It is not difficult to grow some vegetables, as well as certain other crops. But to grow most of the foods needed in a community will require careful planning, and experience gained over time.

Cooperation is required in order to obtain all the food types that a community needs.  Each village needs one or more master gardeners and people with agricultural experience who will advise and coordinate the village efforts within the community. Everyone should be willing to take such direction, especially because those who are expert will work together with the entire community to understand and convey the need for certain crops. This will also become more apparent as the community becomes established, and trading begins at the community store and market.

There are efficiencies to be gained by working together, as well as valued association. Every household has between 1 and 2 acres for food crops or other crop production such as cotton, and will be working right next to another household on their acreage. As an example, 1.5 acres is only around 250 feet by 250 feet. Villages can allocate their acreage in squares, or like the spokes of a wheel, radiating out from the village. Families can even share acreage and help one another. Each village should work cooperatively on their collective acreage.

There are many types of systems for growing crops. Square foot gardening (link 1) (link 2) is a well-known system that uses raised beds 4 feet wide. This allows a person to do everything by hand without having to bend over as much so it is excellent even for children and older people. The plants are very close together (intensive gardening), and are often arranged according to height, so there is much less weeding, and much better retention of moisture in the soil. With experience, a 4x4 section of garden can grow most of the vegetables needed for one person. Using a few long beds that are 4 feet wide, a household could easily grow all the vegetables needed in a fairly small space.

This is an example of only one method, and all such methods are often not mutually exclusive. For example, someone can use intensive methods (such as square foot gardening) and be organic, biological, or conventional.

Another example is nutrient-dense or high-brix gardening.  Organic gardening is all about the garden inputs - what you can and cannot utilize in the garden - but there is no guarantee of superior nutrition. High-brix gardening (under the heading of "biological" gardening) is about putting into the garden specifically what results in produce with higher nutrition. The nutrient levels can be tested in the fruits and vegetables and higher nutrition can be proven, not just tasted. Good quality food is critical to long-term health, and nutrition begins in the soil. 

No discussion on gardening and other subjects is complete without an understanding of Permaculture.  

Grains, fruits, and nuts make up a considerable part of food needs.  There are many grains that are less known, such as amaranth and Quinoa which are very nutritious - and colorful as well. Orchards with nuts and fruits also need to be planted, pruned, and cultivated. All of this will take place in each village, but no village can grow absolutely everything needed, and villages may specialize in certain types of crops. Therefore some bartering is expected, as well as sharing and giving gifts to one another.

The sale of produce for profit is secondary to the use of produce for consumption, barter, or gifting within the community. Of course we can also make a business of organic farming.  There have been many occasions when a small organic farmer could not sell his crop because the quantity was insufficient for the large chain stores that are now the primary purchasers of organic produce. If a community has excess of a particular crop, then it can be sold, as some amount of money is required for purchasing items we cannot make ourselves. There are benefits to linking up with such purchasers. There are also other options such as forming a cooperative with people living in the city, or the “pick-your-own” concept, as well as selling locally using roadside stands. 

Farming for profit brings another level of complexity to the endeavor, and should always be secondary to production for personal consumption within the community. 

Governmental support is also available on many levels, both financial and informational. This is such an extensive area that we need a separate Government Resources Planning Team to assist.  

Community gardening can provide a joyful experience. The tendency in the cities is to disappear within our homes, and indeed even the houses are becoming larger and larger while the families are growing smaller. The result is far less meaningful interaction between people. Loneliness, feelings of isolation, depression and other problems abound in modern society. Gardening is known to be therapeutic. The village concept we are using specifically includes designs to help the residents interact in favorable and meaningful ways while still allowing plenty of privacy whenever it is desired.

Each of the community buildings such as guest houses and educational facilities should also have some grounds dedicated for growing vegetables and flowers, and valuable community service can be offered by working in these gardens or by contributing fruits or flowers from one’s own garden.

We strongly recommend that everyone get some experience in gardening prior to forming or becoming part of our community. It will most likely be a prerequisite, with no exceptions. One of the best ways to do this is to get a plot in a community garden, and continue to learn. We have a community garden in nearby Dallas: www.facebook.com/kalachandji.garden

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