Fertile Ground

We're Growers Here — So Let's Grow Some Innovation!

More and more, groups are coming together in cities around the world to share working space. Members of these groups want to share ideas, costs, and a few laughs. It is fun to collaborate.

Knowledge workers and artists seem particularly prone to isolation. Peaceful solitude may help the creative process but nothing beats a second set of eyes or a sympathetic ear for complaints about the code that will not run or the client that will not take the advice he paid for.

Watsonville has a beautiful library. But as working space it has drawbacks. Libraries are actually intended as reading and study areas. Most importantly, they do not provide a place to keep materials and work in progress. Interaction, while possible, also is limited by the need to respect libraries' mission as study spaces.

And you can only drink so many caramel macchiatos at Starbucks or Second Street Cafe ;)

This site hopes to assemble people interested in working to create a collaberative community. Depending on the eventual participants, this solution may take any of a number of forms; we discuss a few below.

The benefits to the participants include increased creativity, lower commuting costs, and a sense of community. And fun. Let's not forget fun.

This site is intended for the individual who might be interested, but for the benefit of any city officials or local agencies that happen on the site let's touch quickly on why such a group might be a good idea.

The benefits to the city could include:

  • a larger tax base

The group could attract knowledge workers and professionals, possibly encourage them to locate here. The cost of housing in Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz represents an opportunity for the south county. High as it is here it is still lower than it is there.

  • lower unemployment as idled agricultural and industrial workers find entrepreneurial outlets for their energies

El Pajaro has already made the case for this but given the size of the population they are attempting to serve there's no doubt room for more hands.

  • better press presence for Watsonville

Local entrepreneurs and artists would attract media attention from reporters who cover other beats than crime.

Perhaps even a lower crime rate; kids who can conceive of other opportunities are more likely to steer clear of gangs. Imagine a Watsonville kid in the news for something other than stabbing a schoolmate.

Si se puede. Honest.

In future this discussion will gain more focus and better organization, eventually separately spelling out the value proposition for each stakeholder group, ie:

  • Why would a given individual want to join such a group
  • Why might a donor want to help one
  • Why the city wants a group like this
  • Why a group like this should consider Watsonville as a location