WCRS Podcast - What You Care About

Some Columbus residents are part of Transition Central Ohio which is part of the international Transition Network based in the UK.

Mac Crawford and his wife Debbie Crawford spoke w/ about 15 people who were gathered, w/o AC, in the Spore Print Info Shop on W. 5th, to discuss ways to cope w/ peak oil.

Crawford, Clinical Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at OSU, is working on making our local and regional public health systems more ‘resilient.’

People who are part of the international Transition Network seem to use the term ‘resiliency’ frequently in their attempts to bend their minds around how communities may prepare for and adapt to peak oil.

Crawford said the transition movement doesn’t have all the answers.
“It may not even work. We don’t know. Right now, it’s a big experiment. But we do see it as a hopeful way to proceed."

"The only other way to proceed is to either ignore the issues or hope they get better, hope there’s a technical solution, hope that science comes up w/ a new energy source that is non-polluting, so that we can continue this culture the way it’s been going.”

Crawford is not counting on technical solutions to peak oil.

"We need to find a lower energy way to get by and I’m hopeful that we’ll do that. But there’s no guarantee,” Crawford said.

"Fear is not a good motivator. It may have a quick effect on some people. But I know w/ me, it almost makes me feel immobilized. If you're going to scare the hell out of me, it's not going to lead me to action."

Another Italian Village Community gardener who seemed to be enjoying the festive ambience that Sunday evening is Megan Schmidt

“We’ve been doing it for 3 years. Every year I add something new. I’ve really learned a lot over those 3 years…This year we decided to do okra, watermelon, raspberries, red onions...”

Schmidt also is growing Brussels sprouts, lettuce, green beans, cherry tomatoes, “mystery peppers” and Beefsteak tomatoes. Schmidt said the garden is a nice gathering place.
“It’s really fun. It (gardening) is more fun with your neighbors and friends.”

Living only a little ways down the street, she can go and grab while preparing her dinner.
“The best thing is eating what you grew out of your garden. It’s a good feeling.”

Schmidt also planted flowers such as Black Eyed Susans and Arizona Blanket Flowers.
“It adds color…and attracts butterflies and bees which is good for the garden.”

----Tom Over

Jeanie and Drew Simmons cutting old t-shirts for tying cherry tomato plants to their stakes. Coarser materials such as twine can cause cuts in the plants as they grow.

As for someone buying the property and likely ending the garden here, Simmons said , “I definitely think we’ll look for some alternative since it’s been such a good experience, but until then, we’ll just enjoy what we have.”

Simmons said getting to know you’re neighbors is important if you want to have a community garden near your home.

Her husband Drew suggests that people simply jump into gardening.
“Just do it. I’m not much of a green thumb. Some stuff comes up every year. Some stuff doesn’t, but it’s great to see what you can do.”

The city leases properties to community gardeners for a low yearly fee. But Drew Simmons said it might be worthwhile to approach private owners about using lots they have for sale. Using someone else’s property while they try to sell it seems more of an option than a group of community gardeners buying it for that purpose. A property for sale near this garden is listed at about $70,000. The property where neighbors here currently garden is listed at $130,000.

Simmons said letting people have a community garden on properties for sale might appeal to at least some of the current owners and prospective buyers.

“About the pros and cons , there might be some people who look at the property and say ‘wow, I wouldn’t want to buy that property and then have neighbors who are upset because I’m the one who bought the garden property.’