Update: I was corrected by someone and told that People’s Gardens are the name for Community Gardens, not people’s individual gardens. It still doesn’t sit well with me.
Last month the USDA announced People’s Gardens.
I’m sure that my thoughts on why this database will be questioned by the “anything having to do with gardening is great crowd,” much like my post on Michelle Obama and the White House Garden was, but this just doesn’t sit well with me.
When the S510 Food Safety Act was being discussed, I thought it smelled a bit funny. I think this smells even worse.
The headline that of the press release for the launch was, “USDA Launches Database for Public to Sign-up and Show their People’s Gardens on Interactive Map; Promotes Access to Healthy Food, Sustainable Practices.”
The press release goes on to describe the program:
With the opportunity for the people to enter their People’s Gardens into the database, they will be able to describe each garden, identify who is involved¸ where it is located as well as attach photos and add the contact information for their partners. For those who start a People’s Garden, they can ask to have a People’s Garden sign shipped to them. To view the interactive People’s Garden map and access the database, go to www.pubinfo.usda.gov/garden.
Of course USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wants to promote access to healthy food and sustainable practices. I mean he did greenlight Monsanto’s genetically engineered alfalfa and has been in the pocket of the biotech company for years.
Come on. Let’s be real here. If Monsanto does indeed want to control the food and seed supply and Vilsack is one of their puppets, why would I ever register my garden and give them all of my information. Why would you?
Maybe I’ve read 1984 or other conspiracy theories too much. This screams of them wanting to know more about us and who is indeed growing their own food to eventually crack down on that. It would be the perfect chance to fine us for growing too much of it.
With all that’s going on and what the USDA and Vilsack have done, I just don’t believe that they want this information to promote what they are saying. I certainly will not be registering my garden.
What’s your thoughts on People’s Gardens?
Long as I am growing legal vegetation, it is none of anyone’s business what or how much I grow. And there are plenty of helicopters flying overhead to insure my crops are legal. LOL No, I will not register my garden. I will share it with my family, my neighbors and my good friends. I may even supply the local market with some fresh herbs now and then. But the government? No sir!!
Hmm… I know the government is trying to make it *look* like it’s all green-promotional and for the greater good, but I’d like to know what their ulterior motive is. Do they want to make sure nobody’s growing their own cannabis next to their tomato plants? That they’re not using proprietary seeds from a company without the latter’s knowledge? It’d be nice if that’s the purpose, but because I strongly doubt it is… I’d go with a big fat NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!
Disturbing…it reminds me of an employer “friending” all of his/her employees on facebook for the sole purpose of snooping on them.
Or even worse, it makes me think of Wickard v. Filburn, a Supreme Court case from the 1940s. Google it if you’re interested. It essentially said that a farmer could be bound by a Farm Bill in the amounts of wheat that he grew, even for personal use. The message from that case was, if all farmers started growing just enough wheat for personal use, it would ruin our economy because they would no longer need to buy bread from grocery stores. In a way, it was casting self-sufficiency as a bad thing.
This initiative seems much more sneaky…it’s like a way to lure garderners into a trap, an underhanded “gotcha” game. If we just pay attention to the current party line from the FDA and what Congress has passed, we know that this is in direct opposition to what they’re saying. I’d rather not have anyone knocking on my door to inspect my garden.
Maybe this is because I work for Uncle Sam, but I don’t think the government is up to no good here. Maybe they really just want to encourage people to garden more and grow their own food. You can say that’s idealistic, but I know that there really are people who care in government.
Quite frankly, they don’t want you to register your garden. “People’s Gardens” is what they’ve been calling a community garden program they’re doing. Your garden isn’t public, so they don’t care.
Also, please don’t confuse the federal government with an overzealous local zoning board.
Word. I’m with you on that.
I hear ya on that. None of their business. Doubt it’s for the mission that they say.
Thanks for that info on Wickard v Filburn. Never heard of that one before. Self-sufficiency is my ultimate goal.
I’d like to agree with you Michelle and don’t think that all people who work for the government are evil conspirators. But with Vilsack running things and his past history, I can’t see this as what it is for face value.
Like Public Enemy sang, “Can’t Truss It”
This is very interesting… Honestly, I don’t think that the initial plan is to put government regulation on our gardens. However, farmers across America would contest that was not the initial plan with them either. So, I do understand your concern and appreciate the awareness you are bringing to it. The amount of information that they are asking us to provide is quite abundant and I agree it is something to question.
On the surface, however, this program seems to be great. Such a database would allow people to get involved in our efforts much easier. I am just going to have to keep a watchful eye and see what happens. As for now, I will also not be submitting my garden to the People’s Garden Database and any information they would like to receive on it, well, they are going to have to read my blog like everyone else.
Perhaps all this is is just a sting in cooperation with DEA. They are hoping people will post about their marijuana crops.
It certainly makes ya think.
Hahaha. That could definitely be true as well and humorous.
Thanks for the comment Syl. Not really sure what you are saying though.
I’m laughing here. Why wouldn’t you register a garden, do you have something to hide? We need to be able to know that what you are growing is safe, and won’t hurt someone or be used for criminal purposes. We need to make sure bad guys don’t have access to gardens. We need to limit the size of your garden to a safe level. This is all of the same crap gun owners have heard from them for years. Don’t let them start. They won’t stop. Ever. Over time they will seek total control. Today they want community gardens to register voluntarily, and in a few years it will become mandatory. Then private gardens will be added.
This is exactly what happened with guns in England and Australia, and what they are trying to do here.
Like Pamela said look up Wickard v. Filburn. That is the one I kept telling you about but could never remember the name.
Look into what the fascists did in Spain in the early 20th century. There are plenty of stories about them showing up and taking tomatoes from individual gardeners. But first they went through voluntary registration, and then compulsory registration.
The very term “People’s Gardens” if offensive, and reeks of socialism and totalitarianism. Volkswagon literally means “peoples car”, and the former Soviet nations are repleat with “peoples” this and “peoples” that.
As for the government wanting to help, bullshit. Some people in government may want to help, but the top just wants to maintain and increase their own power. And even the minor minions who do want to help always do more harm when they try. There is a reason the Hipocratic oath begins with “First, do no harm.” People who really want to help more frequently jump on the first feel good solution without examining it’s broader implications and unintended consequences, or even whether or not it actually will help. The upper levels of government deceive and manipulate the emotions of those who really do care in order to garner support for what are really just increases in their power.
Keep your village out of my damn garden. I’m open carrying and I’ll shoot your village in the ass.
Okay, rant over 😉
Word. As per usual, you bring a great viewpoint.
I’m sure it’s not easy. Gotta give people a convincing enough reason.
Isn’t there already a Community Garden website that keeps track of that? I think there’s already an American Community Garden Association that keeps a list of all of the community gardens and you register with them. Why does the garden need to spend money doing something that is already happening?
Nice post, Mike. Question everything!
Who knows the hows and whys of this stuff?!?!
Thanks bro. You know I do.
I was more pragmatic about the Michelle Obama post, but I’m all in with you on this one. You could easily compare biotech with big oil and gas.
Simply put, there is no way that I am sharing that information with the gov’t. They have outgrown their role as our forefathers intended it already. I don’t need anyone telling me I *have* to wear a seatbelt for my own safety if I don’t have the good sense to do it on my own, and I don’t need anyone telling how I should garden or how much I should grow. They already dictate far too much of our personal and private lives. Knowledge is power, and I prefer not to give the gov’t more than it already has.
You know, I find the term “People’s Gardens” as it is being used by the USDA as disturbing as the fact that they are asking people to register their community gardens. It sounds like something from 20 years ago in China or Soviet Russia. It literally means that it belongs to everyone, not just those who contributed to the garden.
Oh hell no! There is no way I would ever give the government access to what I’m doing in my garden, or even let them know that I HAVE a garden. In fact, we have a high fence around our entire property, two in the front to be exact, so most people have no idea we even have one, and I’m keeping it that way. I don’t trust the government for many reasons, but in regards to this subject it’s due to their getting into bed with Monsanto, so why would I trust them with my personal gardening info.? I don’t think you’re being paranoid about this, I think you’re being very smart in fact. I see the time coming in the future when the government will be in control of all seeds and food in the country via Monsanto. Sounds communistic doesn’t it? Yep, sure does. That’s exactly what the communists did – they took away people’s gardens and provided their inadequate food for them, sad.
As for Michele Obama I agree with a lot of what you say. It’s good that she’s promoting organic gardening, but in the sphere of politics what does this really mean? We know what it means, and it’s not good. I really think that picture was taken for more political propaganda honestly. The reality is that our food is now controlled by the government. It makes me wonder how long the urban homesteading movement will really last…
Oh hell no! There is no way I would ever give the government access to what I’m doing in my garden, or even let them know that I HAVE a garden. In fact, we have a high fence around our entire property, two in the front to be exact, so most people have no idea we even have one, and I’m keeping it that way. I don’t trust the government for many reasons, but in regards to this subject it’s due to their getting into bed with Monsanto, so why would I trust them with my personal gardening info.? I don’t think you’re being paranoid about this, I think you’re being very smart in fact. I see the time coming in the future when the government will be in control of all seeds and food in the country via Monsanto. Sounds communistic doesn’t it? Yep, sure does. That’s exactly what the communists did – they took away people’s gardens and provided their inadequate food for them, sad.
As for Michele Obama I agree with a lot of what you say. It’s good that she’s promoting organic gardening, but in the sphere of politics what does this really mean? We know what it means, and it’s not good. I really think that picture was taken for more political propaganda honestly. The reality is that our food is now controlled by the government. It makes me wonder how long the urban homesteading movement will really last…
I guess after all the lies over the past few years, I’m not willing to take this at face value either. I find it very hard to trust the government. I agree there are a few good people out there who truly want to help but there are just enough with the wrong motives to undo all the good. I won’t be registering anything either.
Bingo! We have a winner!
@ Michelle, I have worked for Uncle Sam on several occasions from 4 years on active Duty to 5 years fighting fire and a few other jobs in between. All I can say is they have you brainwashed if you think they are NOT up to no good.
The fact that the USDA has already attempted on multiple occasions and AGAINST the will of the people force register all livestock in the USA even small farm chickens and horses that don’t go into the food supply is enough to NOT trust a single thing they say.
Glad we could agree on something 😉
Preach on. I’m with you.
Scary parallels.
It’s all scary stuff. We as individuals have to unite and stand together.
I find it sad as well. Unfortunate.
The sad reality. Thanks for doing what you do.
We already have WAY too much government. We need to get rid of half the government we have.
I don’t think you’ve been listening to too many conspiracy theories – I think you’re aware of what’s going on around you! Ever read Fahrenheit 451? I teach this book to my juniors – and what the government is doing right now is so blatant that the students are able to EASILY draw TONS of parallels between the book and what’s happening to us (or what we’re allowing to happen to us…). Keep on gardening!
I’ll vote yes to that!
It’s funny how consciousness is equated to lunacy. Sounds like you are teaching some smart kids.
Government can go get shafted. I’m not going to say or tell anyone. I have enough problems with trashy people where I live that destroy my gardens anyway, just because.
I have been trying to tell people that this is what is coming down the pike since this law and food safety law was signed, and no one believed me, they would just say, oh they can’t do that, its my yard, well, people, its here.
Your right on the money. I will never register my garden!
A community garden is none of the Federal Government’s busy beeswax. This is a ploy to find out where they are and then they will get plowed in once there is even one complaint. I will not register my gardens or my farm animals I grow it.. I eat it.. They can stuff it.
It most certainly is.
Hell no.
Hahhaa. I’m with you on that.
They are calling it the ‘People’s Gardens’ because Tony Blair (to great acclaim) called Princess Diana – ‘The People’s Princess’ and he was the guy who pulled her personal security the day before she was hit. Fact.
Any time the gov gets involved in our lives, it costs us, one way or another. But most importantly it cost us a little slice of our freedom. I live in the middle of a large farm (I own the house not the farm). The government wants to chip the cows. WHY? They certainly don’t pay the farm to raise the cattle, nor do they help when the farm is low on cash.
A few years ago the US Gov closed slaughter houses that exclusively slaughtered horses for food. OK a few people might say ‘good’ because they love horses, but frankly the US horse population is huge and there is a demand for horse meat. Now the horses must be shipped to Canada. I understand the gov wants to stop shipping the horses for the purpose of slaughter. WHY.???
This year I’m cutting down some Silver Maples and going to replace them with fruit trees. The couple of fruit trees I have were in sorry condition when I bought the place. The government never stepped in to help prune the trees. (Thank goodness). What I don’t can or eat is given to neighbors and friends. Will I have to account for each apple or pear the trees bear???
I have two really productive American Chestnut trees. Yes the really rare trees that bear the desirable food nuts. I’m supposed to register them with the state, but I don’t. Don’t want officials instructing me on how to care for, or what to do with the trees. They are just fine on their own.
Anytime the government gets involved in something it costs us dearly and creates a bloated agency. Why do they control Marijuana? Not because a few people smoke it, but because it was a formidable competition to the oil industry. There was a time it was used to make a substitute fuel for engines. Instead growing it sends tens of thousands of people to jail. Growing something that was god given.
Soon water will be controlled. You won’t be able to collect what falls from the sky, or drill a well or?????
There is never a silver lining behind anything the government does for us. Take a stand against this incursion into our privacy.
just list EVERY plant and fungi on your property,EVERY SINGLE ONE! EVERY BLADE OF GRASS,all 100-500 million or more!
request absurd “assistance” from the USDA to help you do this
DEMAND thier complete and total oversight,bankrupt this insane project
if you dont then how do we know we are safe,there could be terrorist rooted plants in your yard!
Hahahha. Love it.
Very well said.
Interesting. Did not know that.
Maybe you should have GOOGLED before you made your post:
THE PEOPLE’S GARDEN INITIATIVE is an effort by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which challenges its employees to establish People’s Gardens at USDA facilities worldwide or help communities create gardens. People’s Gardens vary in size and type, but all have a common purpose – to help the community they’re within and the environment.
Thanks for the info. The correct was already made. Maybe you should have read before you commented.
I did read it and the information in your UPDATE was still not correct. I’m not being a smart-ass…one doesn’t need to make things up to make the USDA look bad…all government agencies do very well on their own. I would hope you would want to be viewed as informed, well-read and credible…sorry if I touched a nerve.
Appreciate the feedback and correction. Apologies for the remark. Thanks.
Kind of like the Interstate highways should only belong to the people who built them and not the ones who want to drive on them.
Or the military should only belong to the servicemembers fighting in it and not to the people it’s defending.
You see where this is going?
If you want a nation, here’s your nation. In a nation, some things are shared. The only area in which we disagree is just how *much* should be shared. I don’t necessarily agree or disagree about this People’s Gardens thing, it’s not private gardens they are asking to register. But let’s not get all hyperprivatized here. If some other private citizen besides you got round to owning the air you better believe they would not let you breathe it. Be careful what you wish for.
Totally. But somehow the discussions about this get all mixed up in the process of making all governments out to be alike, and all forms of social sharing of ownership to be bad, and so on and so forth.
Certainly interesting points that you bring up Dana. There is nothing wrong with government that is for the people. Unfortunately our current government is for corporations.
Socialism does not require a totalitarian government, and Marx envisioned that when a society had gone through the process of evolution into a totally socialist entity it would no longer even need a government.
There are ways to be socialist and not be like Hitler. In any case, the Nazis persecuted the Communists, which I notice the people like you who equate socialists and Nazis never seem to want to point out, even though you also state that socialism and Communism are exactly the same thing.
Hope you never shop at a co-op health food store. Co-ops are socialist.
Dana. Appreciate all of your insights, but not sure exactly what you are saying or attempting to prove by responding to everyone.
Please send me a private message and let’s discuss.
Socialism requires a totalitarian government to begin, as without a monopoly of force people will not voluntarily sacrifice all of their private property rights.
People like me are perfectly happy to discuss the nazi persecution of communists, or the communist persecution of the nationalists, or the fascist persecution of…..well, you get the idea. While they may be technically different, they are all quite similar in application, and spring from the same root. In the end, whether one is Dachau or the Gulag is academic. The result is the same.
Co-ops are voluntary. I have absolutely nothing against any voluntary collectivism people choose to take part in. What I have an issue with is being forced by an entity with a monopoly on the use of force into a collective that I do not want to participate in. And with the tendency of government to use a camels nose under the tent incremental approach to do things to us that we do not done by slowly numbing people to what is going on.
If you want to discuss the benefits of particular theories of value, scales of utility, or methods of accounting in various economic systems and why they fail I would be happy to, but i don’t think mike’s gardening blog is the place for it. Please feel free to email me.
The thing is, as far as I know, no tax dollars have gone to any community gardens. If tax money goes into those gardens, then the government can have a say. All of the examples you gave involve money from the populace going to them (and would not have happened otherwise). There is an extreme difference between the examples you gave and a community garden.
Sorry…plenty of tax payers dollars have been spent on Community Gardens…a large number are funded through grants or General Funds of cities, towns, counties or townships. My Community Garden (private funding) was used as an example in a Grant proposal by the Health Department in my county…next thing I knew I had a rep. from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wanting me to sign off on some paperwork and telling me I didn’t have the correct *mix* of Gardeners. I was a bit taken aback as was she when I told her I could do whatever I pleased…my Garden was entirely funded by me and donations collected by me. By the way my Garden was created to meet the needs of the underserved. I have the unemployed (some up to 3 years), Veterans, 3/4’s are Senior citizens, several young single women with children, a handful are homeless and it is very culturally diverse. The only person with a garden plot out there that is not *underserved* is me…I must have messed up their numbers! 😉 AND don’t get me started on Certified Farmers Markets…another project I started for my County that now has become a government involved nightmare.
This is why I think it is important for people to do things (community gardens, charity, whatever) with the minimum amount of support from any level of government. But, you are likely to run afoul of bureaucrats who are upset because you didn’t ask for their permission before doing something.
In college, a group of friends and I would do different volunteer projects. The only times we had headaches was when we tried to work with a government agency. Any other group we worked with would just tell us what they needed done and we arranged ourselves to get that done. It should not be that difficult to help others out.
This disgusts me – I’m going to make sure I ask locals here, where I live, to NOT sign up….thanks for posting!
Lynda, actually seems like Mike touched a little nerve with you. Whether or not Mike got the facts 100 percent I think we can all get the gist of whats going on here and its scary. From what i gathered reading the usdas release it seems like it started with employees but now america is encouraged to join in. How is registering your garden on an online govt database helping your community or environment?
No, not at all…if you read futher you’ll see another of my comments you will see I do not support the government getting into my business. I found this site through a post from another blogger…she was totally freaked out…and I kinda’ felt sorry for her…so I came over to this site and read this post…because I founded and manage a Community Garden AND a Certified Farmers Market I was very aware of the USDA’s People’s Garden Initiative and government involvement in the Food Movement…I have taken a stand to not accept any monies from the USDA or any other government funded agency…I have my own reasons. So I guess my position is: get the facts, present the facts, and don’t take any wooden nickles from the government and if you do, you can’t complain…you take the $$$ you dance to their tune.
There are already programs that deny you the use of rainwater that you collect yourself on your own property for the purpose of watering your own plants/gardens/whatever. Scary huh? You are so right about taking away the rights of the American people. It’s been eroding away for years. I’m 62 and have hated watching it disappear. Seems like nothing can be done about it either. I grew up on a small ‘farm’ (10A) We grew a huge garden, had fruit trees, horses, milk cow which was bred each year to a beef-type bull for a calf for our table, had chickens and pigs – well you get the idea. I can just see what my own father would have said about the gov’t coming out to inspect all that we grew haha!!
Because what you were growing was such a threat!
The USDA’s agenda is an obvious one, and it’s a sure bet that taxes would follow. As for me: The government had better keep its nose out of my rhubarb!
Spread the word.
I ain’t messin with your rhubarb 😉
You hit the nail on its head honey! It’s certainly an effort to wipe out the organic home garden movement. Who knows, they may decorate the sky above your garden with some old fashioned chemtrails. Isn’t it amazing how we – the few thinking people left on this earth it seems – are now the crazy conspiracy theorists. We are the outsiders! I think the next move will definitely be indoor gardens. Their game just keeps getting more high tech! BTW – just found your site/page – love it!
Glad we could connect. They have lots of money to throw at this…
I think – Thank you for the tip-off because I might have inadvertently joined this site without knowing about the connection. I also think – hell no I am not joining a site with Monsanto sponsorship. I will pass this on my friend. Thanks.
Word. Glad you found it useful.
You need to watch the documentary “Shadow Government”. Eye opening and exactly where your thoughts are. Mine, too. I rented it at the local library and watched at home.
So totally agree! I won’t be registering my garden “Peoples” or otherwise! Great post!
Will look into it. Thanks for the recommendation.
Thanks. Glad you likes.
Big brother has to have control over everything. They already know what’s going inside your house and on the air waves, and now they want to take away our final sanctuary, and a natural one at that. They won’t be finding out about the zucchini/squash potato hybrid that I’ve been working on!
True dat.
I would never register my garden with the USDA. Why do GOV agencies need to know where all the real food is grown?
Exactly. Not needed at all.
The scariest thing one can hear:
“I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”
I hear that…
With all of the Monsanto involvement with the Federal government (& vice versa), I would deem anyone NOT questioning this new program to be insane.
Registration = regulation. If enough “people” voluntarily go along with this, it may eventually become mandate (similarly to vaccines & children, etc.).
I bet $0.25 that they want to know so they can sell us seeds. YUK!
Crazinees.
I worked for USDA when a memo was sent out to all managers asking to compile list all community gardens in their area. My husband just told me two gentlemen he worked with got letters in the mail recently asking if they had a personal garden on their property (they both own a few acres). I personally would NEVER tell the government if I had a garden! My guess is that they know the economy is going to collapse so with a database of all the gardens they can force you to share your food with the community.
I hope everyone here is voting Ron Paul…our only hope to get some liberty back!
Craziness.
I will most certainly not register my garden with the government. This looks like a plot to gain information that is no business of the federal government.
Word.
AGREE. Another way to control everything. I would not register my garden.
True.
I am with you on this. What i see coming is more seed control .
This is why we all should know how to Grow Our Own food
Bull they don’t have enough people to go out and SEE how many Americans are growing their own food lol Butts! What are they gonna do have a garden patrol,something else to spend tax payers money on.As far as registering,yah I’ll get right on it.
No but they can take pics with all those drones they have ordered and then send out the troops to get your stuff…
Most of the drones they are talking about I believe are going to be for bigger farms.And they are probably going to be for people who have their own marijuana fields.LOL!
No body has any idea what they are talking about, do they?
Republican Paul Ryan has been privately circulating proposed legislation limiting the size and type private garden to “protect the fresh produce industry” from people growing their much of their own food. The Legislation includes a possible monetary Fine on people’s property if their garden is larger than a certain size as it would reclassify the property as a “farm” illegally located in a residential (non-agricultural) zoned area. Evidently, the President has been irate about idea and says he would never sign anything of the sort into law. But there are ways Congress can enact laws without the President’s consent.
I think they want this information then Monsanto can contaminate your garden and then say you can’t save your seeds or grow your own food. This really stinks of big business sticking their feet in to get a hold on everything for money.