Welcome to Part 1 of our series on veganic gardening. Subscribe to this blog to make sure you don’t miss the others.
Did you know that many bagged “organic” fertilizers contain “poultry litter” from birds on factory farms? Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? Besides the potentially hazardous residues of medications and feed additives that may remain in the manure, there is also the problem of making an environmentally destructive industry more profitable by buying its by-products. Not to mention the cruelty to the chickens!
Many other commonly used organic fertilizers and soil conditioners (such as fish meal, bone meal, blood meal, and pure manure) are made from animals or their effluents. When you buy any of those products, you’re also buying into the idea that animals are exploitable resources rather than sentient beings with wishes and projects of their own.
What’s the solution? Go veganic!
Here at VINE, both human and nonhuman residents dine from extensive veganic gardens. We also supply materials and labor to a community garden serving a senior public housing project in a nearby town. All staff members living on site are experienced gardeners, and our shelves are stocked with scores of gardening books.
So, let us introduce you to the joys of veganic gardening! In coming days and throughout the year, we’ll be sharing information on topics such as veganic alternatives to common organic soil conditioners. We’ll start out with a series of “ground-breaking” posts this week and next, to celebrate the start of a new growing season here in Vermont, and then offer season-specific advice on topics such as seed-saving as the year turns.
Seed-saving? Yes! Since VINE has an extended idea of what “vegan” means, we also believe that truly “veganic” gardening goes beyond merely shunning animal products. Since all gardening entails some disruption to free-living plants and animals, we believe in making the most of every inch of garden space. Since commodity capitalism is bad for everybody, we believe in being as “freegan” as possible in the garden. That means seed saving and seed sharing as well as making planters, trellises, and other gardening equipment from salvaged materials.
Finally, we invite you to join VINE’s new Veganic Gardening Club. Dues-paying club members will have access to fun and useful exclusive benefits while also enjoying the satisfaction of supporting VINE’s efforts to promote veganic gardening, plant-based agriculture reform, and access to fresh fruits and vegetables for everybody. Sign up here.
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