More Art and Seeds or the Magic of Sprouting Up At Balboa Park!

A young artist we met at Balboa Park

Bringing together art and seeds….there is a wise saying that speaks to the profundity of holding just a few seeds and planting these into a cycle of relationships between humans and the earth. On the outside this looks simply as a human-centered opportunity, that is, seeds needing us to plant in order that we might harvest the bounty and nourish our practical bodies. But there is also another view, an embedded perception that opens up the magical and somewhat uncanny cycles of the world, bringing needs in touch with medicine, and inspiration in touch with hope. Seeds are the grounding for this as a journey. This journey was very much present in our SeedBroadcast travels from Anton Chico to San Diego and back again.

It began as a moment when, in Silver City, NM, we discovered inspirations of seed wisdom coupled with sheer generosity and good fortune…which seemed to continue throughout our journey.

The Tomato Guy, Rick Bohart, helping with the MSSBS in Silver City

The Mobile Seed Story Broadcasting Station has always been a persnickety beast, old, strong, and long winded. It always seems to get to where it needs to be by luck and a mysterious desire to wish our way there. In Silver City we broke down and a off-duty mechanic replaced the carburetor and sent us on our way. We made it to Gila and Patagonia with time to spare. But something was still wrong as we trudged westward and made a pit stop in El Centro to try our hand at very amateur SeedBroadcast-mechanic-try. So onward we chugged. I almost felt the need to recite the Little Engine That Could as we barely topped off the Laguna Mountains and puttered down to Chula Vista, San Diego.

 The next morning was looking like an utter disaster and a cancellation of the rest of our tour… but somehow we stumbled upon the most amazing mechanics who basically rebuilt the motor in a day and sent us on our way. As we met each of these people, small talk brought us to seeds, gardens, and hope. It was always the way.

That evening, while pulling into our host’s house, I turned off the van, stepped out, and saw someone I would never have expected. Michael!

Michael Ruiz lived right across the street and was out watering a plant when he saw the Mobile Seed Story Broadcasting Station pull up to his neighbor’s house. Surprised and somewhat confused, he came over and said, “What are you doing here?”

Wow that’s uncanny! Michael was a fellow student at VCFA (Vermont College of Fine Arts) where I went to school when I built the SeedBroadcast van and drove it to Montpelier, VT for my final thesis “exhibition” in the summer of 2012. That was the last time we had seen each other or spoken. The moment was surreal and strangely seed-like. An amazing cycle bringing us together again to inspire some seedy art.

2012 MSSBS Tour at VCFA in Montpelier, Vermont

After catching up, Michael invited us to come to Balboa Park, San Diego’s gigantic urban cultural park in the heart of the city. So spontaneously, on March 26 from 12 – 2 we set up SeedBroadcast between the Spanish Village, the Museum of Natural History, and a SYSCO semi-truck. Like a seed, we sprouted to the occasion and had the joyous opportunity to meet people, share seeds, record seed stories, and learn more about the state of local food and the goal of Balboa Park to redefine “California Landscape” in the inevitable water crisis.

Occupied! Artists At Work in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

Here are Seed Stories shared from Balboa Park and also some thoughts about the words “Food Justice”

Michael Ruiz shares a Seed Story about making tortillas with his mother: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/michael-ruiz-shares-a-seed-story-about-making-tortillas-with-his-mother


Michael Ruiz shares several Seed Stories from and of Balboa Park: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/michael-ruiz-shares-several-seed-stories-from-and-of-balboa-park


Jerry Phelps talks about what food justice means and why saving seeds is so important: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/jerry-phelps-talks-about-what-food-justice-means-and-why-saving-seeds-is-so-important


Ryan Rosette talks about what food justice means to him: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/ryan-rosette-talks-about-what-food-justice-means-to-him


Did I mention the stories that seeds have to share?

SeedBroadcasting from Barrio Logan, San Diego, California!

On March 27, 2015, SeedBroadcast partnered with Barrio Seed Bank, Chicano Art Gallery, Radio Pulso del Barrio, and SEEDS at City Urban Farm to conduct Seed Story shout-outs from Barrio Logan, San Diego, California. During the evening, these local organizations worked together to organize a spontaneous sidewalk pop-up and free film screening of Food Inc. to bring greater attention to the health risks of the industrial food system and rethink the neighborhood capacity to creatively organize a grassroots food hub through seeds. SeedBroadcast stopped by to celebrate and support their efforts through Seed Story recordings and open-resource seed sharing.

We pay homage to Chicano Park and to all those who have struggled to make it so.
Here is a section of the pylon mural titled Death of a Farmworker, by Michael Schnorr.

Barrio Logan has historically been referred to as el ombligo or the center of the world. It is a renowned Chicano community that has continually fought for equal rights, equal access, and more than the status quo. Chicano Park, just north of where the Barrio Seed Library event took place is both a visual canvas for Chicano culture and a public green space. During the evening’s event several eyes turned towards the park as the perfect future site for a Barrio Logan Community Garden of edible native plantings to feed people and empower indigenous roots.

Barrio Seed Bank launched their seed project in early 2015 through the united efforts of local community members and creative organizations like, The Roots Factory, Chicano Art Gallery, Radio Pulso del Barrio, and Seeds at City Urban Farm. Their mission is first and primarily to give out free seeds and inspire folks to grow food in their backyards, front yards, everywhere, and anywhere; to make space for an expansive sense of what a community garden might look like. With no land available in this urban area, they are beginning with what is here, private gardens and the knowledge of each anonymous gardener. They hope the seeds will inspire this network to develop through an informal process of sharing seeds, healthy food, and resources.

Another initiative of the group is to continue being active in the community through pop-up events like the free, side-walk screening of Food Inc. Pop-up events engage diverse populations in Barrio Logan through organizing interactive, fun, and family oriented activities. The creative process also plays a significant role in this work, where participatory arts events encourage kids, families, and adults to work together to make art and make a positive mark in their community. During the evening chairs, a big tv, and a sound system played the film as passer-by’s walked up and down the sidewalk catching snippets of the film with Spanish subtitles.

Here are Seed Stories shared from Barrio Logan and also some thoughts about the words “FOOD JUSTICE”

Bob Green talks about the Barrio Seed Bank in Barrio Logan, San Diego, CA: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/bob-green-talks-about-the-barrio-seed-bank-in-barrio-logan-san-diego-ca


Sergio Garcia JR shares his story about the Barrio Seed Bank: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/sergio-garcia-jr-shares-his-story-about-the-barrio-seed-bank


Damian Valdez shares his story about the importance of connecting to our food system: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/damian-valdez-shares-his-story-about-the-importance-of-connecting-to-our-food-system


Stephanie Bernal talks about what Food Justice means and how growing can be challenging: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/stephanie-bernal-talks-about-what-food-justice-means-and-how-growing-can-be-challenging


Bob Green talks about what Food Justice means to him: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/bob-green-talks-about-what-food-justice-means-to-him


Many thanks to Cesar Casteñeda and Dulce Martinez who run the Chicano Art Gallery and hosted this event at their location. Please check out their Facebook page for upcoming events and information: https://www.facebook.com/ChicanoArtGallery ¡AND! Their Chicano Art Gallery Proclamation is worth a read! It really sums up the energy we were blessed to be part of for the evening. Mucho Gracias!

CHICANO ART GALLERY PROCLAMATION

Galería de arte Chicano es un hábitat para pensadores creativos a venir junto con otras personas afines para formar un ambiente de libertad de expresión y el ejercicio de nuestra imaginación de formas innovadoras. También queremos mantener y seguir promoviendo el amor propio, sanación y orgullo de nuestra Raza y comunidad mientras que educar a las próximas generaciones de artistas. Menos de una cuadra de Parque Chicano histórico en el Barrio Logan de San Diego, California, es una nueva galería que abrió sus puertas en fines de 2013 con la esperanza de traer más vida, belleza, arte y cultura a la comunidad. Sensibilización, empoderamiento y reconocimiento de muchos grandes chicanos que vinieron antes que nosotros y lucharon por un futuro mejor. Y para toda la gente que luchó contra las injusticias. Aquellos que desafiaron el systemand todos sus defectos. Por nuestros camaradas que iniciaron las revoluciones. Para aquellos que estaban parados contra la discriminación y maltrato de trabajo duro muchos los seres humanos. Galería de arte Chicano es una plataforma para los individuos y grupos que tienen algo que decir. Le invitamos a muchos hábitats variaties diferentes formas de arte como poesía y palabra hablada, fotografía y muchas otras artes visuales y musicales. Este dominio está aquí para demostrar que muchas cosas buenas vienen de Barrio, no sólo las etiquetas estéreo-típico negativas que han sido presionadas a muchos. Este centro es una prueba que es posible el cambio positivo y la gente ya no está dispuesta a ajustarse a la corrupción, trato injusto, la opresión y la desigualdad. Compartimos una visión común de un futuro donde podemos introducir nuevos niveles de pensamiento apasionado donde cualquier acto de creación potencialmente puede ser una poderosa herramienta para hacer de este mundo un lugar mejor para todos.

Chicano Art Gallery is a habitat for creative thinkers to come together with other likeminded people to form an environment of freedom of expression and exercise our imagination in innovative ways. We also want to maintain and continue to promote self love, healing, and pride in our Raza and community while educating the next generations of artists. Less than a block away from Historical Chicano Park in the Barrio Logan are of San Diego, California, is a new gallery that opened its doors in late 2013 with hopes to bring more life, beauty, Art and Culture to the community. Awareness, empowerment and acknowledgement of many great Chicanos that came before us and fought for a better tomorrow. And for all of the people who battled the injustices. Those who challenged the system and all of its flaws. For our comrades who started Revolutions. For those who stood up against the discrimination and maltreatment of many hard working human beings. Chicano Art Gallery is a platform for individuals and groups who have something to say. We welcome many different varieties of art forms such as poetry and spoken word, photography and many other visual arts, and musical performances. This domain is here to prove that many good things come from the Barrio, not just the negative stereo-typical labels that have been pressed upon many. This center is proof that positive change is possible and people are no longer willing to conform to corruption, unfair treatment, oppression and inequality. We share a common vision of a future where we can introduce new levels of passionate thinking where any Act of cReaTion can potentially be a powerful tool to make this world a better place for everyone.

SDSU Food and Art Panel Discussion and closing of A Thousand Plates

On March 26, 2015, we partnered up with San Diego State University and local artists, faculty, students and the public to begin a conversation about the state of art today and how it provokes a deeper investigation of important cultural subjects like food and seeds. This panel discussion was held in conjunction with A Thousand Plates/An art exhibition about food and culture organized by Arzu Ozkal and Eva Strubal. The exhibition press states:

“A Thousand Plates explores the topic of food as a means to question society by examining traditions across cultures and throughout the centuries. The exhibition will examine food as a fundamental need, modern food production and its relationship to the environment, the culture of eating and its relationship to memory.

Our exhibition title refers to Deleuze and Guattari’s “A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia"—a philosophical text written with a rhizomatic structure—where connections between ideas and references defy linear, structural, or casual relations. Every point can conceptually link to somewhere else. In our view, our relationship to food is similar. The production, consumption, distribution and marketing of food is connected to tradition, culture, individual and social taste as well as health care, environmental issues, and global politics that shape the contemporary society.”

The exhibition was filled with representations of not only food but also the materials and ideas that we ingest daily as forms of sustenance, folly, and disgust.

A Thousand Plates

Eating Disorder, Still from digital video, 00:01:57, 2006

Arzu Ozkal’s work titled, Eating Disorder, digital video, 01.57 minutes, 2006 was the first work encountered on a large flat screen, where from beginning to end a mouth, hands, and a freshly opened tube of lipstick are shown consuming the red of lips of the body. Only half the face can be seen cringing as the lipstick is literally eaten.

Local artist shares his collection of design artifacts from food labels, napkins, and other markations of the food industry

A Guide for Responsible Seasonal Consumption, detail

A Guide for Responsible Seasonal Consumption, detail

That evening we also met Cristal Chen who is a Graduate Alumni from SDSU in Graphic Design. She participated in the panel and discussed her conceptual and creative process for producing the project, Farmers and Me. Cristal explained that before taking this project on she worked for a major fast-food chain as a graphic designer and it sparked her interest and concern with food, eating, local farms, and healthy communities. During her thesis she realized that what she really wanted to do was use her skills as a designer to not only create visual information about relationships between farmers, food, and consumers, but also expand her process to include creative engagement through public interaction. She produced and gifted 4 different “visual recipes” called "A Guide for Responsible Seasonal Consumption" that showed how to cook with frill, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and beets. These also included pictures and quotes from local farmers and directions to the farm. Here is a link to the project Farmers and Me: http://farmersand.me/about/

Listen, as Cristal shares her Seed Story: https://soundcloud.com/seedbroadcast/cristal-chen-talks-about-the-inspiration-behind-her-project-farmers-and-me

Food and Art panelists (SeedBroadcasters, Jeanette Hart-Mann and Chrissie Orr far right)

Into the evening visitors checked out the Mobile Seed Story Broadcasting Station and gathered to talk about the creative capacity of art to grow, feed, and nourish the mind and body. Like a seed.

We would like to thank Arzu Ozkal and SDSU for funding our travel to San Diego in order to participate in this panel discussion, which also enabled us to visit with many seed savers, farmers, gardeners, and mechanics en route. Mucho Gracias!

This event was also sponsored by San Diego State University School of Art + Design, SDSU Art Council, Common Experience SDSU, and Arts Alive SDSU

Wild Willow Farm and Education Center.

Wild Willow Farm and Education Center http://sandiegoroots.org/farm/index.php is nestled between the willows at the US/Mexican border about twenty minutes from downtown San Diego. The Tijuana River edges this 6-acre plot of fertile land and the notorious border fence can be seen curving its way up the adjacent hills. The sound of cockerels crowing and bird song is mixed with the whirling sound of border patrol helicopters flying back and forth.

This gem of a farm is a sanctuary filled with potential.

As we arrived Kaylie was working at the entrance of the quonset hut/come cafe, she graciously welcomed us and offered to take us on a tour.
Kaylie is one of the education staff and is passionate about the potential that working with the land and food production provides as a base of deep learning.
 “We have to slow down”, she explained, “This farm and the plants create a space for learning that has been so important to me.”
 Kaylie’s father is a landscaper so she grew up with plants but it was not until she took the Sustainable Farming course at Wild Willow that she began to see farming in a different way.
“It created a connection for me; I made a relationship with this land through Farm School and so wanted to give back. I also have a love of education and so it was a dream for me to work here. Lots of different hands have created this farm and I can get teary eyed when I talk about my experiences here."



Her favorite areas are the Children Garden, which is created between two hoop houses and provides a creative work and play space for children’s groups when they arrive at the farm. She also has a special connection to the goats, as we enter the pen she gently talks to them all as they nudge her and try to escape.

All slows down here, the heat of the day raises and we take our time wandering around the farm and disappearing into the hoop houses to look at well-organized tools, green spouting starts, drying herbs, gourds and seeds. Joe was carefully tending the plants. Slowly meandering up and down the rows of vegetables, calendula and sunflowers watering where needed. When he took a break for lunch he explained that they had to hand water now and then just to help the seedlings along. The cool season did not really happen this year, and there was very little rain so they have to be extra diligent.



Wild Willow has a commitment to mentoring and encouraging the next generation of farmers.
One of the main educators is Paul Maschka, who has been farming and homesteading in this area for many years, he comes from this land and knows it like the back of his hand? As we talk he points out specific birds, like the tiny mauve colored ground dove hopping in the kale patch and the flycatcher Black Phoebe.

 “We have land and we have seeds but we always need to be relearning and re-skilling ourselves. We need to be passing on this knowledge. Sometimes we are looked at as hippie radicals but really what we are doing is just growing as our families have done for years. We have inspectors that come out here, California has strict rules that we have to follow and one was here the other day. I know he learned allot from us, and we learn from him. He was curious about how we do certain things and we had a long conversation. Then he showed me the leaves on the trees in the orchard, they were long and pointed and he told us that shows there is not enough zinc in the soil." As Paul turned to go back to moving his bees to new hive he left us with this thought "We cannot always go down the road of doom and gloom, let’s go from doom and gloom to bloom.”

This is what Wild Willow does it brings people together in a shared hopeful experience to learn together, to listen, to notice, to eat together and to take action in the vital resurgence of a local food movement. Everyone learns in this space of action and nourishment. In this small haven intentional reciprocity fills the air and informs all the interactions.
There is a generosity and abundance. There is a deep communication with the plants and animals, with the land, with the escaping goats, the groups of school kids and to each other.


There are many opportunities to be become involved, the folks at Wild Willow are always looking for volunteers, you can become part of their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), take one of their courses or turn up to one of their monthly potlucks where the wood fired pizza oven is fired up. It’s a chance not to be missed and we encourage you to join with them in any way you can, your hands too can be part of this on going process of growing for a better future.

A Thousand Plates at SDSU Downtown Gallery

SeedBroadcast will be Broadcasting from the closing reception and panel event of:

A Thousand Plates // An art exhibition about food and culture

SDSU Downtown Gallery
725 West Broadway
San Diego, CA

March 26, 2015
5pm - 8pm

Come by and share you Seed Story and check out open/free source materials from the Mobile Seed Story Broadcasting Station.

Also!! Stay tuned. We will be posting Seed Stories from here soon!

A Thousand Plates // An art exhibition about food and culture
A Thousand Plates explores the topic of food as a means to question society by examining traditions across cultures and throughout the centuries. The exhibition will examine food as a fundamental need, modern food production and its relationship to the environment, the culture of eating and its relationship to memory.

Our exhibition title refers to Deleuze and Guattari’s “A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia"—a philosophical text written with a rhizomatic structure—where connections between ideas and references defy linear, structural, or casual relations. Every point can conceptually link to somewhere else. In our view, our relationship to food is similar. The production, consumption, distribution and marketing of food is connected to tradition, culture, individual and social taste as well as health care, environmental issues, and global politics that shape the contemporary society.

This event is being sponsored by San Diego State University School of Art + Design, SDSU Art Council, Common Experience SDSU, and Arts Alive SDSU