The Reliance Project

If you read this I ask that you disseminate it to people you know, to churches, to charity organizations, to any philanthropist out there who may be interested in making their community a better place.

The economy isn't going to fully recover for some time yet, it's in trouble and cost of living increases will continue to rise putting a huge strain on monthly household budgets. If these tough times force someone on government dependence they don't give you the skills to get off of it easily or at all. Over time you can easily become a slave to a way of life.

I know there are things I don't know about this right now, get me in touch with smart people who can flesh this out on these bones of an idea.


The Reliance Project
Problem:

According to a recent article in the local paper up to 1 in 5 residents of this county are on food stamp assistance. While this is a sometimes necessary situation during hard times it also seems very high. This is a part of the country where hunger should be a stranger and a day and age in which no one should go hungry. This also leads to unhealthy eating as the food purchased is usually junk food or easy to prepare.

Problem 2:

With the rise in fuel and food prices seniors are at risk of extending their fixed incomes beyond their means. With these necessary costs creeping beyond the reach of many on limited incomes the problem of hunger arises again and is a haunting specter of things to come.

Problem 3:

Average families are looking at more ways than ever to save money just to keep their heads above water. It’s a tough time for everyone right now and for the foreseeable future. If gas prices go beyond four dollars per gallon it will eat up the household budget and leave little left for living expenses.

Solution:

I believe the time is right to form a project group to solve these problems by teaching basic gardening skills. I’ve read Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. He teaches the basic skills of raised bed gardening with rationed space for planting. What is taught can feed a family indefinitely without the backbreaking work of traditional row gardening. I believe that teaching people self reliance will break the cycle of government dependence that robs people of dignity and the motivation for bettering themselves. This is done in a multipronged strategy as outlined below:

• Base of operations should eventually be a 51 food diameter Geodesic greenhouse dome, the price of this dome is $44,950. This allows for 2,200 square feet of growing space anytime during the year. It is dual purpose as it would be constructed in a public area, it’ll be a visible sign that hunger is temporary and self reliance is within the grasp of anyone who wants to break the cycle of dependence, learn to stretch a dollar further by learning these skills, or is looking to learn to be self reliant altogether.

• I’ll work with instructors/gardeners to produce a DVD course of everything taught. These can be sold to raise money to pay for the dome and scholarships for attendees who cannot afford to pay for a course (price to be determined) and learn the basic skills.

• I’ll produce the video course free of charge IF all proceeds go towards paying for people to attend training in the dome greenhouse.

• People who can afford to attend should be allowed to pay for a course and it should be enough to provide for a scholarship to those who are unable to pay.

• Proof should be provided for those on government assistance that they have abandoned government assistance in lieu of self reliance.

• How to prepare the fruits of the labor and preserving should also be taught. The food harvested is worthless unless you know how to cook it after all.

• Over time other courses can be added such as raising chickens for eggs and meat for example.

Benefits of The Reliance Project:

Learning a necessary skill that will enable you to feed yourself and family on an indefinite basis should be a reward unto itself. There are other benefits as well such as a healthier level of eating, less people on public assistance means less pressure on tax payers, a generation of people will be given their freedom to live anywhere and be able to support themselves in any economic condition. Food grown in the dome can be donated to food banks, senior centers, and sold at the farmer’s markets to support the overhead of the dome and training programs.

There are parts of this project I have not fully thought out as of yet and things I’ve not even thought to consider however I welcome any and all help in fleshing out this project to completion.

If we give a hand up and give them the tools to depend upon themselves they will in turn pass those skills down to others, many Americans don’t have these basic skills anymore, skills that were prevalent in the early 20th century.