diff --git a/app/controllers/plantings_controller.rb b/app/controllers/plantings_controller.rb
index 740edb5b3..a5b781bab 100644
--- a/app/controllers/plantings_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/plantings_controller.rb
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class PlantingsController < ApplicationController
   # POST /plantings
   # POST /plantings.json
   def create
+    params[:planting][:owner_id] = current_member.id
     params[:planted_at] = parse_date(params[:planted_at])
     @planting = Planting.new(params[:planting])
 
diff --git a/app/models/crop.rb b/app/models/crop.rb
index 46eadf535..9717eb1da 100644
--- a/app/models/crop.rb
+++ b/app/models/crop.rb
@@ -39,10 +39,6 @@ class Crop < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
   end
 
-  def plantings_count
-    return plantings.count
-  end
-
   # crop.default_photo
   # currently returns the first available photo, but exists so that
   # later we can choose a default photo based on different criteria,
diff --git a/app/models/member.rb b/app/models/member.rb
index 7541a3a0e..0f7081cda 100644
--- a/app/models/member.rb
+++ b/app/models/member.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class Member < ActiveRecord::Base
   has_many :forums, :foreign_key => 'owner_id'
 
   has_many :gardens, :foreign_key => 'owner_id'
-  has_many :plantings, :through => :gardens
+  has_many :plantings, :foreign_key => 'owner_id'
 
   has_many :seeds, :foreign_key => 'owner_id'
 
diff --git a/app/models/planting.rb b/app/models/planting.rb
index cf9e9aea3..61188f184 100644
--- a/app/models/planting.rb
+++ b/app/models/planting.rb
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ class Planting < ActiveRecord::Base
   friendly_id :planting_slug, use: :slugged
 
   attr_accessible :crop_id, :description, :garden_id, :planted_at,
-    :quantity, :sunniness, :planted_from
+    :quantity, :sunniness, :planted_from, :owner_id
 
   belongs_to :garden
+  belongs_to :owner, :class_name => 'Member', :counter_cache => true
   belongs_to :crop, :counter_cache => true
-  has_one :owner, :through => :garden
 
   has_and_belongs_to_many :photos
   before_destroy {|planting| planting.photos.clear}
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class Planting < ActiveRecord::Base
     "#{owner.login_name}-#{garden}-#{crop}".downcase.gsub(' ', '-')
   end
 
-  # location = owner + garden, i.e. "Skud's backyard"
+  # location = garden owner + garden name, i.e. "Skud's backyard"
   def location
     return "#{garden.owner.login_name}'s #{garden}"
   end
diff --git a/app/views/crops/_index_card.html.haml b/app/views/crops/_index_card.html.haml
index c63f6ea05..640a3bcda 100644
--- a/app/views/crops/_index_card.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/crops/_index_card.html.haml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
       %p
         %b
           Planted
-          = pluralize(crop.plantings_count, "time")
+          = pluralize(crop.plantings.size, "time")
         by #{Growstuff::Application.config.site_name} members
 
       - if can? :create, Planting
diff --git a/app/views/crops/_popover.html.haml b/app/views/crops/_popover.html.haml
index c692f3d51..0c40b6ec7 100644
--- a/app/views/crops/_popover.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/crops/_popover.html.haml
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@
         = crop.scientific_names.first.scientific_name
     %br/
     Planted
-    = pluralize(crop.plantings_count, "time")
+    = pluralize(crop.plantings.size, "time")
diff --git a/app/views/crops/_thumbnail.html.haml b/app/views/crops/_thumbnail.html.haml
index 1337b8f0d..aaaead82c 100644
--- a/app/views/crops/_thumbnail.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/crops/_thumbnail.html.haml
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@
         %br/
         %small
           Planted
-          = pluralize(crop.plantings_count, "time")
+          = pluralize(crop.plantings.size, "time")
diff --git a/app/views/crops/show.html.haml b/app/views/crops/show.html.haml
index 713445005..952d6c5e4 100644
--- a/app/views/crops/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/crops/show.html.haml
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
     = render :partial => 'planting_advice', :locals => { :crop => @crop }
 
     %p
-      - if @crop.plantings_count > 0
+      - if @crop.plantings.size > 0
         Planted
-        = pluralize(@crop.plantings_count, "time")
+        = pluralize(@crop.plantings.size, "time")
         by #{Growstuff::Application.config.site_name} members
       - else
         Nobody is growing this yet. You could be the first!
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       - if can? :create, Seed
         = link_to 'Add seeds to stash', new_seed_path(:params => { :crop_id => @crop.id }), :class => 'btn btn-primary'
 
-    - if @crop.plantings_count > 0
+    - if @crop.plantings.size > 0
       - @crop.plantings.each do |p|
         = render :partial => "plantings/thumbnail", :locals => { :planting => p, :title => 'owner' }
 
diff --git a/app/views/members/_popover.html.haml b/app/views/members/_popover.html.haml
index 2772046cd..24122c560 100644
--- a/app/views/members/_popover.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/members/_popover.html.haml
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
     = distance_of_time_in_words(member.created_at, Time.zone.now)
     ago.
   %p
-    = pluralize(member.gardens.count, "garden")
+    = pluralize(member.gardens.size, "garden")
     %br/
-    = pluralize(member.plantings.count, "planting")
+    = pluralize(member.plantings.size, "planting")
     %br/
-    = pluralize(member.seeds.count, "seed")
+    = pluralize(member.seeds.size, "seed")
diff --git a/app/views/plantings/_list.html.haml b/app/views/plantings/_list.html.haml
index 6c9812222..5374c815a 100644
--- a/app/views/plantings/_list.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/plantings/_list.html.haml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
         = link_to p.crop, p.crop
         in
         = succeed "'s" do
-          = link_to p.owner, p.owner
+          = link_to p.garden.owner, p.garden.owner
         = link_to p.garden, p.garden
         %br/
         %small
diff --git a/db/migrate/20130826012139_add_owner_to_planting.rb b/db/migrate/20130826012139_add_owner_to_planting.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0f32568b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20130826012139_add_owner_to_planting.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AddOwnerToPlanting < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    add_column :plantings, :owner_id, :integer
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20130826023159_add_plantings_count_to_member.rb b/db/migrate/20130826023159_add_plantings_count_to_member.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06819f61c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20130826023159_add_plantings_count_to_member.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AddPlantingsCountToMember < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def change
+    add_column :members, :plantings_count, :integer
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 2237703ee..179f7e82b 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended to check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130821073736) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130826023159) do
 
   create_table "account_types", :force => true do |t|
     t.string   "name",              :null => false
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130821073736) do
     t.float    "longitude"
     t.boolean  "send_notification_email", :default => true
     t.text     "bio"
+    t.integer  "plantings_count"
   end
 
   add_index "members", ["confirmation_token"], :name => "index_users_on_confirmation_token", :unique => true
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20130821073736) do
     t.string   "slug"
     t.string   "sunniness"
     t.string   "planted_from"
+    t.integer  "owner_id"
   end
 
   add_index "plantings", ["slug"], :name => "index_plantings_on_slug", :unique => true
diff --git a/lib/tasks/growstuff.rake b/lib/tasks/growstuff.rake
index 8b9a1bada..f1e63c5cb 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/growstuff.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/growstuff.rake
@@ -138,14 +138,35 @@ namespace :growstuff do
       cropbot.account.account_type = AccountType.find_by_name("Staff") # set this just because it's nice
       cropbot.account.save
       Crop.find_each do |crop|
-        crop.creator = cropbot
-        crop.save
+        unless crop.creator
+          crop.creator = cropbot
+          crop.save
+        end
       end
       ScientificName.find_each do |sn|
-        sn.creator = cropbot
-        sn.save
+        unless sn.creator
+          sn.creator = cropbot
+          sn.save
+        end
       end
 
     end
+
+    desc "August 2013: set planting owner"
+    task :set_planting_owner => :environment do
+      Planting.find_each do |p|
+        p.owner = p.garden.owner
+        p.save
+      end
+    end
+
+    desc "August 2013: initialize member planting counter"
+    task :initialize_member_planting_count => :environment do
+      Member.find_each do |m|
+        Member.reset_counters m.id, :plantings
+      end
+    end
+
   end
+
 end
diff --git a/lib/tasks/testing.rake b/lib/tasks/testing.rake
index cb58df2c9..1f7f000ef 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/testing.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/testing.rake
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ require 'rake'
 begin
   require 'rspec/core/rake_task'
   task(:spec).clear
-  RSpec::Core::RakeTask.new(:spec) do |t|
+  RSpec::Core::RakeTask.new(:spec => 'db:test:prepare') do |t|
     t.verbose = false
   end
 rescue LoadError
diff --git a/script/deploy-tasks.sh b/script/deploy-tasks.sh
index c7b85de08..510eac6fb 100755
--- a/script/deploy-tasks.sh
+++ b/script/deploy-tasks.sh
@@ -6,8 +6,12 @@
 # when it was added.  This will help us know which ones have been run
 # and can safely be commented out or removed.
 
-echo "2013-08-18 - reset crop planting counts"
-rake growstuff:oneoff:reset_crop_plantings_count
+# Default format is:
+# echo "YYYY-MM-DD - do something or other"
+# rake growstuff:oneoff:something
 
-echo "2013-08-21 - set default crop creator"
-rake growstuff:oneoff:set_default_crop_creator
+echo "2013-08-26 - set planting owner"
+rake growstuff:oneoff:set_planting_owner
+
+echo "2013-08-26 - initialize member planting count"
+rake growstuff:oneoff:initialize_member_planting_count
diff --git a/spec/controllers/photos_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/photos_controller_spec.rb
index 9618c5b45..a73981e4c 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/photos_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/photos_controller_spec.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ describe PhotosController do
 
   login_member
 
-
   def valid_attributes
     member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
     {
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ describe PhotosController do
         member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
         controller.stub(:current_member) { member }
         garden = FactoryGirl.create(:garden, :owner => member)
-        planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => garden)
+        planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => garden, :owner => member)
         photo = FactoryGirl.create(:photo, :owner => member)
         post :create, {:photo => { :flickr_photo_id => photo.flickr_photo_id },
           :planting_id => planting.id }
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ describe PhotosController do
         member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
         controller.stub(:current_member) { member }
         garden = FactoryGirl.create(:garden, :owner => member)
-        planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => garden)
+        planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => garden, :owner => member)
         photo = FactoryGirl.create(:photo, :owner => member)
         post :create, {:photo => { :flickr_photo_id => photo.flickr_photo_id },
           :planting_id => planting.id }
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ describe PhotosController do
         member = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
         controller.stub(:current_member) { member }
         garden = FactoryGirl.create(:garden, :owner => member)
-        planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => garden)
+        planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => garden, :owner => member)
         photo = FactoryGirl.create(:photo, :owner => member)
         post :create, {:photo => { :flickr_photo_id => photo.flickr_photo_id },
           :planting_id => planting.id }
diff --git a/spec/controllers/plantings_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/plantings_controller_spec.rb
index 2bc3367ec..7e6a75d22 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/plantings_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/plantings_controller_spec.rb
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ describe PlantingsController do
       assigns(:planting).planted_at.should == Date.today
     end
 
+    it "sets the owner automatically" do
+      post :create, { :planting => valid_attributes }
+      assigns(:planting).owner.should eq subject.current_member
+    end
+
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/spec/factories/planting.rb b/spec/factories/planting.rb
index 58f67f653..6bfe8554c 100644
--- a/spec/factories/planting.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/planting.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :planting do
     garden
+    owner
     crop
     planted_at Date.today
     quantity 33
diff --git a/spec/models/crop_spec.rb b/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
index 55386a7b4..f7f606736 100644
--- a/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
@@ -61,9 +61,10 @@ describe Crop do
 
   it 'counts plantings' do
     @crop = FactoryGirl.create(:tomato)
-    @crop.plantings_count.should eq 0
-    FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :crop => @crop)
-    @crop.plantings_count.should eq 1
+    @crop.plantings.size.should eq 0
+    @planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :crop => @crop)
+    @crop.reload
+    @crop.plantings.size.should eq 1
   end
 
   it 'validates en_wikipedia_url' do
diff --git a/spec/models/member_spec.rb b/spec/models/member_spec.rb
index a25dd3e24..51d10a5b2 100644
--- a/spec/models/member_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/member_spec.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe 'member' do
 
     it 'should have a default garden' do
       @member.save
-      @member.gardens.count.should == 1
+      @member.gardens.size.should == 1
     end
 
     it 'should have a accounts entry' do
@@ -68,12 +68,10 @@ describe 'member' do
       @member.gardens.first.name.should eq "Garden"
     end
 
-    it 'has many plantings through gardens' do
+    it 'has many plantings' do
       @member.save
-      @planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting,
-        :garden => @member.gardens.first
-      )
-      @member.plantings.count.should eq 1
+      @planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :owner => @member)
+      @member.plantings.size.should eq 1
     end
 
     it "has many comments" do
@@ -275,7 +273,7 @@ describe 'member' do
       @member4 = FactoryGirl.create(:unconfirmed_member)
 
       [@member1, @member2, @member3, @member4].each do |m|
-        FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => m.gardens.first)
+        FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :owner => m)
       end
 
       @member1.updated_at = 3.days.ago
diff --git a/spec/models/planting_spec.rb b/spec/models/planting_spec.rb
index d730414aa..dfc7bbe39 100644
--- a/spec/models/planting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/planting_spec.rb
@@ -4,19 +4,24 @@ describe Planting do
 
   before(:each) do
     @crop     = FactoryGirl.create(:tomato)
-    @member   = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
-    @garden   = FactoryGirl.create(:garden, :owner => @member)
+    @garden_owner   = FactoryGirl.create(:member)
+    @garden   = FactoryGirl.create(:garden, :owner => @garden_owner)
     @planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting,
         :crop => @crop, :garden => @garden)
   end
 
-  it "generates an owner" do
+  it 'has an owner' do
     @planting.owner.should be_an_instance_of Member
-    @planting.owner.login_name.should match /^member\d+$/
+  end
+
+  it "owner isn't necessarily the garden owner" do
+    # a new owner should be created automatically by FactoryGirl
+    # note that formerly, the planting belonged to an owner through the garden
+    @planting.owner.should_not eq @garden_owner
   end
 
   it "generates a location" do
-    @planting.location.should match /^member\d+'s Springfield Community Garden$/
+    @planting.location.should eq "#{@garden_owner.login_name}'s #{@garden.name}"
   end
 
   it "sorts plantings in descending order of creation" do
@@ -194,7 +199,7 @@ describe Planting do
       # this one is newer, and has the same owner, through the garden
       @planting2 = FactoryGirl.create(:planting,
         :created_at => 1.minute.ago,
-        :garden_id => @planting1.garden.id
+        :owner_id => @planting1.owner.id
       )
       @planting2.photos << FactoryGirl.create(:photo)
       @planting2.save
diff --git a/spec/views/home/_members.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/home/_members.html.haml_spec.rb
index 84570662f..f6498c243 100644
--- a/spec/views/home/_members.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/home/_members.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ describe 'home/_members.html.haml', :type => "view" do
     @member.updated_at = 2.days.ago
     assign(:members, [@member])
 
-    @planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => @member.gardens.first)
+    @planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :owner => @member)
     render
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/views/home/index_spec.rb b/spec/views/home/index_spec.rb
index 478f5815b..f94892b9c 100644
--- a/spec/views/home/index_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/home/index_spec.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe 'home/index.html.haml', :type => "view" do
     @post = FactoryGirl.create(:post, :author => @member)
     assign(:posts, [@post])
 
-    @planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :garden => @member.gardens.first)
+    @planting = FactoryGirl.create(:planting, :owner => @member)
     assign(:plantings, [@planting])
 
     @crop = FactoryGirl.create(:crop)
diff --git a/spec/views/plantings/index.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/plantings/index.html.haml_spec.rb
index b660fe2a1..a3df530bd 100644
--- a/spec/views/plantings/index.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/plantings/index.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ describe "plantings/index" do
       pager.replace([
         FactoryGirl.create(:planting,
           :garden => @garden,
-          :crop => @tomato
+          :crop => @tomato,
+          :owner => @member
         ),
         FactoryGirl.create(:planting,
           :garden => @garden,