Like lots of growing movements around the world we want to do something visible. Grow something people can eat, grow it somewhere public, tell people what it is, tell people why you are doing it – simple.
At Incredible Edible our take is about the act of propaganda gardening. Propaganda is the act of creating a conversation to help people think. Our conversation is about public space. Who does it belong to and who has the right to make it beautiful, or make it grotty? When we grow in public spaces we do a number of things.
We connect people with their physical environment so that people start to feel proud of where they live.
We connect people with their food system and help people think through the long term sustainability of the way we grow food. This isn’t about growing enough food to feed the whole town but starting a conversation about how we understand ourselves as food citizens.
Connecting people with each other. Growing in a public place helps people to see that there are a bunch of folk out there that really care about the place and are prepared to give their gifts to help make it beautiful and productive.
Our propaganda gardens are about helping people who pass by to hear the story that a group of people in their community feel that they can build a kinder, more connected, more confident community through the power of food and the public growing space is a visual reminder of that vision.
It doesn’t need to be flash, or amazing, it is just the power of small actions.
