Radical Gardening as a Tool for Social Change

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What if nurturing a garden could also nurture social change? Join me on the Radical Root podcast as we explore the profound influence of radical gardening, especially during the winter solstice—a time synonymous with new beginnings. Discover how gardening stretches far beyond cultivating food; it mirrors our societal systems, unearthing issues of equity and control within the food industry. With startling statistics that one in six US households grapples with food insecurity amid widespread food waste, we show how gardening becomes an act of independence and defiance against these disparities. Sharing personal stories and transformative experiences from Growing Gardens' initiatives like Home Gardens and Let Us Grow, we demonstrate how these programs empower individuals to reclaim their food systems and nurture their communities.

Inspired by Alice Walker's empowering message, we delve into the idea that many relinquish their power simply by believing they have none. By embracing the power within, we can transform not only our gardens but our lives. We invite you to plant a seed—whether literal or metaphorical—and join our journey towards building equitable food systems. Explore resources at growing-gardens.org, including our free Radical Gardening Resource Guide, which provides a step-by-step blueprint for a more sustainable future. Thank you for tuning into the Radical Root podcast. Remember, even the smallest actions can spark significant change. Keep nurturing those seeds and help us create a more equitable and sustainable world.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to the Radical Root podcast, hosted by
the 501c3 nonprofit GrowingGardens, your go-to resource for
all things radical gardeningand food system advocacy.
Welcome to the Radical Root.
I'm Bea, your ever-curious,slightly dirt-covered host, here
to guide you through thebeautiful, very, very messy and

(00:27):
very transformative world ofradical gardening.
As we mark the winter solstice,the longest night of the year,
I've been thinking about howthis movement invites us to
pause.
It's a time to reflect onwhat's past and look forward to
the light that's slowlyreturning, a time to consider
what we want to grow in the yearahead.

(00:49):
And, just like in the garden,this season reminds us that even
in the darkest moments, there'salways the promise of growth
and renewal, and I know we couldall use that right now.
And that's exactly what we'rehere to talk about Radical
gardening and how it can plantseeds of change, not just in the

(01:10):
soil, but in our communitiesand in our lives.
Gardens are more than justspaces to grow food.
They're mirrors of the systemsthat we live in.
When nurtured, they flourish.
That we live in.
When nurtured, they flourish.
But when access to water,sunlight or nutrients is cut off

(01:31):
, or, worse, when a garden isexploited for short-term gain,
it's going to wither, and thesame is true of people and of
communities.
The inequities in our foodsystem aren't just about hunger.
They're about control whodecides what's grown, where it's
sold and who can afford it.
These systems weren't built forequity.

(01:52):
They were built for profit.
But gardening offers us a wayout.
It's an act of independence, asmall but radical way to reclaim
our power over what we eat andhow we nourish ourselves.
Did you know that nearly one insix households in the US

(02:13):
struggles with food insecurityat the same time that food waste
in this country exceeds 30% ofeverything we grow seeds 30% of
everything we grow.
Let that sink in.
It's not a lack of resources.
It's an equity in how thoseresources are distributed.

(02:33):
This is where radical gardeningshines.
It's about more than growingkale and tomatoes, though kale
does have impressive survivalskills.
But radical gardening is aboutreimagining what's possible and
challenging systems that thriveon scarcity.

(02:54):
So what if every community hadaccess to fresh and healthy food
?
What if we built systems rootedin care and equity and
abundance, instead ofexploitation and scarcity?
At Growing Gardens, we've seenhow transformative this can be.
Whether through our HomeGardens, youth Grow or Let Us

(03:17):
Grow programs, we meet peoplewhere they are in, whatever
season of life they're in are inwhatever season of life they're
in.
What's remarkable is how theseprograms often lead to something
much bigger than expected.
People might join home gardenshoping to grow a few tomatoes,
but they end up cultivating atype of resilience that has

(03:39):
never been seen in theirneighborhood.
They're not just growing food,they're growing freedom from a
food system that is leaving themout.
I've experienced thistransformation myself.
When I first started gardening,I wanted to grow some fresh
herbs and veggies, yeah, butwhat I ended up growing was a

(04:00):
sense of connection to mycommunity, to the land and to
myself, and that really openedmy eyes to the power of
self-reliance, and maybe you canrelate to this.
With every harvest, I realizedI was taking back a small piece
of control from a system thatthrives on inequity, and that's

(04:22):
what makes gardening so powerful.
It's not just about the foodyou grow.
It's about becoming someone whocan nurture, adapt and thrive,
and helping your community dothe same.
When we grow a garden, we'rereally growing resilience,
independence and hope, onelittle seed at a time.

(04:43):
Here at the Radical Root, webelieve that gardening is a tool
for change.
Each episode, we'll explore howyou can plant seeds of
transformation, whether throughsmall individual acts like
starting a backyard garden, orbig collective movements like
creating a community-driven foodsystem.
In January, we're going to beback with some new episodes to

(05:06):
dive into real-world storiesfrom our team and community
partners.
For instance, you'll hear fromone gardener who turned her
backyard into an herbal CSA thisfall, making healing remedies
for dozens of families in herneighborhood.
It's been a beautiful thing towatch.
These are stories about peopleusing gardens to heal, to grow

(05:27):
and to challenge the status quo.
And here's the exciting partthis isn't just a podcast, it's
an invitation as a regularlistener.
You're not just consumingstories.
We want you to become part ofthem.
Who are you going to become asyou tune in each week?
Maybe you're the person whostarts a community composting

(05:47):
program, or you join a localfood justice initiative, or
maybe you just simply see yourgarden and your neighborhood
with fresh eyes and understandits potential to change lives.
That little patch of grass inyour side yard it can change
lives.
Here's your first challenge.
I want you to plant one seedthis week.

(06:10):
I want you to plant one seedthis week.
Maybe it's basil on yourwindowsill, or maybe it's a
conversation with a neighborabout an inequity that's been
heavy on your mind lately.
Whatever you choose, rememberthat every small action grows
into something bigger.
This podcast isn't just a spacefor stories.
It's a call to action.

(06:32):
Every episode will invite youto reflect on your role in the
food system and the small butmighty ways that you can make a
difference.
And just like the solsticereminds us that the longest
night gives way to light,remember that even the smallest
steps forward, whether it'splanting a seed or starting a

(06:53):
conversation, can illuminate thepath to something brighter.
Just like the garden beds thatwe prepare for planting in
winter.
This season gives us time toclear the ground, reflect and
imagine what we want to grownext spring.
So, as the light returns in thecoming days, what are you going

(07:13):
to choose to illuminate?
What seeds will you plant forthe year ahead?
I'm going to leave you with afavorite quote from Alice Walker
the most common way that peoplegive up their power is by
thinking that they don't haveany.
In the garden and beyond, youhave the power to grow something

(07:36):
extraordinary.
Thank you for being a part ofthis journey with us, and
together we can transformgardens and lives.
I'm Bea, and this has been theRadical Root.
Until next time, keep plantingthose seeds of change.
Thank you for tuning in to theRadical Root podcast.

(08:04):
Until next time, keep plantingthose seeds of change at
growing-gardensorg.
While you're there, don'tforget to download your free
copy of the Radical GardeningResource Guide, your
step-by-step action path to agreener future for us all.