Description
Good Shepherd does so much for their people. We want to show up for them and their efforts in both celebration and support! This festival is the fruit of our shared commitments as a coalition of community groups focused on meeting the needs of our neighbors. From building raised beds to sharing skills, our goal for this Planting Festival is to fortify communities like Good Shepherd on the frontlines of multiple fights. How can we build solidarity? How can we tend to community in a way that fosters safety and self-determination? How can we build the foundation for food sovereignty? These are just some of the questions guiding our work—both the day of and throughout the long arc of neighborly love.
The Planting Festival will be from 9—5 on April 25. Over the course of the day, community members are welcome to build raised beds for Good Shepherd, share a communal meal, join skill sharing workshops, and visit our Plants to the People clinic for abundant herbal remedies and auricular acupuncture. There is so much wisdom that lives within our communities and this day is truly an opportunity to learn from one another.
As part of preparing for this festival, we are looking for community support. Be in solidarity with your neighbors and show up! We welcome:
Support with food distribution the day of
Donations of tools, resources, and herbal remedies
Non-pressure treated lumber (Douglas fir) 2x8x8 (36)
3 1/2 inch exterior decking screws
Soil
Plants
Seeds
Seedlings (papalo, epazote, marigolds, huacatay, marshmallow, lemongrass, rue, pericon, calendula, valerian, skullcap, mullein, motherwort, sweet annie)
Herbal remedies to distribute
Fresh herbs (dandelion, chickweed, burdock)
Helping hands to build and plant raised beds
Rapid Response Patrolling
We do not need to wait for institutions for instruction on what to do next. As the poet Gwendolyn Brooks reminds us:
“We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond.”
If you would like to contribute to our collective flourishing, respond to this email sharing more about what you can bring and we will follow up with next steps. We are excited to hear from you, and grateful to be in community!