Monthly Archives: December 2009

‘Allotment Act – Groundwork’

Last week on Thursday, it was a good day for digging on the allotment plot at MERL. The weather was perfect, not to cold, with bright sunshine after recent rain. It was a day of excavation, a discovery mission to find out what was buried in the earth (not just worms, also rocks and artifacts). Digging started at 12.30pm approximately and went on for several hours. Digital video watched over the process, providing evidence. Different types of stones or rocks emerged, a mix of minerals. A stone removed could mean a straighter carrot. Broken china appeared and old glass, an archival collection of shattered forgotten objects that now sit on the soil in an unstructured mosaic. Callouses appear on the hands from digging, the allotment act, groundwork, systematic use of the spade tool through organic composition. To dig or not to dig, leave space for the non dig method and compare notes.

Allotment and SpadeAllotment and Spade (two)

Allotment ans Spade (three)Allotment and Spade (four)

Allotment Stereo Spade

‘Farmville’ Perception of Virtual Food Growing

Arts and Ecology posted a link to the doors of perception today on twitter about “Farmville” the largest game application used on Facebook, 62 million people have signed up to the application since June 2009, 22 million people on average are logging on everyday to see how their crops are growing. The idea behind “Farmville” is that one has one’s own virtual growing space, one can plant seeds, harvest the crops before they die (the plants growth times are all time controlled), and one is able to give fruit trees and other gifts to friends and neighbours. Given the amount of individuals using the application, what does this say about human activity and growing space? It is a virtual reality, but is a major clue to social reinvention.

Allotment Undug Method