Hello! We are Farming Bards, a new organization dedicated to bringing the people of our community closer to the Earth and to each other. We feel that strengthening our connection to our natural world and building friendships with our neighbors is absolutely vital. Technology and fast paced lifestyles can make us very lonely and disconnected from each other, which can lead to so many problems. We also are eating much less naturally grown foods, and not taking advantage of what many of us have right behind our homes—land on which we can grow our own delicious fruits and vegetables. Why can’t we all get together as friends and grow food together? We can! And we are starting this year in our own city, Hapeville, Georgia!

Hapeville is a small city 15 minutes from Atlanta, Georgia. As new residents here, we have enjoyed the natural beauty of the city and the warmth of the people. We are looking forward to building our organization here. We are creating partnerships with other groups in our area, like Truly Living Well, a not for profit organization with several urban farms in Atlanta. We also have a great sponsor, Grand Aspirations, which chose us to be one of their Local Initiatives this year. We’re confident that with some good hard work, and the help of our friends, we will see our dreams come true. To read more about our values and our mission in founding Farming Bards, please visit our web page at www.grandaspirations.org/hapeville-ga-li.

Here is an overview of the plan that will bring our dream to life. We will produce a theatre show with our neighbors in Hapeville that drives home the message of how important it is to be close knit with each other and the Earth. We call this “Green Theatre”. We will ask both the actors and the audience to join us in our Backyard-Swap Program, in which they will help their neighbors grow food in each other’s backyards the rest of the year. At the end of the summer growing season, we will put on another show that travels parade-style in Hapeville and finishes with a big dinner party for everyone with our new crops of food. Then we will be able to encourage more people to become Farming Bards! With every year, we will grow closer and closer as friends while we work together and care for the Earth.

Will you join us? We are an all-volunteer non-profit organization, and we would love to do this together with you! You don’t have to be a Broadway star, be an experienced farmer, or have a big backyard. Just contact our Co-Founder, David Geigerman, at dgeigerman@gmail.com to get involved. Thank you for your interest in our organization, and have a Happy New Year!