Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: capitalism, Community Gardens, destroyed, vandalism, youth
The Purple Thistle Food Forest, a 2-year-old youth collective permaculture garden in East Vancouver, has been illegally destroyed by neighbouring building owner David Hollands. The food forest is predominantly located on city land, with a small section on Hollands property. In the fall, Hollands demanded that the young gardeners evict his property by November 1st. The gardeners complied, removing approximately a dozen trees from along the wall of his building, and followed up by sending him a confirmation email and also asking that he respect the rest of the food forest, located on city property, and allow it to grow in peace.
Last week Purple Thistle gardeners visited the site and found the entire food forest destroyed, with irrigation chopped up, all the plants removed, and trees uprooted and left in buckets. All this without notification. They know this to be the actions of Hollands, as several weeks prior they intercepted a work crew employed by him who had been tasked to clear the entire site, which is not on his property.
The site that the food forest is on was originally used as an illegal dumping ground. In 2010, the young gardeners pulled out 250kg of garbage, conducted soil tests to check for contamination, brought in organic matter and compost, and planted over 50 fruit trees, plus medicinal and edible plants. The young gardeners were also working to restore a small wetland on the site. The food forest has served as an educational lab and a community hub, and has been home to several youth garden and beekeeping programs for children as young as 9 years old, all in the heart of an industrial wasteland.
Heartbroken but not defeated, the young gardeners will be seeking justice. “Learning to grow food collectively at the Food Forest has taught us many lessons that go beyond urban agricultural practices. We’ve learned what it means to work together, work with nature and work within a community. We truly believed that if we could grow food next to the train tracks in this industrial wasteland, folks could learn to clean up the land and grow food anywhere.” That was “the goal”, says Kelsey Corbett, youth garden coordinator for the Purple Thistle. ”And it is really interesting, as a young person, to recognize that the biggest barriers we have faced this year have been the attacks to our gardens from big business owners. We complied with Hollands requests and it’s really disheartening that despite that, he chose to go beyond the law and destroy a community project on city land.”
“It’s terrible to see all the broken pieces of the irrigation pipes laying on uprooted soil. The gardeners who set up the forest put so many hours of planning and hard labor into the system,” says LeyAnn, one of the recent members of the group, “and it was all illegally ripped out of the ground and destroyed. It’s disheartening, but is also a powerful motivator, and these actions have brought the gardeners and their supporters closer together, and made us stronger.”
The gardeners will be pursuing further action by contacting the city and also requesting that Hollands reimburses them for the damages. They hope in the future that property owners like Hollands choose to communicate and work respectfully with them about their concerns instead of destroying these community projects.
If you would like to help the gardeners out, as some of you have offered, you can donate to the Purple Thistle.
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For more information, contact:
For more information, contact:
Kelsey Corbett: ki2freedom@gmail.com
or Carla Bergman (Director of the Purple Thistle)
carla@purplethistle.ca
78 Comments so far
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radicle beets 
From what I understand, it was on city land — so unless you had a permit, the garden was illegal too.
Comment by Anonymooser November 28, 2013 @ 1:24 pmWe do have a permit and a 5-year-lease which includes a map of the property lines that show what we have responsibility to. We also sent him our permits with the property lines and asked him to stop destroying our gardens, which he completely ignored.
Comment by radiclebeets November 28, 2013 @ 1:58 pmWhat is Mr. Hollands business that neighbors your site? What is the address? I think people would like to “meet” this person…
Comment by Mr. Wiggins November 28, 2013 @ 2:13 pmIs there some contact info that you could provide so that those of us who care could contact (in a diplomatic and polite way) Mr. Hollands to appeal to any kind of fairness he might have in him?
Comment by Kapane Vasquez November 28, 2013 @ 2:25 pmI’m very sorry to hear about this happening. I believe in Karma and Holland will get back what he gives (hopefully worse).
Comment by Chris November 30, 2013 @ 10:05 amI hope you will be able to rebuild and continue on with your quest.
That makes what this guy did right? A large problem with North American society is the concept that an empty lot should remain empty by right. It seems that so many people would rather see a lot full of pollution than see it being utilized without payment.
Beyond all this, the term ‘city property’. What makes a city? People. The unused land should be utilized by community groups. Destroying something good that the community put time and effort into should be viewed as destruction of city property. The problem with this; too many people seem to value the concept of money and ownership above all else.
Be kind and share.
Comment by Jim Buttazzoni November 29, 2013 @ 3:38 pmAnonymooser, I suggest asking a question before making a conclusion. That way, if and when you are provided with a solid answer you have not diminished your credibility.
Comment by Walter December 1, 2013 @ 11:06 amThe word “permit” isn’t used here, but this is a pretty good tip-off: “The food forest has served as an educational lab and a community hub, and has been home to several youth garden and beekeeping programs for children as young as 9 years old, all in the heart of an industrial wasteland.” Those dirty, rotten kids, eh?
Comment by kenjimoto December 1, 2013 @ 9:48 pmHeads up purple thistlers, your are doing amazing work! Our ageist society is affraid of empowered and consciouss youth creating grassroots, and sustainable projects, because it shows them that there is a viable option to work cooperatively and in community. It demonstrates the need to stay connected with nature and understand where food comes from and the medicinal properties of plants. I think about you folks everyday when Im having my tea with a spoon of the honey you taught me how to harvest from the bee keeping program. Grateful for your strong and united hands and efforts.
Comment by Emilio Rojas November 28, 2013 @ 2:31 pmThank you so much Emilio!! Your response is super uplifting! I’m glad your experience with the Thistle bees is now part of your every day life. So awesome, and pretty inspiring!
Comment by radiclebeets November 28, 2013 @ 2:38 pmTo be fair, I suspect this attack had little to do with ageism and more to do with corporate entitlement and a desire to keep your project from success. This is bullying, and I expect he would likely have done the same had it been any other group attempting the same thing in the same location. Some people just can’t see others succeed. What type of business does Mr. Hollands run?
Comment by deborahtd November 28, 2013 @ 3:09 pmWith all due respect Emilio, this ‘ageist’ not only applauds grassroot groups like these amazing Thistlers, but I am very personally involved in all manner of activism to ensure that we, as a species, do become more connected with nature and strive for a sustainable way of living as a cooperative, tolerant, connected community. Try to be more open-minded and less prejudiced, for the sake of all our futures. ~ Not your mother, but could be.
Comment by Suzanne Aubertin-Ryan November 29, 2013 @ 1:46 pmI believe when Emilio said ageist he meant people with prejudice based on others age, I could be mistaken though
Comment by Kristoffer December 1, 2013 @ 2:47 pmLOL Crazy to come across a reply from you on this site. I was checking out this link that my cousin posted on facebook and, appalled by what this guy did, I thought I would check out the comments section and came across your comment. Raks One lol. Big fan of your music.
Comment by Geoff W November 29, 2013 @ 4:19 pmHey hold on – this isnt about youth v age. Plenty of old people LIKE empowered young people and want more of them!
Comment by Hazel Ann Roy November 29, 2013 @ 5:24 pmWould like to hear the business owner’s side of the story.
Comment by JD November 28, 2013 @ 3:19 pmHe would probably say something along the lines that we are messy, and attracting people dumping garbage. We’ve had 2 major garbage dumps this season (which is less than last year), which we’ve also made files with the city to have cleaned up. We usually hauled away what we could to the dump ourselves, but the last dump we received was full of toxic material we couldn’t dispose of (contractor debris). Actually before we put in the food forest, we haulted hundreds of kgs of garbage out to the landfill, so this is a problem that has always existed in that area.
We garden using permaculture principles, which looks untamed and definitely not manicured. We planted comfrey, milk thistle, and stinging nettle in our gardens and kept dandelions because they are amazing for the soil, and make great companion plants and powerful medicine. A lot of folks see weeds as enemies, and we do not. We’ve met with him one time prior to all of this happening, and tried to work out a compromise to see how we could follow our principles while still having it aesthetically passable for his ideals. At the time, he seemed open to negotiating with us to find middle ground. We wrote him a list of all the plants we had in the gardens, and what we wanted to keep and why they were important, and he stopped corresponding with us. What is really disheartening is that we visited other permaculture gardens and picked up ways to make paths look prettier (like lining them with rocks for example) and areas of the garden more deliberate. We were looking forward to implementing them next season since we had already put our gardens to bed. In any case, if he did have issues with us, he should have followed the laws and filed a complaint with the city. What he did was straight up vandalism.
Comment by radiclebeets November 28, 2013 @ 3:32 pmWow…..some people are really threatened by change eh. Well, I say do not allow one negative experience stop your efforts!! I suspect this business owner may feel that his livelihood is somehow in jeopardy by the garden, as strange as that may seem. What other reason could he have for doing this? The only other reason could be one of a personal nature. Either way you guys look good and he ends up looking like a heathen
Comment by bcwoman November 28, 2013 @ 9:53 pmcould money be rasied for a fence…is that a feasible option for this lot
Comment by Dan MacRitchie November 29, 2013 @ 7:56 amWe have considered growing a natural fence out of milk thistle, roses and other prickly plants. Possible project for this spring if we get the chance!
Comment by radiclebeets November 29, 2013 @ 2:37 pmYou should read the complaints from youth against “the man” from 1968 in old copies of the Georgia Straight. How they were equally earnest in their beliefs as these kids are now. But eventually most of them sold off their tie-dye for pinstripes, cashed in their principle for, umm, cash, and here we are today.
Comment by Dave November 30, 2013 @ 9:17 amTimes may change, but the song remains the same.
Maybe true for some folks. But lots of folks I know who were around in that time are still living every day of their life following their values. We are lucky to have multi-generations of people like this to learn from, so that every generation of not only youth, but people alike, can have access to the tools that will allow them to be the agents of change that they believe in.
Comment by radiclebeets December 1, 2013 @ 6:14 pmSo upset to hear about this, darling Thistlers! I know how much work you have all put into this. I’m so so disheartened to hear this, but what it does do is show us that, despite the green gloss over Vancouver, young people educating themselves, working with nature, and growing food for the community is a deeply radical act. Business would have no business in destroying this beautiful thing if it wasn’t such a vibrant, beautiful alternative to the status-quo of what cities are. Ya’ll are fighting the good fight, and I’m proud to be connected with you from afar. Do let me know how i can support you.
In solidairty,
Comment by Mik November 28, 2013 @ 3:30 pmWhat is his business? I would like to boycott and encourage other to as well.
Comment by Martin November 28, 2013 @ 5:09 pmI’m sorry that you guys have to deal with such an unfortunate situation. Much love and respect for your perseverance in the situation and for creating a beautiful community garden for all to enjoy. ♥
Comment by phresha November 28, 2013 @ 5:43 pmPlease tell me you have video surveillance installed. Illegal dumping carries big fines. Video ensures a win pretty much every time!
Comment by Jim November 28, 2013 @ 5:43 pmWe don’t, but David does actually.
Comment by radiclebeets November 28, 2013 @ 6:21 pmYou can set one up using a cheap tablet computer, a cheap refurbished usb camera, and a wind mobile usb/laptop stick (with a data subscription). You put the computer in an protected plastic cover to keep it dry, and maybe build a chained case around it to protect it from theft. Then just have the webcam take a photo every 10 seconds and upload it through the wind stick to an off-site server. I worked on a project like that before, take a look: http://waterfront.3wm.ca
Comment by Anonymooser November 29, 2013 @ 1:06 amThis is the most depressing thing I’ve heard all month. I’ve got to say that “contacting the city and also requesting that Hollands reimburses them for the damages” is NOT enough. I hope you guys sue the shit out of this guy!! Your garden is the kind of project that VISION should love, and since it was on City land, they should support your suit. Know any lawyers willing to help? Maybe Pivot? And I’d like to echo the other requests to publicize the name of Holland’s business… so we all know to boycott it.
Comment by Ryan November 28, 2013 @ 6:40 pmYou’re going to have a hard time suing him unless you can record a confession (use a phone with recording app). But without evidence, there is little the courts can do for you. But yes, if you get evidence, I would highly suggest suing for damages. But as well, pressing criminal charges against him for trespassing and destruction of property under $5,000.
But you guys should rebuild. If you setup a paypal account and post it to reddit, maybe we can get you some donations for the equipment and plant matter you need.
Comment by Anonymooser November 29, 2013 @ 1:03 amI would like to know what business he runs so I can stop supporting him and write him a letter of disapproval..
Comment by Claire November 28, 2013 @ 6:42 pmI would also like to know what his business is so I will never support whatever he is flogging.
Comment by bcwoman November 28, 2013 @ 9:55 pmI would be mighty careful about any kind of accusations towards that “business owner” (oh no! Fear the business!!) … Next thing you know you will have slander charges or something similar coming your way.
Yes it is sad that this happened, but what gives you the right to “play god” and give this fellow a bad name? Sure free speech, yaddy yadda etc… But to possibly ruin someone’s reputation based on nothing more than a hunch? Seems childish to me.
I hope you find who did it and get your garden back. Until then I think that two wrongs won’t make a right.. In other words stop accusing people!
Comment by Alonamus November 28, 2013 @ 7:19 pmwe actually do know it’s him because we’ve been in direct contact with him throughout this process. with the city as well. we wouldn’t go through the efforts of doing all this if there weren’t merit. but you are right. folks shouldn’t accuse others of doing things they didn’t do.
Comment by radiclebeets November 28, 2013 @ 9:31 pmI think they should do what ever it takes to bring this guy to the dust!! If you for one moment have sympathy for the “business owner” better give your head a shake!
Comment by Kathy November 29, 2013 @ 4:23 pmMy first thought is that this Holland guy is dumping on the site him self. Just saying, I have no prior knowledge of these events. I live in Toronto and saw a post on a friends Facebook. Sounds like this guy is off his rocker or out right corrupt him self.
Comment by Mike November 28, 2013 @ 8:55 pmJust my personal opinion.
he definitely wasn’t the person dumping on the site. It’s been a popular dumping ground for contractors, garbage removal businesses for a long time. We’ve stopped folks from dumping just by being there and it definitely wasn’t him. I do believe he cares about a clean property.
Comment by radiclebeets November 28, 2013 @ 9:32 pmI lived in Vancouver for 18 years and know the exact place the garden is. I love in Toronto now to. I had the same thought as Mike, that Holland was using the property as a dumping site, in which because its city property, all it takes to get it cleaned up is a few complaint calls to the city, and the cleanup ends up costing nothing to the caller. Sounds like a perfect setup for a business owner who is pissed about someone cleaning up the property and making use of it for something that he no longer gets to profit from. That area has lots of illegal dumping going on, I used to go for walks through the area to see what interesting things people would dump, and had at times found things that were perfectly good and working. I would make an educated guess that he was using it as his own dumping site. Keep up the great work Purple Thistle kids. These gardens make great use of vacant property in Vancouver and are great things for the community. I’m sure they also keep kids out of getting into trouble. I bet Holland doesn’t think about that, but would be the first person to blame kids if he had something happen to his business in any way.
Comment by Matt Rossey December 1, 2013 @ 12:06 pmThank you for the encouragement, but just to be clear we do not know who was dumping on the site, and we are certain it wasn’t Holland.
Comment by radiclebeets December 2, 2013 @ 12:52 amReblogged this on One Fat Guy Later… and commented:
Comment by onefatguylater November 28, 2013 @ 10:21 pmMakes you wonder what the hell is wrong with some people.
I presume “evict his property” means “vacate his property”?
Comment by Andrew November 29, 2013 @ 12:13 amDavid Hollands as in Sugoi outerwear and outdoor gear?
Comment by Dean November 29, 2013 @ 1:14 amSorry to hear of your setback. You are doing good work. Keep on growing! Still a good time of year for planting!
this can’t be confirmed at this time. He has been really good at keeping his identity private.
Thank you for your support!
Comment by radiclebeets November 29, 2013 @ 9:21 amI think it’s worth noting that the address 1175 Charles Street is practically synonymous with the Sugoi brand on Google. That doesn’t -prove- that it is the same David Hollands, however, that warehouse has been having “Sugoi Factory Sales” since as recently as 2009. I think that speaks volumes, but does not necessarily confirm anything either.
Comment by Cake-Eater November 29, 2013 @ 12:46 pmWhat fairness?!! He vandalized private property. Did he not? Surely (even in Canada) this is considered criminal activity!
Comment by Alexander Romalo November 29, 2013 @ 9:11 amI have to second the idea of crowd funding. I think rebuilding your project would gain a lot of attention online.
Comment by Westkes November 29, 2013 @ 10:31 amOne funny result, if he chopped up any of that comfrey root there is going to be a bazillion more there next season! Lol
And horsetail! We had quite a lot of both. 🙂
Comment by radiclebeets November 29, 2013 @ 2:38 pmHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!
Comment by Matt Rossey December 1, 2013 @ 12:10 pmI’m guessing this person is afraid of you and also may be afraid of the fact you are eating the produce. Do you get it checked for contamination before eating? I applaude your efforts but its a hard job to garden anywhere these days-even on a house plot as many people are afraid of seeds-He needs a visit from a policeman though and one who will educate him as well. One aspect of neighbourlyness is inclusion which means-why is he doing this? Maybe he has a need you can meet.
Comment by Jean November 29, 2013 @ 12:26 pmWe got did soil testing before we planted anything and thankfully it was food-ready.
Comment by radiclebeets November 29, 2013 @ 2:41 pmWe would have liked to have more opportunity to work with him before such drastic measures were taken, our aim was always to strengthen the community.
*we did soil testing*
Comment by radiclebeets November 29, 2013 @ 2:49 pmexcuse me. Lol
dear mr. hollands fyi you can only pile f ertilizerso high before it comes tumbling back down around you. I hope you enjoy the roses ! peace be with you.
Comment by John Roberts November 29, 2013 @ 1:50 pmI work across the street from this garden. It was so nice when it was put in, and I was so happy to see the wetlands restoration attempt! I also saw the destruction of the garden happen in person, and couldn’t understand why… I hope you get justice and compensation, and I hope you can get enough from the business to replant, and raise enough to build a fence! It would keep dumpers, and the other ‘illegal activities’ out of there!
Comment by Megan Elrick November 29, 2013 @ 2:24 pmThere’s currently a news crew out there, so you’ll be heard!
Thank you so much for your support! It’s wonderful to hear positive things from our other neighbours. 🙂
Comment by radiclebeets November 29, 2013 @ 2:45 pmMegan, you saw it happening and can identify who did it or who had it done? That would be great support for these kids and the garden. Please make sure you talk with them directly and see justice be done. RIGHT ON for saying something about what you saw!
Comment by Matt Rossey December 1, 2013 @ 12:14 pmGlad to hear that the press is around. It should help prevent further destruction by your neighbour. What we need more of is young gardeners with the social awareness that your group has. I hope that next years harvest is bountiful. A bit more work again, but gardens grow, all you need is earth, seed, sun and rain. And your hard work benefits you twice, good healthy exercise and a rewarding harvest.
Comment by Mary Smith November 29, 2013 @ 4:05 pmThank you for the support, and we hope for many bountiful harvests in the future! It is frustrating, thinking about the setbacks we have had this year, but it also strengthens our resolve to push through, and put love and intention deep in the soil so we can continue to have workshops, learn and build community.
Comment by radiclebeets November 29, 2013 @ 4:24 pmMaybe with all the bad press and negativity Hollands is getting, he’ll move, and you may be able to take over the property he’s in and build your garden into a store as well???
Comment by Matt Rossey December 1, 2013 @ 12:16 pmhey, kudos to your great work! the legal battle and asking for reimbursement for the damage is a long process, but don’t give up, keep at it! In the meantime, so that you can move on with your activities, why won’t you do crowd-funding, like from Kickstarter or Indigogo or from those other sites. you can set a target $$ amount, raise money and give perks to those who help you with various amounts of cash, from an e-card of thank you for those who donate $5 to giving a free tour and lunch of your new garden for those who donate more $$, it has been a very effective way of raising money. All you need is a video or a presentation for the ‘pitch’, extra effort in establishing and delivering the ‘perks’ you promised and lots ot help in promoting it. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229436 Good luck and if there is a crowdfunding project to get you back on your feet I will definitely support. Cheers from Edmonton, Alberta.
Comment by Gi November 29, 2013 @ 4:46 pmSo no word on the business this guy runs? Not for vandalism or anything, most damage can by done via the wallet, or lack thereof. I don’t support this kind of vile behavior, and want to make sure my money doesn’t patron any of this man’s businesses.
Comment by tgmerk November 29, 2013 @ 6:34 pmYour donation button doesn’t work? Could you have it double checked?
Comment by s November 29, 2013 @ 9:22 pmhm, it should work now. I just double checked with the director of the center. She said it should be fine now. Thank you!
Comment by radiclebeets December 1, 2013 @ 7:48 amFor clarification purposes, the two businesses located at the neighbouring site to the garden are merely tenants of the building and not the owner of the property. I am sure they feel helpless in the matter too.
Comment by whysome November 30, 2013 @ 1:37 amHi Guys,
You do not know me but I am the owner of one of the businesses; Vancouver eFasteners………. I could not sleep last night because of what I have read surfing this topic. CBC News just did a segment on this last night and everytime they mentioned the owner of the building; they directed the camera to our Signage. I have gotten some nasty emails and will probably have some threatening phone calls on my answering machine at work. So let us get some facts straight; We rent the Building (I just moved in six months ago) and have zero input on the outside of the Building beside putting my signs up. Vancouver eFasteners is the only locally owned and operated construction supplier in the city of Vancouver; We support local charities and local business as we live in the area. My kids go to daycare and elementary school locally. Everyone inside that building works and lives in our community. We are your neighbours, your kid’s friend’s parent, or someone you meet at the park. We are a small local business fighting with Corporate Giants and need your support, not your vengenance. I do not want to go to work on Monday and tell my co-workers that it is unsafe coming to work…….. there is a “local garden” inside those walls; please do not destroy another.
Comment by JY November 30, 2013 @ 7:30 amHi JY,
We received your message, and we all feel really terrible for the response you have received as a bystander in this situation of conflict, especially since you are all our neighbors. It was absolutely not our intention to have the blame be put onto you. We have been using David’s name publicly so that wouldn’t happen. In fact, when I read an article that failed to mention his name, I contacted the reported personally. I was concerned that lack of information or misinformation could create more conflict within the community, and we really didn’t want that. When I addressed these concerns with the reporter, I received this as an explanation:
“I know it might seem bizarre but I cannot name __________ because I don’t want to be sued in a liable or slander suite. [He] has not been formally charged with anything. It is tricky with ‘he said she said’ stories like this, and since _________ would not talk to me I could not get his side of the story. Therefore I cannot name [him]. However, a lot of people are passionate about causes like this, and there is more than enough information in the article for those that are interested to find out who [he] is.”
Our intention is not at all to burn bridges within the community. We’ve been working really hard to do the opposite actually. As a neighbor, you can probably relate to the challenges of trying to do this in the neighborhood we share. Despite the hardships, community and being inclusive and accessible to all the people who participate in that neighborhood are really important to us. This includes all the tenants of your building, too. We have received letters of support from some tenants, but hearing about your experience makes us feel very uneasy. We want our project to contribute to you all feeling awesome going to work, not the opposite! If there is a way for us to help create a safer work space/community space/happy garden space with you all, please let us know. Until then, I can offer my email address to you. It is unnecessary work that I’m sorry you have to deal with (receiving these emails, feeling them out, and potentially feeling like you may need to respond to them, or actually responding to them). We would be really happy to have you forward that onto us so we can communicate your good names to these folks directly. Also, you all should not be in the position to have to defend yourselves, so if you like, we can offer to take on that responsibility in that sense.
Again, we are sorry for any stress and any feelings of concern you may be experiencing right now. We would like to honestly support you as good neighbors in the ways we are able. If there is anything you need, please feel free to email me: ki2freedom@gmail.com
In Kindness and Care,
Comment by radiclebeets December 1, 2013 @ 6:57 pmKelsey Corbett
Such a terrible response to a wonderful initiative. Show him his thuggish intimidation will not stand and defiantly rebuild. This time install rudimentary surveillance and have to option of hard inscrutable evidence to implicate any type of community terrorism. BTW, this isn’t a case of Ageism this is a case of pettiness and ignorance. I hope that man learns to see the error of his ways, since living with such shame will be a cumbersome load for any man’s conscience.
Comment by zack may November 30, 2013 @ 8:16 amIt’s obvious that The Purple Thistle’s aim has been community building, thus they do not wish to add to hostility in the neighbourhood by saying what David Holland’s business is. This speaks volumes about their integrity. “Poor” Mr. Holland can take many lessons from these young people.
Comment by Paula Howley November 30, 2013 @ 9:39 amThank you for what you are doing Purple Thistle. It is so important in myriad ways. This article made me weep but I have a feeling that this will not deter you and may teach many lessons you weren’t expecting, including perseverence in the face of unnatural disasters!
I hope you can show others how to reclaim the land!
Although the food forest was torn up, the spirit behind this project and all these types of conscious community projects which are building the new world is strong. Keep that initial beautiful vision in your hearts that sparked this project! It is still alive!
Comment by Evolutionary Life Architecture November 30, 2013 @ 11:54 amSo sad. I am thousands of kms away but my heart is sympathetic. I hope you have the heart and determination to rebuild.
Comment by Karen Hanes December 1, 2013 @ 9:50 amThank you! We have been receiving such awesome support and i’m sure this isn’t the last you’ll see of the garden. 🙂
Comment by radiclebeets December 2, 2013 @ 12:40 amdisgusting! pathetic!
but hey, don’t build a fence… that seems contrary to the spirit of a food forest… rebuild it, and put a sign saying you chose not to put a fence because you respect the intelligence of humans and their ability to communicate with each other as humans
Comment by pietro December 1, 2013 @ 7:45 pmcool, the fence we wanted was more to create a border between the gardens and road with bushes and plants deter garbage dumping and other pollution. We want to keep it totally open to the public though and none of it will be closed off. We definitely agree with you
Comment by radiclebeets December 1, 2013 @ 8:10 pmWere you able to find any proof that it was this Holland’s person? I’m just curious, because it’s a big leap from suspecting and proving.
Comment by tylerthehun December 2, 2013 @ 6:46 pmwe are working with him and the city to resolve the issue. we also have the contact of the party he hired to destroy the gardens and have spoken to them. If we have to prove it in the courts, I believe we have enough evidence. but ideally we won’t have to get to that point.
Comment by radiclebeets December 2, 2013 @ 7:04 pmWe were told directly by the people actively doing the weed-whacking and ripping up of the irrigation that it was Hollands who hired them.
Comment by radiclebeets December 3, 2013 @ 9:52 amSorry for the heartache. A similar fascist act was perpetrated on The People of the Tree House for Earth’s Children a few years back in Farmington MI: 20 years of biodynamic soil and plant cultivation, greening a concrete infrastructure, hauled to the dump in two days — know your pain.
So what’s next?…is always the question after the latest catastrophe. Other questions: Where was security for alerting the approach of Hollands’ Henchmen, with the possibility of averting the bludgeoning through non-violent/language of life communication(Peace Team’s International are now focusing on local situations like this) ? Were there other “big business” owners attacking the project, or just Hollands(we want to focus energy appropriately/efficiently so being clear, though both have positive aspects, on abstraction and organic reality is always optimal)? It’s best to remember the enemy is not “big business”, but the sadists in big business, and other places; In David Grossman’s book, On Killing, he points out there is a 2% factor in society of psychopaths that do the vast majority of atrocities, so recognizing, localizing, quarantining such people becomes a challenge of the day; so confronting Hollands legally for monetary restorative justice AND confronting a sadistic element of our current fascist social order is highly encouraged and applauded.
“They hope in the future that property owners like Hollands choose to communicate and work respectfully with them about their concerns instead of destroying these community projects.” — for me, establishing this communication loop would be the ultimate. Once established the sadists will be easier to recognize, isolate, and rehabilitate; helped to grow organically/spiritually. So, for me, it’s remembering security, and that “big business” is not the enemy, but how certain people(with support from the masochists) function within it that is the challenge of the day. In Detroit this was evident with the removal(see D-CATS.org) of the PetCoke piles from the banks of the Detroit river. The agents of big business leasing to Noel Frye and ultimately the Koch Brothers(Charles and Fred), were horrified about the PetCoke and wanted nothing to do with that form of business. So there are allies to be had within big business, that in the long run will help uproot the social callousness always attached to absentee ownership…and help bring all of US to the behavior of respectful communication and work…which is, in fact, the true destiny of the World American Spirit. Peace be with you…peace be with US all.
Comment by Matthew December 4, 2013 @ 7:07 amWow. What a nightmare. Such a beautiful project. Definitely run a Kickstarter on this. People will respond generously. Just make a little video of images before, during and after with simple narration. You will be able to rebuild and new energy will move the entire garden forward from this.
Comment by Sharianne January 28, 2014 @ 11:32 pmMy kindest thoughts to you all.
Sharianne
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