What is the role of growing food at home or community gardens in the pandemic? Why have so many people taken up gardening? Who’s doing it? What impact has it had on their lives?
A new Pandemic Gardening survey found that a huge 98% of survey respondents said they will continue food gardening after the pandemic. Surprisingly, 19% said they couldn’t have made it through, without their garden. The survey team received hundreds of comments about how very important food gardening is. Respondents described it as liberating, essential, and life-saving. There were comments like: ‘it gives me hope and peace”. “gardening gives me a purpose in a way that I haven’t got from working” & “there is a future when you garden.”
Join me as I discuss the role of gardening during the pandemic with Dr Nick Rose – leader of the survey team, urban agriculture champion, Churchill Fellow, Exec. Director of Sustain Australia, lecturer in Food Studies at William Angliss College, host of the national Urban Agriculture Forums , author (Fair Food & Reclaiming the Urban Commons ) & friend.
Nick sent out a call to gardeners around Australia and in just a month got over 9000 responses. His National Pandemic Gardening Survey was done in conjunction with: Community Gardens Australia, Sustainable Gardening Australia, 3000 acres, Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, Yerrabingin, Pocket City Farms and was supported by Costa Georgiadis of ABC Gardening Australia and Diggers Club.
Watch our full conversation
click here to download & listen to this episode of the Podcast.
What’s Next?
EVENT: On October 9, Nick is hosting a webinar to discuss the Pandemic Garden recommendations, and will release the report in Nov.
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Enrol in my permaculture gardening course The Incredible Edible Garden
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Enjoy!
I humbly acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I live and work, the Gubbi Gubbi people, and pay my respects to their elders, past present and emerging.
Thank you Rhiannon Gamble for audio editing. Thanks Kim Kirkman for the music.