Choose a member of your family, a neighbor or someone who maintains a garden. Ask that person for permission to talk to them about their garden and plants in general. Obtain the following information. If they do not wish to answer a question, go on to the next one. You may estimate their age if you prefer not to ask. While you are visiting, draw a map of their garden. For your report you will need to submit the list the questions, answers to the questions and the map. In addition to the questions you ask you interviewee, answer the "Questions for the Interviewer" listed below.

Personal background questions: age bracket, gender, self-identified ethnic identity or ancestry, occupation, at-home family size, what generation in America, how long lived at their present location, and gardening background.

Gardening methods: what tools do you use; How much time do you spend gardening? When do you begin planting? How do you plant your garden? How big is your garden? What crops or types of plants do you grow? What is your source of seeds or plants? What are the dirt and sunlight conditions? Do you use water, compost, chemicals, or beneficial insects? Do you use annuals vs. perennials? Do you grow multiple varieties? makes cuttings? or rotates crops?

How do you use the products of your garden?

Do you can, freeze, or dry any produce? If you have a surplus, what do you do with it? (Sell, trade, give away?)

Do you grow any plants for medicinal use? If so, which plants and what uses?

Do you have any stories about the plants, or how you came to have or grow a particular plant?

Anything else about plants they would like you to know?

1. What new information did you uncover/learn?
   

2. What was most interesting about the process of interviewing? About the information your interviewee provided?
   

3. Would you encourage your classmates to do this assignment?
   

4. Any other comments you would like to make.

Modified from a project designed by Gail Wagner, Department of Anthropology, University of South Carolina