Good City Soil gives good deeds to others and loves doing it best

Full video of the event -

Geoffrey Rogers:

​My name is Geoffrey Rogers and I’m at the Good City Soil project in Rochester, New York.  Where they are giving away free soil and also educating people on how to actually garden and how to properly garden, helping them with the free soil here.  They are taking donations, but they are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts.

Chris Widmaier:

What we have here is the Good City Soil, we have the Good City Soil Project and what it is, is an attempt to get soil in the hands of city gardeners.  We saw a need where more people were gardening this summer and recognized if you’re going to garden your going to need soil, and there aren’t many places to find soil in the city at a price that everybody can afford.  So, we thought we would try a little experiment with sharing economy ideas, um where people are asked to contribute whatever they can for the soil they are taking.  But you know were, were mostly hoping to get soil in people’s hands so they can garden and, and along the way build communities.  We’ve met a lot of really great people and also improve our urban environment.   The more plants we have in the environment, ah the cooler the city is, the healthier people are by having food to eat and um more diverse our ecosystems are, which means their more resilient.  

Geoffrey Rogers:

​So, what inspired you to do this really?

Chris Widmaier:

So, I am.  I started up a business in this last year called the Green Collar Collaborations.  and the basic idea behind that is working together with different partners to do things that engage us with our environment, um collective action, and helps people do a little better jobs of systems thinking.  About how were all connected to each other and so this is just one project along that line.  Were we’re trying to just make our community and our environment better by working together.

Geoffrey Rogers:

Do you see yourself doing this in the future?  And what about the winter?  A lot of people have inside gardens, so would you be helping with that in a way or?

Chris Widmaier:

Yeah, so our…right now it’s just kind of in a pilot experimental phase, but we have been really excited by the response we’ve gotten.  We’ve almost 50 people come by in the 3 events we’ve had so far and.   So, what were talk, were thinking about the winter could be a time for composting, that were trying to make sure we give people healthy soil, ah that has nutrient rich so that the winter could be a time for composting or um, workshops and seminars, and maybe supporting people with their indoor gardening efforts as well.  

Male patron:

I’m glad because I was going to buy soil at the store and this looks like it is better soil than I would have got.  Ah, it was cheap, like it’s locally sourced.  

Geoffrey Rogers:

​Um, do you see yourself continuing to come here.  (inaudible).  The owner of this said he will continue doing this, so..

Male patron:

​Oh, to support the Soil Project?

Geoffrey Rogers:

​Yeah, to support

Male Patron:

Yeah, I think this is great!  I think if more people supported stuff like this, there would be more of it and we wouldn’t be so reliant on going to the store to buy stuff.  You know, you get it from your neighbor.  I think it’s a lot better.  

Geoffrey Rogers:

​They also partner with the South Wedge planning committee to actually get this done, here on Mount Hope Avenue.  They plan to do this in the winter, for people who have inside gardens, they plan to do this next year as well.  This is a beautiful event here that’s happening, a, a project that is happening as well.  He’s planning to extend it as well and continue on doing this and serving the community right here in Rochester, New York.  If you want to find out more information on this and find out future dates on when they will begiving a some more information and dirt away, you can on GSLShow.com/news.  My name is Geoffrey Rogers and I’m giving you Rochester news on GSL Show