Comments on: Could allotment gardening in Europe provide a model to end Homelessness in America?

By: john parker

john parker — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 02:48:55 +0000

i have been reading all the articles on your blog over the past few months. i have read maybe 100 of them or more. i figured it was time for me to post something.
im 23 and im from louisville ky. im fresh out of the navy and have a new outlook on the way american live after being to over 15 countries all over south east asia, and im looking to make a change for sustainability and less waste.
ok, for the opinion…..
i think this is a great idea and i could see how it could work. the problems with alot of americans is a feeling of helplesness. they have grown complacent off welfare and other social programs. empowering them would be the hardest thing. once they where shown the skills (taking a year or more) it would work. but to just put it in somones hands and say “here ya go” would not work. americans are some of the most hard working people in the world. and im proud to say that! but we still must be shown the way, and then even have our hands held in some cases.

good article, thank you for your contribution.

By: Simple Living News Update: Week of Nov 9

Simple Living News Update: Week of Nov 9 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:43:48 +0000

[...] Could allotment gardening in Europe provide a model to end Homelessness in America? [...]

By: JTF

JTF — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:27:52 +0000

This ‘Kleingarten’ is known as a Schraebergarten in most parts of Germany. They are quite popular and are often passed down in families. They were created out of neccessity (lots of small spaces in Europe) but are actually a remnant of castle life. Early-on in Medieval Europe, peasants would sleep in the security of the castle/fortress walls and would work, by day, in the fields which surrounded. Fast forward 1000-1500 years and the castles are replaced by urban sprawl (with suburbs nearly non-existant) which is separated by vast tracts of open space. Enter the Schraebergarten or Kleingarten – the bridge between urban efficiency and rural wilderness. I would love to see the concept come to America – each house would not then need to be as separated from others as is the current state in modern suburbia but Americans would still be able to enjoy yards. Also, as is done in Europe, the concept lends itself well to the ever-increasing ‘staycation.’

By: ej

ej — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:58:10 +0000

Some of these allotments have some interesting rules:
may not be sold, but revert back to organization when left
or they may be bought and sold but with a maximum cost

By: Nom_de_Guerre

Nom_de_Guerre — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:11:53 +0000

I live very near one of these in France and I never thought of them from this perspective of fighting poverty and working as a long term residential space.

Very interesting idea!