Conversations between Neighbors:
T-shirt Terry and Terri were having a discussion on the way back from Broadways’ staff retreat (1/14/2008). Their discussion was centered around honeybees. Terri was discussing how she was interested in raising them. T-shirt Terry said that honeybees were good for flowers and gardens to pollinate.

1/1/2008: Another discussion took place around honeybees between De’Amon, Terri, and Danielle. Terri said that she got interested in the bees when she heard this woman talking about how her husband had these really bad allergies, and they started to raise honeybees. The woman said that when they started raising the bees and eating the honey, her husband didn’t have allergies anymore. The thing Terri has in common with the woman’s husband is allergies.

One of the Many Ways of Connecting through Creative Favors:
Pauline came to Broadway for assistance. A conversation happened, and a bargain was struck. De'Amon would introduce Pauline to Jackie Neytes at the CDC if Pauline could introduce De'Amon to the individual next door to Field of Greens. De'Amon and Danielle went to the CDC and spoke to Jackie before the bargain took place, and Jackie told us that the Purdue-Extension has a gardening class, and the gardeners have to do 50 hours of volunteering. De'Amon and Danielle told Jackie that Danielle was taking the Master Gardener class. Danielle told Jackie that there were a few people who mentioned that they were interested in urban gardening, and Jackie asked Danielle to see if anyone would be interested in donating their time to beautify some houses the CDC owned but could not sell. De'Amon and Danielle started discussing why the CDC would not use people from the neighborhood for this volunteer opportunity. With that puzzling them, they tucked it away for future reference. De'Amon started discussing with Danielle how the CDC was in some financial hardship. Later, while Danielle was driving home, she made a connection. She pondered if the reason Jackie didn't suggest using the neighbors who gardened, was because the Master Gardeners had to volunteer their time, while the neighbor gardeners might need payment that the CDC couldn't afford. Danielle introduced De'Amon to this thought of hers. De'Amon said that he was going to keep this in mind, because if this was true he wanted to challenge the CDC to start being more creative. Now, Pauline enters the picture. De'Amon, Pauline, and Danielle go visit Jackie, because Pauline needs assistance with paying the taxes on her grandmother's house. Jackie tells Pauline that the CDC can't pay the taxes. Instead of sending Pauline to the Treasure's office, Jackie took the time to look up the information on the house. Jackie noticed that Pauline's grandmother's house was still in her grandmothers name. Jackie asked Pauline if there was a will, and Pauline said that her grandmother before passing, contacted a Minster where Pauline was residing, and asked the minister to state that Pauline and her sister got the house. Jackie printed off some papers that Pauline would need to discuss with a realtor, and told Pauline what forms needed to be completed. Jackie then wondered aloud who would be a good person for Pauline to talk to that was a realtor. De'Amon said that his realtor would be a great resource. De'Amon was looking at the volunteer board in Jackie's office and asked Pauline if she gardened. Pauline said that she did like to plant stuff and do some landscaping. De'Amon asked her if she would mind planting some things for the CDC at two places on Talbot Street. Pauline accepted, and De'Amon told Jackie that she had her volunteer for the Talbot street houses.

Written By: Jerrilyn Herd
We gathered in an ice storm; We gathered recently on a rainy March evening – mostly strangers to each other – all coming together with a common passion for gardening. Brenda, Musa, Gwen, Shannon, Chad, Keith De’amon, Wesley… Many conversations were going at once. “I’m a beginning gardener – how do I make a raised bed?” - To discussions of favorite vegetables, flowers, when to plant the first seed, starting a compost bed…

Musa shared his wisdom of 50 years of urban gardening.

We shared communal food. Shannon and Chad motivated me to prepare a vegan dish – and everyone liked it! We shared enthusiasm. Five churches committed to facilitate a farmer’s marker for local growers. “Goose The Market”, our wonderful local grocery committed to sell locally grown produce. Backyard gardeners sharing their ideas as we dream of spring! Young mothers talking about local schools. Big Keith playing with little Wesley and Theo in the back yard. Excitement about the possibility of social change!

Years ago my mother-in-law gave me a little garden plaque that stayed in my garden until it turned to dust and became part of my garden.

“He who plants a seed beneath the sod, and dares to hope, believes in God.”