Political signs transform into nonpartisan garden gear

By: Karina Kling

Now that primary night is over, John Van Deusen Edwards is interested in every candidate.

Actually, it’s their signs that he’s after.

“Basically we use salvage materials, like wooden pallets, tumbled glass, things that would otherwise be destined for the landfill,” Edwards said.

Edwards helped start the Food is Free Project in January. The group builds drought-tolerant, four-by-four gardens in people’s front yards.

He says the wire stands of political signs make great tomato trellises, and the signs themselves are perfect as liners.

“After finding the wooden pallets and a way to connect them together to build these gardens, we needed a way to hold them in,” Edwards said. “So we found these political signs, and they really worked great because I don’t know of many other uses for them.”

Edwards says the project started as a way to connect the neighborhood and build relationships by sharing food on a nonpartisan level.

“It just kind of provided an opportunity for folks to connect in a new way instead of just behind a privacy fence,” Edwards said. “I joke with people that it doesn’t matter what party you’re from, your sign will make a great garden. And you know, Democrats and Republicans can meet in the garden and grow food together.”

“When I passed their house this morning, I saw all the campaign signs and thought, ‘isn’t it great that we can recycle all those campaign signs that are out there defending a particular position in a way that promotes something that we’re all interested in and need, which is food?’,” neighbor Rebecca Di Luce кондиционеры лг в минске said

The group is also trying to register as a nonprofit.