Hi, Here are my two cents on the following matters:
Plot term limits- 1. If you're going to have them, make sure they're long enough so that whomever has a plot is able to farm it long enough to get their money's worth in terms of material investment. 2. Another alternative is to encourage people to make use of other available spaces, say window boxes, apartment deck space, etc., and provide how-to guides for interested parties, which might help reduce some of the demand for spaces. High power lines and electromagnetic radiation: 1. No one can ever make a claim that something is completely safe, as pointed out by a microwave engineer who was on my Ph.D. commitee. This goes for absolutely anything, including the food you grow in your garden. You always have to assume some sort of risk is involved with anything. 2. Like anything else, including water and oxygen, excessive exposure to electromagnetic radiation in elevated levels in terms of time or intensity can be harmful, extending from very low frequencies (power lines, 50-60 Hz) and all the way up to X-rays and cosmic rays. In a number of cases, particular when it comes to microwaves (cellphones and wireless computer networks, 300 MHz - 300 GHz) and high power lines, the existing government-mandated levels are probably set much higher than the exposure you'll receive, and there are a number of conflicting studies on the matter as to what is a "safe" level (as a scientist I don't trust a single study and prefer to look at several, and even after that, I am still not sure). If in doubt, use the conservative approach and just avoid areas within close proximity of power lines and cellphone towers- if working under power lines is going to cause you or your family anxiety about your health or safety, then better to let the area lie fallow or let someone else farm there. That said, I can't say for sure you will be harmed by having a garden near one. 3. Working near power lines do have a number of dangers, particularly if you get too close to the wires- avoid using anything that's tall enough to get close to them and could cause arcing or touch them. Likewise, power lines can droop down in hot weather due to thermal expansion. There is also a risk that the magnetic fields generated by the electrical current could induce electrical currents in conducting materials, particularly if those materials are moving or the overhead wires are swaying in the wind (not sure how much of an issue this really is, but there is a solid physical basis for this one). 4. You may need to get permission from the company that owns the wires and the local governments- they may not want people farming there due to liability issues and the possibility that the lines may get damaged, which could potentially leave millions without power. 5. The claims associated with "Orgonite" materials have no scientific basis and no beneficial effect beyond that of a placebo. Microwaves from cellphones, antenna towers, ovens, etc. travel straight through the air and low-dielectric materials (e.g., glass, concrete) with ease and spreading these pellets around the base won't have any effect beyond any scattering associated with their dielectric composition and geometry, like everything else present in the environment. The only objects that effectively obstruct them are lossy high-dielectric materials (water, particularly if it contains dissolved salts) or conductive materials such as metal (please note, these materials are also highly reflective). Regarding salting of soils- salt damage of soils is really dependent upon climate and the underlying geology and geomorphology. If an area is well drained then highly soluble salts will be leached from soils with sufficient freshwater. However, the lack or drainage or underlying brackish or saline water can cause severe salt damage. In Iraq many soils suffer from salt damage due to the lack of adequate drainage and maintenance of irrigation canals, causing salt buildup in the soils, and in Australia and elsewhere overirrigation caused saline water tables to rise, damaging fertile soils. Sincerely, Guy Serbin On Tue, Jan 4, 2011 at 10:21 AM, Diann Dirks <didi...@comcast.net> wrote: > So true Rashid, it's a scandal that the people who are supposed to be helping > us are under so much pressure from special interests that they forgot who > they are hired to help - US~. So, one has to be knowledgeable and not stupid. > Trust the ones you can, and beware of the rest. I am on a campaign to get > people to be more aware, more knowledgeable, and more discerning about the > information they are confronted with. And to get people to read and research > more! > > What you are doing is so inspiring. I wish you all success in the New Year. > > Best, > Diann Dirks > Certified Permaculture Designer > 678 26-8141 Auburn, Ga. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: K. Rashid Nuri > To: Jama Crawford ; Diann Dirks ; W Ontiveros ; > community_garden@list.communitygarden.org > Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 1:19 AM > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Term Limits for Community Garden Plots? > > > happy new year > > the united states government promotes too many things indeed hazardous to > health. one can find reports to support almost any position. the power > companies have a well-paid lobby in d.c. you only see people living under > these lines in poor neighbohoods, not amongst the country club set. why not? > the service would be closer to the source. > > > K. Rashid Nuri > > Truly Living Well > P.O. Box 90841 > East Point GA 30364 > Phone: 404 520 8331 > www.trulylivingwell.com > > It is simply service that measures success. - George Washington Carver > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > From: Jama Crawford <j...@frontier.net> > To: K. Rashid Nuri <ad...@trulylivingwell.com>; Diann Dirks > <didi...@comcast.net>; W Ontiveros <wontive...@gmail.com>; > community_garden@list.communitygarden.org > Sent: Mon, January 3, 2011 1:13:25 AM > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Term Limits for Community Garden Plots? > > It may be useful to review literature on power line health effects published > by the US Dept of Health. I admit I wouldn't want to garden under a power > line either, but most of my apprehension is probably due to frequent reports > of the hazards, which this article indicates are unproven. > http://www.hps.org/hpspublications/articles/powerlines.html > > Jama Crawford > Shared Harvet > Durango CO > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "K. Rashid Nuri" > <ad...@trulylivingwell.com> > To: "Diann Dirks" <didi...@comcast.net>; "W Ontiveros" > <wontive...@gmail.com>; <community_garden@list.communitygarden.org> > Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2011 7:14 PM > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Term Limits for Community Garden Plots? > > > > with all respect to my colleague diann, i have seen a lot of food grown > under > > power lines in california. land under high power lines is very dangerous. > check > > the research and see how high the incidences of cancer is for residents > living > > there. would not recommend anyone growing food in such places. even if > people > > are only there for a few hours, the food will be there to collect the > energy > > which is out of balance. > > > > K. Rashid Nuri > > > > Truly Living Well > > P.O. Box 90841 > > East Point GA 30364 > > Phone: 404 520 8331 > > www.trulylivingwell.com > > > > It is simply service that measures success. - George Washington Carver > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Diann Dirks <didi...@comcast.net> > > To: W Ontiveros <wontive...@gmail.com>; > > community_garden@list.communitygarden.org > > Sent: Wed, December 29, 2010 12:00:21 PM > > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Term Limits for Community Garden Plots? > > > > How about asking for land under the high power lines and space along the > L.A. > > River? The spaces are sometimes leased by landscape companies for growing > stock, > > but not all of it is used. One wouldn't want to spend a great deal of time > under > > those lines but keeping a garden a couple of hours a week wouldn't be too > tough > > I wouldn't imagine. Also, there are some large parks in L.A. which have > some > > unused land. That's a possibility. And vacant lots can be looked into. I > lived > > in L.A. and saw a lot of land unused. Not huge amounts but being > resourceful I > > know more space can be found. Just drive around and spot unused land. > Possibly > > if it's in a neighborhood and is owned by someone, but being unused, the > owner > > can be contacted and make a deal with them to lease the land and pay > something - > > makes a great tax write-off. > > > > Guerilla gardening is also a possibility - using land unused by just > planting on > > it, here and there. I have heard stories in NY about vacant land being > planted > > on from the back to the front year after year, and eventually having the > city > > give them the land because it's already established and community building. > > > > Hope this helps, > > Diann Dirks > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "W Ontiveros" <wontive...@gmail.com> > > To: <community_garden@list.communitygarden.org> > > Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2010 10:27 AM > > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Term Limits for Community Garden Plots? > > > > > >> Our garden opened in 2009 and we have 30 raised beds in a densly populated > >> neigborhood 5 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. We've leased the > >> land from the city's Department of Transporation. Our plots are assigned > >> based on a weighted lottery - applicants living closest to the garden > >> receive 3 chances, those who live in the zip code 2 chances, and all > others > >> receive one chance. > >> > >> Our plot term is currently 2 years. We have no term limits. However, > after > >> the 2 year term, all gardeners who wish to renew must reapply and take > their > >> chances in the lottery. > >> > >> We decided on this process to be fair to all stakeholders and ensure that > >> all applicants have a chance to get a plot. A few gardeners were > resistant > >> to this process. However, by and large our gardeners understand that the > >> person who didn't get a plot the first go around deserves a chance to > >> garden, too. > >> > >> Virtually all gardens in the L.A. metropolitan area have extensive waiting > >> lists. Santa Monica city has some of the longest wating lists. > >> They discussed term limits for their gardens, but backed off due to > >> community resistance. We do have some new gardens in the works. However, > >> demand for garden plots here always seems to outrip supply. Suitable > vacant > >> land is also scarce here. I don't see it getting any easier to establish > >> more gardens here anytime soon. > >> > >> > >> -Warren > >> Milagro Allegro Community Garden > >> http://hpgarden.org > >> > >> > >>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > >>> From: William Maynard <wmayn...@cityofsacramento.org> > >>> To: "'community_garden@list.communitygarden.org'" < > >>> community_garden@list.communitygarden.org> > >>> Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:42:18 +0000 > >>> Subject: [Community_garden] Term Limits for Community Garden Plots? > >>> All > >>> > >>> With all the demand for community garden plots.. wondering if there are > any > >>> community gardens out there that have a term limit as to how long that > you > >>> can keep a plot? > >>> > >>> Unlimited number of years? Or X number of years? > >>> > >>> And the procedures of filling the plots if there is a term limit.. > lottery > >>> of all current gardeners and those on waiting list? How long are the term > >>> limits? > >>> > >>> We all know that we need more gardens and the benefits of keeping the > same > >>> plot year after year..build soil and community etc.. just wondering about > >>> term limits on plots if anyone has them in place and how its working. > >>> > >>> Thanks.. More Gardens! > >>> > >>> bill > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> -------------- next part -------------- > >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > >> URL: > >> > <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20101229/dc7997a6/attachment.html> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of > ACGA's > >> services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find > out > >> how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org > >> > >> To post an e-mail to the list: community_gar...@list.communitygarden.org > >> > >> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > >> > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > >> > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of > ACGA's > > services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find > out > > how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org > > > > To post an e-mail to the list: community_gar...@list.communitygarden.org > > > > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > > > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > > -------------- next part -------------- > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > > URL: > <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20110101/9a82e8ce/attachment.html> > > _______________________________________________ > > The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of > ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to > find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org > > > > To post an e-mail to the list: community_gar...@list.communitygarden.org > > > > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus > signature database 5750 (20101231) __________ > > > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > > > > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20110104/489f04b3/attachment.html> > _______________________________________________ > The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's > services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out > how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org > > To post an e-mail to the list: community_gar...@list.communitygarden.org > > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > _______________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
