Encouraging SFG

I lectured had a discusion yesterday with a plant shop owner in Va. Beach who was complaining he didn't have space for a veggie garden and lived on a slope going down to the river. I took him out into his own plant yard where he had approx 4x4 sturdy plant tables set up and asked him. how many of these could you set in your yard and still leave yard space. He said about 3. I said, you have the space for a very nice veggie garden, just build 8" high frames on top of 3 of these tables. Told him about Mel's book and directed him to Lowes to buy it. Then bought 2 bags of a lobster, kelp and forest fines compost from him, all the while telling him this was one of 5 to to in my garden and how hard I had been searching for a fifth kind. I even directed him to his competition about 3 miles up the road as a source of vermiculite.

Later I stopped in my local nursery and bought their last bag of vermiculite. I just found out last week that they sell it. I had been driving 45 miles to Va Beach to get it. They don't keep a bag on display, just have some in the back. The lady I was talking to was mentioning about how fast their stock was selling. Now, our local soil around here is very sandy loam, so tilth is not generally a problem, compost is the needed ingredient. So, I'm thinking a lot of people are building raised beds and are needing the vermiculite to fluff up the compost. Not saying they are SFgardeners, just thinking. So I start talking to her about the SFG method I use and how hard it is to find 5 composts and how I can get only 3 from her. Told her about finding a lobster/kelp blend in Va Beach and wished I could remember the name. She was interested enough to say she was going to look at her suppliers and see if she could find another type. She said if I was looking then others might be too. Too late for a big order from me as I have already filled my beds and have a compost bin and a worm bin started for replenishment, but hey, we spread the word when we can. But I may still still need to make a batch for pots and to add to a blend for replenishing my squares.

Kay

That's great Walshevak! Good for you! Spread the word when you can. We're changing the way people garden - one square at a time!

walshevak wrote:I lectured had a discusion yesterday with a plant shop owner in Va. Beach who was complaining he didn't have space for a veggie garden and lived on a slope going down to the river. I took him out into his own plant yard where he had approx 4x4 sturdy plant tables set up and asked him. how many of these could you set in your yard and still leave yard space. He said about 3. I said, you have the space for a very nice veggie garden, just build 8" high frames on top of 3 of these tables. Told him about Mel's book and directed him to Lowes to buy it. Then bought 2 bags of a lobster, kelp and forest fines compost from him, all the while telling him this was one of 5 to to in my garden and how hard I had been searching for a fifth kind. I even directed him to his competition about 3 miles up the road as a source of vermiculite.

Later I stopped in my local nursery and bought their last bag of vermiculite. I just found out last week that they sell it. I had been driving 45 miles to Va Beach to get it. They don't keep a bag on display, just have some in the back. The lady I was talking to was mentioning about how fast their stock was selling. Now, our local soil around here is very sandy loam, so tilth is not generally a problem, compost is the needed ingredient. So, I'm thinking a lot of people are building raised beds and are needing the vermiculite to fluff up the compost. Not saying they are SFgardeners, just thinking. So I start talking to her about the SFG method I use and how hard it is to find 5 composts and how I can get only 3 from her. Told her about finding a lobster/kelp blend in Va Beach and wished I could remember the name. She was interested enough to say she was going to look at her suppliers and see if she could find another type. She said if I was looking then others might be too. Too late for a big order from me as I have already filled my beds and have a compost bin and a worm bin started for replenishment, but hey, we spread the word when we can. But I may still still need to make a batch for pots and to add to a blend for replenishing my squares.

Kay

Kay - you've brilliant!

I wonder if we could brainstorm and come up with a 1-page write up that we could print out and hand to our local nurseries? This way after talking with them, we can hand them the paper so they have something to remind them what we discussed.

Do you think this would be better if it came from the SFG Foundation? I'm sure they'll invite us to download their tri-fold brochure, but I really think this should be directed SPECIFICALLY to the nurseries (or even big box store managers).

Is there a way to modify the foundation's brochure? It annoy's me to no end that Lowes sells the book, but not the ingredients here in my area.

Kay