Wim: Gardening with a disability
Foreword
No, normally we don't respond to requests to promote an initiative. But if the slogan of Moestuinweetjes is 'Everyone to the vegetable garden!', then this time we couldn't refuse. Wim wrote a column about it ...
Wim: Gardening with a disability
Yes, written in
bold letters, because everyone wants to do vegetable gardening, but it is not possible for everyone. I still remember that at the end of the 70s, at our allotment in Enschede,
boxes were made at height, so that people who used a wheelchair could also use the possibilities to grow some vegetables or strawberries themselves. This was a great solution for these people.
Now we all have limitations that make gardening difficult, we sometimes complain about things that make it so difficult. But there are also other limitations, not only the elderly, but also the young. As you regularly read about vegetable garden
boxes , on the balcony or at school or wherever, this is already a nice start to be able to enjoy this beautiful hobby at all ages: vegetable gardening.
Now I got the message that here in Enschede, my hometown, there are two ladies who have started a project about
“vegetable gardening with a disability” . Something to continue with, who or what are these people who started this wonderful idea?
These two ladies, named Marije Weeink and Marina Hirschler, are the founders of Groen & Wel, a local and social company in Enschede. Their great desire is to contribute to the well-being, health and awareness of people with and without disabilities. They do this by means of green experience, in which they have adapted a simple vegetable gardening method to various target groups.
Why?
Green experience is very important for everyone, young or old. A green environment relaxes, makes you happy, is beneficial for our body, increases our creativity, concentration and our sense of security. A vegetable garden connects, it is a place to meet each other, but also a place where you can go your own way. It is a place to learn, experience success or reminisce.
And finally, of course, it provides us with super healthy and tasty vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers!
What do these ladies have to offer?
First of all, a manual:
'Gardening with a disability'.
“Growing well-being with your own or shared vegetable garden”! Written from their experiences in elderly care, care for the disabled and mental health care. With this book they want to make it possible for everyone to get started with greenery, in care, the neighborhood and at home. Suitable for various target groups themselves and surrounding supervisors. They provide lectures on location where they give larger groups of people insight into how they can use the well-being enhancing character of the vegetable garden for the benefit of a specific target group. So everything is possible, for both private individuals and for projects in the neighborhood and institutions and residential forms in care!
Working in the square meter vegetable garden is extremely simple and enjoyable for both young and old! They have successfully worked with this form of gardening in various projects with demented and somatic elderly, young people with physical and mental disabilities, young adults with a mental disability and children from the neighborhood.
Manual for the target group itself and potential supervisors, volunteers or informal caregivers:
With the manual, everyone is able to gradually master the principles of gardening in a square meter vegetable garden. The book provides insight into the positive effects of green experience and the health-promoting effect of vegetables and herbs, but also focuses on the various personal needs and how to meet them.
For example, think of the possibility to enjoy passively or actively, to stimulate the senses, to recall memories or to create meeting moments with descriptions for fun activities. Finally, all kinds of tools and recipes are described, so that autonomy and participation can be optimally shaped within each component (design, care, harvesting & preparation).
With this manual they have transformed the stumbling blocks into solutions. The book shows what needs to be done throughout the year, so that it becomes clear in advance which parts require extra help. In addition, they have described all kinds of tools and simplified the method, which is already simple, even further, including a simplified sowing-planting calendar. In this way they want to offer as many people as possible the opportunity to participate, including those with a possible intellectual disability. All text is provided with images per step.
There is also a Do it together package: What this is, you can read below:
A Do-it-Together Package: Why and What's Included?
The Do-it-Together package forms the basis for a green project with sufficient support, continuity and social activity.
There are two manuals included with clear explanations:
The manual 'Gardening with a disability. Growing well-being with your own or shared vegetable garden!' offers step-by-step insight into the way in which a desired garden can be realized. Pictures always show what is described in the text. Everyone can 'read along' in this way………..
A second book has been added:
In this way, knowledge can be shared and
disseminated and connections can be made from the start, for example with a neighbouring primary school. Taking care of the garden together and making as many people as possible happy in various ways; that is the goal of a garden aimed at strengthening well-being.
An A3-sized vegetable garden calendar shares knowledge and inspiration per month about chores and possible activities. This strengthens the orientation in time and encourages passers-by to go into the garden…...
Poster series WHO, WHAT, WHY and HOW
The 3-part poster series can be used in a presentation to show interested parties what you have in mind, why you want this for your target group, who can play a role in this and how…………..
Chalkboard + chalk
The chalk sheet is a practical addition that can be used by the structural users of the vegetable garden. The chalk sheet can be written on with chalks…
Construction description
Finally, a construction description has been added, which makes it possible to make sturdy, wheelchair-friendly vegetable garden
boxes yourself and to produce them locally, an important condition for the success of a green project.
For more information about the Do it together package and about Groen & Wel, you can read everything
on their website: www.groenwel.nl .
There is also a video on YouTube in which you can see them in action with the target groups and in which some of the supervisors have their say:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZeB5SK-VrQ
It is well worth watching this video, here you can see how much people enjoy themselves,
what has been made possible by these ladies and is still being expanded. How the supervisors help people with this little piece of joy.
Where we are already happy with an allotment garden, these people are already happy with a small piece of garden in a square meter box, because in the end we all want the same thing, to sow the plants and see them grow and enjoy the sometimes small harvests, which we have grown ourselves. Even if we are physically no longer able to garden, there are still enough other possibilities to still be able to enjoy our hobby.
For further information about the manual you can check out their site, as mentioned above.
Wim. (with addition from the text by Groen and Wel) .
