As part of a course I had to create detailed plan for a horticultural business. My plan was to attack everything I hate about horticulture at once: predatory business practices, ecologically destructive product, boring landscaping, alienating philosophy. Town and Country would be a unionised co-op dedicated to killing lawns and replacing them with biocentric alternatives, the whole thing serving as a way to study the kind of theory I want to write.
I decided to make it as confrontational as possible. Beyond the logo and name, my marketing shits on the industry as much as it does traditional lawns and suburbia. My pitch to the class used explicit left language to describe the problems and solutions. I made the case for an inclusive unionised workplace, left urbanism, and eco-Marxism at a fairly right-wing university.
Everyone I spoke to about it either agreed with the idea or wanted to work with it. None of the youth of today liked lawns or working in the green industry. Some of them even had pure hate in their heart after working in nurseries. I might end up starting it next year as my consulting business with a small crew of radicals.
It's my ideal business. None of the fuckery toward clients or employees, only making something much more beautiful than existed before.
Definitely some kind of construction engineer at some point. When doing market research I felt confident that I could compete with the other companies horticulturally, but they're also offering stonework and carpentry.
Would love to talk gardening theory with you! I think there could be a real mainstream appeal to showing people a more holistic, bio diversity focused approach to gardening that is ultimately more eco friendly, lower maintenance, and undeniably prettier.
It's desperately needed. Especially here in the high desert, Kentucky bluegrass is a plague. Working for traditional landscapers here feels evil because they're selling the Disney-ass delusion that you can transplant your Midwestern suburban ideal to Colorado. All so that people can have a patch of green concrete that looks like shit. There's so much room for teaching people a new value system through stewarding land for the benefit of something beyond themselves.
Right, and landscaping in an area as dry as some parts of the central western U.S. is a very delicate art but it’s also critically important it is done mindfully because it is a very delicate ecosystem. Some people won’t like the aesthetic but screw em.
I think in less dry parts of the U.S. just the pitch that your yard could be wildflowers instead of grass and it’s better for you and the environment could have pretty broad appeal.
This could also position your org to be actively antagonizing HOA’s all the time. Could actually be productive struggle, seems like a good place to make enemies.
Love it. I did some research following up with landscape architecture/eco restoration co-ops back in 2020 - might have some names of existing co-ops you can follow up with if you’re interested. I love the idea, and am glad you found support
I'm super curious to see any existing models you know of! The one things really separating me from the other local companies would be that co-op model and union.
Yes definitely. There weren’t a ton out there (mostly on the west coast) but I’ll dm you some if I’ve got them still
Rad!
If I was less than 500 miles away from you, I'd offer you unlimited beetle frass for potting mix and top dressing.
Instead, would you have any interest in comparing notes on business plans and structure?
Also, the Seed Commons network has an operating member in your area, the RMEOC.
Unfortunately that business plan only meets the grading requirements, not a proper one I could act on. The co-op aspect of it especially is something I didn't flesh out because there isn't a local company to model off of.
Would you mind if I sent you some of what I've got so far, on the co-op aspect of the plan? I'm always itching to include more people's thoughts and input.
That is fucking sick comrade. Radical Agroecology hasta la victoria, siempre.
As a food and agriculture scholar, I will always love to see people resisting together with food.
BTW, check out if there's any Slow Food activity near you. They're very lib, but they're also well established in the US, and might have some resources or direction, too.
Uncritical Support!
Won't dox myself but there is a local business that sells seed bundles designed to replace your lawn with plants that are native to the region. I think they work with the college and are doing pretty well.
