On our website, we have a document on the hydrant policy established for community gardens in St. Paul, MN. You can find it here: http://www.gardeningmatters.org/coordinating-resources
Hope that helps provide some insight! Margaret -- Margaret Shields Education and Outreach Coordinator Gardening Matters 612-821-2358 *7th Annual Community Garden Spring Resource Fair** April 2nd from 9am-4pm*Meet other gardeners from around the metro area, glean what resources and opportunities are available to community gardens, and cultivate some new horticultural and organizational skills. Click here<http://www.gardeningmatters.org/events/community-garden-spring-resource-fair>for more info! *Get Connected! *Visit the Gardening Matters Events Calendar<http://www.gardeningmatters.org/events/calendar.html>for events, workshops, public meetings, and social gatherings related to community gardening. On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 12:00 PM, < [email protected]> wrote: > Send Community_garden mailing list submissions to > [email protected] > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > [email protected] > > You can reach the person managing the list at > [email protected] > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Community_garden digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Using fire hydrants for water in the community garden > (Mary Jac Brennan) > 2. Re: Using fire hydrants for water in the community garden > (Libby J. Goldstein) > 3. Re: Using fire hydrants for water in the community garden > (Ken Hargesheimer) > 4. Boston: Urban Gardening Book Group (Stephanie Bostic) > 5. Re: Using fire hydrants for water in the communitygarden > (Cocke, Abby) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:08:05 -0400 > From: Mary Jac Brennan <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Community_garden] Using fire hydrants for water in the > community garden > Message-ID: > <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > We have a new resource program for community gardens in Winston-Salem, NC > and we are interested in setting up as many options for gardening as > possible. Does anyone have experience with using fire hydrants as a water > source for community gardens? Does anyone have experience working with > city > utilities to make that happen? Can anyone direct me to some reference > materials? > We have great interest in new gardens, and want to have affordable options > for these gardens. > Thank you. > Mary Jac > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: < > http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20110327/abecd98b/attachment.html > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:53:44 -0400 > From: "Libby J. Goldstein" <[email protected]> > To: Mary Jac Brennan <[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Using fire hydrants for water in the > community garden > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed"; > DelSp="yes" > > We used the hydrant for about 20 years. Hooked a fire hose to it and > then an adaptor on the other end so we could use several garden hoses > at once. We used the hoses to fill 55 gallon drums (one per plot), > and the gardeners hand watered using the water from the drums. > > Every gardener had to sign up for 2 weeks on the "water committee", > the people who filled the barrels. One week was to be during the hot > months and one during the cool months. > > After some years, the City decided we couldn't use the hydrants > without a hugely expensive backflow preventer; so we got a grant to > bring a water line right into the garden and gave up having to haul > hoses. What a blessing. > > Libby > On Mar 27, 2011, at 1:08 PM, Mary Jac Brennan wrote: > > > We have a new resource program for community gardens in Winston- > > Salem, NC > > and we are interested in setting up as many options for gardening as > > possible. Does anyone have experience with using fire hydrants as > > a water > > source for community gardens? Does anyone have experience working > > with city > > utilities to make that happen? Can anyone direct me to some reference > > materials? > > We have great interest in new gardens, and want to have affordable > > options > > for these gardens. > > Thank you. > > Mary Jac > > -------------- next part -------------- > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > > URL: <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/ > > community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20110327/ > > abecd98b/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: > > [email protected] > > > > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: http:// > > list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/ > > community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > > "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired." Fanny Lou Hamer > > > > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: < > http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20110327/40da8ce9/attachment.html > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:21:35 -0500 > From: Ken Hargesheimer <[email protected]> > To: Mary Jac Brennan <[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Using fire hydrants for water in the > community garden > Message-ID: > <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" > > If there is no water at a garden, try using bucket drip systems. I do not > talk about it in my workshops in the USA but in San Diego, I mentioned it > and one gardener went and set one up in his garden plot. A 100 ft row > needs > only 10 gallons of water every other day. > > GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK > > USA, M?xico, Rep Dominicana, Cote d?Ivoire, Nigeria, Hait?, > > Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, England, Nicaragua, India, Uzbekistan > > Workshops [urban & rural] in organic, no-till, permanent-bed, gardening, > mini-farming, mini-ranching, > > with bucket drip irrigation, worldwide, in English & Espa?ol > Bucket Drip Irrigation > > The bucket must be suspended at least l meter above the ground. A tube is > connected to the dripline and the other end is placed in the bucket to > siphon the water out. Assuming the bucket is 20 liters, fill it twice for > each row of vegetables. The dripline can be moved to another row for > irrigating. Each row of vegetables is irrigated every other day. Plant a > row of vegetables on each side of the dripline and use 40 liters of water. > > > Bucket Kits > > The key to the simple drip irrigation system that we use is the gravity fed > "bucket kit". The bucket kit consists of four 8m lines [or two of 50 ft or > one of 100?] of drip tape connected to a bucket suspended 1m above the > vegetable bed. Water is poured into the bucket and is evenly distributed > to 100 watering points. By filling the bucket twice a day, a small kitchen > garden can be watered. Studies in Kenya have shown that two of these kits > can provide the water needed to produce enough vegetables to feed a family > of seven during the dry season. These bucket kits are available in most > countries (US$25), save water, save labor, and are easy to use. Go to > Chapinlivingwaters.org. > > > > *Using sleeves* > > Farmers in Honduras invented a VERY cheap drip irrigation system. They buy > the regular black poly hose. Then they punch holes in it where they want > them with a nail or ice pick. A hot nail is best. Then take short > sections > [5 inches] of the same hose, cut it lengthwise to form a sleeve, and place > a > sleeve over each hole. This sleeve applies pressure to the hole, only > letting a little water out, like a drip. This technology is quite cheap, > VERY simple to do. Maintenance is also simple, because if a hole plugs up, > you can often unplug it merely by taking the sleeve off and then replacing > it. > > > > *Using screws* > > Farmers in Nicaragua are using cheap round tubing and wood screws. I tried > it with great success. The screw is inserted completely into the tubing, > every 12 inches, so that it protrudes through the opposite side. It is then > backed off to allow water to drip through that side. The flow is set by > screwing it in or out as needed. This even allows for variations in > pressure > due to terrain. > > > > *Pin holes for drip* > > I am wondering if a dripline could be made by using a hot pin or very small > hot nail, etc. to punch holes in the poly tubing. I mean really tiny holes > every 12 inches. > > > > *Irrigating one plant* > > Drill one hole in the bottom side of a bucket. It should be the same size > as a short hose which is then inserted into the hole. Place the end of the > hose at the base of a plant. Even better is to use a short piece of hose > with several holes and circle the plant. > > > > *Buy enough hose to connect the drip line to the top of the bucket to > siphon > out the water. It takes about 1-2 hours for the bucket to empty. The > dripline can be moved to another row of vegetables or plant a row of > vegetables on each side of the dripline. Use more water. If one is > willing > to carry the water, one line will irrigate several rows during the day.* > > * > * > > *DIY drip kit*: > > Roger Pigott [San Diego workshop] decided to use two bucket drip systems on > a bed in the garden but he did not want to siphon the water. Kits from > Echonet.org are $25 each. He went to the hardware store and purchased: > 100' > of ?" black poly tubing; a post to hang buckets on; a faucet rosette > washer and nut; ?" ring washers; ?" swivel tubing adapter; union - ?" > pipe threads and garden hose threads. One for each bucket. He drilled a > 3/4 inch hole in the bottom of the buckets and installed the fittings. He > then connected the tubing from the buckets to a header. He has five > driplines connected to the header using tees and ells. He used wood screws > for the drip outlets. There is about 60' of dripline. He planted seed in > the five rows and laid the dripline over the seed. Very original thinking! > > > > > *Organic, no-till gardening/mini-farming, in permanent beds, using hand > tools **[& hand power tools]**, takes very little funds, increases yields, > reduces labor by 50% or more, reduces inputs/expenses to nearly 0 [seed > only], increases fertility, stops soil erosion **[no rain water run off]**, > eliminates most weed, disease and insect problems and greatly increases > profits if marketing. Drip irrigation or DIY bucket drip irrigation as > needed.* > > > > Ken Hargesheimer > > [email protected] > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: < > http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20110327/763b0bde/attachment.html > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:41:24 -0600 > From: Stephanie Bostic <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Community_garden] Boston: Urban Gardening Book Group > Message-ID: > <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Hello, > > Boston Natural Areas Network and the Roxbury Community College Service > Learning Garden Project are pleased to continue our new book club. > > Our second meeting will be held on April 19, at 5:15 pm at Roxbury > Community > College in Building #3, Room 130. Please join us to discuss Manifestos on > the Future of Food and Seed, by Vandana Shiva. > > Facebook page: > > http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Boston-Urban-Gardening-Book-Group/135017093236253 > > Feel free to circulate. > > Thank you! > Stephanie > > -- > Stephanie Bostic > MS in Agriculture, Food & the Environment 2010 > Tufts University > > Blogging about food and fiber: http://groundcherry.wordpress.com > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: < > http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20110327/e5cc1161/attachment.html > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:19:07 -0400 > From: "Cocke, Abby" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Using fire hydrants for water in the > communitygarden > Message-ID: > > <2d9403885df8ab4783348db5e9f2e2720611a...@balt-exch2-srv.baltimore.city> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > In Baltimore City, we've used fire hydrants as water sources for > community gardens for years. Our process is as follows -- the gardener > rights a letter to the local Extension Office explaining where their > garden is located, where the hydrant is located, and some basics about > their garden. The Extension Office forwards the letter to the > Department of Public Works, which issues a use-permit that goes back to > Extension, which then sends it back to the gardener. This way, the city > only has to deal with one entity which it trusts, Extension. If the > request seems questionable (rarely the case), an Extension employee can > always go out to take a look at the site. The gardener is then > responsible for purchasing a hydrant key from a local fire department > supply store, and for using the hydrant safely and correctly. However, > it's my understanding that the city is trying very hard to move away > from this model, as there are concerns with costs and potential damage > to the hydrants. We are looking at setting up a small grants program to > get direct water hookups into community gardens. > Best of luck! > > Abby Cocke > Baltimore Office of Sustainability > www.baltimoresustainability.org > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > Mary Jac Brennan > Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2011 1:08 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Community_garden] Using fire hydrants for water in the > communitygarden > > We have a new resource program for community gardens in Winston-Salem, > NC > and we are interested in setting up as many options for gardening as > possible. Does anyone have experience with using fire hydrants as a > water > source for community gardens? Does anyone have experience working with > city > utilities to make that happen? Can anyone direct me to some reference > materials? > We have great interest in new gardens, and want to have affordable > options > for these gardens. > Thank you. > Mary Jac > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communi > tygarden.org/attachments/20110327/abecd98b/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: > [email protected] > > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c > ommunitygarden.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: [email protected] > To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: > http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org > > End of Community_garden Digest, Vol 1234, Issue 1 > ************************************************* > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20110328/4800dc96/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: [email protected] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
