I am seeking $1,000 in funding to reproduce 500 copies of Please Plant This Book by Richard Brautigan. Originally self-published in 1968 in an edition of 6,000 free copies, the work consists of a glued folder containing eight seed packets, each printed with a poem. Seeds include California Native Flowers, Calendula, Carrots, Lettuce, Sweet Alyssum Royal Carpet, Squash, Shasta Daisy, and Parsley. The booklet declares, “THIS BOOK IS FREE. Permission is granted to reprint this book by anyone as long as it is not sold,” reflecting Brautigan’s alignment with 1960s San Francisco countercultural and Digger principles, rejecting conventional copyright and commodity-based publishing.
This project focuses on reprinting the outer booklet folder while producing 500 complete copies. Professional printing will cost $250, thick paper $500, and bulk envelopes $50. Seeds have been donated, and I will handle binding and assembly myself, with interior envelopes printed in-house. This ensures most funding goes directly to the professional printing of the booklet, enabling quick production.
Distribution will be free and community-oriented. I volunteer with the Ortega Branch Seed Library and will host an event there, distribute at the Potrero del Sol Garden meeting, offer copies at the SF Art Book Fair at Minnesota Street Project, and provide remaining books to SFUSD schools with gardening programs, including Lincoln High School.
This project revives a historically significant work, connecting poetry with ecological action, small-press publishing, and community engagement. Funding will enable 500 copies to be produced and circulated efficiently, honoring Brautigan’s vision and ensuring the work remains accessible, participatory, and materially engaging.