People producing their own high-quality and diverse food is a path to increasing health, biodiversity, and individual and global food security. As part of One Community’s self-replicating and self-sufficient teacher/demonstration communities, villages, and cities and open source botanical garden models, we also see this as a solution to world hunger. This page is the open source portal to all the components necessary to create this. It contains the following sections related to the Highest Good food® Infrastructure:
NOTE: THIS PAGE IS NOT CONSIDERED BY US TO BE A COMPLETE AND USABLE TUTORIAL UNTIL
WE FINISH OUR OWN CONSTRUCTION OF THIS COMPONENT, CONFIRM ALL THE DETAILS, AND ADD
TO THIS PAGE ALL THE RELATED VIDEOS, EXPERIENCE, AND OTHER UPDATES FROM THAT BUILD.
IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN HELP US COMPLETE IT ALL SOONER WITH THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:
INPUT & FEEDBACK | JOIN OUR TEAM | HELP US BUY THE PROPERTY
We consider Highest Good food to be maximally nutritious, maximally bio-diverse, fresh, duplicable, space and resource efficient, ecologically and individually healthy food that is far superior to anything found in a typical grocery store. We are approaching this so it caters to vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. We are also integrating it with One Community’s open source and earth-regenerative botanical garden model. This will provide a foundation for those interested in joining and helping build a global cooperative of people specifically studying, preserving, sharing, and evolving plant species for The Highest Good of All.
Some of the key features and intentions of the One Community Phase I food infrastructure include:
Some of the key features and intentions of the One Community Phase II food infrastructure include:
One Community’s Highest Good food designs demonstrate what truly ethical and carefully planned land stewardship is capable of. This is foundational to our strategy for global change methodology and an evolution of sustainability that integrates this food component with the 7 sustainable village models and open source Duplicable City Center. The ultimate result of this will be holistic living models demonstrating sustainable production of food with unparalleled nutrition and diversity. It will provide enough volume and variety to feed all of One Community and our visitors. Additional benefits and reasons we have for doing this are:
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Highest Good food is an approach to global transformation through open source and free-sharing how to grow food that is maximally nutritious, maximally bio-diverse, fresh, space and resource efficient, ecologically and individually healthy, and far beyond anything found in a typical grocery store. The following sections will evolve and expand indefinitely with open source content that covers all aspects needed for duplicating of One Community’s food infrastructure. This can be done in part or as a whole and includes the following areas and open source resources to facilitate the process:
In accordance with our botanical garden model and our for The Highest Good of All philosophy we will demonstrate what truly ethical and carefully planned land stewardship is capable of. The ultimate result of this will be sustainable production of unparalleled nutrition and diversity capable of providing enough volume and variety to feed all of One Community and our visitors. Even with traditional methods one person working full-time on food production can produce enough food to feed 30; with aquaponics that same person can produce enough food to feed 300.
Our goal when arriving on the property is to immediately start large-scale gardening and building ultra-affordable, easy, and fast to construct hoop houses. We will build enough hoop houses and plant enough food to make ourselves about 70% food self-sufficient within the first year. Combining this with raising goats, chickens, and rabbits will provide sufficient food to feed 100+ people by the end of the second year. Until we are successfully producing enough food to sustain ourselves, we will be using our Transition Food Self-sufficiency Plan and buying it from local producers and suppliers with the goal of supporting sustainable and ethical practices.
Phase IV food production will include building the walipini and aquaponics food farms that will provide even more food diversity and volume. Once we start building these structures, the first two are estimated to take no more than 6 months to build and test and another 2-3 months or so to be producing food. All six structures should be able to be completed within 1-2 years.
Click Here for the Rollout Details and Timelines for All Phases and Components
Here are some great videos showing both what is possible and why you might want to care:
One Community wants to help people to grow their own high quality and diverse food. We believe if we can make this easy enough, affordable enough, and attractive enough, it will provide a clear path to increasing health, biodiversity, and individual and global food security. It also has the potential to revolutionize the way people look at and interact with the food they eat. As part of our self-replicating and self-sufficient teacher/demonstration communities, villages, and cities model, this could also address world hunger.
Q: I thought you were 100% open source, why is “Highest Good Food” a registered trademark?
To understand this, please read our Copyrights, Trademarks, Patents and Using them to Support Open Source and Free-sharing page.
Q: Is One Community going to be a vegetarian community?
The One Community team consists of vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. In accordance with our philosophy for The Highest Good of All we are maintaining a non-idealogical approach to food choices. That said, also in accordance with this philosophy, we will only support and consume food items that are ethically and sustainably raised, managed, and produced. The consensus process will be used to decide the evolution of the One Community food plan.
Q: I’m an omnivore or vegan, what if I don’t want to eat a vegan or omnivore diet?
The complete food self-sufficiency transition plan is designed to meet the needs of all dietary preferences through:
In this way all dietary preferences can be provided, any sacrifices are shared in alternating weeks, and groups completely preferring vegan or omnivore options have clear menus they can follow for both choices.
Q: How do you intend to produce spices, mill grain for flour, cooking oil, etc. etc.
To us, “100% food sustainability” means we will demonstrate and open source share a model that doesn’t need external food sources. Having achieved this, what we produce internally versus choosing to buy will be decided through the consensus process.
Q: What is One Community’s stance on pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides?
If it is not safe to eat, we will not be spraying it on our food. Here’s a video we feel is helpful in understanding why:
Q: Can people choose not to eat in the group dining hall?
Yes, the Duplicable City Center will provide group dining space and the kitchen, where people choose to eat is up to the individual.
Q: Would we be allowed to have a hot plate stove (single burner)/microwave/toaster oven in our private residence if we wished to cook apart from the rest of the community from time to time?
Yes, people can supply their individual residences with these items if they want to.
Q: Do you plan to raise cows or other large grazing animals for milk or food.
Probably not due to the sustainability issues with this approach to food. This could however change if agreed upon through the consensus process.
Q: What if I want something that isn’t on the community menu?
The community menu will be agreed upon through the consensus process. If a person wanted something not included on that menu, then they would be welcome to purchase and provide it for themselves.
Q: What if you are unable to meet your timelines for food self-sustainability?
We have funds built into our business plan to provide food for an additional year if necessary.
Q: I’m vegetarian/vegan, would I have to participate in any part of the process or raising animals for food and/or eating/cooking them?
No, if you aren’t eating the food item, you would not have to participate in any aspect of One Community’s food diversity that didn’t agree with your personal beliefs and preferences.
Q: The aquapini and walipini structures are closed-loop systems, will you be supplementing those with CO2 to improve plant growth?
Based on the research we did, we believe that we should not be concerned about the CO2 levels in our growing structures. The CO2 generated by the decomposition of organic material within these structures, from the plants themselves at night, people working in and visiting the structures, and from outside when people enter and exit will be sufficient. Recent research also showed that excessive CO2 can actually be detrimental to the nutritional value of plants. Intentional increases to 1500 ppm (for production increases of 30%) can be created by various means but this extra CO2 decreases levels of key nutrients while also creating excess carbohydrate/sugar content. This results over the long run in plants becoming more like junk food than the nutritions foundations of a healthy diet they are meant to be.
Q: What sets One Community apart from similar projects?
One Community's open source project-launch blueprinting strategy and the fact that we are open sourcing and addressing ALL elements of society simultaneously are a combination unique to our organization. Together, these will help others duplicate what we do and create self-propagating teacher/demonstration communities, villages, and cities capable of positively impacting every single person on this planet within one generation.
Q: What sets One Community's open source goals apart from similar projects?
To our knowledge, no other project exists that is providing the comprehensive nature and detail of everything we are open source project-launch blueprinting.
Q: What is the specific One Community short-term goal?
Q: What is the ultimate One Community long-term goal?
To transform our world into a sustainable and happier one through teacher/demonstration communities, villages, and cities to be built all over the world. We will work with these hubs as our open source partners and fellow leaders of the open source, Highest Good of All, and sustainable planet movement leading to a New Golden Age of cooperation, collaboration, innovation, creativity, sustainable living, and increased happiness for the entire human organism.
Q: How are you funding One Community?
We are still seeking funding. Please see our Funding Related Details Page.
Q: Where will One Community be located and why?
Click HERE for property details that include why we have chosen the location we have.
Q: How far is One Community in the creation process?
Visit our progress page for a regularly updated list of our accomplishments and progress. Visit our blog for our on-going mini-updates and weekly summaries of accomplishments and progress.
Q: Why not just build a small-scale prototype home or community that includes a minimum-scale revenue-generating demonstration/operation? Wouldn't this get things going faster?
This small-scale operation already exists as Airbnb. What we see as missing is a complete model for self-sufficiency that is open source and reasonably replicable. Even complete models for self-sufficiency already exist in the form of the many eco-villages out there. What none of those offer though is any sort of understanding and/or path for how average people can replicate them. We also think there isn't enough of a compelling reason for most people to bother with changing how they live now to engage such a path/project, so our project is purposed to provide and demonstrate that too.
From a total global-change perspective though, we think it is even more important to create a permanent example:
This is why the intended property, village models, social architecture and economic focuses are all big. To support faster and broader implementation, we are also developing everything so it is modular and implementable as individual components. This will allow for anyone who doesn't desire the full teacher/demonstration hub approach to have options too, but our primary goal is to demonstrate the complete teacher/demonstration hub as easy enough, affordable enough, and attractive enough for average people with average means to want to replicate it and/or use what we provide to build their own version.
Q: If you are giving everything away through open source, how do you intend to make money?
Our model is designed to prosper specifically because we are giving everything away through open source project-launch blueprinting. We accomplish this through eco-tourism marketed with the open source infrastructure we have already created and other supported revenue streams outlined on our revenue streams page. All of this further promotes our model of spreading sustainability and actively promoting and distributing even more open source blueprints for duplication by as many people as possible.
Q: How will this help people in Third World countries and other areas that need resources most?
Using the four-phase strategy above, we wish to demonstrate building a teacher/demonstration community, village, and/or city as profitable for large investors and/or a way for small groups of people to pool what resources they have and get out of debt. We see this spreading and bringing resources to the areas that need them most because building these villages in these areas will be more affordable and easier to do with less building restrictions.
Q: How do you stop the model from being totally capitalized without the positive intent of the original model?
We are not focused on putting limitations on the use of everything we are creating because of our open source commitment. We will, however, directly support any organization contributing specifically to open source project-launch blueprinting and operating for The Highest Good of All.
Q: Where would I find a more detailed description of how this works?
Please visit our About Us page, Methodology page, and Site Map for more comprehensive descriptions and links to complete details for every aspect of One Community.
Q: What about safety?
We consider a community of 500 people with shared goals and vision more safe than current living models. We think even a group of 50 people working together can handle any reasonable challenge.
One of the main goals of One Community Global and Highest Good food is to provide easily accessible resources pertaining to healthy, affordable, and sustainable food systems. To grow and share these resources, One Community aims to make our ideas and goals transferable to all kinds of groups and organizations. Highest Good food mainly focuses on large-scale plans, such as our large-scale gardening plan or our large-scale soil amendment strategy, however, these plans can be scaled to meet the needs of other groups too. Some examples of these small-scale groups include schools, non-profits, community organizations, and businesses. The goal of this section is to help guide small-scale organizations looking to benefit the environment in integrating a community-based program like One Community’s Highest Good Food Program. We discuss this with the following sections:
One Community’s Highest Good food aims to provide nutritious, bio-diverse foods for the community through ethically-planned land stewardship. One of the key features of Highest Good food is a large-scale garden intended to feed over 100 people. Although this garden plan operates on a large scale, it is able to be scaled down to a smaller level that has the ability to support communities, neighborhoods, local organizations, and companies. Not only will incorporating a Highest Good food program benefit your organization by providing food, social and emotional wellness, and supporting community ties, but it will also promote the idea of sustainability and permaculture.
Permaculture is the main design focus of One Community’s Highest Good food gardening plan; permaculture encompasses the design of efficient and sustainable human settlements and systems while preserving and extending our natural environment. In these small-scale organizations, permaculture will be the underlying concept that drives the Highest Good food “programs”, creating opportunities for small communities to support their local environment, as well as benefit their community members. Throughout this page, we will describe how to incorporate Highest Good food into small-scale organizations, customizing the food programs based on each organization, their goals, and their needs.
Four of the biggest benefits of implementing a Highest Good food program into your small-scale organization are how these programs can promote sustainability, community building, education, and permaculture. As stated earlier, permaculture is the idea of producing food while understanding how to care for the Earth. Caring for our Earth is a very complex concept, however, we can all contribute to benefitting our environment through practicing permaculture in our small-scale organizations. Not only will practicing permaculture benefit our Earth, but it will also benefit our communities; below we will describe the biggest benefits the Highest Good food Infrastructure can bring to your organization.
Sustainability is defined by One Community as the coexistence of humanity with nature and each other that can last indefinitely. The Highest Good food infrastructure drives sustainability through producing maximally nutritious and diverse food that benefits both the consumer, as well as the environment. Sustainable gardening benefits the broader environment in a variety of ways. Growing a variety of plants in your garden or food program promotes resilience in the landscape and the interconnectedness of organisms, leading to decreased use of pesticides and pollutants, increased positive natural interactions, and healthier soil composition.
While creating all of these benefits and more for the environment, your program will also benefit the community. Your garden or food program can provide fruits and vegetables to the community that are nutrient-dense, easily accessible, and affordable, as well as provide a space for your community to connect with nature. Along with these benefits, the local environment is also positively impacted, as your community’s carbon footprint can be reduced and your local biodiversity levels can increase. Integrating Highest Good food into your small-scale organization through creating a food program or garden can bring great sustainability benefits to your area and your community.
One of the goals of Highest Good food is to provide others with a foundation to build a cooperative of people who are passionate about growing, maintaining, and studying plants and nature. Food programs or gardens for your organization can strengthen your community by providing an open space for community members from all different backgrounds to meet one another and bond over their passion for community growth and development. Members of the community will be empowered to design, build, and maintain this new communal space, as well as create garden plans which can provide nutritious food and natural beauty to your area.
As your Highest Good food program grows, so will the relationships and connections made between community members, driving a positive ecological change within your organization. One great model of how permaculture and natural spaces can bring a community together is the City Repair Project, which focuses on transforming unused public spaces into eco-friendly, community-building hubs; we will speak more on this project later on in this page as well. Overall, incorporating a Highest Good food-based program into your neighborhood or community can bring amazing benefits to community members and their relationships.
Developing a Highest Good food program in your small-scale organization can also drive significant educational benefits to your community. A food program or garden will help community members learn more about natural scientific processes and develop a better understanding of the environment, as well as ignite their sense of curiosity and self-understanding. A food program will provide a space for community members to work hands-on with nature, observing and working with plants from seed to fruit. Food programs and gardens provide an opportunity for community members to collaborate with friends, family, and neighbors in order to create a healthy and beautiful natural space. This will encourage members’ knowledge of biological processes and the interactions that occur between organisms to create a thriving ecosystem.
Creating a Highest Good food program will also encourage curiosity amongst the members of your community. Community members will work closely with your food program and learn more about plant growth and production, leading to further questions and inquiry. Curiosity goes hand-in-hand with education, as it motivates individuals to explore new ideas and encourages problem-solving skills. A food program in your small-scale organization can also, especially in younger members of your community, ignite a sense of self-understanding. Working alongside others in the garden and spending time in nature will increase the interpersonal skills, cooperative skills, and emotional intelligence of community members of all ages.
Highest Good food is structured around permaculture, an approach to land management and agriculture that focuses on the sustainable balance between people and nature. Your food program or garden will also be focused around the idea of permaculture and the many environmental and social benefits it carries. Integrating a food program or garden based around permaculture will lead you to these environmental and social benefits by understanding and implementing the permaculture principles. These twelve principles of permaculture are not rules, but a method of identifying, planning, and evolving ecological design solutions. Learn more about these design principles on One Community’s Open Source and DIY Permaculture Design page.
Effectively practicing permaculture will reduce soil erosion, promote biodiversity, minimize water usage, decrease pollution, and encourage carbon sequestration. These environmental benefits are promoted through conscious care of the land and protecting our life-giving elements – such as soil, water, air, plants, and pollinators. Socially, permaculture can strengthen community bonds, create educational opportunities, increase food security, and encourage healthier lifestyles. By connecting with and nurturing nature, communities will be able to acquire these benefits all while sustaining the environment.
Integrating food programs into small-scale organizations has benefits that go far beyond the four primary areas we spoke about above. Additional benefits of implementing a Highest Good food program would include the reduction of food waste, improvement of company culture, health benefits, positive environmental expansion, ecosystem stability, and biodiversity growth. An important aspect of your Highest Good food program that goes hand-in-hand with the benefits it may bring, is the purpose of your program. There are various reasons for starting a food program; your program can provide food for your community, increase community involvement, and be a place for your community to learn.
Understanding the benefits of a Highest Good food program can help you determine the purpose of your program and can give you insight on how you want your program to impact your community. Listed below are some examples of how gardens and food programs have benefitted some small-scale organizations, including schools, neighborhood communities, and businesses, as well as some of the possible purposes of these programs.
Incorporating a Highest Good food program into your school community could bring a variety of benefits to the students and the school as a whole. Whether your school food program aims to grow produce for the community or the student lunch program, aims to create a gardening club or culinary program, or aims to educate students and staff about biological and environmental science, your school garden will bring great benefits to everyone involved. Over 7,000 schools across the United States have incorporated a garden program into their curriculum, displaying the great benefits that outdoor education can bring.
School gardens have significant benefits for students, growing students’ personal and academic success during their time in school, as well as in their future. Below is a list of the ways that school gardens can have a positive impact on the students:
School gardens offer numerous educational benefits, helping students engage more deeply with their studies through hands-on experiences such as:
School gardens will give students the opportunity to interact with fellow students, volunteers, and teachers. These interactions can help develop important social and communication skills, such as:
Spending time outside in a school garden setting encourages students to develop a meaningful connection with nature. This connection supports the development of healthy lifestyle habits and environmental awareness through:
Incorporating a Highest Good food program into your school will bring all of these great benefits and more to the students. School gardens and food programs introduce a world of opportunities to students, including the opportunity to further their knowledge about sustainable gardening, the opportunity to develop a love for incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into their diets, or the opportunity to create a friendship in the garden that will last a lifetime. Overall, implementing a food program or garden into your school will bring the benefits of sustainability, community building, educational advancement, and permaculture, as well as the benefits of student success and personal growth.
Starting a Highest Good food program at your school will not only benefit the students, but it will also give back to the school itself. Food programs and school gardens can improve the school’s accreditation, create a positive school community, and develop a variety of future opportunities for your school. View a detailed list of these benefits below:
Students who participate in both garden-based and traditional classroom-based science activities tend to experience greater academic success. These educational benefits can positively influence the school community by:
Produce from the garden can be incorporated into the school lunch program as new, nutritious ingredients
Fresh produce can also benefit the school through lowering the cost of school lunches; fresh fruits and vegetables are relatively more expensive and challenging for schools to obtain
Your school can raise money through the sale of surplus crops; unused crops can be sold to students’ families, staff, and local community members. Ways to do this include:
Your school garden can support or inspire a culinary or agriculture program while providing hands-on learning experiences for students:
Creating a school garden or food program will not only impact the lives of the students, staff, and members involved, but it will also impact the school as a whole. The benefits listed above are only a few examples of how implementing a Highest Good food program can create change in your school community. Incorporating permaculture through the integration of Highest Good food in your school can show students, parents, staff, and volunteers how we, as humans, can build a mutually beneficial relationship with the natural environment. As students, staff, and garden volunteers work in the garden, they will develop better social skills, create positive relationships, and gain knowledge, while the local environment will benefit from increased biodiversity, heightened ecological interactions, and improved soil health. Overall, starting a school garden or food program can greatly benefit the students, the school, and the local environment.
Community gardens and food programs are another way that Highest Good food can be integrated into small-scale organizations. Gardens that are developed within a small community, such as a city, neighborhood, or town, can provide great benefits to the individuals of the community, the community as a whole, and the environment.
Integrating a Highest Good food program into your community will have incredible benefits on the individuals involved. Below is a detailed list of the great benefits that a community garden can have on the members of the community:
A community garden or food program will give community members an opportunity to get outside and get active
Gardens boost mental health and relaxation
Community gardens provide individuals with the opportunity to meet fellow members of their community. These shared spaces offer social and emotional benefits such as:
Hands-on gardening can serve as an educational experience for community members, offering valuable knowledge and skill-building opportunities such as:
Incorporating a Highest Good food program in your local community can bring all of these great benefits to neighbors, families, and individuals in your area. Community members who are involved in the garden will be able to experience the positivity and growth that evolves in the garden. When working in the garden, community members will be able to improve their physical and mental health, expand their social and emotional wellbeing, and develop skills that will last a lifetime. All of these benefits and more will not only impact the individuals, but will also create change in your community as a whole.
Incorporating a Highest Good food program in your neighborhood can also have incredible benefits to your whole community. From strengthening community ties to benefitting your local environment, a community garden can impact your neighborhood in a number of ways. See below to view a detailed list of these benefits:
A Highest Good food program can help strengthen community ties and create a sense of unity and pride within neighborhoods:
Starting a Highest Good food program in your neighborhood can improve food security by increasing access to fresh foods. This can be supported by:
Increased Biodiversity
Promotion of Permaculture
Reduction of Waste
Reduction of Transport Emissions
Overall, a Highest Good food program will greatly benefit your community by positively impacting individuals’ happiness, community relationships, and the local environment. A garden or food program will bring neighbors and volunteers together to create a space for community growth and development. Along with introducing new friendships and community relationships, a neighborhood garden or food program will also introduce many benefits to the local environment through increasing biodiversity, reducing waste and emissions, and promoting permaculture.
Gardens and food programs that follow the Highest Good food plan can also be implemented in the corporate or company setting. Corporate gardening can greatly benefit the individuals involved, as well as the company as whole, as it provides a community space where friendships can be fostered, knowledge can be gained, and local food can be provided. Find more information below about the benefits of corporate gardens.
Corporate gardens and green spaces can have a number of benefits for employees and office workers, including the improvement of emotional wellbeing, social relationships, and physical health. Below is a more detailed list of these benefits:
Creating an office garden can give workers the opportunity to spend time with nature, separate from the office. Spending time in natural, green areas improves mental health in several ways:
The benefits listed above will also play a role in job performance, helping employees thrive through:
Company gardens create space for meaningful interactions and stronger workplace relationships through:
Corporate gardens promote better physical health by offering convenient wellness opportunities such as:
Developing a Highest Good food program in your company will have an amazing impact on the individuals in the workplace. A green space in the office will give employees a place to unwind, re-energize, and grow workplace relationships. Not only will the individuals in the workplace gain benefits from a corporate garden, but the workplace as a whole will also experience the positivity that can develop from an office green space.
Integrating a corporate garden in your offices also benefits your company as a whole, improving overall company culture through increasing team collaboration, building workplace culture, and boosting support for sustainability initiatives. View a more detailed list of the benefits below:
An office green space can help teams bond and collaborate more effectively. This can be encouraged through:
Office green spaces support a healthier and more uplifting workplace environment. Benefits include:
Workplace gardens play a key role in raising environmental awareness and supporting sustainable practices by:
Integrating a Highest Good food program into your company will provide great benefits to individuals in the workplace, as well as the workplace as a whole. A corporate garden or green space will create opportunities for individuals, as well as team, growth and development. Not only will this space be a place for relaxation and calmness for individuals, but it will also be a space for team collaboration, communication, and success. Along with this, a company garden will be an opportunity to promote sustainability and permaculture in the workplace. Overall, a Highest Good food program can introduce great benefits and opportunities to your company
The Highest Good food infrastructure can be implemented into all of these small-scale organizations, providing benefits to everyone involved. See One Community’s large-scale gardening plan to view more information about the benefits of these programs. These next sections will provide a brief outline on how to begin integrating these programs into your small-scale organization.
Incorporating the Highest Good food plan into small-scale organizations will greatly benefit the individuals, the organization, and the local environment. Along with this, a Highest Good food program will also increase your community’s environmental awareness and support for sustainability. Below is a brief overview of the three main steps that every organization will have to take to develop a Highest Good food program:
In the section below, we will go further into detail about how to implement Highest Good food into your small-scale organization. The steps listed in this section are an outline meant to be a guide in the implementation of Highest Good food and can be altered to suit your organization’s needs.
After understanding the Highest Good food Plan and considering all of the necessary factors to start your food program, your next step would be to begin the implementation process. Below we will outline how to implement the Highest Good food Plan into your small-scale organizations, detailing how to begin the implementation process, then go further into detail based on the purpose and goals of your program.
What follows are some guidelines on how to integrate the Highest Good food plan into your small-scale organization.
If your organization is looking to start a school garden, form a garden committee. These individuals will be the main decision-makers for your school garden. The garden committee should consist of 5+ members including students, teaching staff, parents, community volunteers, and school administrators. The purpose of the garden committee is to make decisions about the purpose, development, maintenance, and future growth of the garden.
School gardens can be established for a variety of reasons. These purposes will be discussed further throughout this section; implementation steps may differ depending on the goals of your program. Our suggestions include the following:
There are various methods that your school committee can consider when determining how to fundraise or seek donations for your school garden. These methods include:
There are various things to consider when determining your garden plot; the following questions can be used to narrow down your options:
One of the biggest aspects to consider when choosing your garden plot is the soil; the following bullets can help guide you on soil considerations
One of the main goals of a school garden is to encourage learning in the students, therefore, the crops you plan to grow in your garden should encourage new experiences and learning opportunities; below is a list of some of the characteristics that you may seek in your school gardens’ crops:
Below are other considerations that should be taken into account when determining what plants to grow in your school garden:
If the purpose of your school garden is to provide fresh produce for school families, the community, school staff, or the school lunch program, you may want to grow plants that primarily produce fruits and vegetables
Here are some questions you may want to ask the garden committee when designing your site:
After deciding all of the elements that you want in your school garden, begin to plan out garden designs; Earth Easy has a few sample designs that can can be beneficial when starting your design process
One of the first steps to consider when building your garden is your irrigation method. The following resources can help you begin:
If your organization has an established school garden, culinary program, or agriculture program, a food forest may be a beneficial addition to your school; here is how to implement a food forest:
Similar to a school garden, start by gathering a gardening committee of 5-10 people who will be the initial decision-makers for your food forest
With your food forest committee, determine the purpose or goals of your program
Similar to fundraising for a school garden through the examples listed above, your food forest committee can fundraise and seek donations to help start and maintain your program
When planning your food forest, selecting an appropriate area is an important first step. Consider the following:
Soil quality plays a major role in the success of your food forest. Keep in mind:
Explore local gardens, forests, or parks to determine the types of plants that thrive in your area
Planning the layout of your food forest is essential for building a balanced and self-sustaining system. Consider the following:
Once your site is prepared, it’s time to begin planting and taking care of your food forest:
Once your site is ready, begin planting and caring for your food forest by taking the following steps:
If your organization is looking to start a community garden:
Gather neighbors and community members who are interested in a community garden and form a garden club.
Discuss funding and donations to start and maintain your community garden
Securing the right location is a key first step in starting a successful community garden. Begin by:
Deciding what to grow in your garden relies on the purpose your community garden:
Here are some considerations to keep in mind:
Here are some common crops to plant in your community garden and the temperature they thrive best in:
Begin by meeting with members in the garden committee who are interested or experienced in landscape/garden design to start mapping out the layout of your garden.
Here are a few basic elements that may be included in your garden:
Other features that may be beneficial for your community garden include the following: a bench or picnic table, a sign with your community garden’s name and contact information, a shared composting area, a water fountain, and a meeting area.
Once your garden is built and ready, follow these simple steps to begin planting successfully:
If your organization is looking to start a corporate or company garden:
Discuss the idea of a corporate garden with colleagues and management to determine if a garden or wellness center would be beneficial and appreciated in your workplace
Determine the purpose of your garden; what type of garden would be most beneficial for people in your workplace?
When planning a corporate garden, consider the following factors for selecting a suitable location:
The plants you choose for your corporate garden should reflect its purpose and how it will be used:
After your location and plants have been decided, it is time to start mapping out and building your garden
To ensure the success of your garden, make a plan for how it will be maintained:
Once everything is ready, it’s time to bring your garden to life:
One Community’s overarching goal is to open-source our resources and make them easily accessible to the public, giving communities the ability to grow more sustainable together. One major aspect of ensuring that our information and resources are accessible and replicable is the affordability of our projects. Below is a general cost analysis of One Community’s large-scale garden plan, adjusted to meet the requirements of a small organization or community. Depending on the purpose and goals of your specific organization, the information below will give you a general idea of the cost of starting a Highest Good Food Program.
If your organization is looking to start a school garden or food forest:
Most likely, your school will have an open plot of land for you to construct your garden or food forest on
Soil Analysis:
Land/Soil Prep Tools and Materials:
If your school plans to install raised garden beds, consider the following costs:
Estimate your planting costs based on what and how much you plan to grow:
Investing in good gardening tools is key to maintaining your space:
Drip irrigation and soaker hoses, which are most common for school gardens, will usually cost around $100 – $500, depending on the size and water accessibility of your garden
Initial setup costs for your school garden may include the following:
Annual maintenance and staffing costs may include:
If your organization is looking to start a community garden to feed others:
Land for a community garden may be available at little to no cost, but sometimes leasing may be necessary:
Soil Analysis:
Land/ Soil Prep Tools and Materials:
Consider the following low-cost options when preparing your garden:
Seeds for most vegetables cost around $3 to $5 per packet
Hand Tools:
Consider the following options for watering your community garden:
Your community garden will most likely need a shed for storing all of your gardening tools; sheds can cost from $120 to $1200, depending on the size, durability, and permanence of your shed
Factor in yearly upkeep when budgeting for your garden:
If your organization is looking to start a corporate or company garden:
Most likely, if your company would like to start a corporate garden, the land will be on-site and available at no cost
Soil Analysis
Land/Soil Prep Tools and Materials:
If your company plans to install raised garden beds, consider the following:
Plan for basic planting expenses based on space and planting frequency:
Initial tool investment is important for ongoing garden success:
Drip irrigation and soaker hoses, which are most common for school gardens, will usually cost around $100 – $500, depending on the size and water accessibility of your garden
Labor is a significant factor when budgeting for your corporate garden:
Plan for additional long-term sustainability and liability expenses:
These cost analyses aim to give you a general idea of the price of integrating a Highest Good Food Program in your small-scale organization. It is important to note that these prices may vary depending on the circumstances of your organization and area, as well as the goals of your garden.
Once on the property, One Community will open source the complete process of the implementation of our large-scale gardening plan and all resources and information used to integrate a Highest Good Food Program into our property. We will do this for everything we feel will be helpful for those smaller-scale organizations replicating our systems. Upcoming resources will include:
The Highest Good food Infrastructure is built around the concept of people producing high-quality, diverse food in order to increase health, biodiversity, and food security. As the overarching goal of One Community Global is to open-source sustainability resources, we believe that One Community’s Large-scale Gardening plan should be accessible to all, no matter how large or small the organization. With our resources, a strong plan, and a passion for permaculture, your small-scale organization can implement a Highest Good food program that will bring benefits to your community and everyone involved.
Adam Weiss: Kitchen Operations Project Manager
Aly Shannon: Food & Nutrition Project Consultant and Creative Director & Co-Owner of Roots of Medicine
Ana Flavia Almeida: Architecture and Urban Planning Student
Anna Cheal: Culinary Nutritionist
Avery Ellis: Aquaponics Specialist and owner/operator of Integrated Aquaponics
Bear Stauss: Horticulturalist and Landscape Design/Recreation Area Management Specialist
Benjamin Sessions: Strategic Sales and Real Estate Development Entrepreneur and Food Connoisseur
Brian Storz: Culinary Project Manager
Bupesh Seethala: Architectural Drafter & Designer, BS Electrical Engineering (BupeshSeethala.com)
Charles McLean: Architecture & Urban Agriculture Designer, Professor, and owner of OM Greengroup
Chelsea Mariah Stellmach: Project Manager
David Sweet: Architect (DSweet.biz)
Dirgh Patel: Volunteer Mechanical Engineer
Douglas Simms Stenhouse: Architect and Water Color Artist (see: transparentwatercolor.com)
Gregory Quach: Data Enterer for Chef/Culinary
Hakan Sabol: Certified Permaculture Designer, Wed Designer, Graphic Designer, and Video Editor
Hayley Rosario: Sustainability Research Assistant
Jae Sabol: Certified Permaculture Designer, Project Manager, and Holistic Health Professional
Jessica Fairbanks: Administrative Assistant
Julia Meaney: Web and Content Reviewer and Editor
Keerthi Reddy Gavinolla: Software Developer
Kim Braman: Apiary and Beekeeping Expert
Marilyn Nzegwu: Chef and Culinary Consultant
Maya Callahan: Sustainability Researcher
Olayinka “Yinka” Omole: Recipe Reviewer and Data Entry Assistant
Ron Payne: HVAC / Thermal Designer, Mechanical Engineer
Sandra Sellani: Business Author, Speaker, Consultant, and Vegan Chef
Sangam Stanczak: Environmental Engineer (Ph.D., P.E.)
Smit Bhoir: Data and Business Analyst
Tanmay Koparde: Industrial Engineer And Team Administrator
Tatyana Tertitsa: Organic Gardener, Natural Builder, and 3D SketchUp Designer
Yifei Zhu: Analyst and Researcher
Zdenek Jurik: P.E. Structural, Civil and Mechanical Engineer and founder of ABC Engineering
Ziqian Zheng – Architectural Designer and Drafter
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"In order to change an existing paradigm you do not struggle to try and change the problematic model.
You create a new model and make the old one obsolete. That, in essence, is the higher service to which we are all being called."
~ Buckminster Fuller ~
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