This was her chance to establish Seeds, she figured. Just months after Seeds was launched, the shabby lot at the corner of Gilbert and North Elizabeth streets was well on its way to becoming a verdant gathering place. The Demonstration Garden, as it is now known, was Seeds' first garden project. They now have ample expertise to make the establishment of a community garden a relatively smooth process. Of course, it still requires labor.
Seeds assists people in obtaining permission to garden on vacant lots.
Much of the time the process involves leasing land at a low cost from an absentee property owner or the city. Land owners often are willing to have their property improved because it entails no cost to them and tends to raise the property's value, Brodie said. Similarly, Seeds assists people in obtaining access to a water source, should one not exist on the property. This usually involves guiding individuals through the process of preparing a grant and petitioning the county to extend a water line or install a hook-on. It's very empowering because it comes from them.