One women makes a huge difference

Posted by Self Reliant Network

Written By: Patty Hankins

Patty Hankins out of Oklahoma city is making a huge difference. Patty is taking her experience and love of gardening to a new level. She is lighting up a passion in her neighborhood by just sharing what she has a heart for. Makes me want to do the same. Keep up the great work Patty

Thank you and update. A few weeks ago Self Reliant Network posted the video BACK TO EDEN that shows how to garden by covering an area with (free) wood chips from local tree trimming companies. I had already talked to my pastor about starting a garden at our church, so I ordered the video and started hundreds of little tomato, pepper, lettuce, and eggplants.

My brother watched the video, and the next day his local electric coop (Norman, OK) was cutting branches across the road, so he walked over and asked them for the wood chips. So far they have unloaded a dozen truckloads of wood chips in David's garden area. He told me that when he walks down to feed his goats early in the mornings, he can see the steam rising from the wood chip piles, and the whole area is covered by a white fog. He has ordered organic seed potatoes to plant under the wood chips once he gets them spread out, and we plan to get them in the ground on St. Patrick's Day.

Then two nights ago my pastor, Jack, stopped by my house to tell me that he and his wife Jennifer, and Stephen, a young man from the church who is interested in helping with the garden, all watched the BACK TO EDEN video together and are excited and thrilled about getting the church garden off the ground. Stephen called tree trimming places and got 5 solid responses that they will call us when they have wood chips in our area. Some men in the church repaired the fence around the garden, and everyone is saving newspapers to put under the wood chips, to kill the grass and weeds.

My little church is in a poor neighborhood (like mine!) and I drove around yesterday to see what's what, and noticed several people have chickens and also that there are several other small churches close by. I helped start a community garden in the inner city (Oklahoma City) several years ago, and it drew people like a magnet. We gave away fresh produce to the elderly, and seedlings to the kids, and new gardens started to appear all around the neighborhood.

So thank you Self Reliant Network! The BACK TO EDEN video posted on your site is what lit a fire in my church for the garden, and hopefully the garden itself will be a blessing for the whole neighborhood, furnishing produce, plants and seeds all around. And also future gardeners, because kids are always fascinated by growing things - they just need someone to show them how and inspire them.