Need seeds, pls
I just wanted to ask if you know of any special programs to help low income families start their first garden. Recently my husband got hurt at work and then lost his job a couple days later. I need to feed a family of 3 on a budget of $5 a day and need to grow a garden to supplement our food intake. With no income coming in we have no startup money for fruit and vegetables to get seeds or to buy seeds themselves. My family has been into gardening for many generations but are located halfway across the country so they cannot help... any information will be greatly appreciated.
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iragoodman
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rainbowgardener
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Good response from Marlingardener.
It does seem like if your husband was hurt on the job, he should be eligible for worker's compensation.
Your family may be halfway across the country, but if they are gardeners, it seems like the one thing they could easily help with is seeds. People around here mail seeds all the time. For the price of an envelope and a stamp you can put a bunch of seeds in the mail.
Mg is of course right about planting things in June in TX (what part of TX are you in?). But as she said you can start preparing your soil. Success in the garden depends on good soil. If you have a place ready, there are a few things you could plant now, mainly beans, eggplant, okra. By August there will be a lot more things you could plant for a fall crop.
It does seem like if your husband was hurt on the job, he should be eligible for worker's compensation.
Your family may be halfway across the country, but if they are gardeners, it seems like the one thing they could easily help with is seeds. People around here mail seeds all the time. For the price of an envelope and a stamp you can put a bunch of seeds in the mail.
Mg is of course right about planting things in June in TX (what part of TX are you in?). But as she said you can start preparing your soil. Success in the garden depends on good soil. If you have a place ready, there are a few things you could plant now, mainly beans, eggplant, okra. By August there will be a lot more things you could plant for a fall crop.
Fortunately there are several steps that you can take right now. Unfortunately I am a welfare mother right now, and while we've managed to make things better in the last few months I am still on a tight budget. I am on food assistance right now (Food stamps.) I also have my son on the WIC program. If you haven't heard of this program it is for Woman, Infants, and Children. If you have children 5 or under they will assist a little per child.
Now that I have mentioned both of those programs, in my area, there are farmers markets that cooperate with both programs. During the summer till October, I can double the worth of the amount that I am willing to spend at the market and WIC has different events that they hold where they will distribute coupons at the farmers markets for equivalents of cash that can be spent at different farmers markets. At my farmers markets, there are people that you could purchase fully grown plants for a decent price even using the funds from the cash assistance.
There is a program in my area that is called the angel food program that is run by a church. They will group together the fixings for a couple of meals and sell the group of food items for an extremely cheep price. I don't know if this is taking place in your area or not but the one in my area accepts food stamps.
On top of that, I network with a few ladies that I have worked with in the past and a few who my mom works will. I have never had to utilize a food pantry but if I did, I know of five in my area, and what days they would distribute food.
I know that I am in Michigan and you are in Texas but I hope that some of this information helps.
Now that I have mentioned both of those programs, in my area, there are farmers markets that cooperate with both programs. During the summer till October, I can double the worth of the amount that I am willing to spend at the market and WIC has different events that they hold where they will distribute coupons at the farmers markets for equivalents of cash that can be spent at different farmers markets. At my farmers markets, there are people that you could purchase fully grown plants for a decent price even using the funds from the cash assistance.
There is a program in my area that is called the angel food program that is run by a church. They will group together the fixings for a couple of meals and sell the group of food items for an extremely cheep price. I don't know if this is taking place in your area or not but the one in my area accepts food stamps.
On top of that, I network with a few ladies that I have worked with in the past and a few who my mom works will. I have never had to utilize a food pantry but if I did, I know of five in my area, and what days they would distribute food.
I know that I am in Michigan and you are in Texas but I hope that some of this information helps.