Accessible Signs

I now have a box on my front porch where you are welcome to drop by at any time and pick up one or more signs. I'd really like to see more signs up in our 'hoods for the most impact and visibility.

The address is centrally located at 1309 Singleton Avenue (~1 mile east of I 35, 1 block east of Chestnut/Pleasant Valley b/w 13th & 14th St). Close to downtown, UT, MLK.

If you're able to leave a donation for the cost of the sign ($3 more or less), there's a jar in the box for your offering. Feel free to take a few extra and share with your neighbors and friends. You can also print off smaller signs from this site and laminate. There is now a downloadable mini sign with 4 to a page that can be attached to bags or baskets.

Thanks to all for helping to spread the seeds of AccessibleVegetables!

AccessibleVegetables hits the markets

AccessibleVegetables will be humming at the Austin Downtown Farmer's Market this Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9 am - 1 pm. Come find out more about how to play, what a "pod" is, purchase yard signs, and color me accessible. If you're interested in volunteering, there are many ways to help including pod development, tabling at farmer's markets in other locations, technical help with the website, collecting stories for use in documentaries, and more.

AccessibleVegetables BIG! Moving, Art, Service, & Recycled Sale/Benefit

WHEN:  Sat. May 22    8:30 am - 1:30 pm (Rain date: Sat. May 29)

Where: 1309 Singleton Avenue  78702 (2 blks east of Chestnut b/w 13th & 14th St, ~ 1 mile east of I 35, near MLK.

HOW: Want to recycle or lighten your load? Do you have a few items of value ($50 or more, sorry space limitations) that you would like to say "sayonara" to? Are you a talented artist with a few items you'd like to display? Have some extra plants? 

Keep what you want and donate a portion to Accessible Vegetables. (See note at bottom of page for more info)

ANOTHER HOW: Do you have a wonderful service you'd like to donate? Housecleaning, gardening, yodeling classes, dog walking, editing, rapping? Businesses welcome. Know some kids who would like to set up a lemonade stand or bake cookies for a cause they believe in? 

Keep 50% of the value of your service or barter for another service, recycled item or piece of art.  Creative ideas welcome. Bring or mail your gift certificate (by or before 5/22) with clear, legible description of your service and monetary value. We'll either raffle, sell or share with folks who are donating their time or resources. 

EVERYONE:  Come on by and see what's selling for a good and accessible price or just come by and visit and find out more about AccessibleVegetables, how to be a POD, a cultivator, fertilizer, or a member of the POD development team. If you can donate time and help with this benefit, contact me @ 289-3225 by Thurs. 5/20. 

FOR SALE:  Zen style double futon frame with foam core futon (hardly used), Pier One Orbitz wicker chairs, Pottery Barn corner chair (sage, comfy), Mexican Pine Armoire, lighting, Panasonic 17" color TV, lots of low priced and free stuff, too. Remember, it's a moving sale!

SERVICES: Chair massage may be offered for $1 a minute. More info later.  

Please do not call for info about sale items. 

Come pick up and purchase AccessibleVegetables signs for your garden. Only $4 @ or $3 for 5 or more. Or come and find out more about AccessibleVegetables and how you can help seed this movement with global aspirations! 

PLEASE NOTE: All items may be dropped off Fri. 5/21 b/w 5:30 - 7:30 pm (exception: large or heavy items or more than 6 items...bring Sat after 8:00 am.  Items must be labeled in advance with a price tag & your initials. If you bring several items that require a table, you will need to bring a table to set up that may be shared with others. If your item is esp. large, call to preapprove before drop off or bring photos and description. 

All items that DO NOT sell must be picked up b/w 1:30-4 pm on Saturday. Call 289-3225 after 1:30 to find out if your item(s) or service sold. If you provided a service and it sold, come by before 4 to pick up your money or it will be donated to AccessibleVegetables. After 4 pm, your items will be left on the sidewalk for anyone to take. 

Look forward to seeing you on Sat. May 22nd! 

Accessible Vegetable Launch and Fundraiser--Sun. Mar. 14

Excited about the launch of AccessibleVegetables, Sun. March 14 from 1 - 4 pm. Ready to enlist pods, plants, seeds & pickers to help grow this movement.

HOW MANY BEANS: $5 + bottle o' spirits or...

$5 + yummer dish made with stuff from yer garden

BEANS GO TO: Profits will help create AccessibleVegetable garden spaces for elderly and special needs residents of east Austin.

WHERE: 1309 Singleton Avenue (near E. 12th & Chestnut)

Kindly RSVP by Mar. 13 with total peeps as the guest list is wide and long and space is limited, esp. if rain, sleet or snow make a guest appearance in mid March.

To pre order "How to Play Signs" (1 @ $4, 2-4 @ $3.50, 5+ @ $3) in advance, contact us at accessiblevegetables@gmail.com with the total # of signs. If you want to be an official "pod" for your hood, send your name and physical address if you'd like others to know how to find you.

SHARE THIS BLOG WISELY!

Date set for Official Launch of Accessible Vegetables

Save this date...Sun, Mar. 14 from 1 - 4, the official launch & fundraiser date for Accessible Vegetables. Gardeners, you who love to eat from gardens, peeps who want others to have access to fresh veggies and herbs, and the curious are all welcome.

AccessibleVegetable signs will be available for purchase. If you'd like to sign up to be a PEAPOD (sharing/selling signs to your friends, family and neighbors and/or creating an AccessibleVegetable area, we'll post your info/location or you can remain anonymous.

Order signs in advance of the launch party by contacting me directly (accessiblevegetable@gmail.com) with your name and number of signs. Signs will be ordered on March 2nd. The larger the order, cheapah da signs.

Let's build a strong foundation in Austin, Texas, so other cities and countries will take notice and help create a global movement that represents what health care reform is ALSO about.

PEAPODS needed in all 'hoods: EAST, SOUTH, WEST, NORTH AUSTIN & other states, islands and countries.

Be the first in your 'hood to be a POD.

TIME TO PUT THE SIGNS OUT

I've been searching online this afternoon for the best prices on corrugated plastic signs with wire stakes. (Kinko's charges $16 + tax for ONE sign and has no bulk ordering price.)

Kinko's will laminate an 8 x 11.5 sign for ~ $2 if you'd like to go this route.

Around March 2010, I will have 50 - 100 signs made for those of you who live in the Austin area. The cost should be under $8 including wire stakes. They'll be available at the launch/fundraiser on Sun. Mar. 14th. When I find the best price for signs, I'll post website info for purchasing durable signs at a reasonable cost so you can order for your community/group/local nursery to help and promote this movement.

Stay tuned for info on becoming a PEAPOD for your 'hood.

NEW!! Color Me Accessible pdfs for kids, 100 and younger, to color, laminate, post. (See Downloadable signs.)

Hope you're getting some great leafy greens coming up with this cooler, wet winter weather.

What's the buzz?

So, what's my inspiration for the Accessible Vegetables movement? I have to say that it happened accidently...or perhaps not. Last Spring I had extra butternut squash and zucchini squash seedlings. I ended up planting them by my driveway in a small area that was mostly xeriscaped with cactus, black canyon daisies, and fountain grass. I thought to myself, "If I plant them here, well, then anyone can take what they want" (with a small amount of concern). What quickly followed that thought was, "Oh, well, there will be plenty for bugs and people..if they want". A week later, I woke up and before I could think about my day, Accessible Vegetables floated into my mind stream. I shared the idea that morning with a friend. He loved it and encouraged me to promote the movement. With the rains in March and April, that Accessible Vegetable space produced a beautiful display of butternut and zucchini squash. I've been talking about Accessible Vegetables to friends, especially my gardening buddies, ever since.

I gave some thought to what would make this work and why I felt so strongly about putting it out there. The guidelines or "How to Play" seem easy and few...as long as people understand what the parameters are and enough folks participate, the movement will become larger than a few neighborhoods and possibly a global movement.

Imagine, if you will, taking a walk at the end of your work day and finding 3 or 4 neighbors with Accessible Vegetables ready for picking and part of your dinner? Or perhaps they've put out a bag of herbs, nuts, or fruit from another part of their yard?

If enough of us participate as pickers and growers, this movement WILL take hold; not only will it take hold, it will contribute to a greater sense of community with our neighbors, provide the freshest vegetables, herbs, fruit and nuts, improve our health, save unneccessary trips and gas to the grocery store and perhaps create a sense of shared abundance...with Mother Nature's help.

This movement will grow as people sign on and share this site with friends and family. Choose a part of your yard and start to grow vegetables and fruits; plant more than you will need this winter/spring and when your crops are coming to fruition, post your signs, put out your bags or baskets of Accessible Vegetables.

In March 2010, there will be an Accessible Vegetables Awareness and Fundraising Party, so stay tuned. And feel free to blog YOUR ideas about how you think communities and the global community can be impacted by this SIMPLE human movement.