarily out of work (more time to garden!), people who do not have a hardship who would like to help other who are by requesting seed to give to the person or by growing the veggies and giving the produce to neighbors in need. Believe me, I understand hardship, and I know I have not even scratched the surface of what types of hardships people have. Just let me know in the e-mail briefly why you ask for the help. When I go for non-profit status, I believe I will need to document some of this. You do not have to share every detail--"unemployed" will do; it is up to you what you share.

I am grateful to all of you who have pledged to donate. We all appreciate your generosity.

I am also grateful to those who have made requests; this has provided us the opportunity to help, and give back.

With the seed I send, it may not be this year's seed. However, tomato seeds are viable for 5 years or more, so they would still sprout. If I think something has lost 20% or so of its viability, I will add extra seed to make sure folks get enough to eat.

Once this project gets going, I will have mostly "this year's" seed.

My main reason for this is food. I want people to be able to eat fresh, nutritious produce and feel the satisfaction of providing for themselves. All "care packages" will include a variety of vegetables to give someone a seasons worth of food. IMPORTANT!: Be sure to remember to inform me how many people you will be feeding. I am currently lining up a "care package" for a shelter that will require much more seed.

I will try to add herbs as well to the care packages. My herb garden is just starting, so I cannot guarantee this right now. In the future, I will add herbs to every care package.

If there are flower seeds available, I will throw those in for cheer. Nobody needs cheer more than someone in a hardship situation.

I am propositioning seed companies too. Frankly, I do not believe this will work until I have my non-profit status, but... I am requesting last year's seed from seed companies. I spoke with one already that says they burn all their old seed because they cannot sell it. I said to them that donating is not selling, how about that? They liked the idea, so I have to write something up. I still think the non-profit status will be the key to open those doors. Then the companies can write it off as a charitable donation. Anyone who knows the ins and outs of this, please e-mail.

Finally, after all this blabbering, I will list my requirements for the request e-mail below. This will save time, and help to keep me more organized. I have a head injury, and if I am getting dozens of e-mails and 2 people are named Beth, or something, I will get confused. This is my private e-mail, and there will be no sharing of info in any way. When I go for non-profit (unless the govt. makes it harder for me to share with people, then I won't), I may need info on the hardships situations of people who receive seed. In this case, I will still protect the identity of the person, but will request (beforehand) if I can use your story without your name. I do believe that is a long way off yet.

For the folks who donate, I would like to start a "Garden Angel" reward within the program. Right now, this is strictly in the idea phase. I will either make out certificates, or possibly have little gifts or something like that. I will happy to receive ideas in this area too. I have a website, so I will be adding pages there for this project. That way, people can see where their help is going. I would also love people to post stories and such their. Maybe someone has a community garden where they give the produce to those in need; they could post about that.

OK, enough. I think that covers everything. If anyone has a question, please e-mail me!
Thanks & Blessing to all of you!

1. Private message me here
2. Subject lie should read "Need for Seed"
3. Inform whether you are donating or requesting.
4. If donating, I will send my address right out.
5. Donations should be sent to Need for Seed c/o me etc.
6. If receiving, how many people is the request for?
7. Recipients: list likes and dislikes as a guide
8. All should include any pertinent information possible
a. Garden Forum name & page
b. E-mail addresses, info on e-mail filters so that I
can e-mail you back.
c. YOUR ADDRESS: in the first e-mail please, this will
help me keep things straight. If I have a few people with the same name, I can make out the bubble mailers right away and have the "likes & dislike" on a paper inside. Then I won't have to keep going through the e-mails to check. I do this because my short-term memory is not that good.

Keep in mind that most people have a name, a different name on their e-mail, and yet another for their forum, all different! Please let me know this so I can keep it straight.

A thousand thank you-s to all!
Robin


This blog entry has been viewed 645 times


...and We're Off!

Category: Seeds for the Needy Project | Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:21 pm

I am happy to report that my Need for Seed (Seeds for the Needy) project is already taking off! I am sending out the first round of seeds today!

I feel really good doing this project. Gardening is not merely good food (with the nutrition still in it), but good for the soul. I believe helping someone to feed themselves is is uplifting to both the giver and the receiver. Plus, to actually have something from one's own efforts--rather than a handout--is important to people meanwhile building confidence.

Gardening is a great family project--everyone can participate. I have some folks growing out stuff for the elderly in the neighborhood.

This is very fulfilling.
Robin

This blog entry has been viewed 679 times


Seed for Needy... I have my first family to help!

Category: Seeds for the Needy Project | Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:01 am

Although my desire to share with people who in need has been in me for some time, I am only in the brainstorming/development stage.

Today, I have found a family who has lost everything in a fire. I have already packed up enough seeds for a great vegetable garden for them this year. I will send it tomorrow.

This is exactly what I want to do. I can certainly handle an individual here or there while in development, but I know I will need to join forces with others as things move along.

What is a more basic form of giving than sharing seeds?
Robin

This blog entry has been viewed 576 times


Developing a Seeds for the Needy Program.

Category: Seeds for the Needy Project | Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:47 am

As I mentioned in another blog, I am developing a plan to procure seeds in quantity for people/communities/villages in need. I plant to start with the Appalachian Seed Project here in the USA. Then, I hope to make contacts outside the USA through the Heifer Project initially.

Gardeners are generous folks, and I am sure there will be plenty who wish to help. We can collect quantities of seed in a central location, write up growing instructions, and fill packs and send them out. That is an extremely over-simplified version of what I'd like to do, but basically, that is it.

I want to keep it as simple as possible. I could even get the Girl Scouts to fill packs for charity so to speak. I know there are ways of doing it, and I do not expect to save the world, just help some folks who need it. I am not in a position to be philanthropic and send money, but I do not believe that prevents me from helping in some way. Surely, I can save seed from all my pumpkins instead of just one or two for example.

My first tasks will be to come up with a name, sign up some gardeners, write growing instructions, make contacts and then move on to the practical aspects of making it happen.

I will keep it to vegetables first. if we are limited, it will be the most nutritious veggies first. Then a wider variety of veggies moving into herb seeds possibly. The idea is to feed people.

I will have to check into the logistics of such a thing as sending bulk seeds to another country, but I am sure we can figure it out. Good veggies do not tend to be invasive! I have also received seeds from other countries. I'll look into that.

At this planning stage I am open to suggestions and so forth. Keeping it simple is paramount; people tend not to volunteer for things that are too complicated.

Thanks!
Robin

This blog entry has been viewed 427 times




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