thoughtsandtalks

Since 2006, City Mine(d) devote themselves to the issue of economic paradoxes in Brussels. Under the banner MICRONOMICS, they look for answers at the micro scale. They have brought together a wealth of micro-initiatives, who are actively building an urban micro-economy that is fair to those who take part in it and that is at the heart of the way our cities are shaped.
During the 2010 Micronomics festival, Klorofil, FoAM and OKNO join forces to spread the green virus in the city. In a collaborative action they organize seed-balling workshops, construct small vertical gardens and give all information on how to grow your own vegetables on the tiniest spaces in the city …
Interested to join us? The workshops start on May 1st at Micromarché, from 11:00 am.
Check the Micronomicsprogram here.

HOW TO MAKE SEEDBALLS? Seedballs consist of mixing one measure of seeds for next season’s crop with 3 measures of compost and 5 measures of red clay, and sometimes manure then formed into small balls. Much less seed is used than in conventional growing, resulting in fewer plants which are smaller but stronger with a higher yield. The technique is useful for seeding thin and compacted soils, and avoiding seed eaters. It is an ancient technique that was re-introduced by Masanobu Fukuoka, an advocate of natural farming.
Seedballs and seedbombing are perfect tools to put guerilla gardening into practice. Guerrilla gardening is political gardening, a form of direct action, primarily practiced by environmentalists. It is related to land rights, land reform, and permaculture. Activists squat an abandoned piece of land which they do not own to grow crops or plants. Guerrilla gardeners believe in re-considering land ownership in order to reclaim land from perceived neglect or misuse and assign a new purpose to it.

During 1 of tipping point’s Open Space Sessions, Maarten Roels and myself propose the topic: urban agriculture and urban walking. In following document you can read an overview of the points we discussed in our group : points of interest, obstacles, food as basis for change, walking the city and solutions. Conclusion : What will YOU do (the coming 6 months) to tacle climate change?

Download group O’s pdf and add your own solutions.
some more suggestions: download here
DAAD : Do And Act Differently

Above a selection of the tipping point Open Space topics.
Under: the award-winning BEE HOUSE by James Ennis.

The Bee House is a micro habitat encouraging daily interaction to promote and help the survival of diverse insects that are essential to our food production cycles. The flower puppets are ornamental seed-totems, providing ornamentation for a flower bed while awaiting germination.
The bee house, the seeds and their flowers are certified organic and have been studied and selected by a group of entomology researchers from the university of Bologna. Info: positiveflow.net.