Ron Finley Ted Talk - Guerilla Gardening | Food Production and Preservation | Forums

For later. I have really been enjoying the Holzer videos you guys have been posting.

How fun! I've been using the term "Guerilla Gardening' for many years, but my context is more due to living where all the critters (birds, deer, squirrels, rabbits etc.) figure the garden I plant is for them. So I've had to develop protection means for food that we grow. What we have developed and makes use of are 1/2" mesh cages -

But back to this topic. Up until just about 100 years ago, the greatest bulk of mankind (90%) was involved with agriculture. But since the early 1900s its been changing until currently less than 2% (in U$) of humans grow the food eaten. This is almost as drastic a change as the earth flipping Poles! And I haven't even heard of any statistics, actually guesstimates, about what the quality of soil has changed - most likely for the worse - during this time too.

Our own soil is not at all good - its mainly subsoil due to site grading (we bought and live on steep 'junk land'). We are slowly adding what we can to improve the soil in our garden beds so that it can grow food for us.

Its also time to flip BACK the 'cart & horse' so that things function as best produces usable and happy products. If LA would allow urban 'homesteading', not only would it increase its 'tax' base, it would return 'power' to the very people government claims to be serving. Will be interesting to watch and BEST wishes to all those making such a real and live affirming change.

KVR said
I'm always amazed at how different zoning laws are when it comes to this, one of the best known urban homesteads is 15 minutes from downtown LA

With this type of example, its a wonder that there aren't other like places popping up in LA and other places too. (hey there's a very potential place here - 1/4 acre + 468 sq ft 'tiny' house $70K)

One thing that wasn't mentioned was how LA is basically a year-round growing zone though it is also a semi-arid desert too (water comes from OUT of the LA basin) Too bad he hadn't found the Berkeley example of the Integral Urban House (circa 1970s) with what they achieved on a 1/8th acre lot which was about 30%+ covered with a house! 

What I spotted, and wished that had been highlighted more, was the self objectives list that he made (1973) and continued to use as his guide and 'map' to freedom. That is such an important part of such an endeavor! Bravo for him and yippee for the chefs too.