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Flickr favorite: Waiting on the sidewalk

8 comments

Waiting on the sidewalk
Photo by: Niklas Plessing (CC BY NC ND)

Swedish picture of the day

July 30, 2011

  • Pol – Croatia

    I hope we will have something similar next year. Judging by the grass color you had a much more rain up there. Could you maybe tell a bit more about organisation, the number of people that started and those that stayed to the end, what was most significant workloads, intensity of watering, etc. (?)

    • Sara Jeswani

      I was actually away between the beginning of July and the middle of August, but when I left it was pretty dry here, so those who were in charge of the plot had to go there at least twice a week to water. Then the rains came and did a big part of the job. I think the rain has added a lot to our harvest this year, as I remember it it wasn’t as big last year.
      The study circle started out as an initiative by an organisation concentrating on climate change, Klimataktion. Their idea was to help people to do something practical instead of just speaking. At the first meeting in March last year we were around 30 persons. That number melted down to about 20 active growers last year. This year we have continued in a smaller group of around 10 persons, who have met and worked together for a few hours every or every second Sunday during the spring. During summer, when a lot of people left town, we made a schedule and everyone picked a few weeks when they were resposible for watering, weeding, adding fertilizer (made of soaked stinging nettles) and so on.
      Since we did the initial “hard work” (digging, planting, first weeding) together, taking coffee brakes and chatting, it wasn’t really much of an effort at all, I would say.

      • Pol – Croatia

        Thanks, Sara.
        Then, it seems  it is normal to have more persons initially then at the “end”.
        Speaking of going away, you have mentioned to plan to visit Greece this summer.
        How was there generally and what was your impression of travelling south ?

        • Sara Jeswani

          Yes, I think it’s most normal that people realise they don’t have time or things come up that make them participate less than they had planned. This group has been very generous, the idea is that everyone help as much or as little that they can and feel welcome anyway. I’d like to think that’s a good way of including new people.

          Yes, I went to Greece, by train and bus! It was a wonderful experience going South through Eastern Europe, meeting people and seeing different countries and landscapes. Greece was as beautiful as always, but of course you notice the economical crisis, especially in Athens. What moved me the most was talking to my Greek friends and hearing about their worries. It’s not an easy situation.

          • Pol – Croatia

            I know, we have substantial economical problems like Greece, especially those of us that can’t find or have recently lost jobs. If this situation continues much further we may compare soon with even more southern African states hit by hunger. Judging by my recent experience in survey there is a “sleeping storm” of problems among population that it is even not known about, much less done something about it. And institutions are pretty disconected, unwilling and mostly let people alone to handle their problems.

  • Monica-USA

    Keep up the good work, it is so much more satisfying when you are enjoying the foods you watch grow from seeds and end up   on  your  plate.

    • Sara Jeswani

      Thanks a lot for your encouraging words, Monica!

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