5 Gallon Bucket Drip Irrigation System in the Survival Garden

Art in the Survival Garden 01

Art in the Survival Garden

Boat Nursery in Survival Garden 02

Boat Nursery in Survival Garden

Broken Drum Cymbol in the Survival Garden

Building A Garden Trellis With Salvaged Materials

Cacti in the Survival Garden

Chicken Shelter in the Survival Ga

Chicken Shelter in the Survival Garden 02

Chickens in the Survival Garden 01

Chickens in the Survival Garden 02

Chickens in the Survival Garden 03

Chickens in the Survival Garden 04

Daytime View in the Survival Garden

Daytime View of Survival Garden 01

Daytime View of Survival Garden 02

Daytime View of Survival Garden 03

Daytime View of Survival Garden 04

Daytime View of Survival Garden 05

Daytime View of Survival Garden 06

Daytime View of Survival Garden 07

Daytime View of Survival Garden

Eco Art Mural in the Survival Garden

Emergency Irrigation Water Storage Trash Can in the Survival Garden

Fava Bean Plants in the Survival Garden

Grey Water Harvesting Outdoor Kitchen in the Survival Garden

Guitar Herb Planter in the Survival Garden

Hanging Bucket Gardens in the Survival Garden

Hanging Buckets in the Survival Garden

Herbal First Aid in the Survival Garden

Kale Growing in the Survival Garden 02

Kale Growing in the Survival Garden 03

Kale Growing in the Survival Garden

Manure Pile in the Survival Garden

Meditation Mat in the Survival Garden

Mural in the Survival Garden 02

Mural in the Survival Garden

Office Work in the Survival Garden

Outdoor Kitchen in the Survival Garden

Outdoor Office in the Survival Garden

Painting in the Survival Garden

Painting Mural of Woman Holding Seedling in the Survival Garden

Plants on Fence Trellis in the Survival Garden

Plastic Roll Out Yoga and Fitness Mats in the Survival Garden

Rain Cover in the Survival Garden

Rain Proofed Outdoor Lockers

Reading in the Survival Garden

Salvaged Bike Wheel Trellis in the Survival Garden

Salvaged Boat Outdoor Nursery in the Survival Garden

Salvaged Material Trellis in the Survival Garden

School Desks in the Survival Garden

Seedlings Growing in the Survival Garden

Seed Storage Shelving System in the Survival Garden

Self Defense Trainer in the Survival Garden

South Central Los Angeles Artist Warehouse Urban Permaculture Survival Garden at Night 01

South Central Los Angeles Artist Warehouse Urban Permaculture Survival Garden at Night 02

South Central Los Angeles Artist Warehouse Urban Permaculture Survival Garden Opening Party 01

South Central Los Angeles Artist Warehouse Urban Permaculture Survival Garden Opening Party 02

South Central Los Angeles Artist Warehouse Urban Permaculture Survival Garden Opening Party 03

South Central Los Angeles Artist Warehouse Urban Permaculture Survival Garden Opening Party 04

Stacking School Desks On Top Of Storage Box in the Survival Garden

The Vacant Lot Before Development of the Survival Garden

Turtle Tank in the Survival Garden

Urban Foraging Carob Pods and Citrus Fruits

Video Projector Movie Night in the Survival Garden

Wilderness Art in the Survival Garden

South Central Los Angeles Artist Warehouse Urban Permaculture Survival Garden

Back in 2011, when I was playing in bands in Los Angeles county, there was an amazing artist colony warehouse in South Central where a lot of bands played, artists lived, and all kinds of community gatherings and organizations were based. It was one of the most impressive collective operations I'd experienced in my life of inhabiting the radical underground music scene. The collective had already established the venue and community art center, I had founded and worked within similar projects in the past. One time after I got back in town from being on tour and was effectively homeless, I went to the warehouse to meet with the co-founder to ask if it would be possible for me to pay rent to live in my car in the parking lot while installing a community garden in the back of the lot. He was stoked and looked forward to see what I'd get going.

Quickly my efforts began to interest lots of folks and it began to build momentum so that many people took pride and ownership in the garden project. Some people brought their families to visit, some people donated plants and trees, some people donated art, some people donated building materials, mulch, compost, you name it. It exemplified the spirit of collective effort. It was an honor to have many events in the garden as a venue on to itself. It was also great to teach permaculture workshops in the garden as it was an living outdoor free school as well. Once it was up and running I "moved" out of my car and began to sleep and live in the garden. It proved to be a real survival garden complete with worm compost, gray water outdoor kitchen, rocket stove, a small scale food forest, nursery, office, chicken house and tractor system, video projector screen, books, self-defense training equipment, yoga mats, and much more.

Eventually, the permaculture became temporary culture as the larger project changed hands and the community kinda transitioned to a different phase. But I like to think that with all of the things we planted, the seeds likely still live on, spiraling out into the alley ways, yards, parkways, and beyond.