RE: Elderly gardeners

K* T* J*

Martha,
In efforts of getting less mobile seniors into community gardening, try
encouraging seniors to provide constructive partnering with kids. Maybe set
up a time when seniors and youth can work together on specific projects that
might rely more on experience and wisdom, rather than mobility. If you have
a story time, when seniors are asked to specifically relate tales of their
youthful days - using farmers' food, growing with gardens, more sociably
responsible urban communities. Maybe get someone to record the sessions on
video or audio tape; maybe a couple budding journalist kids might want to
learn to write articles and stories with the experience of 
seniors. For certain, one of the benefits of hearing stories from the "old
folks" is that they have such wisdom to pass along. Think of this in terms
of Smithsonian Folkways and try to direct that type of archiving the history
of gardening in the roots of North American heritage.

Tom  
       ------------------------
Tom Kerr
Food Circles Networking Project - Kansas City
University of Missouri Outreach and Extension
2700 E. 18th Street, Suite 240
Kansas City, MO 64127
tel: (816) 482-5888
fax: (816) 482-5880 
www.foodcircles.missouri.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Martha Stiegman [m*@cam.org]
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2000 9:46 AM
To: 'community_garden@mallorn.com'
Subject: [cg] Elderly gardeners

We are planning to encorporate a group of elderly people into our
collective garden this summer. We do not have raised beds, which would
make bending over and such easier for older people.

Can anyone point me to on-line resources for tips on how we can
integrate them into the garden?

Does anyone have experiences they can share i.e.- what kind of tasks you
set up for people who are less mobile?

Martha Stiegman
Eco-initiatives
Montreal, Canada

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