Planting Power: How One Woman Is Growing a Food Future That Feeds Us All
You don’t need a pitchfork and a plot of land to be a farmer—you need a mission. Mine? To grow food systems that actually feed people, especially where the world forgot to plant hope.
I’m Siobhan Shaw, and I’m the co-founder and catalyst behind Growing to Give, a nonprofit on a mission to make small-space, low-water, high-yield gardening possible anywhere—from abandoned lots to schoolyards to rooftops. We help families, communities, and schools grow real food, close to home, using systems such as nature-based spiral designs and virtually zero-water systems. Think of it like Fibonacci meets food justice. We don’t just plant seeds—we plant solutions. Our methods work where traditional farming fails. Climate chaos? No water? Low labor? Let’s grow anyway. Our signature crop circle gardens are built for
This is my message to every woman reading this: Don’t wait to be chosen. Grow anyway. Your voice is valid. Your vision is enough. And the world needs what only you can grow.
resilience. And guess what? They're beautiful, bountiful, and they build community—fast.
Through Growing to Give, I’ve helped spark community gardens in Uganda, build an urban food forest in Phoenix, and knowledge share with women-led garden teams in climate-vulnerable neighborhoods. We’re not just feeding people—we’re feeding futures, and building a regenerative food system from the ground up. But this isn’t just about plants. It’s about power. Food is the foundation of every thriving community, and I believe women are the missing ingredient in global food leadership. When we put women at the helm of farms, gardens, and local food networks, everything changes. Families flourish. Kids grow taller. Communities get stronger.
So here's to you, Women of Power—may you rise like sunflowers, unapologetically tall, wild, and rooted in purpose.
Let’s grow something the world can’t ignore.
Siobhan Shaw is the co-founder and driving force behind Growing to Give, a globally focused nonprofit reinventing small-space farming for resilience, food justice, and community connection. A recognized voice in sustainable agriculture, Siobhan is one of only two people worldwide with working knowledge of patented crop circle garden systems. She serves as chairperson of Kichini Gardeners in Uganda, a governing board member of Climate Justice and Rights International, and an advisory board member of Trinity International Ministries. Learn more at www.growingtogive.org
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