Re: [Community_garden] organic fruit tree spray

[Jack Hale]

Try these
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Organic-Recipes-Homemade_vq204.htm

Jack Hale
jack.h...@comcast.net
860-371-8026

On Sep 20, 2013, at 6:06 PM, gardenapplese...@aol.com wrote:

> Does anyone know of an organic fruit tree spray to prevent  fungus 
> infection ?
> Thanks !
> Les
> _www.CommunityGardensAsAppleseeds.info_ 
> (http://www.CommunityGardensAsAppleseeds.info) 
> -- next part --
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
> URL: 
> <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20130920/077c358f/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_garden@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/20130920/2662aeac/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

[Community_garden] Mapping Urban Agriculture From the Sky - Neighborhoods - The Atlantic Cities

[Jack Hale]

Hi folks-
Here's an interesting concept for quantifying urban agriculture.
JH

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/01/mapping-urban-agriculture-sky/4346/
 

Jack Hale
860-371-8026
jack.h...@comcast.net





___
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

Re: [Community_garden] like water for chickens

[Jack Hale]

When I need to melt some ice, I prefer pouring a little scotch on it.   
Not sure how it works for chickens, but it keeps me happy.

JH

Jack Hale
860-371-8026
jack.h...@comcast.net




On Dec 9, 2010, at 1:02 PM, William Maynard wrote:

Hey fred.. wonder if by putting salt in their water that it would  
bring down the freezing temp a few degrees.. remove the salt water  
once the freeze has past..? wouldn't work for Alaska at -25 or  
more.. but for a few degrees it may work short term..


And your eggs would be already salted ;)

Don't know if they would drink the salt water.. or if it would harm  
them


or

Use a non-metal bowl for the water.. or use a plant seedling starter  
warming pad under a metal bowl.. for short term use.  Or maybe  
insulate the bowl



Bill


___
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



___
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

Re: [Community_garden] Volunteers Needed ASAP

[Jack Hale]

Hi folks- 

And hello from the 30th annual ACGA conference. 

Hindsight is always 20/20, but every conversation about community garden 
organizing comes back to this. All of us who like to get things done and make 
our communities better are susceptible to being overly helpful and in danger of 
becoming the person who everyone depends on. The first rule of successful 
garden organizing is to start with people. We ignore this rule at our own 
peril. Believe me, I've done it, and clawing your way back from being "the 
gardener" is no fun. When we start with people and give people a chance to buy 
into a system that engages everyone in organizing and maintaining the garden, 
the likelihood that we will become the Lone Ranger is greatly reduced. The "if 
you build it, they will come" strategy works only to a degree. Usually they 
will come and take advantage of the situation (rather than taking 
responsibility). There are always exceptions, but I wouldn't count on being one 
of them. 

Please, if you are thinking about starting a garden, go to the ACGA website 
(communitygarden.org) and read the "How to start" article. And then do what it 
says. It's more than worth the effort. Hundreds of successful (and 
unsuccessful) community garden organizers contributed to the wisdom found in 
that document and in other educational materials available from ACGA. Take 
advantage. It's free. 

While you're at it, join ACGA (for $30 a year) and start supporting the network 
that supports you. 

As to the specific situation, the best thing to do is to call a meeting (not a 
workday). Meetings are where people get together to make decisions and to make 
personal commitments to the garden that serves them all. Once people assess 
their own ability to do work, you will be in a position to move forward. That's 
not a solution. It's a start. Good luck. 

Jack Hale 

- Original Message - 
From: "Robert Mader"  
To: "Sharon Zieska" , "community garden" 
 
Sent: Friday, August 7, 2009 10:59:52 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Volunteers Needed ASAP 

I wish you luck! I started a community garden last year and guess who has to 
do all the work. Me. The City gave me land to work with and Free water. The 
first year was a success as to getting plots let out - $10 per plot - 5 X 8. 
I asked for volunteers and small donations for equipment. One man donated 
the use of his hose. I donated the other hose. I donated some mulch - that I 
bought for the garden. The city donated ground up tree mulch. I also donated 
a Wheelbarrow and a Picnic. I had to chop all the weeds by hand . Lay all 
the paths using tree bark (Lay out with expensive string - all the plots for 
the whole garden . Not one other person donated a dime. Donated a hoe or 
anything. A few people Outside of this town donated a few dollars and a 
Picnic Table. People want to get a share of the Community Garden - but the 
wanted me to be the "Gardener". I got no pay. No thank You's. No help. 
I love the garden. But I think I will step aside next spring and watch. 
If the community won't support it - even the people who benefit from it - 
what do you suppose will happen. 
Again. I wish you luck . 
Bob 
- Original Message - 
From: "Sharon Zieska"  
To:  
Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 6:09 PM 
Subject: [Community_garden] Volunteers Needed ASAP 


> Hello to all garden lovers out there, I need help!! 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm looking for help with the watering schedule as well as maintaining 
> current crops. (Weeding) 
> 
> 
> 
> In addition to maintenance, I could REALLY use some help with the fall 
> planting. 
> 
> 
> 
> Please contact me ASAP 
> 
> Sharon Zieska 
> 
> 818 700-8940 (please leave a message) 
> 
> szie...@earthlink.net 
> 
> 
> 
> Garden is located in Chatsworth, CA 91311 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- next part -- 
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 
> URL: 
> <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20090807/1f9528b1/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_garden@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 

Re: [Community_garden] Permanent land for community gardens

[Jack Hale]

Ahh…the garden permanence question.  Comes around every so often and  
is as hotly debated as, well, everything else on this list serve.


Seems that owning gardens is the ultimate way to protect them from  
development.  Well, it is, but it might be overkill.  If you are  
going to own it, you may get into some interesting issues like  
increased liability exposure and the burden of demonstrating to the  
tax man that your organization and your use of the land should be  
exempt from property taxes.  There is also the fact that community  
gardens tend to operate on half a shoe string, and purchasing or even  
accepting property and properly maintaining it can cost a bunch of  
money. Of course, if you are a land trust or otherwise in the  
business of owning land, perhaps these are minor issues.  For me, the  
scary bit would be the fear of owning a garden that people didn’t  
want to use anymore.  It happens.  Neighborhoods thin out,  
populations change, and things happen to chase people away.  It’s  
tough to get stuck holding the bag.  Quite a few years ago I spent an  
inordinate amount of time trying to turn loose some properties that  
my organization had accepted in haste, that people had lost interest  
in, and that we had no capacity to maintain.  These were neighborhood  
playgrounds, but the principal is the same.


That being said, I tend to apply a corollary of Honigman’s Law  
(Community gardening is 50% gardening and 100% politics).  The  
corollary is that real garden permanence comes from people’s  
commitment to the gardens and their willingness to do what it takes  
to preserve them.  New York City’s relatively recent experience with  
loss of gardens notwithstanding, a strong, committed, functioning  
community is the best kind of garden permanence.  Of course  
developing a community garden policy for your town or getting  
community gardening to be a recognized land use is worthwhile, but  
its value has as much to do with the organizing, education, and  
publicity efforts that go into it as it does with the final outcome.   
Same thing goes for open garden days, community events, education  
programs, clean-up days, and garden designs intended to appeal to  
neighbors and passers-by.   Community gardeners can be solitary folks  
most often found bent over their carrot patches and little inclined  
to come out for meetings or group activities.  The effort to create  
the sense of community, however, can make all the difference to the  
garden’s survival in the face of development pressure or other  
disasters.


So, go ahead with whatever makes sense to provide legal garden  
permanence.  I don’t think there is a perfect answer for what is the  
right thing to do.  That being said, do everything you can to build  
community in and around your gardens.  Behave like a community  
organizer (it’s popular again).  Never do anything by yourself.   
Don’t be so helpful that everyone becomes dependent upon you.  Don’t  
have a meeting if you can have a party.  Make sure everybody has  
something to do.  Learn people’s names.  (These are real organizing  
guideline.  If they seem odd to you, you may want to study the  
subject a little.)


Good luck, and keep growing.

JH

Jack Hale
jack.h...@comcast.net
860-478-2101



On May 27, 2009, at 11:53 AM, Kirsten at Gardening Matters wrote:


 Hello all,

It's late spring and so it's no surprise that there's a lot of push  
for more
community gardens (now!).  This is causing all sorts of issues that  
seem to
be sapping from our energy to just support existing community  
gardens.  All

this just re-enforces for me that we need permanent land for community
gardens in order for them to fulfill their potential to benefit their
communities.

Is there an argument already made (official and in writing) for  
permanent
land for community gardens.  What examples are there to make land  
permanent

and whether the city/other government body is a partner in this goal?

I sincerely apologize if this is written up somewhere already, but  
also
there's been so many changes even in the last year, I wonder if  
there aren't

new examples of city's helping to get permanent land for communtiy
gardening.

your input is greatly appreciated!  Kirsten

--
Kirsten Saylor
Gardening Matters
office: 612-492-8964
kirsten.gardeningmatt...@gmail.com
www.gardeningmatters.org

2009 Parade of Community Gardens!  August 22nd from 10am - 2pm!
Community garden registration due by June 1.



--
Kirsten Saylor
Gardening Matters
office: 612-492-8964
kirsten.gardeningmatt...@gmail.com
www.gardeningmatters.org

2009 Parade of Community Gardens!  August 22nd from 10am - 2pm!
Community garden registration due by June 1.
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/ 
community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/ 
20090527/2823de3a/attachment.html>

___

Re: [Community_garden] Liability Insurance?

[Jack Hale]

So, Wade, you are in New Mexico.

The reason I asked is that although insurance usually comes from  
national-level companies, it is regulated at the state level and most  
everybody goes through a local agent to secure coverage.  And then,  
if you were from Canada, for instance, I'd just have to wish you good  
luck, because the industry has developed differently there than in  
the US.


In general, anybody who is trying to figure out insurance could start  
with the article I wrote a long time ago.  It's somewhere in the  
archives on the ACGA website.


In your case, it sounds like the normal situation where you walk into  
Joe's Insurance Agency and ask for community garden insurance.  The  
agent, who has never insured a garden before either just gives you a  
blank stare, or tries to get creative.  It's easy for them to think  
of a garden as a sort of glorified vacant lot.  Bad for you.  That's  
where the organization I worked for started 30-some years ago with  
its dozen or so gardens.  Then we got connected with an agent that  
specialized in liability coverage for nonprofit human services  
organizations.  His take was that we were providing a service and one  
that was fairly low risk compared to summer camps or sports teams or  
halfway houses, etc.  Our premiums went way down.


Of course gardens are easier to ensure when they are sponsored by  
larger organizations or where they are part of a network of gardens  
or green spaces.  Most insurers want a chunk of money just to write a  
policy, regardless of what it is for.  In your case, you appear to  
have a connection with the "creative center."  Assuming they already  
have liability coverage, you might try to get coverage through them.   
If that doesn't work, you might try to develop an affiliation with  
another sympathetic organization or a church, for instance.


Hold harmless agreements are a good idea, and you should be able to  
find somebody in your state who has a reasonable model (remember that  
insurance is regulated at the state level, so the model should fit  
your state laws).  That being said, they really only discourage  
lawsuits.  If your organization or a gardener or the property owner  
are in fact negligent, you, he , or she would be responsible if  
somebody is injured.  And people are free to sue you regardless of  
what papers they sign.  Often, the cause of defending a lawsuit is as  
daunting as the possible judgement, and in many cases insurance is  
most useful because it covers legal expenses.


Finally, I've heard of no instances of nasty liability cases  
involving community gardens.  During the 28 years I was at my  
organization, we used our garden liability coverage once.  A  
gardening nun (are you kidding?!) tripped over a pipe in our  
greenhouse and broke her ankle.  She didn't sue us (heaven forbid!),  
but we were able to get our insurance company to cover her medical  
bills.


Good luck.  Try this stuff out, and give a shout if you continue to  
run into trouble.


JH

Jack Hale
jack.h...@comcast.net
860-478-2101



On May 8, 2009, at 3:57 PM, wade patterson wrote:


Hello,

I am wondering if any of you out there have liability insurance for  
your garden projects and are willing to share the mechanisms used  
to get coverage. We run a community garden program on a vacant lot  
owned by another private party. We have a contractual agreement  
with the owner for use and also have gardeners sign a "hold  
harmless" waiver exempting us and the owner from injury incurred by  
them and anyone they invite into the space. BUT, the space is not  
secured and anyone else that was not invited that came onto the  
property and injured themselves could conceivably sue for damages  
(even with a fence, the garden could be considered an attractive  
nuisance).


We have exhausted the efforts of our organization's insurance agent  
and a volunteer lawyer working on our behalf. What to do?! What  
have you done? We have coverage for events we hold off-site, but  
our insurer says if they covered the garden, they would consider it  
a "continuous, on-going event" and charge us something like a few  
hundred dollars a day!! Clearly they don't want to take on this  
risk. My feeling, though, is that with the huge interest in gardens  
of late, some insurers may be rethinking their approach to this  
use. What's the scoop in your neck of the woods?


Thanks in advance for your help!

Wade Patterson
Community Planner
Harwood-a creative center for community & the arts
Visit our website or follow us on twitter






-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/ 
community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20090508/ 
e1b68dbb/attachment.html>

___
The American Community Gardening Associa

Re: [Community_garden] Liability Insurance?

[Jack Hale]

Where are you located?
Jack Hale

Sent from my iPod

On May 8, 2009, at 3:57 PM, wade patterson   
wrote:



Hello,

I am wondering if any of you out there have liability insurance for  
your garden projects and are willing to share the mechanisms used to  
get coverage. We run a community garden program on a vacant lot  
owned by another private party. We have a contractual agreement with  
the owner for use and also have gardeners sign a "hold harmless"  
waiver exempting us and the owner from injury incurred by them and  
anyone they invite into the space. BUT, the space is not secured and  
anyone else that was not invited that came onto the property and  
injured themselves could conceivably sue for damages (even with a  
fence, the garden could be considered an attractive nuisance).


We have exhausted the efforts of our organization's insurance agent  
and a volunteer lawyer working on our behalf. What to do?! What have  
you done? We have coverage for events we hold off-site, but our  
insurer says if they covered the garden, they would consider it a  
"continuous, on-going event" and charge us something like a few  
hundred dollars a day!! Clearly they don't want to take on this  
risk. My feeling, though, is that with the huge interest in gardens  
of late, some insurers may be rethinking their approach to this use.  
What's the scoop in your neck of the woods?


Thanks in advance for your help!

Wade Patterson
Community Planner
Harwood-a creative center for community & the arts
Visit our website or follow us on twitter






-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20090508/e1b68dbb/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_garden@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

Re: [Community_garden] Plot Marking Ideas

[Jack Hale]

If your garden really is a grid (rows and columns of equal sized  
plots, start by staking out the perimeter of the entire garden.   
Then, all along the perimeter mark plot corners and pathway  
locations.  Stretch twine between the marks on opposite sides of the  
garden.  Once you have done that in both directions, the  
intersections of pieces of twine become the corners of plots.  For  
this method, it doesn't matter whether the garden or the plots are  
square, only that opposite sides of the garden are the same length.   
I hope this description is clear enough.  If not, let me know, and  
I'll give it another shot.
We use a measuring wheel to mark out long distances.  Our experience  
with tapes was that they tended to get tangled and broken.  Wheels  
are available from companies that supply landscapers, but a quick  
check showed they are available through Home Depot, Sears, and  
Amazon.  For rough ground like a garden, get one with a 12-inch wheel.
Oh yeah, if you really want the garden to be square, use the  
Pythagorean Theorum.  Specifically, a triangle with a right (90  
degree) angle can be made with one side of 3 units, one side of 4  
units, and the side opposite the right angle will be 5 units.  To use  
this method, drive a stake at one corner of the garden (along your  
sidewalk).   Measure (for instance) 20 feet (4 units of 5 feet) along  
the sidewalk and drive another stake.  Make two pieces of twine with  
loops in each end, one 15 feet (3 units) long, and one 25 feet (5  
units) long.  Loop one end of the short piece over the first stake  
and loop one end of the long piece over the second stake.  Stretch  
the two pieces of twine out into the garden.  Where they meet, drive  
another stake.  The three stakes will form a right angle.

Have fun.
JH

Jack Hale
jack.h...@comcast.net
860-478-2101



On Apr 28, 2009, at 3:41 PM, Samantha Provencio wrote:

This year I cut a piece of twine that was about 12" longer than my  
measurement (12'x25'), the extra inches are for tieing to the  
stakes.  I put a piece of duct tape at the exact measurement and  
tied a knot around it.  I have the same problem with my lot that  
appears to be square, but is not.  I started in one corner and  
"created" my own line.  You just have to get a right angle  
extimated. Get a piece of cardboard/paper,a square ruler etc. and  
get that first right angle.  I was working with a retractable  
measuring tape last year, with the wind and the pulling evey time I  
walked it was a long day!  It was a disaster when my last plot was  
2 feet short!
Good luck, someone else probably has a better method,, but this  
worked really well for me yesterday.

samantha





From: Mary Reilly-Kliss 
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 2:55:59 PM
Subject: [Community_garden] Plot Marking Ideas

Hello from Wisconsin where it is FINALLY becoming warm enough to  
work on our community garden project.  This year, we will be  
marking 68 plots with metal  stakes which will not be removed at  
the end of the season as has been done in the past.  We will need  
to do them as a "grid" on the site, with each plot being 15 feet  
wide by 20 feet long.  Last year when we marked 30 plots, it took  
16 way-too-tedious man/woman hours to do so using a 100-foot long  
construction measure, and, of course, the plots were not all   
"equal" though we were working off the straight edge of the sidewalk.


Since this is done entirely by volunteers and we don't want it to  
take the better part of a week to complete the marking, I am  
looking for ideas, websites, etc as to the most efficient way to do  
this--if there is one.


Thanks!
Mary Reilly-Kliss
Coordinator, Washington County Community Garden
West Bend, WI
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/ 
community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/ 
20090428/306d4448/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_garden@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/ 
20090428/97f1d939/attachment.html>

___
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one  
of ACGA's services to community garden

Re: [Community_garden] question on refugee gardens

[Jack Hale]

 
Here in Hartford we have provided gardens for refugee groups from time to time. 
 Most recently for a group of Karen gardeners from Myanmar and before that a 
group of Somalis.  These gardens have been small "sheltered" areas where folks 
could get their feet on the ground and feel at home in spite of the broader 
culture shock they were experiencing.  In both cases the gardeners moved on 
after a year or two once they started to get the hang of mainstream society.  
One issue for those trying to oversee such gardens is to learn what the 
gardeners are trying to do (as in "different strokes for different folks").  We 
were concerned that the Karen plots were becoming very weedy.  Then we found 
out that they were harvesting and eating many of the plants that we considered 
to be weeds.  Very educational.
JH 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694


-Original Message-
From: community_garden-boun...@list.communitygarden.org 
[mailto:community_garden-boun...@list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of Linda 
Casto
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 1:31 PM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org; SaminaRaja
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] question on refugee gardens

Horn of Africa in Columbus, Ohio by and for the Somali community.  

--- On Thu, 3/26/09, Raja, Samina  wrote:


From: Raja, Samina 
Subject: [Community_garden] question on refugee gardens
To: "community_garden@list.communitygarden.org" 

Date: Thursday, March 26, 2009, 1:16 PM


Dear Friends-

A non-profit group in Buffalo, NY is planning to start a community garden for 
use by the refugee community.  We were wondering if there are other examples 
nationally of gardens used by refugees.  We know of two, one in Utica, NY, and 
one in Boise, Idaho.  Do you know of other cities where such community gardens 
exist? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Best,

Samina Raja
Buffalo, New York
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: 

___
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
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: 

___
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

___
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

Re: [Community_garden] Politicians and Gardens

[Jack Hale]

 We have had 2 members of our 9-member city council who are active
community gardeners.  2 others organized neighborhood tree plantings.
Please give the rascals a chance.  We are all swimming in the same pond.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: community_garden-boun...@list.communitygarden.org
[mailto:community_garden-boun...@list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Karen Jones
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 7:34 AM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Politicians and Gardens

Hi Folks,  Call me jaded, but I would be reluctant to have anyone on the
Board who had a 'political agenda'. It doesn't matter who it is. I guess
the only way I would approve of something like that is if the politician
was an active community gardener. Which I don't expect to see in my
lifetime. Politicians are too busy doing politics. Community gardening
should be apolitical. 
But then, I am allergic to politics. Although fond of democracy. Keep
the politicians out. For lots of reasons.  My two cents.  Karen





___
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.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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] Sea salt

[Jack Hale]

 Put a couple of pounds in a sock and use it to crush very bad bugs.
Pour a whole lot of it along fencelines so you won't have to weed.  It
will also eat your fence posts.
Sprinkle a little on a fresh warm tomato on a sunny July afternoon
and.
Put about 400 pounds in bags on the hood of your 1/2 ton pick-up so that
when you put a ton of manure in the back it won't be so likely to lift
the front wheels off the ground.
Put it in black plastic trash cans and use them as heat sinks in your
solar greenhouse or near your early season tomatoes.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: community_garden-boun...@list.communitygarden.org
[mailto:community_garden-boun...@list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Mike McGrath
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 4:01 PM
To: Fred Conrad; community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Sea salt

It kills weeds
(and destroys soil, fouls waterways...)
---McG

PS: Actually, all you need is 20,000 pounds of french fries and then...

- Original Message -
From: "Fred Conrad" 
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 3:20 PM
Subject: [Community_garden] Sea salt


> As a good community gardener I'm also a big salvage person and I hate
to
> waste anything.  Somebody just now offered me 1,900 pounds of sea
salt.
> I'm blanking on any legitimate garden application for that.
>
> Any ideas?  We don't get enough snow and ice down here for using it as
a
> melterer.
>
> Thanks, and thanks for all the feedback on the compost bins.
> fgc
>
> Fred Conrad
> Community Garden Coordinator
> Atlanta Community Food Bank
> 732 Joseph E Lowery Blvd, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
> ph: 678.553.5932 fx: 678.553.5933
> fred.con...@acfb.org
> Our mission is to fight hunger by engaging, educating and empowering
our
> community.
>
> Confidentiality Notice:  The information contained in this e-mail
message 
> is legally privileged and confidential
>
> information intended only for the use of the individual or entity to
whom 
> it is addressed.  If the reader of this
>
> message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that
any 
> use, dissemination, distribution or copy
>
> of this e-mail message and attachments is strictly prohibited.  If you

> have received this message
>
> in error, please delete it in its entirety.
>
>
> ___
> 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.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:
community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] charitable water rates

[Jack Hale]

Hi Sally-
Here in the Hartford area, we have one company that handles water and
sewers, and they charge a single rate based on water usage to cover
both.  For gardens, they charge only for the water, since gardens have
minimal impact on the sewer system.  I'm not sure how much of a
reduction that is, but it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp
stick.  The real trick is getting them to install new water service for
free.  Because  it often involves tearing up a street and then repaving,
it can cost $5,000 or so.  Sometimes they will waive that fee, but not
as a matter of policy.  We just have to send a young, attractive, and
somewhat pitiful person in to request it.  Sometimes nuns can pull it
off.  Good luck.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: community_garden-boun...@list.communitygarden.org
[mailto:community_garden-boun...@list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Sally McCabe
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 11:05 AM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] charitable water rates

Philadelphia is considering dropping the "charitable rate" for
non-profit water usage. (At this point a 25% discount.)
 
We're looking for examples of other municipalities which currently grant
community gardens special rates, discounts, gratis, or treatment.  Any
out there?
 
Thanks!
 
Sally
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:

___
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.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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] composting regs

[Jack Hale]

Thanks, all.
Good start.
Hartford is an urban area with rodent problems here and there.  The City
mostly wants to encourage composting, but they don't want to have to
referee battles between neighbors about whether it is being handled
"correctly" or whether somebody's composter is "causing" rats.  The
current leadership is fairly enlightened, but this is new territory for
them.  
I'll keep you posted on this exciting adventure.
JH
 
Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
 



From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2008 5:24 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Jack Hale
Cc: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] composting regs


Are there currently regulations to stop people from composting - of
which I can not imagine?!!
Why not an education program to encourage versus regulating it?
This has been done by many communities by their waste disposal companies
as ways to reduce yard waste in the fall and spring.
Even living in one of the more regulated areas in the US, historic area
outside of DC, I do not recall there being something to stop composting.
Am I missing something?
VRB
 





One site has it all. Your email accounts, your social networks, and the
things you love. Try the new AOL.com
<http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/10075x1212962939x1200825291/aol?redir
=http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp%26icid=aolcom40vanity%26ncid=emlcntaol
com0001>  today!
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: 
<http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20081120/573d08c3/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

[Community_garden] composting regs

[Jack Hale]

Hi folks-

Miracles happen.  Our city is actually considering adopting
guidelines/regulations for backyard composting with the idea of actually
encouraging the practice.  Holy cow manure!

Anyway, do any of you know of good examples of such
guidelines/regulations?  Would you be willing to share?

Thanks.

JH

 
Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
 
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: 

___
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

[Community_garden] local campaigns

[Jack Hale]

Not to change the subject or anything

It seems to me there is an increase in need/demand for gardens all over
the place.  Here in Hartford, we experienced a 15% increase in number of
gardeners this year.  My sense, though, is that there is a more general
demand for better, less expensive food that could be converted to
community garden energy if people were more aware of the
opportunities/possibilities for community gardens.  It would be too bad
if people felt that they were stuck with overpriced, oversprayed,
overtransported food because they hadn't figured out how gardens could
serve their purposes.

My first question, then, is has anybody had good luck with promotional
efforts that have generated new community gardeners and/or folks who
wanted to start new gardens.  I'm thinking mostly of efforts at a city
wide level, rather than efforts to start a single garden or draw people
to a single garden, although both are certainly important.  Regardless,
if anyone has launched a successful campaign, now would be a good time
for folks to hear about it so they could get moving to bring in new
gardeners for next season.  Perhaps the ACGA website could be a
repository for such things.

Looking at it from another direction, there is some national level stuff
going on with Michael Pollan's open letter to presidential candidates
last week and the folks work toward a garden on the Whitehouse lawn.
Has anybody started thinking how to bring these efforts back down to a
local level and/or us local networks to heighten interest and energy
behind the national efforts?  Seems like more opportunities for ACGA to
be a national leader and for our network to make sure the food security
talk gets anchored in local dirt.  How about a new kind of Victory
Garden campaign?  How about gardens in State House lawns?

What do you think?

JH

 
Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
 
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: 

___
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

Re: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing

[Jack Hale]

Isn't Philadelphia just a suburb of New York?  Heh, heh.
JH 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Libby J. Goldstein
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 3:15 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing

Many of our gardeners have relatively low individual fences, and many of
them grow crops like English & black eye peas, cucumbers and such on
them. HOWEVER, bindweed loves to grow on them too, and it's very
difficult to weed next to them. Thus, I'm not fond of them, but our
garden allows them.

Bye the bye, the not really suburban garden (It was actually within the
city limits.) with cages was at Schyulkill Valley Nature Center here in
Philadelphia.

Libby
On Oct 21, 2008, at 1:11 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> What are the pros and cons to individual plot fencing versus a single 
> perimeter fence around all gardens but with no individual plot fences?
>
> We are organic gardens with 50 - 11 X 25 foot plots with a four foot  
> walkway
> between plots. Nearly all of our gardeners prefer our existing   
> individual
> fences for a number of reasons. Any experiences anyone has had with  
> this fencing issue would be appreciated.
>
> Jim
> **New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your 
> destination.
> Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out
> (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew0002)
> -- next part -- An HTML attachment was 
> scrubbed...
> URL:  community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20081021/
> c24b9192/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org
>
> 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:

___
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.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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing

[Jack Hale]

No.  That would be if the fences were all made out of recycled screen
doors. 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: Mike McGrath [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:57 PM
To: Jack Hale; [EMAIL PROTECTED];
community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing

sounds like Shantytown for plants!

- Original Message -
From: "Jack Hale" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Mike McGrath" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;

Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing


> Years ago at an ACGA conference, we visited a suburban garden at a 
> nature center.  My recollection is that it was several acres.  Anyway,

> the deer problem there was insane, so each plot was surrounded by a 
> chicken wire fence, probably 12 feet high, and most of the plots also 
> had chicken wire roofs.  They had doors instead of gates.  I guess it 
> worked but it sure was strange.
> JH
>
>
> Jack N. Hale
> Executive Director
> Knox Parks Foundation
> 75 Laurel Street
> Hartford, CT 06106
> 860/951-7694
>
> -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf 
> Of Mike McGrath
> Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:50 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
> Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter 
> Fencing
>
> Individual fences?! I've never seen or heard of such a garden!
>But if there are already lots of them in place, it would seem to be

> the way to continue.
>Oh--where are you
>   Mike McG (in one of two towns where you can 
> watch the World Series in person. The one with the good cheesesteak
> rolls...)
> - Original Message -
> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: 
> Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:11 PM
> Subject: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing
>
>
>> What are the pros and cons to individual plot fencing versus a single

>> perimeter fence around all gardens but with no individual plot
fences?
>>
>> We are organic gardens with 50 - 11 X 25 foot plots with a four foot 
>> walkway between plots. Nearly all of our gardeners prefer our 
>> existing
>
>> individual fences for a number of reasons. Any experiences anyone has

>> had with  this fencing issue would be appreciated.
>>
>> Jim
>> **New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your 
>> destination.
>> Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out
>> (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew0002)
>> -- next part -- An HTML attachment was 
>> scrubbed...
>> URL:
>> <http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.comm
>> u nitygarden.org/attachments/20081021/c24b9192/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org
>>
>> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
>> http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_lis
>> t
>> .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
> .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:  
> community_garden@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

Re: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing

[Jack Hale]

Years ago at an ACGA conference, we visited a suburban garden at a
nature center.  My recollection is that it was several acres.  Anyway,
the deer problem there was insane, so each plot was surrounded by a
chicken wire fence, probably 12 feet high, and most of the plots also
had chicken wire roofs.  They had doors instead of gates.  I guess it
worked but it sure was strange.
JH 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Mike McGrath
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:50 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing

Individual fences?! I've never seen or heard of such a garden!
But if there are already lots of them in place, it would seem to be
the way to continue.
Oh--where are you
   Mike McG (in one of two towns where you can
watch the World Series in person. The one with the good cheesesteak
rolls...)
- Original Message -
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:11 PM
Subject: [Community_garden] Individual Plot versus Perimeter Fencing


> What are the pros and cons to individual plot fencing versus a single 
> perimeter fence around all gardens but with no individual plot fences?
>
> We are organic gardens with 50 - 11 X 25 foot plots with a four foot 
> walkway between plots. Nearly all of our gardeners prefer our existing

> individual fences for a number of reasons. Any experiences anyone has 
> had with  this fencing issue would be appreciated.
>
> Jim
> **New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your 
> destination.
> Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out
> (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew0002)
> -- next part -- An HTML attachment was 
> scrubbed...
> URL: 
>  nitygarden.org/attachments/20081021/c24b9192/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_garden@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.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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] Tilling - another perspective

[Jack Hale]

Dang, Don.  Where do you find the time to put together such lengthy,
well put together emails?
On the other end of this discussion, folks might want to look at the
current issue of National Geographic.  The cover story is titled
something like "Where Food Comes From."  It's about soil.  In particular
it is about destruction and loss of soil as well as efforts to
reconstruct it in some parts of the world.  It's great that soil
scientists are recognizing now that many of us are stuck trying to make
usable soil out of death, destruction, and demolition debris, and that
there are ways to bring back fertility in areas that have been
devastated.  I have no quarrel with folks wanting to define ideal soil,
but around here our base soil is 350 year old former building lots
covered with who knows what.  Interesting times.  I love leaf compost.
I'm particularly interested in the South American "Preta" soil that is
very high in carbon because folks buried lots of charcoal there hundreds
of years ago.
Keep up the good work, everybody.
JH 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Don Boekelheide
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 2:49 PM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Tilling - another perspective

Hi, all,

Thanks to Ken, Mike, Dan and all for interesting replies regarding
tillage. Let me share another perspective, at the risk of some
unpleasantness - it always amazes me at how hot discussions of "to till
or not to till" can get. It's understandable, though. How to best manage
sustainable food systems is a terribly important question, and one
person who has done excellent research and opened our eyes to many
important insights is indeed Dr. Elaine Ingham of www.soilfoodweb.com.

That said, I feel that tillage in vegetable gardening is defensible and
in fact beneficial, when done properly, for a number of reasons. 

I also fear that, as with Permaculture, "No-Till" (and its cousin the
Deep Mulch movement, tracing back to Ruth Stout and beyond) may
occasionally go beyond technique to being seen as an entire religious
belief system, with gardeners and farmers separated into "the saved" who
believe and "the damned" - either ignorant or evil - who don't. In fact,
"no till" is not a panacea, and has very severe consequences when done
the most usual, chemically-dependent way. Organic no-till is no picnic -
perfecting it is still a work in progress, with spotty results depending
on the crop and the location.

I don't want to write a long thesis here, so quick points will have to
do - wish we could all sit around in a pub somewhere and discuss these
properly, back and forth. Forgive the lack of nuance:

Why till?

* The most important reason is ecological. The annuals and biennials we
grow as vegetables are not virgin prairie grasses or climax forests, or
even field crops such as maize (corn), soy or wheat. The latter do
benefit from no-till management in large plots, at least in terms of
reduced soil erosion. Our vegetables, however, may well have coevolved
with human beings near our habitations, on severely disturbed,
nutrient-rich soil such as garbage middens. Maybe gardens are really a
sort of "managed middens". True, veggies have wild ancestors, and some
have reverted back (carrots to Queen Anne's Lace), but the garden seeds
we sow, including heirlooms, may well prefer disturbed soils (like
weeds) and a different microbial profile than that of a no-till corn
field - something Dr. Ingham points out.

* Tillage is a historical part of gardening in many cultures, going back
to Roman writers in Western civilizations. I saw very clever forms of
tillage (especially mounding for yams) in the humid tropical highlands
in southern Togo when I served in the Peace Corps, and I've seen other
examples adapted to very different climates. To simply say we "know
better" or "no-till good -- tillage baaad" is hard to justify for me.
Tillage developed for a reason, and we can understand and adapt this
technique of our grandparents to make our gardens healthy, productive
and sustainable.

* Tillage probably isn't sustainable in one spot (without something like
flooding, perhaps), but continuous cropping of any sort probably isn't
possible either.  The notion that we can continuously grow what we want
in the same place is hard to support, tillage or not. At the very least,
we need to be rotating our crops and not growing the same families of
plants, or plants with common pests, in the same place year after year.
We may well need to take intensive production areas (ie veggies) out of
production and let them revert to a wild state, as the First Nations
people did. As the forest grows back, it is no till. When you are
growing vegetables, tillage is beneficial (if done right).

* In wild grasslands, as Alain Savory points out, soil disturbance is
necessar

Re: [Community_garden] Liability Insurance for Community Gardens

[Jack Hale]

We sorted out our insurance situation many years ago when we went from dealing 
with a business-oriented insurance carrier to one that does a lot of business 
with nonprofit organizations.  The first carrier wanted to deal with our 
gardens as if they were vacant lots - high risk and the premiums were based on 
amount of street frontage. Oddly enough, our largest garden was covered for 
free because it was behind  a building and had no frontage, and a small garden 
on a corner lot paid a huge premium.  The second carrier looked at our gardens 
as programs and actually paid attention to how many people were involved and 
what they were doing.  Much lower premiums.  So, see if you can hook up with a 
small nonprofit organization in town and find out who does their liability 
insurance.  Could be a good lead.
JH 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Winnemucca 
Community Garden
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 12:27 PM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Liability Insurance for Community Gardens

Hi Everyone,
 
Our community garden organization is trying to get quotes from various 
insurance underwriters to provide liability insurance for our 2.5 acre garden 
and arboretum.  Currently the City is providing the coverage which protects the 
City.  We are having a hard time getting the quotes because most insurance 
companies apparently haven't dealt with this type of entity.  It would be 
helpful if we had some examples of how other community gardens handle this 
situation.
 
Thanks in advance for your input.
 
Donna Kiker,
Director
Winnemucca Community Garden
Winnemucca, NV 89445

775.623.2333
www.WinnemuccaCommunityGarden.org


  
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: 
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20080822/eb8d6b92/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_garden@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

Re: [Community_garden] church gardens

[Jack Hale]

 How "churchy" do you want them to be?  We have one on the grounds of a
church, another next door to a church that uses the church's water, and
another sporadic garden sponsored by a church on a vacant lot.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
George Campbell
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 8:19 AM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] church gardens

I am seeking information on church community gardens. I assume there are
many out there. If so, please provide links or contact info.

 

Peace and blessings

Jeff Campbell

-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20080805/5c79cadd/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org

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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] Locking garden gates?

[Jack Hale]

 We get these kinds of challenges when groups haven't decided how they
are going to make decisions before they have to get into actually making
them - the "no process" model.  Bill's "one person-one vote, majority
rules" model is one way to go.  It does mean that you can make a
decision in challenging circumstances, but it also means that you get
winners and losers and the likelihood that the same issue will keep
coming around.  I tend to prefer some kind of consensus model.  It
drives some people crazy because it can be very time consuming, but it
can allow an apparently fractious group to move forward positively
without kicking some folks to the curb.
For example, the "lock/no lock" discussion, if there are strong
proponents on each side, appears difficult to resolve.  Alternate
solutions might look like "try a lock for a month and revisit at our
next meeting," or "lock at night and leave open during the day," or "try
some other security methods for a month and revisit at our next
meeting," or something else.  It involves people spending the time and
exercising the creativity to arrive at a mutually acceptable course of
action.  It is not unanimity.  People still hang onto their core
beliefs, but they can arrive at a course of action while agreeing to
disagree.  
Neither process is necessarily perfect in all situations.  Both can
require some skill and practice to use well, so that voting doesn't
become a blunt instrument and consensus doesn't turn into a confusing
mess.  I believe it's worth the effort either way.
Sometimes a good battle is also a good impetus for a group to talk about
its values and ways to realize them in their decision making.
Good luck to us all.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Diana Liu
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:51 PM
To: William Hohauser; community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Locking garden gates?

So, who is in "the group" and "the other side"?  So is true "democracy"
in effect when "the group" as whole agree single-mindedly without taking
into any consideration of "the other side"?

William Hohauser <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:  Democracy is
democracy. If the decision has been made by the group as a whole then
individuals or factions have little to say except to try and state their
case at a later date or leave the garden and find another place that
fits their needs better. It's that simple. There are gardens that have a
board of directors or other methods of self- government but only a
straight single vote democracy can keep the garden stable for the long
term.

If the garden has voted for locks then the other side must abide by it.
If the locks turn out to be a bad decision then the other side can show
why locks are no good and the garden can vote again. Who knows, the vote
might go their way.



> "Any thoughts on how to handle it when one "faction" gets its way and 
> really doesn't feel like listening to the "other side", such as an 
> individual or "counterfaction", who persistently keeps raising 
> questions, alternatives and objections even after a decision has been 
> made?"
>

___
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.c
ommunitygarden.org



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Kindness in words creates
confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.
   - Lao Tzu
  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
   
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20080724/889d4cdb/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org

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 th

Re: [Community_garden] Gardens owned & operated by private companies?

[Jack Hale]

 
Years ago, National Gardening Association had a guide to employee
gardens.  It may still be available.
My general sense is that any garden is weakened when participation is
limited to a single group, particularly if it is somewhat homogeneous.
As interest and energy within that group ebb and flow, you have nowhere
else to look for new "blood."  It's a fair argument to use with the
corporate folks who certainly won't want to see the garden unused and
weedy if some folks lose interest or if, for instance, they have to lay
off a third of their workforce.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
DAN-TAMMY BOWDEN
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 12:29 AM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Gardens owned & operated by private
companies?

Hello all,

I'm looking for info on any gardens that are owned and operated by
private companies, for their employees' use.  We're about to submit a
proposal to my employer that they develop a garden as a sort of
"employee perk".  It would also include gardening for charity, either by
percentage of harvest or by maintaining some communal charity plots.
Otherwise I think it's kind of different from the other gardens I've
read about in that it would only be accessible to a closed group of
folks (employees-only).

Any real-life examples would be greatly appreciated!  I think we have a
better chance of our proposal being accepted if we can point to other
companies that have already done it.

Thanks in advance, and best of luck on all your gardens!

Dan

-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20080630/ef3e8258/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org

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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] Full Access Garden Design

[Jack Hale]

As far as I know, Gene Rothert's "The Enabling Garden: Creating
Barrier-Free Gardens" is still the best guide on that.
JH
 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 3:48 PM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Full Access Garden Design

Dear Folks,
I am looking for experiences of all who have incorporated access to
gardening for wheelchair and other gardeners with special physical
needs.
Appreciate the help.
Judith

Ridgway Community Garden
judith bartlett
p.o. box 573
ridgway, co 81432
970.626.4242

Free Orlando Vacation Information. Click Here.
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2131/fc/Ioyw6iifkfqHooGmkAhS7EE1XdR4
rJwxMou3sLidDP3RVXukoAAMr3/
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20080527/ff4ffcaf/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org

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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] community gardens on public land - thank you

[Jack Hale]

 I was just thinking
One of the rules for successful community organizing is "Incorporate the
opposition."
So, although you might prefer to blow up and give the grouch a piece of
your mind, you might tell him you are working on ways for the garden to
be the best neighbor anyone could have. You might consider asking him
some questions like "What is it about the garden that is particularly
distressing to you?" or "If we wanted the garden to present itself in
the best light to folks who currently consider it unsightly, what would
be the best things to do right away?"  Of course, this guy just may eat
nasty flakes for breakfast, and there may be no way to move him, but as
long as you are able to converse there is always the possibility of him
turning away from the dark side.  Never ask questions that suggest a yes
or no answer.  Once you get a "no," it's a lot harder to turn things
around.
Good luck.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Rory Cohen
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 3:48 PM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] community gardens on public land - thank
you

Your response as a community to us has been so wonderful, thanks to all
who've chimed in to help us make the case for our community garden.

Yes, our neighbor is a bit grouchy, and the fresh tomatoes didn't work.
The sad part is that this person and his wife are the pastor of the
church at the other end of the park.  We have some great ideas for
getting the church youth group involved with supplying the surplus
veggies to the nursing home up the street, but because the pastor
doesn't like the look of the garden, it's not a subject we can broach.

We've worked out our own relationship with the nursing home, though, and
they'll try to move the church forward without the pastor.

Warmly,

 Rory


Mobile:1 215 287 6458
Toll Free: 1 877 669 9746
www.take10now.com
www.thesecretin10minutes.com


- *



___
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.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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

[Jack Hale]

I figure most folks don't really start to focus in on a conference until
it's about a month away.

The way I look at it, the main challenge organizing community gardeners
is that they tend to be gardeners rather than meeting-ers or
community-ers.  Getting folks to come together to talk about stuff and
form alliances is a lot like the old "teaching the pig to sing" (wastes
your time and annoys the pig), but it's worth doing.  Sometimes it helps
to have a crisis to get people out.  Otherwise, good eats and free stuff
are often necessary or at least helpful.

Our program started out centralized, so all the gardens in Hartford are
related to us.  A challenge here is that people continue to look to us
to solve problems, make the rules, and run interference for the whole
shebang.  It's not a terribly onerous task, but we would like to build
the level of self reliance and interdependence among the gardens (we
have 14 sites).  

Actually that's a pretty good conference roundtable conversation - how
to convert an over-dependent garden system into one that encourages
garden level self reliance.

Regarding your situation, I bet Atlanta could handle 2 alliances, one
focused on political stuff and the other focused on resources.

Be well.

JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: Fred Conrad [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 2:44 PM
To: Jack Hale; James Kuhns; ACGA Listserv
Subject: RE: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

Jack,
That's a great idea and one that I have been thinking of posting a
question about.

Here in Atlanta, one of our community gardens, a leader in the movement
really, has been very interested in establishing an
alliance/association/confederation of the local autonomous community
gardens.  There have been a couple stabs at it, but it hasn't gone
anywhere.

Our own local ACGA Board member, Bobby Wilson (and Cathy Walker) of the
Atlanta Urban Garden Program, hosts a Leadership Program that is open to
all.  It's fun, educational, but does not draw from the entire pool.  I
for one enjoy every meeting and co-host it myself once a year.  I
promote it heavily with the gardens I work with, but we (AUGP really)
still only get turn out from part of our constituency.  It's a great
opportunity and I wish everyone would come.

This other group envisions something more of an advocacy role than that
of educational, volunteer, material support.  I think.  We keep not
locking into a good vision.

Anyway, I guess I'm asking for feedback from cities that lack a
municipal/umbrella program but have formed a working group representing
many many many extremely autonomous community gardens from a fairly wide
geographic area (six counties at least).  What is your mission?  What
have your accomplishments been?

I'm surprised there hasn't been more reaction to the conference
cancellation, by the way.
fgc

Fred Conrad
Community Garden Coordinator
Atlanta Community Food Bank
732 Joseph E Lowery Blvd, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
ph: 678.553.5932 fx: 678.553.5933
[EMAIL PROTECTED]<http://www.acfb.org> 
Our mission is to fight hunger by engaging, educating and empowering our
community. 



-Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Jack Hale
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 10:22 AM
To: James Kuhns; ACGA Listserv
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

I'm sorry to hear about the conference cancellation.  Was really looking
forward to seeing everyone down there.
Perhaps this is the year of sticking close to home and recognizing
community gardens as the epitome of local agriculture.  This could be a
boost for our local alliances.
For those from the Northeast, consider the Connecticut Community
Gardening Conference coming up on April 12.  Go the CCGA website for
details (http://ctcommunitygardening.org/).
JH 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
James Kuhns
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 7:17 AM
To: ACGA Listserv
Subject: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

Hello all,
I am sorry to have to announce that the ACGA will not be able to have
its annual convention this October in New Orleans.  There are many
reasons why we have had to make this decision. To do a proper job, to
have a proper conference, we would need to be well-resourced. This and
the time crunch we were under made this difficult decision necessary to
take. Any funds collected in the name of this venture will be forwarded
to New Orleans community garden organizations or returned. 
 
James Kuhns
President
American Community Gardening Association
-- next part --

Re: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

[Jack Hale]

I'm sorry to hear about the conference cancellation.  Was really looking
forward to seeing everyone down there.
Perhaps this is the year of sticking close to home and recognizing
community gardens as the epitome of local agriculture.  This could be a
boost for our local alliances.
For those from the Northeast, consider the Connecticut Community
Gardening Conference coming up on April 12.  Go the CCGA website for
details (http://ctcommunitygardening.org/).
JH 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
James Kuhns
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 7:17 AM
To: ACGA Listserv
Subject: [Community_garden] Cancellation of New Orleans Conference

Hello all,
I am sorry to have to announce that the ACGA will not be able to have
its annual convention this October in New Orleans.  There are many
reasons why we have had to make this decision. To do a proper job, to
have a proper conference, we would need to be well-resourced. This and
the time crunch we were under made this difficult decision necessary to
take. Any funds collected in the name of this venture will be forwarded
to New Orleans community garden organizations or returned. 
 
James Kuhns
President
American Community Gardening Association
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20080401/6298c031/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org

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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] Sandbag that garden! - And retreads...

[Jack Hale]

 Don's rant about squares and rectangles reminded me of the lovely
curving beds made of wattle at the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley.
Children at the school harvested green branches, drove some of the
heftier ones into the ground to create the shape they wanted and then
created basket weave walls with long, thin, pliable sticks.  My
understanding was that they would last a few seasons, anyway.  They are
cheap, flexible, easily repaired, renewable, charming, organic, etc.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Don Boekelheide
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 11:05 AM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Mike McGrath
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Sandbag that garden! - And retreads...

Hey, all,

Much as I hate to admit it, Mike's right - I mean, it is obvious, the
first thing I did at Urban Ministry was put in some...that's right ...
raised beds. Round jobbies made of masonry not wooden boxes, but still.
You already know my official reasons, to give tired homeless folks a
place to sit and rest, and and having to garden in an area of compacted
crappy soil without drainage, but reading Mike's post I realised there
was another factor - I needed instant "something to look at" aka
"success". Now, it isn't sustainable gardening success, that only comes
with years of daily practice doing gardening. Just like meditation (the
two are closely related, at least in my mind). But boxes, planters,
whatever ,do give you something to show the community, the folks, and
the funders. We got those beds in place in a couple weeks, stuck in some
pansies, put up homemade prayer banners on conduit poles 10 ft tall to
catch the wind, and when 'official' opening day came  the 'garden
program' was a smash hit.

But I still don't like boxes. Treasure of the Sierra Madre attitude:
"Boxes? We don't need no stinkin' boxes..." But I'll use 'em when they
can help.

But be careful, folks. Three things to consider: 

* Watch the budget, since wood and fill soil can both get very expensive
very fast. A local well-heeled, well-meaning non-profit just burned up
$3000 to build six modest boxo beds at a single school and fill them
with purchased soil. That's three [EMAIL PROTECTED] GRAND! That's enough to 
fund my
program for months!

* Don't make the box the end when it is really only the beginning. All
the ACGA stuff about working with people and building community, and all
the hort stuff that garden-types like me rant on about - you've got to
pay attention to all that. Watering. Weeding. Planting with the seasons.
Who will do the work? Also, keeping fill/potting soils fertile and
healthy can be a challenge. Ask yourself how the box will look under a
worst case scenario. If you aren't pretty sure you can avoid that, I'd
avoid the box (not the garden - just the box).

And think about squares. Boxes are little houses, squared off extensions
of our built environment. Meanwhile, nature curves and dances. Boxes are
purchased. Nature can't be purchased. It's a question of deeper
aesthetics, and how much our garden design is based on fear of nature
and a desire to control it and put it in a box, as opposed to embracing
and celebrating the natural world. I'm not saying either approach is
right or wrong, but suggesting that it makes sense to stay ever mindful
of wider perspectives in our rush to accomplish things, and make the
world a better place through our particular garden projects.

(btw, building boxes to the golden section rectangle/Fibonacci sequence
dimensions strikes me as monumental silliness, though that's in vogue
right now. At a recent garden conference, I heard a garden writer I
otherwise much admire go wandering into this swamp - and all the slides
in her PowerPoint were sized 1:1.618. Inspiring. Cosmic. I just hope she
runs into Pogo in that swamp, before it's too late).

Now - the real reason for this post is that I forgot a very important
container option. After my kids got on the schoolbus early this morning,
an old red pickup with a shotgun cross the back window and a NASCAR
bumper sticker came cruising through the neighborhood, looking for me.
They were going to take away my Dixie ID and either make me leave
Carolina or wear a Yankee button on my baseball cap. Why? I neglected to
mention old tires. They are a traditional planter material down here.
Sure, they have some problems, but what else are we going to do with
them? If they are good enough for Felder Rushing's planters, they're
good enough for me. Check it out:
http://www.felderrushing.net/frontyard.htm

Don
http://urbanministrygarden.wordpress.com

- Original Message 
From: Mike McGrath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Don Boekelheide <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 10:07:51 AM
Subject: Sandbag that garden!

I 

Re: [Community_garden] random - question re: UU/church cgs -Gardenrant plug

[Jack Hale]

Yep.  We have a community greenhouse.  In fact, we have 2.  One offers
springtime 4x8 growing benches for folks who want to start seedlings.
The other was established last year as an incubator for a few community
gardeners who are moving into commercial scale production and needed
more bench space than they could get in the other house.  If folks are
interested, maybe we should do a workshop at the next conference.
JH 


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Don Boekelheide
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 10:38 AM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] random - question re: UU/church cgs
-Gardenrant plug

Message: 
4
Date: 
Mon,
11
Feb
2008
15:47:32
-0500
Fred, your posts are worth waiting for... besides, I have a teenager, so
we thrive on random here in my household.

Do you think maybe that semi-truck was an Act of God, sent to your urban
garden to bring justice and closure to that old sick oak, the way Zeus
used to open the woods and punish the wicked with thunderbolts? I
remember that spot, I think, from the ACGA training at your Food Bank -
you sure did need more sun there.

Congratulations on your garden show award, that's very cool!

You say you got the neighbors to stop shooting? Shooting up, or really
shooting, with firearms?

Now - other topics:

Does anyone on this list work with a community garden/community
ecology/urban ag project co-sponsored by a Unitarian-Universalist church
(possibly through their "Green Sanctuary" program), or any
church/community of faith sponsored community garden project? Just
curious to find examples and see how it is working. Doreen?

Plug: Someday soon, I hope to have a guest blog entry up on
http://www.gardenrant.com about community gardening (with the homeless,
in my case). Even if not, that blog has become one of my favorite garden
stops. MMcG is one of their friends. I think I'll even visit that blog
when the weather turns nice (happening fast here - daffies are popping).

Another stop will remain this listserv - I'm following with interest the
discussion of gardens on landfills (reminds me of the community gardens
on brownfields discussions of a decade ago - consensus then was they
make better basketball courts etc, and I still lean that way). 

Also, you never know when you'll hear about a list member - at Farmers'
Market this past Saturday, someone was praising a community greenhouse,
saying how we needed one in Charlotte. Where was it? In Connecticut, one
of Jack Hale's Knox Park Foundation, projects. Inspiring examples come
from ACGA members.

I'll start watching for "Southern Semi Community-Based Tree Removal
Service".

Don
http://urbanministrygarden.wordpress.com

From: 
"Fred
Conrad" 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: 
[Community_garden]
random
To: 

Message-ID:

<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: 
text/plain;
charset="us-ascii"

>snipped<

Then
all
of
the
sudden
a
giant
tractor
trailer
comes
along
and
BOOM
!!!
No
more
tree!  
And
now
their
insurance
company
is
going
to
buy
me
a
nice
new
replacement
for
that
old
sick
half
dead
bug
infested
mess!

Then,
later,
without
really
trying
I
won
"best
in
show" 
at
the
Atlanta
Garden
and
Patio
Show
for
an
exhibit
I
did.  
since
at
the
time
I
thought
it
was
not
eligible
for
the
judged
competition,
I
didn't
put
all
that
much
effort
into
it,
so
it
was
an
easy
win,
which
is
nice.

P.S.  
Also
totally
random,
the
other
day
I
had
some
disabled
kids
coming
to
visit
a
garden
and
I
had
to
go
over
to
the
house
next
door
and
ask
them
to
please
stop
shooting
while
the
kids
were
there.  
They
were
really
nice
about
it,
I
think
they
are
used
to
me
bringing
kids
to
the
garden.


--

Message: 
1
Date: 
Mon,
11
Feb
2008
12:05:10
-0500
From: 
"Alliums" 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: 
Re: 
[Community_garden]
Community
gardens
on
landfills
To: 

Message-ID: 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: 
text/plain;
charset=us-ascii

Hi,
Folks!

I
can't
imagine
that
this
is
a
good
idea.  
If
you're
putting
on
the
clay
cap,
I
would
think
this
would
be
better
suited
as
a
ball
field
than
a
garden.

Maybe
you
could
get
away
with
re-creating
a
native
ecosystem/bird
sanctuary
(this
was
done
here
in
Phoenixville
on
a
coal
silt
basin),
but
growing
food
for
humans
--
especially
children?  
I'd
take
a
pass.

Dorene

Dorene
Pasekoff,
Coordinator
St. 
John's
United
Church
of
Christ
Organic
Community
Garden
and
Labyrinth

A
mission
of
St. 
John's
United
Church
of
Christ,
315
Gay
Street,
Phoenixville,
PA
19460


-Original
Message-
From: 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On
Behalf
Of
Janet
Parker
Sent: 
Monday,
February
11,
2008
11:56
AM
To: 
community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: 
[Community_garden]
Community
gardens
on
landfills

Hi
again
ACGA
members,

 

A
group
in
Madi

Re: [Community_garden] Good news

[Jack Hale]

 
Sorry folks.  The email gods truncated the web address so the end of it
was on a separate line.  You have to use the entire address from "http:"
to ".story."  Here it is again.  If it wraps to 2 lines you will have to
copy and paste it into your browser (rather than just clicking on it).
http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-hartfordfaces10.artjan24,0,
6330932.story

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: Jack Hale 
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 4:03 PM
To: 'community_garden@list.communitygarden.org'
Subject: Good news

  
Hi folks-
We got some great coverage yesterday, and thought you might enjoy it.
They did a particularly nice job highlighting my enhanced forehead.
Click the link below.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694


Shortcut to:
http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-hartfordfaces10.artjan24,0,
6330932.story


___
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

[Community_garden] Good news

[Jack Hale]

 <>  
Hi folks-
We got some great coverage yesterday, and thought you might enjoy it.
They did a particularly nice job highlighting my enhanced forehead.
Click the link below.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694


Shortcut to:
http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-hartfordfaces10.artjan24,0,
6330932.story

-- next part --
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: hc-hartfordfaces10.artjan24,0,6330932.url
Type: application/octet-stream
Size: 140 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : 
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20080125/9f1392b2/attachment.obj
 
___
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

Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control

[Jack Hale]

 
Oboy!  Rats again.
Funny thing about rats is that they come from somewhere else.  Although
it may seem that they appear in your garden by magic, they typically
don't travel far, so if you have them, so does your neighbor.  Trapping
a rat in your garden may be somewhat satisfying, particularly if you can
arrange a violent end or the previously suggested strategy of
re-gifting, but it won't stop your problem.  There's no such thing as
one rat, and they breed like rabbits (AKA long-eared, short tailed
rats).  Trapping works pretty well inside buildings if you can figure
out how the little rascals are getting in and can put a stop to that.
Outside, the best you are likely to do with traps is temporary reduction
in the population.  Poison works a little better, but there is no silver
bullet.
Main thing is to clean up your act and try to get your neighbors to join
in.  Rats want food, standing water, cover, and a place to burrow.  Take
one of these 4 away and they get discouraged.  So, if you have a rat
problem, clean up your garden.  Don't leave any containers around that
might catch rainwater.  Remove or cut weeds.  Harvest produce when it is
ripe and don't leave anything on the ground, particularly rotten fruits,
boards, piles of stuff.  Grow up, not out.  Back to that burrow.  If you
find one in or near your garden, try stirring it up.  Dig it up  and
then go back a couple of days later and do it again.  They will tend to
go looking for a burrowing place where there are fewer lunatics.
This is the short course on rats in gardens.  I wrote a longer and more
self indulgent version that should be findable on the ACGA archives.
Good luck.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 5:11 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED];
community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control

I'm all for harming none, but I don't think the rats know that tune.   
Perhaps the person that charmed the yellow jackets could play Pied
Piper!  
 
 
In a message dated 12/23/2007 2:37:54 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

I  applaud your Buddhist attitude here, but I personally cannot condone
the release of vermin who have plagued (literally) mankind for untold
centuries. 
I do agree with the trap, but then a trip to the vet for a fast  and
professional...well, you know what.
Because although  you obviously respect all living creatures, I don't
think you want to be  responsible if that released rat bites a small
child--or worse.
---Mike  McG
- Original Message -
From:  <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;  
Sent: Sunday, December  23, 2007 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat  Control


> Please!  None of the 3 methods of Organic Rat  Control sound very  
> humane or organic.  You may  need a permit to use our method, but it 
> is effective (if only in  knowing that it can be accomplished yields  
> satisfaction).
>
> 1)  Secure a "Hav-a-Heart" trap.
>  2)  Bait the trap with peanut butter or other substance.
> 3)   Trap the rats.
> 4)  Release at or near the home or place of  business of your worst  
> garden adversaries.
> 5)   Leave ear corn or some other proven rat delight food to insure
that  
> the
> rats enjoy their new home.
>
> Much of the  satisfaction from using this method results from knowing 
> that  it can be accomplished.  You may even be able to borrow the 
> traps  from animal  control.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  **See AOL's top rated recipes
>  (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop000304)
>  -- next part -- An HTML attachment was  
> scrubbed...
> URL: 
>  
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20071223/f329d068/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_garden@list.communitygarden.org
>
> 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:
community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To  subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:   
http://list.communitygarden.org/mail

Re: [Community_garden] Funding advice to pay for water meter?

[Jack Hale]

 Here in Hartford, we have managed to get our water bureau to install quite a 
few water meters for free, and in some cases they don't even charge us for the 
water.  As Adam Honigman might have said, it's all politics.  You need to aim 
high.  Don't talk to the friendly guy who arranges installation of new water 
service.  Talk to a member of the water board or a city council member or the 
director of the water bureau.  Make your case, much as you did in your original 
message.  Remember that it doesn't cost the bureau $2500 to install service.  
That's retail.  Most likely they are already paying the backhoe driver and the 
administrative people who get involved in this process, and they have stacks of 
meters sitting on shelves back at the shop.  If nothing else, they should be 
able to give you a deal.  They also will want to decide whether they want 
public recognition for their good deed.  They may not want it generally known 
that they are pushovers, or, on the other hand, they may want to bask in the 
glory of happy gardeners.  You'll have to feel your way along on that.  If none 
of that works, you might try installing a sub-meter at the neighbor's place.  
We have used this strategy a few times.  You run a pipe to your garden, and 
install the meter somewhere in that line (probably inside the neighbor's 
house), and the result is you have a permanent source of water and can pay for 
exactly the amount of water you use, based on the meter reading.  These meters 
are cheaper than the normal service meters, and they are lots cheaper to 
install, particularly because they don't involve digging up a street.
Have fun.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of wade patterson
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 6:31 PM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Funding advice to pay for water meter?

Hello Gardeners,

The Wells Park/Sawmill Neighborhood Gardens in Albuquerque is looking for 
funding to support the installation of a water meter on the site of a privately 
owned vacant residential where we currently garden. Up to now, we have been 
using the neighbor's hose connection and paying the entire water bill (for 
their household and our use). After trying to gain affordable access to a 
nearby hydrant (our city has not program for hydrant access to gardens or 
similar small users), we have decided instead to try and find money to install 
a $2500 water meter at the site.

The owner of the garden, who is heavily involved in the project, has has even 
suggested she sign a contract such that if she sells the property or the garden 
is otherwise moved to a different location, that she would pay the garden the 
cost of the meter installation (since it is an improvement to her property). 
This way, the money becomes a rotating fund and that money could be carried 
over to another vacant property.

Has anyone else out there dealt with a similar situation or sought money for 
this kind of "capital" improvement to their property. We are a small project 
with a seasonal budget of around $3000, so paying for the meter with our cash 
is not feasible. We are finding that it is often hard to determine from many 
funding sources if this would be considered within their guidelines. So, I come 
to the Collective Brain for advice...

Any feedback would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Wade Patterson
Director of Arts and Community Development Harwood - a creative center for 
community & the arts Visit our website at www.harwoodartcenter.org & sign up 
for our FREE Electronic Newsletter
-- next part --
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text/enriched
Size: 1804 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : 
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20071101/fb54ddc1/attachment.bin
___
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

___
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

Re: [Community_garden] Food safe garden hoses

[Jack Hale]

 
I was procrastinating a bit, poking around on the web, and noticed
drinking water hoses (primarily for use with RV's).  Those might do the
trick.  The listings I saw didn't give much detail on their make-up, but
you might learn more by going to a dealer.
Have fun.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Sharon Gordon
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 11:27 AM
To: Community GardenNational
Subject: [Community_garden] Food safe garden hoses

Hi, I am looking for resources for food safe garden hoses.  Recently the
ones I have seen are impregnated with microbe killers, lead, cadmium,
and
carry warnings on the packaging etc.   We are looking for regular hoses
and
drip hoses that would be safe for food crops in community garden plots.

Sharon
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


___
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.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:  community_garden@list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org

Re: [Community_garden] sheet composting

[Jack Hale]

 Here's a recipe from John Rowley, the Seattle compost guy.  I'm pretty
sure he won't mind me sharing it.  I know that the Interbay garden was
developed out of a rubble lot and became ridiculously fertile.  Have
fun.
Incidentally, it is helpful if people with questions like this will
indicate at least roughly where they are located.  There is a world of
difference in what you can do over winter between Minnesota and
Mississippi.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

===

PREPARING A WINTER GARDEN

"INTERBAY MULCH"

As an over-winter method for building humus-rich soil, it would
be difficult to improve on the  "Interbay Mulch" (named after the
community garden in Seattle where it was developed) for effectiveness.
Interbay-mulched soil, according to lab tests, is "uniquely active".
Over a winter, an Interbay Mulch will give you a large volume of humus
as well as a rich diversity of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, beneficial
nematodes, microarthropods, beetles, millipedes and worms. Living soil
is key to successful organic gardening.  Grow lush healthy disease and
weed free gardens after just one winter.

Interbay Mulch is basically various organic matter culled from
the urban waste stream piled on top of your soil and covered with damp
burlap. And it's all free! We have found organic matter decomposes
faster on top of the soil than it does if you till it in as long as it
is covered and kept moist.

Why the burlap?
Covering organic matter with burlap fools nocturnal,
light-avoiding organisms into working for you 24 hours a day. Burlap
will diffuse and soak up rain preventing it from driving into the mulch;
it also  inhibits evaporation, keeping organic materials uniformly
moist.  Birds are unable to forage in the mulch so worms and other
organisms flourish and multiply. Burlap covers the mulch but is also
part of the habitat cultivating a rich variety of fungi and providing a
home for beetles, spiders worms and the like.  Burlap permeability
allows needed oxygen to reach all parts of  the mulch.

What do I use for mulch under the burlap?
First and foremost the debris from your garden.  Chop up your
corn, bean and squash plants. Tomato plants, etc.  (Many of us don't
even worry about seeds because of  ongoing top dressing mulches during
the growing season.  If you are concerned about seeds or diseases, put
those plants in the hot composting holding cages.) Think the same
"brown" and "green" mix used for hot composting, approximately 50-50.
The more variety in materials the better.  

Interbay Mulch 
Page 2

 What are some examples of "Browns"?
Leaves are easily obtained in the fall. Dried cornstalks. Straw is a
good brown; even better if it is rotted. You can also add rotted burlap,
cotton dryer lint, shredded paper, and season with a few pine needles.
Woody material should be limited to rotted material that you can smoosh
between your fingers.

What about "greens"?
Practically anything that doesn't burn when you put a match to it.
Garden debris, green corn stalks, fresh grass clippings, coffee grounds
(leave a bucket at your favorite espresso cart), juice bar pulp, spent
grain and hops, seaweed, grape pressings, apple pomace, tea, and so on.
Any kind of organic manure is good.

Should I add compost?
Using compost as part of the mix is a great way to get the system
jumpstarted. One wheelbarrowfull of rough compost per hundred square
feet is sufficient to get things going.  Using burlap that was used last
year is also a good way to inoculate your mulch.  The used sacks are
full of dormant organisms just waiting to go to work.

How much  material should I use? Depending on your soil needs, the mulch
will be 6 to 18 inches deep.  Make sure all materials are damp before
covering with burlap.  

Do I just walk away and leave it for the winter after covering with
burlap?
Check for moisture during the winter.  If materials dry out
decomposition comes to a halt.  You can also feed your mulch during the
winter like a worm bin.  Adding materials once the mulch is active makes
it work even better.  You will have fun checking your mulch through the
winter.  The biology is fascinating.  You will have given birth to
billions of trillions of organisms. Some you can even see!

When can I plant in the spring?
If you start your mulch in October you should have rich humus to plant
into by March.   If you started with 12" of mulch you will end up with
2-3 inches of soil-energizing humus.

Do I till it in or just plant into it?
Gardeners do both successfully.

Questions?  Contact Jon Rowley 206-283-7566
==
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
lynng30
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 8:56 PM
To: community_garden@list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] sheet composting

Hello,

Does anyone have experi

[Community_garden] Unusual Funding Needs for a Community Garden

[Jack Hale]

 
This may be a job for Trust for Public Land.  They are pretty good at
capturing land for public use while helping owners with difficult tax
situations. TPL has an office in LA.  Contact info is 

Los Angeles River Center
570 West Avenue 26, Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(323) 223-0441
FAX (323) 223-2978 
matthew.loranger at tpl.org

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Amy DeShon
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 9:58 AM
To: Julie Burleigh; community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Unusual Funding Needs for a Community
Garden

Assuming you need to act fast, then these are questions you should be
able to answer (and in this order):

1. Who else wants the garden in your neighborhood? Get their names,
addresses, signatures on a petition.
2. Do you have a neighborhood association? Do they support you? Does the
Neigh Assoc belong to a city-wide association? Would those other
organizations support you?
2. Who are your other resources? What does the City Parks & Recs and
Comm Development Departments think of your idea? Do you have any
commissioners who would support you on this? What about other
environmental groups? Would they support you? List their names.
3. What about the local Foundation? Would they entertain an application?
Mostly they support non-profits. So under what organization would you
apply for funding? This is true of corporations too. Find a non-profit
who wants to do this project and have them apply for the funds under
their 501(c)3 status.
4. Do you know someone who had the resources to pay the tax bill (deep
pockets) and keep the land out of "use" until you have your ducks in
order?
What agreement would they need that you could pay them back?

Hum... other suggestions???

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org]On Behalf Of
Julie Burleigh
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 10:21 PM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Unusual Funding Needs for a Community Garden


Dear Community Garden List Members,

My name is Julie Burleigh, and I live in South Central Los Angeles in a
neighborhood called West Adams. I would like to start a Community Garden
on my block, in a vacant lot. A Community Garden would provide a much
needed improvement to our multi-ethnic, low-income neighborhood,
reducing crime, and improving the quality of life for many adolescents,
children, adults and seniors in our community. I have met with the LA
Community Garden Council, and the LA Neighborhood Land Trust. They have
been encouraging, but I need more help.

The vacant lot I am interested in is owned by a woman who has a long
history of problems with the neighborhood, and the city. The lot has a
history of gang use, abatement problems, and a fire about 15 years ago.
Because of $80,000 in back taxes owed by the owner, it is scheduled for
a Section 8 auction in August. There have been multiple liens, multiple
fraudulent bankruptcies, and multiple social security numbers associated
with the owner of this property. I have approached the owner about
buying the land (for $80K -- what is owed in back
taxes) -- she said that she would just file bankruptcy again so that she
could get out of the section 8 auction, and have another year to hold on
to the property. This owner has gotten out of several previous tax sales
over many years by filing for bankruptcy just before the sale, then
canceling the filing immediately after the sale date, thus giving
herself a potentially infinite number of bankruptcies to use. This has
been a nuisance property, and the owner has used dangerous and illegal
practices to get around paying taxes and caring for her properties (last
year, there was an arson fire at another of her properties, in which
firefighters were seriously injured).

Time is running out, as the tax sale is scheduled for August. Please let
me know if you have any advice about funding so that we may offer to buy
the land at the amount it is worth (probably $250K), or if anyone has
dealt with issues of this nature in acquiring the land for their garden.
I know we could lease it from her, but its such an unstable situation, I
think it would just be better if we could buy it...

Thank you very much,


Julie Burleigh
323-737-6211
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygar
den.org/attachments/20070701/a51cc776/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 l

[Community_garden] Liability Insurance

[Jack Hale]

 My pleasure.
It doesn't really matter whether the property owner is a municipality or
a business or an individual, although a case can be made that a
municipality should waive any insurance requirement because community
gardens perform an important public service.  On the other hand, it is a
good idea to have a lease or licensing agreement or at least a memo of
understanding so that everybody knows who is responsible for what.  Part
of that agreement can refer to indemnification and insurance.
Municipalities usually have lots of lawyers and risk managers working
for them, so they tend to include that kind of language.  Other folks
may be more relaxed about it.  Your first strategy is to try to get the
landowner to drop that requirement.  If that doesn't work, you can ask
that the garden pay only the insurance cost to the property owner of
adding the garden use to the property.  The next option is to get
another nonprofit to sponsor the garden and extend its own insurance
coverage over it.  This seems to be the arrangement you have with your
Chamber of Commerce.  Good luck.  I hope that does the trick.
One of our correspondents mentioned that there have been examples of
lawsuits filed against gardens.  Although that may be technically true,
I haven't heard of more than a couple in the almost 30 years I have been
involved in community gardens.  Unless you see yourself in a
particularly vulnerable situation, it may not be worth it to go through
the hassle of obtaining insurance unless somebody requires it.  This
would be especially true if your garden is a free standing organization
with no assets.  It would be more important for individual gardeners who
do have assets to protect themselves with umbrella coverage
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Rebekah.L.Filipello at wellsfargo.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 12:59 PM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Liability Insurance

Jack, I very much appreciate your list: there is good information there
which is not on the ACGA website. Our Chamber of Commerce may extend
their 'umbrella' over the future Community Garden, as an extension of
the Grower's Market, a Chamber member. Our difference is that the
garden-to-be is on private, not city, property, so there needs to be a
lease drafted that is conditional on securing the insurance as a
requirement of securing the insurance, etc 

(
Man, all I want to do is dig...)  

Beki Filipello





___
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 at list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org

[Community_garden] Liability Insurance

[Jack Hale]

Well, there is the "Starting a Community Garden" piece available on the
ACGA website.  It's pretty good for folks who are just starting to get
their hands dirty.  It's not particularly comprehensive, though.  By way
of increased comprehensiveness or something, here is the piece I wrote
on liability insurance quite a few years ago.  I guess things haven't
changed much because I put this out every year or so, and so far nobody
has told me I'm off base.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
===

Insurance for community gardens

For several years, the board of the American Community Gardening
Association has been working to provide liability insurance for member
gardens.  Surveys of members suggested that obtaining such insurance was
a priority for many gardens.  We did provide access to coverage during
1998, but less than a dozen gardens took advantage of the offer.  In
1999, the insurance company was unwilling to renew the coverage, and we
were unable to find another carrier.  Although we continued to seek a
carrier, we were unsuccessful.  Here is what I have been telling members
who are seeking insurance.

1.  Liability insurance protects the organization that owns it or
some other entity (like a land owner) who is "named as additional
insured" on the policy.  It protects gardeners or volunteers indirectly
only if the insured organization stands between them and a potential
lawsuit.  It does not protect individuals from legal action, nor does it
necessarily pay individuals for injuries or damage that occur at a
garden.  Most gardens have insurance because they have an organization
to protect or because some other entity requires coverage in order for
the garden to exist.

2.  Usually, individual gardens seeking liability coverage will pay
a high price.  Just as group health insurance is much less expensive
than individual coverage, insurance purchased by a larger organization
to cover a multitude of risks will be less expensive per coverage than
the same insurance purchased piecemeal.  Therefore, if you are a single
garden suffering from sticker shock, the best avenue may be to ask a
larger organization that already has liability coverage to sponsor the
garden.  Such organizations might include community groups, churches,
horticultural/agricultural organizations, or anything else that might
work in your locale.

3.  Often it is a city or town providing land for a garden that is
requesting insurance.  They usually have a "risk manager" whose job is
to protect the municipality against all risk.  Whenever the town enters
into a relationship, that relationship is passed before the risk
manager, and the risk manager almost always says "buy insurance" to
protect the town.  But towns always have lots of insurance.  They engage
in lots of risky business.  Adding a community garden to their list of
risks will have almost no impact on their overall risk and on the cost
of their insurance.  It becomes a political issue and should be treated
as such.  If the town wants to support community gardening, the risk is
trivial; if the town doesn't want to support community gardening, it is
easier to say "buy insurance" than "we don't like you."
A side issue that arises in some cases is whether the gardens are
public.  In Berkeley, California, the city wanted to require insurance
and also require that the gardens be open to the public.  People who
don't want to support gardens compare them to parks that are ostensibly
open to everybody all the time.  They point out that community gardens
have fences and gates and private plots.  More politics.  Perhaps
compare your garden to a football stadium.  Very risky activity going on
there, and fully supported by the town!  Anybody can go and watch when
there is a game on, but hardly anybody gets to play.  Which is more
exclusive, a garden or a sports field?  Remember that anybody can walk
by and look at the garden.  You might even schedule some times when the
garden is open for public enjoyment.  This does suggest, however, that
gardeners need to design and maintain their gardens in ways that truly
do enhance their neighborhoods.

4.  Insurance is a local business, governed to some extent by state
law and regulation.  Although there is a certain amount of uniformity
and insurance companies operate across state lines, your experience with
coverages and costs may be quite different from those in a neighboring
state.  If you have to buy insurance, a creative and responsive local
agent can be very important.  Remember that there is a good chance they
haven't insured a garden before and they will have to figure out how to
do it.  Here in Connecticut, we started out with an insurance agent who
decided gardens were like vacant lots, which tend to attract
inappropriate uses.  Premiums were based on street frontage and they
were high.  Strangely enough, our largest garden, which had no s

[Community_garden] Silent Auction ideas

[Jack Hale]

 If you have a good crew of gardeners willing to volunteer and you are
raising your money from folks other than active gardeners, you might
offer something like a half day of work on the garden of the bidder's
choice.  We have had good luck auctioning spring and fall clean-ups,
trees planted, installed butterfly gardens, bulbs planted, etc.  Of
course we have a youth corps that can do the work, but competent
volunteers will do as well if not better.  These items may do better as
live auction items because a skilled auctioneer can really bid up
something like this.  Good luck.
JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Duluth Community Garden Prog.
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 1:04 PM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Silent Auction ideas

We're planning a silent auction as part of a major fundraising weekend
scheduled for October.  Do any of you have experience with silent
auctions?  What auction items have been popular?  Have any of you put
together irresistible garden packages?  What's been in them?
Information on anything that has worked well is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Mary Dragich



Mary Dragich
  Executive Director
  Duluth Community Garden Program
  206 West Fourth Street, Suite 214
  Duluth, Minnesota 55806
  218-722-4583
  www.duluthcommunitygarden.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 at list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org

[Community_garden] Background checks on volunteers

[Jack Hale]

 
Sounds like a great idea for a conference workshop.  Are the folks in
Boston listening?  
I'm involved with the Episcopal church, which has a program called safe
church.  That we have to deal with such issues makes me cranky at times,
but it's worth taking time to think about some of this stuff.  It would
be good for community gardens to continue to make everyone's life better
- and not worse.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Jeannie Wills
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 3:42 AM
To: adam36055 at aol.com; patsysavon at swbell.net;
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Background checks on volunteers

Patsy and Adam - I haven't posted before but I do have some input on
this. There is excellent info out there regarding safety precautions for
children and vulnerable adults. I hear you, Adam, about the detriment to
'community building' if background checks were required - I also
understand Patsy's concerns for safety. There is NO general pedophile
'profile'. In fact stats bear out the fact that most molestation etc is
done by someone known to the child - scout leader, church leader, family
member/acquaintance etc and often involves a 'grooming' process to gain
the child's trust. To assume that a person can identify an abuser places
children at greater risk. Working in teams - minimum of 2 adults with
children at all times; great awareness of who is on the premises with
'team leaders' in charge of that accountability is a basic beginning
strategy for providing a safe environment for all. Working in community
gardens in my community, we always make sure we work in crews no  matter
which part of the city we might be in, whether there are children
present or not. This is NOT just an 'inner city' issue.  Thanks, Patsy,
for having this issue on your radar.  Jeannie from KY

adam36055 at aol.com wrote:   Welcome to America - land of background
checks for volunteers, even in, it seems, community gardens.

As a parent in NYC, I kept my eyes open for the usual pedophile types
when raising my son, and shoo'ed off my share of drag-nasties when they
hung out too close to the sandbox (they tended to throw their crack
vials and syringes into the sand when the cops came around.) However,
community gardens are often places where folks who are not permitted to
make contributions elsewhere are accepted - many of whom are homeless,
ex-convicts, illegal aliens, or are "of color," and don't talk in the
carefully middle-class tones of a Condolezza Rice. 

Background checks would turn discourage these folks from working in
community gardens, a place where many re-enter, or enter society and
help us all build community. 

Certainly, I'd keep my eyes peeled for aberrant behavior, and yes, the
odd sociopath might get involved in the group from time to time, I mean,
community gardens are no different in that extent from the US House of
Representatives, for example. 

But background checks for volunteers in community gardens would have an
unecessarily chilling effect on building community in neighborhoods
where many folks have been incarcerated ( usually poor, and of color)
and using community gardens to rehabilitate folks who have made mistakes
in the past. 

Best wishes,
Adam Honigman


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Sent: Sun, 22 Apr 2007 11:01 PM
Subject: [Community_garden] Background checks on volunteers


There has been some discussion in our community garden as to "background
checks" 
for all its volunteers. Many members have had backgrounds checks
performed on 
them when working with other agencies. We conduct several monthly
children tours 
and other community events. We are wondering how other gardens are
handling 
this situation. 

Thank you for your input.
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20070422/ff1723f9/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_garden at list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org

AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free
from AOL at AOL.com.
-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/c

[Community_garden] Study or research info needed

[Jack Hale]

 
A while back, when we needed to communicate something like this, we
first used our own rule of thumb that people travel no more than a half
mile to get to a neighborhood community garden (that number doesn't
apply to our large scale "magnet" gardens, but it seems to work for the
smaller ones).  That gave us a way to think about number of locations
and likely placement.  Then we tried to come up with a "plots per
thousand residents" number based on the density of the better developed
garden programs in the country.  I think we used Seattle as our
benchmark.   That could yield an indicator of the number of additional
plots you need to create and the number of additional gardeners you
would need to recruit to get to that level.  My bet is that trying to
come at it from the more logical and scientific direction that you are
thinking about will make you absolutely crazy.  On the other hand, if
you come to the conference in August and get at a table with a bunch of
us old community gardeners and a supply of adult beverages, I bet we
could come up with some garden science that would make your head spin.
Good luck.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Kirsten Saylor
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 12:36 PM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Study or research info needed

Hello y'all, 

 

I'm working with my county to get language supportive of community
gardens into city and county comprehensive plans.  One thing we were
bouncing around is helping planners understand WHEN a community garden
is needed for a community (i.e. a top-down establishment of a community
garden), and I wondered if we could say that there should be enough
plots for XX% of households within a housing complex (for instance).  

 

Does anyone know of a study or research that would help substantiate
what percentage of households to use?  I'm just looking for a general
number or a number for a specific population group (i.e. seniors) - just
need something to hang my hat on. 

 

Thank you, Kirsten

 

 

Kirsten Saylor

GardenWorks, Program Manager

The Green Institute

2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 110

Minneapolis, MN  55407

612-278-7123

ksaylor at greeninstitute.org

www.gardenworksMN.org

Promoting and Preserving Community Gardening Across the Twin Cities

 

-- next part --
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20070419/27cc168d/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_garden at list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org

[Community_garden] Rodent problems

[Jack Hale]

 
Here is some information we put together years ago.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

RATS IN YOUR GARDEN


Rats have come to be an unfortunately common pest in some gardens.  
They scare people.  They destroy or damage our crops.  Further, rats are often 
associated with disease and death, topics we don't like to associate with our 
gardens.


You Should Know

In order to cope with them, here are some things we need to understand 
about rats:
Rats require four things:
Food
Water
Cover, a place to hide or travel undisturbed
Harborage or living space
Rats tend to go from places that don't provide all of these things to places 
that do. A freshly plowed garden provides only a place to burrow.  A 
fully-grown garden can provide everything. A poorly cared for garden in the 
fall or winter can provide almost as well as a summer garden.

*   Rats don't like people; they like the places that people 
provide for them - houses and other buildings, poorly maintained dumpsters, 
garbage dumps, messy gardens, etc. If you find yourself confronted by a rat, 
make sure it knows you are there by making noises (they don't see well), and it 
will probably go away. Don't bother trying to chase it or kill it; it is 
probably faster than you are and killing one rat isn't accomplishing much.

*   If you haven't seen any rats but think you might have them in 
your garden, one thing that suggests rats is small amounts of damage on fruits 
like cucumber, tomato, or squash. Rats prefer them to leaves, stems, and roots. 
Also, rats would not be just in your garden. If nobody knows of rats in the 
neighborhood around the garden, there probably aren't any in the garden either. 
Rats normally travel no more than 50 yards from their burrows in search of food.

*   If you want an idea how many rats are out there, multiply what 
you see by at least 10. Just because you don't see rats doesn't mean there 
aren't any. They mostly feed at night (bright lights bother them) and they 
really do avoid contact with people.  If you find rat burrows, assume 6 rats 
per burrow.

*   Rats have to come from somewhere. If you have rats in your 
garden, it means that somewhere nearby is a place that harbors rats and for 
some reason (overpopulation, lack of food, destruction of burrows, etc.) one or 
more of them had to leave. This also means that rats can be made to leave your 
garden.

*   You can't get rid of rats entirely. There are as many of than 
as there are of us. You may be able to eliminate the ones that are bothering 
you at a particular time by killing them or chasing than away, but there are 
always more. They begin breeding at 3 to 5 months of age, and each female 
produces 20 or so young in a year. The best strategy seems to be to try to keep 
the population down and to keep rats out of our living and gardening areas.

*   Rats prefer to run along vertical surfaces like fences and 
walls, brushing their whiskers against them, probably because of their poor 
eyesight. Such a surface with weeds or other materials a couple of inches away 
provides a perfect runway.


So How Do I Get Them to Go Away?

Remember the four things that rats need: food, water, harborage, and 
cover.  If you eliminate one or more of those things, rats will tend to go 
elsewhere to find it.
Also remember that gardens don't produce rats. During most of the year, 
well-kept gardens should be open with no food and water available and only low 
cover.  During those times, rats will go elsewhere seeking better 
accommodations. Rats only come to gardens if people maintain excellent places 
for them to live and find food.  A good garden isn't a good place for rats.


What About Poisons?

Poisons can help to reduce rat populations, but there is no way to 
eliminate a rat population in an open area using only poisons. Some pest 
control experts have recommended killing rats with poison bait in the gardens. 
They suggest using heavily secured bait boxes or waiting until the growing 
season is over and putting bait in the burrows. Nobody recommends scattering 
rat poison in gardens. Rat poisons are dangerous, although modern 
"anticoagulants" are not as dangerous as some of the older poisons like 
strychnine. Anyway, it's best to leave that kind of work to trained 
technicians. In the garden there is too much danger of children, pets, or other 
animals getting into bait, and there is even a possibility of poison getting 
into your food.


Things to Do

*   Harvest your crops, particularly fruit-type crops, as soon as 
they are ripe. (food)
*   Pick up fruit that has fallen from the vine and carry it home 
or bury it.  Rats aren't likely to burrow for rotting food if there is fresh 
food around. (food)
*   Stake up tomatoes and grow cucumbers, squash, an

[Community_garden] Town Lease/Liability Insurance

[Jack Hale]

Please don't panic.  Panic and gardening don't go well together.

Here in Hartford, we do insure all our gardens (14), and we list the
property owners as additional insured.  We do that in some cases because
the property owners require it, but also because it protects us, the
organization running the gardens.

It is obnoxious that a town would require a baby nonprofit to protect it
from harm, but towns have the power to do that, and often they have risk
managers or other staff who feel it is their job to protect the town
from any conceivable problems.  They obviously draw the line somewhere.
For instance, they probably don't require evidence of insurance before
they let people play on town playgrounds, and playgrounds are much
riskier places than gardens.  It would be just too hard to enforce the
requirement.  Unfortunately, you folks are an easier target. 

Your other problem is that you have just one garden.  In our case, with
a bunch of gardens, the cost per garden is substantially lower than the
$750-1,000 you are seeing.  Insurance agents/companies just don't want
to write a policy for less than that.

So, there are lots of reasons/arguments why you should not be required
to provide this insurance and why the town should just deal with it, but
you are moving into the political arena.  Most likely, the folks who
have laid this requirement on you believe they are just doing their jobs
to the best of their ability, and they may even feel they are doing it
exceptionally well because they picked up this "problem."  They may need
somebody above them to tell them that there may be other, more important
considerations, like helping people to raise their own healthy food.  As
Adam says, "community gardening is 50% gardening and 100% politics."
It's probably time to get political.

Good luck.  And let us know how it goes.

JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Denise Fisher
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 10:50 AM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Town Lease/Liability Insurance

Hello,

We are a new community garden that has been in existence for one year.
The town leases 2.5 acres from a private property owner for the purpose
of the community garden with the stipulation that the management of the
garden is entrusted to a non-profit organization.  The Town leased the
property so that the community garden would be covered under the town's
liability insurance.  The lease is year to year.  We were expecting a
simple renewal of the lease this year, but today we found out that the
Town's insurance company is recommending that the non-profit
organization provide its own liability insurance which is $750 -
$1000/year listing the town as an additional insured.  We're not sure
why this change from last year.  We can't afford the insurance unless a
benefactor steps up.  If a benefactor steps up and our non-profit
organization does buy the liability insurance, then it seems to me there
would be no need to involve the town or to list them as an additional
insured.  We could lease the land directly from the landowner.  I would
like to know if there are other community gardens out there that are
also covered by the liability insurance of the municipality and if
they've had any problems.  What are the issues?  How does this work in
other towns?

Orientation is next week, and even though we have been in communication
with the town administrator, she never gave any indication that there
would be any obstacles to the renewal of the lease, so we are caught off
guard.  We are in a bit of a panic about what to do.  Any
thoughts/advice/help would be greatly appreciated!

Denise Fisher



___
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 at list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org

[Community_garden] (no subject)

[Jack Hale]

Regarding Don's "dirt under the fingernails..." comment.

I just read the first of the articles Keith Tidball promoted earlier on
this thread.  That was some pretty dense reading for somebody who has
been out of academia as long as I have.  That being said, I think Keith
and his co-author come down solidly on the side of gardening and
greening that are undertaken for their own sake because people are
interested in them.   I can't quote directly right now, but my sense was
that they see more benefit in (for instance) social capital from real
grass roots efforts than from efforts that are initiated by "greening
professionals" or government.  People spend more time and energy
figuring out together how to make things work and how to overcome
problems. 

I hope the second article tells us how folks like us can encourage the
process without killing it.  I'd just as soon not be out of a job right
away.

Regardless, it sounds like gardening for its own sake is the best kind
of community gardening, but those of us who want to sell it to people
who don't get gardening at all have some pretty good ways to put it
across.  Excellent!

By the way, lots of stuff about community gardening in the latest
Organic Gardening Magazine.  Don is mentioned on every other page, I
think.

JH



Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Don Boekelheide
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 2:33 PM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Community gardening benefits

Hi, all,

This is an important thread, I think. 

As Adam rightly points out, our lists of community garden benefits
depend to some extent on who will be reading them - certainly, it makes
sense to ask 'what's in it for my negotiating partner'.

All the same, it makes sense to me to hash out our lists, and our
visions and mission statements, from time to time. Strangely, business
has largely expropriated this process of late, in service of 'success'
or 'greater profits'. I stray...

I remember how affirming it was ages ago to stumble across the IFOAM
definition of 'sustainable agriculture', back in a grad seminar at ag
school. I think I still remember it: Ecologically sound, economically
viable, socially/culturally/politically just, and humane. It gave me,
and still gives me, a sense of solidarity and common cause with sisters
and brothers seeking a to make this world a better, fairer and greener
place.

No doubt the big picture is important, and I appreciate what Keith and
Adam suggest - their leads are valuable and thought-provoking.

That said, let me put in two bits on behalf of plain ol' gardening, as
opposed to 'greening' or 'civic ecology'. 

Not that either of these broadly defined areas aren't of great value -
they are, absolutely! And certainly the Witmore Study appears to be
uncovering some very interesting and plausible correlations between
community gardens and dropping neighborhood crime rates.

But I feel these are secondary considerations in community gardening.
For me, community gardening at its roots is about something simpler,
deeper, and more direct than any derivative effects it might have.

Community gardens provide a place for everyone to garden, a place for
all to get outside, dig in the soil, and grow stuff. That
dirt-under-the-fingernails fundamental transcends the vast
superstructure of appealing visions and grant-worthy outcomes that the
community garden movement supports.

Does this change the axiom that 'in community gardening, community comes
first'? Not at all.
However, I've observed that the most enduring and satisfying
garden-inspired changes in communities come from rough hewn progress
made from the grassroots up, by gardeners growing things and working
together side-by-side.

So, by all means, do urban ecology! Be a community greener! Come up with
a creative new sobriquet to name what it is we do, to better inform
ourselves, funders and foundations that community gardening is not
"simply" community gardening, but countless other valuable things as
well.

At the same time, let's never forget the simple gardens at the heart of
what we do.

Don Boekelheide
Charlotte, NC

___
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 at list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org

[Community_garden] Burpee Seeds - alternatives

[Jack Hale]

 
Well, I have to put in a mention of our local guys.  As far as I know
they are all still independent.
New England Seed www.neseed.com - relatively new.  Focuses on commercial
growers to some degree.  Donates all of their leftovers at the end of
each growing season.
Comstock, Ferre www.comstockferre.com - claims to be the oldest (1820)
continuously operating seed company in the U.S.  They developed the
Wethersfield Red onion but are now just a distributor with a really nice
retail store.
Charles C. Hart Seed Co. www.hartseed.com - doesn't sell direct to
consumers.  Part of their business is racks in Hardware stores and such.
Another local company apparently still independent.
All 3 of these companies are located within 5 miles of my office.
Nothing really earth-shattering here, but it's really great to know they
are in business.
Has anybody had any experience with Landreth Seed Co.
www.landrethseeds.com?  They certainly have an interesting website and
they claim to have been around since 1784 and also to have the best
selection of heirloom seeds available.  I saw a copy of their catalog
last year and it was rather inspirational.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Don Boekelheide
Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2007 12:53 PM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Burpee Seeds - alternatives

Thanks for the info, Adam.

Well, that stinks.

Steve Solomon, founder of Territorial Seeds, has a list of recommended
seed companies in his book _Gardening When It Counts_ . It's an
interesting and worthwhile read, though he's pretty harsh dealing with
John Jeavons and double digging. There'll be a review in the next ACGA
newsletter (so join ACGA if you haven't already, and you'll get a copy).

Anyway, Solomon's list is:

Stokes Seed, www.stokeseeds.com

Johnny's, www.johnnyseeds.com (a great outfit!)

Veseys Seed, www.veseys.com

William Dam Seeds, www.damseeds.com

Harris Seeds, www.gardeners.harrisseeds.com

King Seeds, www.kingsseeds.com.nz (Aust/NZ)

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange,
www.southernexposure.com (real friends for Southern gardeners, always at
our local sustainable ag
conferences)

Park Seed, www.parkseed.com (local to me - great field day in June if
you are in SC)

Territorial Seeds, www.territorial-seed.com (best catalog cover art, I
always look forward to getting my
copy)

West Coast Seeds, www.westcoastseeds.com

Chase (along with Thomson&Morgan and Suttons, all big UK seed companies,
he gives no website but they should be easy to find). I've used T&M, it
was easy and inexpensive to order from the US, but that was before 2001.
Solomon likes Chase best.).

Organic Gardening Catalogue, www.OrganicCatalog.com
(UK)

Nw Gippsland Seeds, www.newgipps.com.au (Australia)

Plus Solomon recommends these suppliers (edited list - to see all, buy
his book...):

Fedco, www.fedcoseeds.com

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, www.groworganic.com (They are a mainstay,
even though I now live on the opposite end of the US, wish we had a
Southern version).

Renee's Seed, www.reneesgarden.com

Ronnigers, www.ronnigers.com (for spuds)

Select, www.samen.ch (Swiss)

Personally, I also like and use:

Wilhite Seed, www.wilhite.com (Texas-based, good international
collection too)

Wyatt-Quarles, www.wqseeds.com (local Carolina
company)

Kitawaza Seed, www.kitazawa.com (best Asian seed selection, very
reliable)

The Cook's Garden, www.cooksgarden.com

Dr. David Bradshaw, S.C. Foundation Seed Association
(864) 656-2520. Recently retired, Dr. Bradshaw has been gathering and
sustaining historic varieties for 2 decades at Clemson U. Great
resource!

Hida Tools, www.hidatool.com (best for horihori, Japanese field hoes,
all kinds of good solid tools)

Anybody else have any suggestions for good seed sources (or stuff
sources) - or reviews of mine? Let's vote with our dollars.

Don Boekelheide
Charlotte NC

> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 06 Jan 2007 14:36:50 -0500
> From: adam36055 at aol.com
> Subject: [Community_garden] Burpee Seeds
> To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
> Message-ID:
> <8C8FFE1257D45B9-924-80A at FWM-D08.sysops.aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> 
>  FYI -
>  
> Adam Honigman
> NYC
> 
> 
> 
>
http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2245
> 
>  
> A recent merger now announced says that W.Atlee Burpee & Co. Seeds has

> accepted a deal to be bought out by Seminis. This will mean that from 
> the beginning of 2007 onward, Burpee will be operated as a subsidiary 
> of Monsanto (a.k.a. Monsatan) Co., which has already bought out 
> Seminis. Seminis and Burpee were the two largest American seed 
> companies not affiliated with Monsatan until both were recently bought

> out by the multi-billion-dollar corporation.
> Burpee & Co. was started in 1876 when 1

[Community_garden] Rose's messages regarding plot size

[Jack Hale]

Hi, Now that in most places gardening time is being spent studying
catalogs and picking out interesting things to grow next spring(so many
choices and that just from the first few catalogs), I wanted to check
and see what people like in terms of plot sizes. What size plot seems to
work the best in your area? What do you find to be a good size for first
time gardeners? What do you think is the ideal size for experienced
gardeners? 

Also, just for perspective what are the largest and smallest plots? The
largest ones I have been able to find are 30 feet by 90-92 feet. The
smallest so far is 10x20. Do you know of any larger or smaller ones? 

Thank you. 

Rose 
Rosemeadow3 at lycos.com 
*  


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
Rose Miller
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 10:45 AM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] Would someone relay my message for me?
Neitherplain text nor rich text works.

An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/2006120
4/4c292c1f/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_garden at list.communitygarden.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org

RE: [cg] rats, solutions to - Jack Russell Terriers - Not Lunchtime Reading

[Jack Hale]

Maybe ACGA should start a JRT rental service.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694




From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 1:55 PM
To: Jack Hale; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [cg] rats, solutions to - Jack Russell Terriers - Not
Lunchtime Reading


 Friends,

Remember the Jack Russell terrier on Kelsey Grammer TV series
"Frasier,"?

Adorable, no?

Well...the Jack Russell terrier, traditionally  trained is the ultimate
"mad-dog killer," of rats and other small vermin.  They are truly
vicious, when their are discouraged from being "cute," and are their
natural "Cujo" selves.  For this the Jack Russell Terrier was bred.

The ultimate rat killing machine.

Year ago on the lower east side, Chinatown, Harlem and certain select
parts of the yet ungentrified Upper West Side,  there was a rather droll
Welshman who trawled the streets in an old Volvo with  six, count 'em
six, Jack Russell terriers, looking for "scouts, " usually kids or
street people who would tip him off to   basements and apartments to
clean out with his "troop."

Known as, "that crazy dog man," that "white man with the killer dogs,"
or "Lord Ratman," and variants thereof, this  guy wore a tweed jacket,
cap, always carried a hip flask, had a wildly veined alcholic's nose
that I swear shone like something out of the "Pickwick Papers,"  thick
deerskin gloves, smoked a pipe filled with Balkan Sobranie.

you cannot make up someone like this - God or the Devil  sends these
people to walk the earth...


"Lord Ratman,"  a valuable service for several communities - organic,
non-poisonous rodent abatement (earth friendly, as some of our Kumbaya
singing comrades might say) in persuit of blood sport.

And the cute, "Frasier," type Jack Russell terriers were as vicious as
pirahna or Vice President Cheyney.

I saw one Jack Russell  down a hole in the old Liz Christy garden, the
earth literally shook above the hole,  and watched it  pull up a Norway
rat larger than it was to  praise ( and piece of raw liver) from "Lord
Ratman."

In retrospect, "Lord Ratman," had to have been a semi-pathological
individual, but he was loved on certain streets of NYC, where the city's
"rat patrol," feared to tread.  And for weeks after he had left a
building, nobody's baby got bitten -

As Martha Stewart would say, " a good thing."

Thinking of MAD DOGS, Welshmen, rat abatement and gardens,

Adam Honigman
Gardener,
Hell's Kitchen New York









-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Mon, 11 Sep 2006 4:12 PM
Subject: RE: [cg] rats, solutions to


Conventional wisdom is that rats need 4 things - food, water, harborage
(place to burrow), and cover.  Remove any or all of those things, and
they tend to go away.  That means:
- Don't have any standing water in your garden - no containers that will
collect rain water, for instance.
- Harvest crops when they are ripe, and keep them off of the ground.
Don't let "spoiled" fruits sit on the ground.  Grow crops vertically as
much as possible.
- Elevate composters about a foot and turn them often.  Chop materials
before you add them to the composters.  Line composters with hardware
cloth.
- If you find rat burrows, break them up and/or fill them with soil or
other materials.  Pick up pieces of wood, etc. that provide good
protection for burrow entrances.
- Pull, kill, or remove weeds, particularly along fence lines.  Try to
keep an area clear of cover about 200 feet beyond the edges of your
garden.
Most of these are just good garden hygiene.  You can get fancier.
Remember that gardens don't cause rats.  They have to come from
somewhere else.  Your real problem may be outside the garden,
particularly if you are good about cleaning out the garden before
winter.
Good luck.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:community_garden-admin%40mallorn.com>
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:community_garden-admin%40mallorn.com> ] On Behalf Of Emily
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2006 4:53 PM
To: BQLT
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:ParkSlopeParents%40yahoogroups.com> ;
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:NYC-GardensCoalition%40yahoogroups.com> ;
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:community_garden-request%40mallorn.com> ;
[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:community_garden%40mallorn.com>
Subject: [cg] rats, solut

RE: [cg] rats, solutions to

[Jack Hale]

Conventional wisdom is that rats need 4 things - food, water, harborage
(place to burrow), and cover.  Remove any or all of those things, and
they tend to go away.  That means:
- Don't have any standing water in your garden - no containers that will
collect rain water, for instance.
- Harvest crops when they are ripe, and keep them off of the ground.
Don't let "spoiled" fruits sit on the ground.  Grow crops vertically as
much as possible.
- Elevate composters about a foot and turn them often.  Chop materials
before you add them to the composters.  Line composters with hardware
cloth. 
- If you find rat burrows, break them up and/or fill them with soil or
other materials.  Pick up pieces of wood, etc. that provide good
protection for burrow entrances.
- Pull, kill, or remove weeds, particularly along fence lines.  Try to
keep an area clear of cover about 200 feet beyond the edges of your
garden.
Most of these are just good garden hygiene.  You can get fancier.
Remember that gardens don't cause rats.  They have to come from
somewhere else.  Your real problem may be outside the garden,
particularly if you are good about cleaning out the garden before
winter.
Good luck.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Emily
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2006 4:53 PM
To: BQLT
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] rats, solutions to

The community garden I belong to has recently developed a problem with
rats around our compost bins for the first time in many many years.
We're trying to find out what other community gardens have done to
successfully get rid of rodents - hopefully without using poison or
traps (we have other wildlife, squirrels, a resident cat, small
children, birds, etc.) that we'd like NOT to negatively impact Emily


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] SF Chronicle: Worldly Lessons Taught in Community Garden

[Jack Hale]

Is this the start of a movement to show Being There at the LA
conference?  It can't be beat for real garden-based political wisdom.
One thing is for sure - people who tend gardens have all the experience
they need of the law of unintended consequences.
Adam, thanks for passing this along.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 1:01 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] SF Chronicle: Worldly Lessons Taught in Community Garden

Friends, 
 
I love this San Francisco Chronicle  piece by John Hershey,  comparing
CIA Director Porter Goss, a backyard gardener's outlook on the world
with that of community gardeners.  John Hershey is a community gardener.

 
Regards, 
Adam Honigman
Hell's Kitchen, NYC
 
Worldly lessons taught in community garden 
- John Hershey, Special to The Chronicle
Saturday, March 25, 2006 

  
In a recent interview with Time magazine, CIA Director Porter Goss was
asked a very important question. After dispensing with topics like
catching Osama bin Laden and dealing with the insurgency in Iraq, the
reporter got down to business: "You're into organic gardening. How did
that happen?" 
Goss replied that gardening is relaxing and rewarding for him. He even
composts. But he complained that animals always steal his crops. 
I find it reassuring that our top intelligence official seeks solace in
the garden -- although it makes me a little nervous that the man
responsible for eradicating terrorist cells in our country can't keep
squirrels out of his garden. 
I was also surprised. I tend to think of powerful people spending their
leisure time hunting rather than gardening. I can readily imagine Type A
go-getters out on a big-game hunt. But somehow it's hard to picture
Theodore Roosevelt misting orchids or Ernest Hemingway weeding around
his peas. 
Perhaps this is an unfair stereotype. After all, hunting and gardening
are popular for the same basic reason: They take us back to the primeval
days when people lived in nature and had to provide for themselves. It
was a simpler yet rougher time, without the complexities or soft
comforts of modern life. Hunting and gardening make us feel truly alive
by appealing to these primitive instincts in ways that some other
hobbies, like collecting refrigerator magnets, may not. 
But I wonder why some people gravitate to gardening, while hunting
appeals to other personality types. For example, I prefer gardening.
Time spent in the garden is fun and serene, and there are relatively few
fatal gardening accidents. It seems to suit my character. I have nothing
against hunting for food, but let's face it: Hunting can be rather
adversarial. The hunter and the deer are not out there seeking to
resolve their differences amicably. It's a bit of a zero-sum game, when
you think about it. Does this mean the aggressive, driven people who
become leaders in their field are more likely to be hunter-gatherers
than settle down and cultivate the land? If so, does hunting reinforce
confrontational attitudes that carry over into our leaders' jobs, making
them more inclined to deal with a crisis by reaching for their
metaphorical .30-06? 
Of course, there's a time and place for strong action. But I think
gardening, especially community gardening, could teach our leaders
important lessons about foreign policy too. 
Outsiders, perhaps laboring under some stereotypes of their own, may
think of a community garden as an urban idyll of perfect harmony. But
those of us who garden there know that the community garden is a
microcosm of the world. We each have our own territory, with footpaths
forming borders with our neighbors. And we have to deal with conflicts
and threats just as world leaders do. 
For example, has your community garden space ever been invaded by an
aggressive pumpkin vine? When a plot's territorial integrity is
threatened, the gardeners don't respond unilaterally with clippers. We
use diplomacy to discourage expansionism without resorting to force. 
You can't always blame the gardener when plants attack. Last season, I
planted a special type of marigold on the perimeter of my plot because I
had heard that they would deter nematodes from attacking the roots of my
tomato plants. This natural pest-control technique was effective, in a
sense. My tomato plants survived, although they didn't get very big or
produce many tomatoes. They were crowded out and shaded by the
marigolds! Each little seedling grew into a big clump of dense foliage
with hundreds of orange blooms. These yard-high shrubs encroached the
pathways, blockading several nearby plots. I tried to be a good citizen
by trimming the bushes back, but that just seemed to encourage more
growth. This year, I'm looking for some special type of nematode to
deter my marigolds. 
The point is, we all try to get a

RE: [cg] LA Mayor Support More Urban Parks

[Jack Hale]

This just in
Eddie Perez, mayor of Hartford, has just declared tomorrow (March 10)
Knox Parks Foundation Day in the city in recognition of our 40 years of
making Hartford greener and more productive.  Yep, it's a big
anniversary year.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 5:16 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] LA Mayor Support More Urban Parks

H I wonder if the mayor is interested in neighborhood based
greening projects too- like community gardens? 
 
An interesting afternoon for Mayor's methinks. 
 
Adam Honigman
 
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-bond8mar08,1,5
518022.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california
Mayor Backs More Urban Parks
By Duke Helfand
Times Staff Writer

March 8, 2006
Los Angeles Times


Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and environmentalists urged state
officials Tuesday to provide hefty funding for urban parks, clean water
and other ecological needs in an upcoming state public works bond.

Standing on the banks of the Los Angeles River near downtown,
Villaraigosa and leaders from several environmental groups said that
green space and safe waterways are as important to the state's future as
new roads, adequate housing and secure levees.

"The era of pavement and concrete is an era of the past," Villaraigosa
told a news conference along a stretch of the river choked partly by
dead brush and trash. "We want to grow smart. We want to grow green and
we want to enhance the quality of life for our citizens."

Villaraigosa made his pitch as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrats
in the Legislature negotiate the details of a public works proposal that
could reach $222 billion. 

The state leaders are trying to meet a Friday deadline to place the
measure on the June ballot.

Under Schwarzenegger's plan, about $68 billion in general obligation
bonds would go before voters in five elections.

The governor's initial proposal included only scant money for parks and
instead focused on highways, schools, roads, levees, jails and other
facilities, officials said. 

Some prominent Democrats would like the state to spend more than $1
billion to buy and maintain recreation space, with nearly two-thirds of
the money going to urban parks.

The money would build on two state bond issues since 2000 that provided
nearly $5 billion to buy and maintain park land and other natural
resources.

Villaraigosa, who sponsored one of those state park bond measures while
he served in the Legislature, said Los Angeles still suffers from a
dearth of recreation space.

He said just 30% of people in Los Angeles live within a quarter of a
mile of a park, compared to 80% in Boston and 90% in New York.

Environmental leaders and public health experts said the lack of parks
is most severe in the city's poorest areas, where obesity levels also
are the highest.

"Children of color have the least access to parks," said Robert Garcia,
executive director of the Center for Law in the Public Interest. "These
are the children who need the parks the most but have them the least."

Garcia and others said that parks play a central role in the physical
and psychic health of a city, and that it would be a mistake to meet
other public works needs without also making Los Angeles more livable.

"Do we want a green state or an asphalt state?" asked Mark Gold,
executive director of Heal the Bay, a watchdog group that keeps an eye
on pollution in Santa Monica Bay and Southern California coastal waters.

The mayor's emphasis on parks offered a window into his priorities.

He already has lobbied state leaders to secure more bond money for
affordable housing and mass transit in Los Angeles. 

He said parks are as much a priority as homes for the poor and speedier
roads, but it was unclear whether state leaders would grant all of his
requests.

Still, he appeared undaunted during his riverside event Wednesday,
describing a future Los Angeles that is environmentally friendly and
cooled by parks large and small.

"This is about the future," Villaraigosa said. "It's about the kids."
 
 
Copyright 2006 Los Angeles Times
 
 
 
Katie Salay
Associate

Project for Public Spaces
700 Broadway New York, NY 10003
T (212) 620-5660 x 313  F (212) 620-3821
http://www.pps.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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
The American Community Gardening Association listserve

RE: [cg] Community gardener wins mayor's race in Burlington, VT

[Jack Hale]

We have had a couple of city councilmen, but no mayors so far.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Flint
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 9:16 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Community gardener wins mayor's race in Burlington, VT

News release:  March 9, 2006

To: ACGA list serv members

From:  Friends of Burlington Gardens

Burlington's mayor-elect is rooted in community gardening

State Representative Bob Kiss is the new mayor-elect of Burlington, VT,
receiving 54.4% of votes cast using the city's new Instant Runoff Voting
system. In winning Burlington's first open mayoral contest in 17 years,
Kiss garnered a broad base of support from city residents of diverse
socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The city has a population of
40,000, with more than 1,500 residents involved in community gardening.

Although outspent 4:1 in the mayor's race, Kiss used a grassroots
approach
and a platform of inclusive government to win a come from behind
victory.
While all five mayoral candidates affirmed the importance of community
gardens, organic farms, and neighborhood green space, Rep. Kiss offered
a first-hand perspective on sustainable living as a 30-year participant
in
the Burlington Area Community Gardens program, sponsored by the
the Burlington Parks and Recreation Department.

Mayor-elect Kiss began community gardening in Burlington in 1974. His
first
plot was at the former Cathedral Square garden off Pearl Street. When
the
site closed in the mid 1970s, he relocated to the new community garden
at
Ethan Allen Homestead. In the early 1980s, Kiss became one of the first
gardeners at the Intervale Community Garden, which was located closer to
his
home in the Old North End. He and his partner Jackie Majoros continue to
garden at the Intervale site, which in 1988 was renamed the Tommy
Thompson
Community Garden, in honor of the founder of Gardens for All.

Research is currently underway to determine whether there are mayors of 
other
cities in North America who are active community gardeners. Please email
Jim Flint at [EMAIL PROTECTED] if you have information or a
story 
to
share about the past or present involvement of your city's mayor in 
community
gardening.

For articles on the mayor's race and photos of Bob Kiss, click on the 
following links:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/N
EWS01/60308003/1001/ARCHIVE 
(March 8, 2006)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/N
EWS01/603090312/1009 
(March 9, 2006)

Friends of Burlington Gardens
33 Tracy Drive
Burlington, VT  05401
802.658.5733
www.burlingtongardens.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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Greenhouses in comm gardens

[Jack Hale]

Well, we have had a 20X40 hoop house covered with polyethylene on our
grounds for 3 years.  It is used by community gardeners raising
seedlings starting around March 1 and running into June each year.  We
do have electricity, running water, and gas heating, thanks to the
largesse of a local insurance company.  We have never had any damage to
the house except when a sharp edged table came in contact with the
outside covering.  I probably shouldn't say this, but we have never had
any vandalism, even though we are on a very busy walking route to and
from a local high school.  We also have a larger traditional house (5800
square feet) covered in polycarbonate, also heated.  We do have a
problem with critters burrowing in, and sometimes some homeless guys
spend winter nights inside.  There is an 8 foot high chain link fence
around the property, but young folks can climb it easily and the gates
aren't very secure.  One other detail - the poly house is double-walled
- two layers of poly with air blown between them.  It makes for
wonderful energy efficiency and it eliminates the "flap factor" in the
wind.  The covering is very tight, and the little fan that inflates
everything uses almost no electricity.  Poly is easy to cut, but it is
also easy to repair - they sell tape for that purpose.  In the event of
serious damage, the material isn't very expensive, and volunteers can
install it.
Good luck.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 1:01 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [cg] Greenhouses in comm gardens

A Greenhouse, without a fence or protection in a public park already
known to have have knuckleheads stealing and tagging is risky business.
It's just too much fun for the more feral local teenage guys, sociopaths
and losers, to break glass/polyvinyl and tag the remaining pieces.   
 
If you have a secure place in the park ( like in a fenced service area)
with good sun and access to electricity or at least a space where
photvoltaic panels won't be smashed or stolen then I can see having a
greenhouse would be viable - otherwise, and I'm sure other folks on this
list will say it's doable, though I don't know how - otherwise I think
it would be throwing away your hard earned dollars. 
 
Regards,
Adam Honigman
 
-Original Message-
From: Janet Parker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 11:37:12 -0600
Subject: [cg] Greenhouses in comm gardens


Dear Friends,
 
Here in snowy Madison, Wisconsin we are busy planning for the season to
come!  A 
gardener has been looking into building a polyvinyl greenhouse from a
kit at a 
large community garden with 110 families in a city park.  
 
Any stories to tell from your experience or ideas of what might work?  
 
Some concerns on our minds are:
 
- vandalism (the site is unfenced, and tagging and theft have been
problems 
there)
- limited usefulness (no electric runs to the site, so heat for
seedlings in 
spring won't be possible) (photovoltaic solar panels have been suggested
to 
power automatic ventilation for summer) 
 
If you have ideas or tips you can share with us, please drop me a note
with your 
phone number and a time I can call you.  Or reply to the list.
 
Thank you!
 
Peace,

Janet Parker

CAC Community Gardens

608-246-4730 ext. 218

1717 N. Stoughton Rd.

Madison, WI 53704

www.cacscw.org/gardens

[EMAIL PROTECTED]


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Piped in Water, Anyone?

[Jack Hale]

Key reasons for sticking with municipal water:
-   Supports the local economy
-   You get those nice mailings from the water company, and then you
get to send them money
-   You provide a major public service for the guys who like to stop
by the garden to wash their cars
-   Bonus to above - sometimes you even get the added fertility
advantage of having detergent sprayed on your plants and soil.
-   It's really hard to keep a sprinkler going out of a rain barrel
unless the barrel is on somebody's roof
-   Addendum to above - how are you supposed to run your sprinkler
for 12 hours in one place out of a 50 gallon drum?
-   If somebody leaves the rain barrel spigot on, you might run out
of water.  With municipal water, it almost never runs out.
-   It's really hard to get good flow in a 150 foot long irrigation
ditch with a rain barrel.  You really need better pressure.
-   Brass faucets provide a much better target for the local
recyclers than those cheesy PVC valves.
-   When somebody breaks a water line from a rain barrel, you just
get a leak.  With good municipal water pressure you can get something
really spectacular.

Ha!  You think this is funny?  We've seen it all.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sandy Pernitz
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 3:15 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [cg] Piped in Water, Anyone?

Ok now I have to chime in...all our gardens have municipal water sources
but collecting water has benefits you can't get from a municipal water
source.  One of the big ones no chlorine and a warmer temperature which
the plants love.  Lets think about our water like we think about our
soil...we love our soil and feed it, collected rainwater helps feed the
soil.  Now I know we don't find diapers on our roofs and don't have as
much industry so testing in a major city like New York would be good
too.  

The follow is something written for a series of rainbarrels in one of
our gardens.

We have been doing some testing of collected water in plastic barrels
and metal cisterns and have found all water safe for plants.  From what
I have been able to find out, it is new plastic barrels that pose the
most leaching but that changes over time.  It sounds to me like most of
you are using food grade barrels that are poly based.  I would be more
concerned with using the PVC parts which is shown to have serious
leaching possibilities and is extremely bad for the environment and
those producing it in production.

So collect away I would still LOVE to see those water towers on
your roofs in NYC with big funnels to collect water and pipe down to
gardens and for flushing toilets to name a few uses!

Education:
WHAT IS YOUR ECOLOGICAL ADDRESS?
GET TO KNOW THE WATERSHED YOU LIVE, WORK AND GARDEN IN

Water Conservation
Conservation is the most cost-effective source of water supply for our
region.  And even with new sources being added in the future, we still
need to use water efficiently to ensure a sustainable supply.  Every
drop counts.

Water Quality
(Another great thing to mention that I did not is that organic
gardening has a direct impact on "water quality" issues!)
The paving trend of our urban neighborhoods has been going on for
decades.  It is time for all of us to contribute in anyway we can to
cleanup and conserve our limited water supply.  Storm water goes
directly through the storm drains or over land untreated into Lake
Union.  Street runoff in our concrete urban environment pickup all kinds
of toxic substances on its way to the Lake (litter, oil, gas,
antifreeze, etc.).  Street runoff accounts for significant and
preventable sources of non-point source pollution. We as individuals and
communities can rethink the ways we design and use water.  Systems
collecting and redirecting rainwater can reduce the amount of water
overtaxing our sewer systems and filter water normally wasted on
impervious surfaces naturally back to the water table.  Water collection
systems are one easy, inexpensive way we can all positively effect our
water!



Thanks for your time,
Sandy Pernitz
Community Garden Coordinator
P-Patch Program/Dept. of Neighborhoods
An ancient Chinese philosopher once fell asleep and dreamed he was a
butterfly.  When he awoke, he was no longer certain that's what had
happened.  Perhaps he was just a butterfly dreaming he was a Chinese
philosopher... Chinese parable
We have moved! NEW ADDDRESS
Department of Neighborhoods
700 5th Avenue Suite 1700
PO Box 94649
Seattle, WA 98124-4649
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
206-684-0284


>>> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 02/15 6:19 AM >>>
One expensive, though doable solution to the muss and fuss of storage
barrels ( mosquitoes, etc) is getting water piped in from your
municipality. 
 
Yes, getting the plumbing done, a water vault installed, a meter -
working out a deal by whic

RE: [cg] designs for handicapped accessible beds?

[Jack Hale]

The Enabling Garden by Gene Rothert is the most comprehensive resource
on accessible gardening.  Don't know whether it addresses your
particular concern about infrequent watering.  Good luck.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 2:16 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] designs for handicapped accessible beds?

Hello --

Does anyone have plans/designs for handicapped/wheelchair accessible
beds that 
address the problem of sometimes less than frequent watering?

Thanks,

-- Tony Renner


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

[cg] garden fees

[Jack Hale]

Hi folks-
Its time for a little quick & dirty research.  We are trying to get a feel
for appropriate fee levels for our gardens, and one bit of useful
information is whats everybody else doing?  Someday some wild-eyed intern
should really do this research in some kind of exhaustive way, but for now,
well just settle for whatever you can send us.  If you can find the time,
please let us know the following:
Fee or fee range
Average plot size
Do you provide
Water
Insurance
Tilling
Soil amendments
Staff

Thanks for your help.  Im not promising any reportable results from this,
because I suspect it will be impossible to generalize, but I sure do
appreciate any help you can pass along.

JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Re: [tb-cybergardens]: Fwd: City Faces New Community Development Block Grant Cuts

[Jack Hale]

Don't forget the marble fountains.
JH

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 4:40 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Re: [tb-cybergardens]: Fwd: City Faces New Community
Development Block Grant Cuts

I think our allocation will be ok for now-I actually testified at a
Congressional Hearing on this earlier this year.  But Adam, the GreenThumb
budget annually is actually less than one million dollars, and we receive NO
additional NYC money (except that we don't have to pay rent).  I WISH I had
5 million to play with-there would be dedicated water and electricity and
wrought iron fences on all the gardens if I did.-Edie

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 17:38:03 -0400
Subject: [tb-cybergardens]: Fwd: City Faces New Community Development Block
Grant Cuts


 Friends,

Green Thumb and many public community gardening programs are funded by
Federal Community Block Grants.

In other words, without its Federal Community Development Block Grant, Green
Thumb could lose its $5,000,000 or so of funding. Green Thumb has never been
funded by the City of New York, so this could be quite serious. You can get
the complete document from the IBO ( Independent Budget Office) message
below.

Seems that I'm full of great news lately...:(

Best wishes,
Adam Honigman

-Original Message-
From: IBOenews <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: IBOenews <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 11:34:49 -0400
Subject: City Faces New Community Development Block Grant Cuts


New from IBO:

New York City uses its federal Community Development Block Grant to fund a
variety of programs--from housing maintenance to child care to cleaning
vacant lots. But federal funding of the block grant has been decreasing
since 2001, and another significant cut is on the Congressional agenda.

This new edition of Inside the Budget is included as an attached pdf file,
and is available on IBO's Web site at
www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/newsfax/insidethebudget141.pdf. To receive printed
versions of this or any other IBO publication, e-mail us at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or call (212) 442-0632. IBO also encourages you to forward
this e-mail to friends or colleagues who may be interested in its contents.
IBO welcomes your comments and questions about this report. To send us your
thoughts, simply click "reply" on this e-mail or send a new e-mail to us at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Update your Acrobat Reader! Viewing and printing IBO publications requires
Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher, available from
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html


Doug Turetsky
Chief of Staff/Communications Director
NYC Independent Budget Office
110 William Street, New York, NY 10038
Phone: 212-442-0629/Cell: 917-513-7488
Fax: 212-442-0350
Get inside the budget--click here to receive IBO's free publications



__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Question regarding Insurance for garden on State of NY property

[Jack Hale]

Responding to an earlier question about companies that underwrite community
gardens, we get ours from Carolina Casualty via a group buying process
sponsored by our state association of non-profits.  They treat us as a
social service program, not a dangerous use of vacant properties.  That
helps.
JH

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 5:43 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Fwd: [cg] Question regarding Insurance for garden on State of NY
property

 Another note on the garden insurance crisis.
Maureen O'Boyle - we may have to set up a working group on insurance for the
community gardens. More later as we learn more and find insurance carriers
who  will cover us.

Adam Honigman
Volunteer
Clinton Community Garden

-Original Message-
From: Maureen O'Boyle <>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 15:54:19 -0500
Subject: [cg] Question regarding Insurance for garden on State of NY
property


 The 64th Street Community Garden in Brooklyn NY is actively seeking a new
contact/ issuer for garden insurance.   We are unique in that we are located
on State of New York, Department of Transportation land and have been
required
to have garden insurance for the past 8 years.   The current carrier is not
longer covering NYC gardens.   Any information would be greatly appreciated.
regards,
Maureen O'Boyle
Community Outreach
718-768-3925
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Fwd: City Faces New Community Development Block Grant Cuts

[Jack Hale]

Hey New Yorkers-
Welcome to the club.  Here in Hartford we have been receiving CDBG funds
forever in support of community gardens, although not at the 7-figure level.
This year we learned that the feds, I believe in the form of the Inspector
General's office, decided that this use of CDBG is illegal both because we
were using the public facilities component of the funding for that purpose
but also because it violates the non-displacement rule.  What the latter
means is that CDBG money can't be used for purposes typically carried out by
city public works departments, at least that's the latest interpretation of
the rule.  Most humans would think it means you can't use the funds to cover
expenses already in your PW budget.  It's pretty clear that this is a
serious tightening of the reins in Washington, coming down, of course, on
folks who are poor, don't vote much, etc.
Interesting times.
JH

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 5:38 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Fwd: City Faces New Community Development Block Grant Cuts

 Friends,

Green Thumb and many public community gardening programs are funded by
Federal Community Block Grants.

In other words, without its Federal Community Development Block Grant, Green
Thumb could lose its $5,000,000 or so of funding. Green Thumb has never been
funded by the City of New York, so this could be quite serious. You can get
the complete document from the IBO ( Independent Budget Office) message
below.

Seems that I'm full of great news lately...:(

Best wishes,
Adam Honigman

-Original Message-
From: IBOenews <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: IBOenews <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 11:34:49 -0400
Subject: City Faces New Community Development Block Grant Cuts


New from IBO:

New York City uses its federal Community Development Block Grant to fund a
variety of programs--from housing maintenance to child care to cleaning
vacant lots. But federal funding of the block grant has been decreasing
since 2001, and another significant cut is on the Congressional agenda.

This new edition of Inside the Budget is included as an attached pdf file,
and is available on IBO's Web site at
www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/newsfax/insidethebudget141.pdf. To receive printed
versions of this or any other IBO publication, e-mail us at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or call (212) 442-0632. IBO also encourages you to forward
this e-mail to friends or colleagues who may be interested in its contents.
IBO welcomes your comments and questions about this report. To send us your
thoughts, simply click "reply" on this e-mail or send a new e-mail to us at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Update your Acrobat Reader! Viewing and printing IBO publications requires
Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher, available from
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html


Doug Turetsky
Chief of Staff/Communications Director
NYC Independent Budget Office
110 William Street, New York, NY 10038
Phone: 212-442-0629/Cell: 917-513-7488
Fax: 212-442-0350
Get inside the budget--click here to receive IBO's free publications

[demime 1.01d removed an attachment of type application/octet-stream which
had a name of insidethebudget141.pdf"; name="insidethebudget141.pdf]


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] insurance

[Jack Hale]

Dear Ken-
Your reaction is certainly understandable, but the board of directors of an
organization (or other such "responsible parties") have 2 major roles.  One
is to keep the organization focused on its mission, and the other is to make
sure it survives and thrives.  It is certainly reasonable to discuss whether
building skateboarding parks falls within or relates to the mission of a
church.  It is also reasonable to discuss whether the risks associated with
a course of action might imperil the church's survival.  Availability of
insurance brings the latter discussion down to the level of the operating
budget - how much are we willing to pay every year to be able to support
this activity so that the assets of the church are not at risk in the event
of a lawsuit?  In community gardening we need to be prepared to have
discussions like this all the time.  Best to be prepared to talk with folks
about the value of the activity and its relationship to their "mission" so
that, as you suggest, questions of liability and risk don't become the whole
story.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2005 7:47 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] insurance

I mentioned to the church where I am a member about building a skate board
"park" for the kids.  The first question was "What about  liability."   If
we
let liability determine what we do, whether a  church or a community garden,
then we will do nothing.  That is the price  we pay in a culture that
believes
that "it was not my fault and I will  sue."

Ken Hargesheimer


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

Re: [cg] Re:[cg]Contaminated soil.......

[Jack Hale]

Reminds me of my trip to the Pacific Northwest this summer.  The scientists who
have been studying the recovery of the area around Mt. St. Helens for the past
25 years feel they have developed some really good ideas on how to reclaim strip
mines and other places that have been reduced to minerals only.  Nothing like a
whopping natural disaster to get the creative juices flowing.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694 x11
f860/951-7244



-Original Message-
From: "David King" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: 09/22/2005 09:18 PM

Interesting - now we will begin to build a body of
folk-data about what plants will grow in contaminated
soil - along the same lines as to what weeds growing
in a field tell about the nutrients in that soil (or
lack of nutrients).  We already have some
folk-evidence that point towards plants that are
effacious on certain contaminants - it's a shame that
we'll need to build this body of information, but I
believe we, those who till the land, will HAVE to be
the ones to do it.  

I'll put it on my calendar for Wednesday next.  You?

david



--- "Libby J. Goldstein" <

> > Friends,
> >
> > Key to all of this will be knowing what cocktail
> of toxins pollutes 
> > each
> > particular stretch of Katrina flooded land.  The
> chemical, 
> > bio-chemical work on
> > identifying what will remain as the floods recede
> is pretty daunting.
> >
> Well, we already know that EPA is not going to give
> anyone that 
> information. They haven't even been testing for
> petrochemicals. So is 
> there anything we or folk that we know can do about
> getting the 
> information?
> 
> Libby
> 
> 
>
__
> 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
> 
> 
> 
> To post an e-mail to the list: 
> 
> 
> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your
> subscription: 
>

> 


David King, Garden Master
  The Learning Garden   
  www.thelearninggarden.org  
  office  310.722.3656 

 A garden, where one may enter in and forget the whole world, 
 cannot be made in a week, nor a month, nor a year; it must
 be planned for, waited for and loved into being.

 Chinese Proverb


__ 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 


To post an e-mail to the list:  

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Organizations sponsoring donations to community gardens

[Jack Hale]

My organization, the Knox Parks Foundation, in Hartford, Connecticut,
started its first community garden in 1972 and have been sponsoring them
ever since.  We currently sponsor about a dozen in Hartford.  We also
sponsor community tree plantings, all sorts of horticultural/environmental
volunteer activities, and a very large street planter program.  We have an
AmeriCorps youth conservation corps called the Green Crew that supports all
this activity.  More information through our (rather outdated) website -
www.knoxparks.org.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Vicky Vogels
Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 6:20 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Organizations sponsoring donations to community gardens

I had a question posed to me by a local newspaper - are there more
organizations around the country that support community gardens the way
that Philadelphia Green and Minnesota Green support community gardens?

As you may know, Philadelphia Green has supported the development and
ongoing care of community gardens, neighborhood parks and high-profile
public green spaces in Philadelphia since 1974.

The Minnesota State Horticultural Society's Minnesota Green Program is
in its 16th year serving the greening efforts of thousands of volunteer
gardeners throughout the state, primarily through our plant donation
network.

Are there other organizations that support community gardening efforts
in a similar way?

Thanks for your replies, and looking forward to meeting some of you at
the ACGA conference here next week!
Vicky

Vicky Vogels
Community Outreach Coordinator
Minnesota State Horticultural Society
1755 Prior Avenue North
Falcon Heights, MN  55113
www.northerngardener.org
800-676-6747
651-643-3601, Ext 211


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] c.g. or allotment?

[Jack Hale]

The most consistent difference is that if you are standing in an allotment
garden, the Atlantic Ocean is usually to the west.  For community gardens,
the Atlantic is usually to the east.
You might also say that the allotment garden movement is much older than the
community garden movement.  I hear there are allotments that have been
around for hundreds of years.  In the U.S., the earliest community gardens
were developed in the early 1900's - typically victory gardens during World
War I.  I don't know if any of those have survived to this day.  There are
some children's gardens in Cleveland that are about that old, I think.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Kristin Faurest
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 5:01 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] c.g. or allotment?

Dear everyone,

I know i can always count on this listserver for brilliant answers, so
here goes. I am in the process of finishing a dissertation on community
gardens, and am trying to come up with an intelligent but simple
explanation of what distinguishes a community garden from a European
allotment. Some distinctions that I have read suggest that the difference
is that allotments are individual parcels and community gardens are not,
but I know that that isn't at all accurate, either. There's no
distinctive socioeconomic group that either serves more than the other,
as far as I know, and European allotment gardens often function as social
centers or to help new immigrants become part of their new home just the
way community gardens do.

I know that allotment gardens are more government-supported and less of a
bottom-up grassroots effort than community gardens, which is a subtle
difference but the only really consistent distinction I can figure out.

I would be very grateful for anyone's insights. Is the government's role
the only real difference? Or should they be considered two different
entities, or one a subtype of the other?

thank you so much.

best,

Kristin Faurest, Budapest


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] ACGA Conference

[Jack Hale]

Hi all-

I started attending ACGA conferences in 1980.  I believe that year it was in
Asheville, NC.  It featured a pig roast and a square dance and a conference
tour to Biltmore.  I haven't been to every conference since then, but I
always feel bad when I miss one.

In spite of the wonderful supportive community that has developed here on
the list serve, community garden leaders often feel swamped, overburdened,
isolated, burnt out, inadequate  The conference is the best way to find
out that you aren't alone, to learn that you are in fact part of an
expanding movement of really excellent humans.  Contrary to popular belief,
there is always something new under the sun, so you may find some
interesting bits of inspiration and innovation right there in a conference
workshop, or, perhaps more likely, in an informal discussion over excellent
conference food.

Come prepared to do some hard intellectual work.  We still haven't completed
planning for the Olympic precision rototilling event (including fence
climbing), and the international burnt out community garden leader retreat
house is still on the drawing board.  Many of us have considered Maker's
Mark to be the official adult beverage of ACGA since the Louisville
conference.  I look forward to sharing some with as many of you as possible.

For those of you, like me, who are beginning to think of yourselves as "old"
community gardeners, I really recommend the conference as a faith-building
activity as we see younger, more energetic folks jumping into the fray.  For
you newbies, do take advantage of a movement where the older, more
experienced folks don't just fall face first into the compost pile, but keep
showing up to "till the garden."  I've got some new ideas I want to try out
on you this year and look forward to your reaction.

See you at the conference.

JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244



-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Corrie Zoll
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 11:07 AM
To: Community Garden Listserv
Subject: [cg] ACGA Conference

I must say that I am personally very excited about having a few hundred
of you here in my home town next month for the ACGA conference.  I'm not
just saying that.  I've seen what you all have done in Salt Lake City,
Chicago, New York, Toronto, Birmingham, and Saint Louis, and I can't
wait for you to come and see what we're doing here.

I encourage list members who are coming to Minneapolis next month to
speak up and tell everyone on the list why you're coming.  Many of us
have never been to one of these conferences.  It's not cheap.  I think
it would help if list members could hear a bit about why it's worthwhile
to put out the cash, attend this conference, and support ACGA.

Oh, and register online at www.communitygarden.org.

Corrie Zoll
Minneapolis


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Heavy Metals in Garden Soil

[Jack Hale]

I don't want to jump on anybody in the list serve, and I acknowledge that my
point of view is somewhat more liberal than others here, but I'd like to add
a couple of points.
1. My understanding has always been that compost does not always or
typically affect soil pH and that adding organic matter to soil helps to tie
up soil lead.  I'm not a chemist so all this stuff seems a bit magical, but
that's what I have heard.  Regardless, Karen's statement - Compost should
not be used in gardens with high amounts of lead, compost increases the pH
and lead is absorbed more by plants under conditions of low pH. - is
actually self-contradictory.  Maybe a little more research is required
before we express too much certainty.
2. My understanding of the vocabulary is that lead is toxic and too much of
it in the wrong place is hazardous.  Part of the issue is deciding what
constitutes hazard.  EPA has different soil lead levels for different uses.
I don't have that information handy, but suffice it to say that from their
point of view you can tolerate higher levels of lead under a parking lot
than in a garden.  I don't know what is behind the Quebec standards, but
they are certainly more conservative than EPA's.  Regardless, both are based
on some idea of tolerable exposure.  In other words, both assume that some
exposure to lead should be considered acceptable.  Both also recognize that
it is probably not possible or practical to remove all lead from the
environment.  So, if we accept those connected assumptions, we can look at a
garden and decide on acceptable exposure and practical management.  For
instance, if we have generally good quality soil on a site and lead levels
just over the standard we want to work with, we may decide that dilution is
better (it is certainly cheaper) than trying to find all the lead and remove
it.  Soil of good tilth is increasingly rare in cities.  We may want to hang
onto it and try to fix its problems rather than sending it off to become
landfill cover or something.  The image of throwing the baby out with the
bathwater comes to mind.
Anyway, those of us who want healthier cities are in a battle on lots of
fronts.  Here's to finding good strategies that work well in our situations.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Mike McGrath
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 8:40 PM
To: Deborah Mills; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [cg] Heavy Metals in Garden Soil

Yes, please; the only sure way to make lead safe is to cart it away.
---McG
- Original Message -
From: "Deborah Mills" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 7:57 PM
Subject: Re: [cg] Heavy Metals in Garden Soil


>I totally agree with Karen Jones and Adam's words.
>
> Deborah
> - Original Message -
> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 3:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [cg] Heavy Metals in Garden Soil
>
>
>> Again, friends, lead is bad news, and unless you have really careful
> gardeners who really, really REALLY watch their kids, you have a dangerous
> situation to deal with. I mean how can you tell a kid not to take a
> sunflower home to Mommy,  even though it's filled with and has to be
> disposed as toxic waste because of the lead it has soaked up?  Do you have
> to paint a "Death's Head," on its face?
>>
>> I love this list, and the ingenuitiy of many of the gardeners, but when
>> it
> comes to kids and a really nasty environmental poison, caution and the
> most
> prudent practices have to be followed.  Karen Jones is really right about
> lead - please listen to her.
>>
>>
>> Everbest,
>> Adam Honigman
>> Volunteer
>> Clinton Community Garden
>>
>>
>>
>> -Original Message-
>> From: Karen Jones <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Sent: Tue, 10 May 2005 12:42:29 -0500
>> Subject: [cg] Heavy Metals in Garden Soil
>>
>>
>> We got our urban garden tested for heavy metals last year and found lead
>> 119 ppm, the standards we used werethose of  the government of Quebec,
>> which has the strictest standards in Canada.They consider land to be
>> toxic at 130 ppm.  Lead will accumulate in leaves (not petioles) and
>> roots. If you peel carrots they are safe to eat because the lead
>> accumulates near the epidermis. Rhubarb is safe to eat. Lettuces,
>> Spinach, Cabage etc. is not safe to eat. All fruits are safe to eat,
>> because plants somehow do not let heavy metals into the seeds. Canola
>> and Sunflowers are good for remediation, but they then must be treated
>> as toxic waste. Compost should not be used in gardens with hight amounts
>> of lead,  compost increases the pH and lead is absorbed more by plants
>> under conditions of low  pH. Children under two should not be permitted
>> into these gar

RE: [cg] need advice on site with high lead

[Jack Hale]

Hey Judy-
I'm no chemist, but I've done a fair amount of looking into soil lead.  In
general, I think the main hazard from soil lead is dust, either in the air
or on produce or hands that get into people's mouths.  The main strategies
for reducing airborne dust are dilution or encapsulation.  If, for instance,
you assume that the 500ppm EPA residential limit on soil lead is a
reasonable target, then diluting, say, the top six inches of soil with
enough additional soil and compost to bring the level within bounds is one
way to do it.  In your case, adding 8 inches of material and tilling it in
would do that job. Also, note that just because your average lead level for
the garden is 1146ppm doesn't mean that's the level everywhere.  On a former
building lot, you will tend to see very high levels around the perimeter of
the building(s) and lower levels elsewhere. Encapsulation means you put
something between the contaminated soil and your crops, hands, and lungs.
Mulched or grassed pathways handle part of that problem.  Raised beds handle
the rest.  Somebody has a list of crops that tend to take up lead.  If you
are going to plant them, your beds should be deep, like the 1-foot beds your
neighbors use.  Relying on physical barriers may be chancy, unless you use
concrete.  Phytoremediation seems to work, although it is hard to get seed
for the most effective plants.  They will clean the top six inches of soil
pretty well in a season or two.  The drawback is that they don't go much
deeper than that.  They are good for reducing risk of airborne dust, but not
the risk of contact with crops or hands.  Lawn grass is apparently a pretty
good way to reduce surface dust, particularly if you collect and dispose of
clippings from mowing.  Just growing the grass reduces dustiness, and the
plants take up some lead.  Other than that, people should know that
detergent really works to remove lead and other nastiness from produce.
They even sell some special produce detergent in supermarkets.  As long as
the problem is surface contamination of produce, washing is important.
All that being said, a case can be made that the only appropriate treatment
for lead contamination is removal and replacement of soil.  To do that
effectively, you need to know where the lead is.  Unfortunately, just
because you know there is lead in the top six inches of soil doesn't mean
that's the only place it is.  There is a great piece of equipment called an
XRF - ground penetrating x-ray - that will measure lead levels as you go,
and some health departments have them.  It's probably not an appropriate
investment for your local community garden group.  Removal and replacement
can be very expensive and difficult, and the "soil" you get back may not be
as good as what you started with.  Nonetheless, removal is the only way to
know for sure that the lead threat is gone.
Here in Hartford, we test soil for lead before we commit to starting a new
garden, and we try to avoid sites with high levels.  Regardless of the test
outcomes, we try to tell people to assume there is some lead in their soil
and to act accordingly.
Good luck.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244



-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 3:56 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] need advice on site with high lead

Hi, I'm organizing a vacant lot community garden in Washington DC  (size
60'x70').  Unfortunately, the soil test results came back from  UMass with
the
following lead levels: extracted lead=151ppm, estimated  total lead=1146
ppm.  We
need advice on how to approach gardening in this  lot.  A couple of garden
in
the area with high lead (don't know how high)  chose to create raised beds,
about 1" deep and use new soil.  They didn't  seal off the bottom.  And I
don't
think they've tested their food.  I  don't have enough technical knowledge
to
know if this is a safe approach.   Whole thing is making me plenty nervous.

We would like to use phyto-remediation to make it possible  to safely grow
food in the lot before resorting to sealed raised  beds.  I would welcome
all of
your advice and ask if there are research  scientists in the Washington DC
metro area that we could contact directly for  additional help.
Sincerely,
Judy Tiger

FYI, here is the remaining info from soil test results:
- soil pH 7.6
- buffer pH 7.4
- nitrogen N03-N=4ppm
- nitrogen NH4-N=1ppm
- organic matter: 6.6% (desirable range 4-10%)
- phosphorus - 11 ppm
- potassium - 151 ppm
- calcium - 5689 ppm
- magnesium - 117 ppm
- cation exchange capacity 30.6 meg/100g
- percent base saturation K=1.3, Mg=3.2, Ca=95.6
- micronutrient levels all normal
- extractable aluminum 27 ppm


__
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's
services to community gardeners. T

RE: [cg] Seperating 5-gallon buckets

[Jack Hale]

Wait for winter.  Trickle water down between the buckets until the space
between them is full.  When the water freezes, it will push the buckets
apart.  I've done this and it qualifies as a garden miracle.  Another
process is to heat the outer bucket by dipping it in hot water this will
expand the outer bucket and/or heat the air inside the bucket causing it to
expand and push the inner bucket out.  I can't remember whether I've done
this or not.  Anyway, after that, train your folks to drape a piece of
bailing twine or something over the rim of buckets before nesting them.  It
provides just enough air space to get them apart easily.
Jack

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Alliums
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 12:35 PM
To: Cg (cg); 'Market Farming'
Subject: [cg] Seperating 5-gallon buckets

Hi, Folks!

I have lots of 5-gallon plastic buckets from different places for folks to
use at the community garden.  The youth helpers tend to stack them all
together and put them in the shed when we're finished.

While the buckets all slide into each other just fine to stack, a good
number of them get stuck -- completely stuck -- and we can't get them apart
again.

Does anyone have a good trick for separating plastic buckets?  I hate to
heave all these "doubles" into the recycling bin just because the kids can't
pull them apart with brute strength.

Thanks for the help!

Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth

A mission of
St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA  19460


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

[cg] job posting

[Jack Hale]

Hi Folks-
We are hiring a new Program Developer/Manager to oversee all kinds of
environmental/horticultural programs here in Hartford, CT.  If that would
interest you or somebody you know, email me at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 .  Or get in touch by phone or mail.  Well
send you a detailed job description.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

[cg] winter green

[Jack Hale]

Hi all-
I just received a lovely check, a grant from ACGA and Tom's of Maine in support 
of our fledgling Sargeant Street Community Garden.  Great stuff!
Not only will the money be helpful as the gardeners work to realize a very 
ambitious plan for their former vacant lot, but the recognition that goes with 
it is a real validation of their efforts.  Community garden leaders often feel 
that they are toiling away in the dirt, unrecognized and unrewarded - and with 
good reason.  Thanks to ACGA and Tom's for helping to rectify that situation.
Jack

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694 x11
f860/951-7244


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

Re: [cg] advice please re paying a stipend to a gardener

[Jack Hale]

There is a big difference between recognizing people who do work above and 
beyond the call of duty for the benefit of all and paying people to do work.  
The former can be inspiring and heartwarming.  The latter can lead people to 
think that they need not work unless they get paid.  If you pay the guy who 
does the bulk of the work, you encourage the kind of entrenched leadership 
which was the subject of an exchange of emails a couple of weeks ago.  My 
opinion would be to offer all kinds of recognition and praise and maybe a 
flashy gift, but do everything you can to avoid having it look like you are 
compensating him for the work he is doing.  If you are going to compensate 
people for work, you should let people know that you intend to do that and then 
allow people to apply for the job.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694 x11
f860/951-7244



-Original Message-
From: Jude Carson [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: 10/06/2004 02:55 PM


Our garden has 100 plots and most of the people who garden go about their own 
business and do not help with communal jobs. This is despite people agreeing to 
help, signing up, etc. We have one gardener who has done most of the important 
routine tasks, like setting up and maintaining our water system, mowing common 
paths and areas, and dealing with any labour-intensive issue that arises. We 
would be lost without him but feel he is being taken for granted. Here's where 
the advice is needed: we would like to pay him a stipend, honorarium, whatever 
you want to call it, of maybe a couple of hundred dollars per season that he 
does this work. He knows nothing about this idea. The money's not a lot but at 
least it would recognise his importance to the continuance of the garden. We 
also have a significant amount in our budget so would not be adversely 
affecting the garden's financial situation. Appreciate any feedback; the 
committee has a meeting tomorrow(Thuirsday) night.
 
Jude Carson
Saint John, Canada

Re: [cg] garden management sustainability

[Jack Hale]

Seems like most gardens with strong leaders run into this situation.  Either 
folks have had it with an autocratic leader (regardless of how well intentioned 
he or she might be), or the leader is trying to figure out how to get out 
gracefully before he or she has a stroke.  Of course, waiting around for the 
stroke sort of solves everybody's problem, but in a not very nice way.  
Sometimes the impetus comes just from somebody who realizes that an autocracy 
is inherently weak, regardless of the personalities involved.  Nonetheless, 
getting out of that situation is never easy.  Best idea is to not get into that 
situation in the first place, but who is wise enough to pull that off.
It sounds, at least, as if you have a person who is willing to step down.  That 
sort of solves what can be the biggest problem - dislodging the entrenched 
leader.  Even so, longtime leaders will have lots of thoughts running through 
their heads and hearts.  If I don't do it, it won't get done.  If I want it 
done right I have to do it myself.  There's just one more thing I want to get 
done before I step down.  If I'm not here, that jerk will get the job.  If I 
step down and it falls apart, it will all be my fault.  It will be awkward to 
go to the garden if I'm not running things - people will look at me funny.  In 
the face of that litany, it's tough for anybody to actually do what needs to be 
done to step away.
So, the first thing is that the potentially retiring leader needs to bone up on 
tough love and faith in the strenght and creativity of fellow humans.  They 
need to believe that somebody else could probably handle the job.  They need to 
believe that although their way is the best way, another way might work.  They 
need to believe that if they disappear somebody else or a group will somehow 
rise to the challenge.  They need to believe that it's not really their job to 
carry the world on their shoulders.
There can be some preparation for the multitudes.  It's not a bad idea to 
announce one's intentions in advance.  It's not a bad idea to suggest ways for 
people to take over the reins.  It may be useful to propose a governance and 
succession system a la Clinton CG so that people will have some tracks to 
follow.
On the other hand, there's no power like the power of creating a vacuum.  At 
some point the person actually has to walk away.  Strokes and cancer probably 
aren't the best solutions, but they communicate well.  A difficult pregnancy 
works if you are of the right sex and age group.  Sometimes a little lying is 
useful.  Instead of saying I'm just too damn tired to keep doing this (What a 
wuss!), maybe you can blame it on a doctor - he says if I don't cut back there 
won't be another harvest for me.  Somehow that break needs to be made, and the 
person stepping down has to decide to do it and then do it.
Don't let preparations stall the process.  The leader stepping down can try to 
ease the transition by communicating or organizing committees or something, but 
if the departure gets put off because the preparations aren't complete, you are 
back in the same co-dependent circle.
This is all a matter of faith, belief in fellow humans and oneself.  And faith 
is a tough topic.  Good luck.  

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694 x11
f860/951-7244



-Original Message-
From: Lynn M. Gregor [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: 09/24/2004 10:01 AM

Hello,

I would love to get some feedback on a dilemma on which I am currently trying 
to advise the Garden Leader at one of our larger garden sites:
The volunteer Garden Leader puts in many, many hours of time to manage this 
garden that has 95 plots and over 100 participants.  The Leader has done this 
for quite a while (over 20 years?? - maybe a bit less).  The plot fees were 
recently raised to $20 per plot and that was difficult to do because they did 
not want to make the cost prohibitive.  The money goes to regular maintenance 
and event costs.  The Leader has a team of people who helps them and gardeners 
need to do 10 - 20 hours of community time each year.  However, the Leader is 
getting burnt out and there isn't exactly people knocking on the doors to 
become leader.  

I discussed with the Leader the possibility of paying someone to do some of the 
duties (as another garden in Cleveland does).  Does anyone have any suggestions 
on setting up a more sustainable structure for the management of this garden?  
Incidentally, the garden is under pressure from the surrounding neighborhood 
that has gone through somewhat of a gentrification and is one of the most 
desirable neighborhoods.  Therefore the Leader expressed some fear that if they 
stepped down there would be condominiums being built on the garden site in a 
few years.

Thank you in advance for your time and any ideas shared.

Lynn

Lynn Gregor
Program Coordinator
Community Gardening
Ohio State University Extension, Cuyahoga Co.
216-

[cg] Fwd: thesis on community gardening

[Jack Hale]

Hi folks-

Here's one of those open-ended questions about community gardening.  I don't 
really have anything to offer here except you all.  Please reply to her if you 
have any suggestions.  Thanks.

JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694 x11
f860/951-7244


- Original Message -
From: Crystal Purifie-Taylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 18:35:19 -0700 (PDT)

himy name is crystal taylor and i attend the university of toledo. i am 
currently working on my thesis in geography and planning, which deals with 
community gardening as a sustainable development tool. I am in the literature 
review portion and was wondering if you had any recent interesting works or 
authors you could suggest. any help you can provide is appreciated. Thanks 

Re: [cg] RE: community_garden digest, Vol 1 #1911 - 2 msgs

[Jack Hale]

 they are doing in
Philly - though let me say up front I don't care for
it myself at all - in terms of doing conventional
grass/fence/shrubs on vacant lots instead of community
gardens. Their point is that the slurbby landscape is
less expensive to create and less complex to maintain
than a community mixed garden.

My own preference is to look to traditional
landscaping. There's a local tradition here, for
instance, of rose growing. Pick up on that kind of
thing in deciding what you want to emphasize, don't
just go to the big boxes and the 'burbs for models.
You may get some non-bourgeois yard art, but, hey,
that's not necessarily a bad thing...

Good luck, and keep us posted please on what happens -
that's a great idea, I think.

PLANT is at


http://www.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/Departments/LUESA/Solid+Waste/PLANT+Program/
Home.htm

Don Boekelheide
Charlotte, NC

> From: "Jack Hale" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 17:03:09 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: [cg] doing the basics
>
> --623132567-1093294989=:30253
> Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
> Content-Type: text/plain
>
> Hi gang-
>
> I have a challenge. It's not typical community
> gardening, but it is certain=
> ly gardening in community. Here in Hartford, we
> are looking toward widespr=
> ead improvement in the physical condition and
> esthetics in our neighborhoods=
> . The official reason is to make neighborhoods more
> attractive so that more=
> people will want to buy houses there (Hartford has
> a very low home ownershi=
> p rate). My reason for working on it is that we
> will be able to encourage p=
> eople to be better stewards and better neighbors and
> we will be able to give=
> them some of the tools and knowledge to do that.
>
> Anyway, I'm looking for other programs around the
> country/planet that aim at=
> encouraging people to "do the basics well." It
> will be pretty low-level st=
> uff, but my hope/wish is that once people get a
> handle on the basics they wi=
> ll get interested in the more complicated gardening
> activities. By basics, =
> I mean things like appropriate watering, effective
> use of mulch, edging beds=
> and sidewalks, basic tree care, hedge maintenance,
> removal of ugly chain li=
> nk fences, etc. We want to help people feel
> comfortable with a brand of gar=
> dening/landscaping that is quite a few notches short
> of HGTV fantasy, and qu=
> ite a bit cheaper, too.
>
> We expect to employ tactics like spots on public
> access television, multi-li=
> ngual hand-outs for distribution at neighborhood
> meetings, short workshops a=
> t community meetings, neighborhood make-over days,
> etc. We have a youth con=
> servation corps to back up some of this stuff, so we
> think it has a good cha=
> nce of having significant impact.
>
> Sois anybody out there doing something like
> this? We feel completely co=
> mfortable stealing ideas from others. For that
> matter, we'll be happy to sh=
> are some our successes and failures once we
> experience them.
>
> Thanks for taking the time to think about this.
>
> JH
> Jack N. Hale
> Executive Director
> Knox Parks Foundation
> 75 Laurel Street
> Hartford, CT 06106
> 860/951-7694 x11
> f860/951-7244 =


--__--__--

Message: 2
boundary="_=_NextPart_001_01C48A38.4BFF6C2E"
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 17:13:07 -0700
From: "Bill Maynard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [cg] Sacramento 2nd VISTA Position open

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

--_=_NextPart_001_01C48A38.4BFF6C2E
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Please forward to others as well.. deadline is approaching...

=20

Thanks

=20

bill

=20

=20

ANNOUNCEMENT

=20

An Americorps* VISTA position with the Sacramento Hunger Commission to=20

further develop and expand an edible landscaping project in low-income
housing complexes

=20

Goals in 2004-05: To continue the development of the new Kennedy
Estates edible landscaping project (in collaboration with Mercy Housing
and the multicultural residents of the complex) and to create a model
edible landscaping project that can be replicated at other properties -
ultimately to increase low-income residents' access to fresh produce.

=20

Major Responsiblities:

* Build partnerships and develop funding to create a viable system
for continued edible landscaping infrastructure support
* Improve community knowledge of and participation in edible
landscapes through organized harvests and planting days

* Increase the capacity and diversity of physical infrastructure

* Test, evaluate, and modify as necessary edible landscaping
nutrition education cu

[cg] doing the basics

[Jack Hale]

Hi gang-

I have a challenge.  It's not typical community gardening, but it is certainly 
gardening in  community.  Here in Hartford, we are looking toward widespread 
improvement in the physical condition and esthetics in our neighborhoods.  The 
official reason is to make neighborhoods more attractive so that more people 
will want to buy houses there (Hartford has a very low home ownership rate).  
My reason for working on it is that we will be able to encourage people to be 
better stewards and better neighbors and we will be able to give them some of 
the tools and knowledge to do that.

Anyway, I'm looking for other programs around the country/planet that aim at 
encouraging people to "do the basics well."  It will be pretty low-level stuff, 
but my hope/wish is that once people get a handle on the basics they will get 
interested in the more complicated gardening activities.  By basics, I mean 
things like appropriate watering, effective use of mulch, edging beds and 
sidewalks, basic tree care, hedge maintenance, removal of ugly chain link 
fences, etc.  We want to help people feel comfortable with a brand of 
gardening/landscaping that is quite a few notches short of HGTV fantasy, and 
quite a bit cheaper, too.

We expect to employ tactics like spots on public access television, 
multi-lingual hand-outs for distribution at neighborhood meetings, short 
workshops at community meetings, neighborhood make-over days, etc.  We have a 
youth conservation corps to back up some of this stuff, so we think it has a 
good chance of having significant impact.

Sois anybody out there doing something like this?  We feel completely 
comfortable stealing ideas from others.  For that matter, we'll be happy to 
share some our successes and failures once we experience them.

Thanks for taking the time to think about this.

JH
Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694 x11
f860/951-7244 

Re: [cg] A good model?

[Jack Hale]

Seattle and Portland are both high grade programs sponsored by a municipality.  
The Green Thumb program in New York is also municipal.  

JH


Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694 x11
f860/951-7244


- Original Message -
From: Don Boekelheide <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 12:41:39 -0700 (PDT)

Now, here's a loaded questions for us all:

Charlotte, NC, where I live, is just about to go full
bore into community gardening. Trouble is, nobody
knows a thing about it among the Park and Rec
officials who are charged with setting up and leading
the program. They want to go to Philadelphia on a
'fact-finding mission'.

That's all well and good, Sally McCabe is there, they
have a wonderful history. But it is also the same city
where they are reportedly scaling back community
gardens in favor of little suburban clone 'lawns' on
vacant lots, since they are 'easier to manage
successfully'. They also just issued a report that's
very skeptical of urban agriculture, with guarded
optimism limited to hydroponic agribusinesses, a
vision that puts green (money) well ahead of green
(flowers, herbs and veggies).

I'm not convinced by Philly's research, and I'm
certainly not interested in that approach to community
gardening and greening in Charlotte, where we're just
getting started. I appreciated that Philly has raised
some tough issues for debate - don't get me wrong! But
-

My question is this:

What is the best model community garden and greening
program in the country? Why? What's the best place to
send a bunch of open-minded but skeptical good ol'
gals and guys who want to see an effective program in
action? And what's the best way (if there is one) to
set up a program - lead by a public agency (Coop Ext,
Park and Rec, whatever...), or a coalition with an
'umbrella' non-profit as the guiding force?

That's a bunch of questions. Bottom line - where
should we send 'em? Philly? Or somewhere else? And who
(beyond the ACGA website, which is good and getting
better every day) should they talk to.

Cheers,

Don Boekelheide
Charlote, NC

PS: Yes, we do have some successful local gardens to
see. But they insist on going outside the area as well.


__
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: 
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] FRONT YARD Garden Revisted - Sacramento

[Jack Hale]

Wow!  What a wild business!
I understand the central valley isn't exactly dripping with water.  Why aren
't they talking about minimal irrigation strategies?  Stone or wood/bark
mulch works pretty well, particularly if used in relatively small yards and
if enhanced with some tough specimen plants.
Jack Hale

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Bill Maynard
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2004 1:55 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] FRONT YARD Garden Revisted - Sacramento

Update on the front yard veggie garden in Sacramento that was sited for a
code violiation - please see

http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/california_life/gardening/story/1008
8023p-11008925c.html

looks like someone sprayed round up on the garden. I visited it today after
seeing the article
the over spray on the neighbors lawns is the key.and not manure as a
possible cause.. this manure was added in February and was turned in.and the
garden flourished

she has replanted with donations of edible plants and flowers from a local
gardener and it looks good. a few zucchini plants remain and a sunflower.

we will be meeting with the city council member and code enforcement people
this Friday
this is the current ordinance
17.68.010 Landscaping requirements.
A. Landscaping Requirements in Setback Areas.
1. Single-Family and Two-Family Residential--Front and Street Side. A
maximum of forty (40) percent of the front setback area may be paved for
off-street parking and driveways. An additional maximum of ten (10) percent
of the front setback area may be paved for walkways or uncovered patio use.
A maximum of forty (40) percent of the street side setback area may be paved
for off-street parking, driveways, walkways or uncovered patio use; however,
this requirement does not apply to that portion of the street side yard
located behind a fence that is in compliance with the street side fence
requirements set forth in Chapter 17.72 of this title. The remaining portion
of the setback areas shall be landscaped, irrigated and maintained with
primarily low ground cover or turf. Only living vegetation may be used as
ground cover. Vehicles, including but not limited to autos, boats, campers,
trailers, and other recreational vehicles, are not permitted to be parked
within the landscaped setback area; they must be parked on a paved surface.

As you can see it is very vague. does not even mention shrubs..we will try
to revise this as much as possible to include drought tolerant and vegetable
gardening..
Someone from the EPA called her to report that this code as is does not
comply with state codes.our concerns will be taken july 30.

Will keep you informed on the progress

Bill maynard
ACGC board member - Sacramento

RE: [cg] zoning/permits for community gardens

[Jack Hale]

Hi folks-
I'm no expert on zoning, but we have had our brushes with PD&Z (our
planning, development, and zoning board).  They sure do have a lot to say
about what goes on in town, and by charter, they are insulated from the
general political process to a substantial degree.  For us, the big issue
has not been so much what a particular piece of property is zoned, but what
uses are permitted within that zone.  So, for instance, you might want to
see whether gardening is permitted in a residential zone.  Chances are that
"community gardening" per se is not a permitted use anywhere.  Very few
communities have written it into their zoning code or their ordinances.
Dealing with zoning folks, it's best to try to speak their language, so you
might try to get away with just saying you will be gardening there.  In our
case, we wanted to build a greenhouse in a commercial zone.  Well
"greenhouse" is a permitted use only in residential zones in Hartford.  We
could have said we were developing a "garden center" here.  That is
permitted, but it requires retail sales, which we weren't prepared to do.
Finally, a friendly guy at city hall told us we should just say we are
building a "temporary structure," a permitted use.  Worked like a charm.
Another issue we expect to run into some day relates to composting.  It is
not a permitted use anywhere.  However, in our ordinances, a prohibited
activity is "piling refuse."  Somebody could complain about composting as
piling refuse, and the zoning folks would be required to cite the
"offender."  Someday when we don't have anything else to do, we will have to
try to change that.
Good luck in your efforts.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 9:53 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [cg] zoning/permits for community gardens

Dear Mr. Stanley,

Zoning is a political way to balance the various forms of land use in an
area.  Because it is legal, it is based of precedent and the wheels go very
slowly, because a mistake made in zoning can make alot of people unhappy for
a long time.  And when you sit on a zoning committee, you really don't want
to make people unhappy for a long time.

The whole Israel /Palestine conflict  has been described as an exacerbated
real estate/land use problem.  So understand why your guys don't want to
think out of the box.

Please go to the ACGA website, and read all about community gardens.
American Community Gardening Association 
.  There will be enough examples of how these are run to show your zoning
board.  Explain that it will be a kind of public space as well as a way for
neighbhorhood volunteers to get together to raise food for the hungry in
your area.  Talk to your local food pantries, soup kitchen folks, as well as
senior citizen organizations that want access to fresh veggies and maybe
even flowers during the season.

Remember - zoning is political.  Everybody in your church is represented by
several local elected representatives. With letters, envelopes and stamps,
you can let them know how important having this community garden is - and
plan to make about three mailings over the course of a month. Tell them that
it will 1) beautify the neighborhood, 2) feed the hungry, 3) appreciate
their help, and would appreciate being copied on the letter they will be
writing to the zoning board/permitting agency to show to other church
members/registered voters. 4) Let you know the name of their "scheduler, "
so you can invite them to the grand opening of the garden, and to arrange
for photo opportunities.

It is a lot of work to get folks to think outside of the box. However, when
you talk nice, and twist arms ( in a nice kind of way, of course)
legislators and officials generally get to understand what is in their best
interest.

Everbest,
Adam Honigman
Volunteer,
Clinton Community Garden 



Subj: [cg] zoning/permits for community gardens
Date: 7/20/04 5:07:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent from the Internet



I live in a small town in the foothills of Northern California.  Our church
wants to create a community garden on property that is zoned residential.
Does anyone have any information on zoning practices for community gardens?
Our planning department says it has to be on property zoned agricultural.
(There is a great deal of agricultural land in the county.)



Thank you,

Robin Stanley

RE: [cg] VEGETABLES IN THE FRONT YARD?

[Jack Hale]

Makes me want to start working on my top ten list of things to ban from
people's front yards - except I think I would have a hard time getting the
list under 20.
Good luck.
JH

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Bill Maynard
Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 3:24 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] VEGETABLES IN THE FRONT YARD?

Vegetables are an eye sore?

Recently a home owner in the downtown area of Sacramento was cited for
having planted her whole front yard (50'x25') with a vegetable garden..corn,
squash, tomatoes, onions etc..
Cited as a nuisance.. and eyesore..she planted the front yard as her back
yard was shady and had a swimming pool taking up the rest of her yard.  She
had 30 days to remove the garden for face fines.she managed to get a
extension on this as she went to city hall to complain and possible lawsuit
got cityhalls attention.

One answer is more community gardens.. but in this older part of town.vacant
lots do not exist for a community garden.  In poorer parts of town.. others
grow veggies in their front yards.but in this older upper class
area.complaints from at least 1 neighbor has started this process.  I have
viewed her yard.. and right now its fine.. very green and flowering plants -
a very nice garden. but it is different among all the homes with lawn.

So now a meeting has been called to review the code.a garden radio talk show
host, master gardener, city councilman, local newspaper garden writer, code
enforcement officer, and myself along with the home owner will meet to
discuss possibly changing the long time city code that permits
landscaping-grass and shrubs and concrete(not to excess 50% of the front
yard)

And possible rewrite the code to include water wise gardening and
vegetables..for the front yard

I am Looking for other cities that have this veggie option in their codes.
and comments on this topic from the listserve.  I will keep you posted.

Thanks

Bill Maynard

RE: [cg] insurance

[Jack Hale]

I suspect, in general, that the source of the money is irrelevant.  In the
general scheme of things, it would be best for a large organization like
Vanderbilt, which already has loads of liability coverage and plenty of
exposure to go with it, to sponsor the garden and insure it.  The effect on
their premium should be negligible.  Small organizations trying to get
coverage for a single activity are the ones who pay big bucks.  I assume you
are getting insurance because the landowner requires it.If the landowner
doesn't require it, you might just do without, particularly if the garden
organization is not incorporated.
Regarding insurance companies, that is generally a local issue.  Check with
non-profits in the Nashville area to see who provides their insurance.  Talk
to those companies and see what kind of deal you can get.  A good agent can
probably get you through the other questions as well.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jillian R. Ross
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 11:07 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] insurance

Hello,
I am with the Community Outreach Partnership center at Vanderbilt University
and we are putting together a community garden.  I wondered if you could
give me any names of insurance companies to use.  Also, we were wondering if
you had ever had an organization sign an insurance policy but have another
organization make the payments?  If this is possible, could this create
problems for the organization making the payments if a claim were filed.
Thank you,
Abi Ramsey
COPC



__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Re: community_garden digest, Vol 1 #1808 - 5 msgs (leases)

[Jack Hale]

Hi-
Attached is the one formal agreement we have with a private organization for
use of land for a community garden.  All the rest are handshakes or a notch
above.  I think the lawyers got a little too heavily involved in this one,
but it gives them something to do, and we managed to get them to delete some
of their more radical ideas.  One thing, you probably shouldn't and needn't
be talking about a lease per se.  I'm not a lawyer, but my understanding is
that leases by definition and regardless of their specific language confer a
kind of temporary but proscribed ownership, more than you are likely looking
for.  That's why this one is called a license agreement.
For what it's worth, I have also included a list of license agreement
elements, which I submitted to these folks before they turned their lawyers
loose on it.
I will be interested to see what you come up with.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244

=
LICENSE AGREEMENT

This license agreement is made between Southside Institutions Neighborhood
Alliance Inc., (SINA), of 400 Washington Street, Hartford, Connecticut
06106, herein called Licensor, and The Knox Parks Foundation, Inc., of 75
Laurel Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06106, herein called Licensee

Licensor hereby licenses to Licensee the premises situated in the City of
Hartford, County of Hartford, State of Connecticut, described as 22-24
School Street, (the "premises") upon the following TERMS and CONDITIONS:

1.  Term and Payment.  The term of the Agreement shall be for one (1) year,
commencing January 1, 2002, and terminating on December 31, 2002, or sooner
as provided herein at the annual rental of One and 00/100 Dollars ($1.00),
payable in equal installments in advance on the first day of the calendar
year during the term of this Agreement.  All license payments shall be made
to Licensor, at the address specified above. Total rental payment for the
lease period will be One 00/100 Dollars ($1.00).

(a) The term of this Agreement may be extended at Licensee's option for up
to three (3) additional periods of one (1) year each, at the license fee and
upon all of the other terms and conditions set as forth in this Agreement;
provided, however, that Licensee give Licensor written notice of its option
to so extend this Agreement at least six (6) months prior to the date upon
which this Agreement would otherwise terminate.  In the event that Licensee
fails to timely exercise any of its successive options to renew this
Agreement, time being of the essence, any remaining options shall be null,
void and of no force or effect and Licensee shall promptly, upon request of
Licensor, deliver to Licensor a waiver in recordable form of any remaining
renewal options.  If Licensor requires the use of premises for other
purposes, Licensor shall have the right to terminate this Agreement upon not
less than seven (7) months prior written notice.

2.  Use.  At all times during the term of any extended terms, Licensee shall
use and occupy the premises for a neighborhood community garden program for
students, parents, and teachers from the Learning Corridor schools; and
students, teachers, and staff from Trinity College; and residents and staff
from Fox Housing; and student, teachers, staff and other participants from
the IOL/Grow Program; and neighborhood residents.  The premises shall be
used for no other purpose.

3.  Care and Maintenance of Premises.  Licensee acknowledges that the
premises are licensed on an as is basis, unless otherwise indicated herein.
Licensor makes no representation whatsoever as to the condition of the
premises or the suitability of the premises for Licensee's intended use.
Licensee shall at its sole expense and within a reasonable period of time
following the execution and delivery of this Agreement perform the work
described in Schedule A attached hereto (the "Licensee Work"), in addition
to any other work required to put the premises in suitable condition for
Licensee's intended use.

(a) Licensee shall, at its own expense and at all times, maintain the
premises in good and safe condition, including without limitation all raised
beds, fences, and other garden amenities, water service equipment and any
other system or equipment upon the premises and shall at Licensor's option
remove said items upon the termination of the Agreement.  Licensee shall, at
the termination of the Agreement return the premises, include the Licensee
Work, in good condition.  Licensee shall be responsible for all repairs
required during the term of this Agreement. Licensor shall not be required
to furnish any services or facilities or to make any improvements, repairs
or alternations in or to the premises during the term of this Agreement.

(b) Licensee shall supervise the use of the premises. Licensee shall be
responsibl

RE: [cg] Re: community_garden digest, Vol 1 #1808 - 5 msgs (leases)

[Jack Hale]

Hi-
Attached is the one formal agreement we have with a private organization for
use of land for a community garden.  All the rest are handshakes or a notch
above.  I think the lawyers got a little too heavily involved in this one,
but it gives them something to do, and we managed to get them to delete some
of their more radical ideas.  One thing, you probably shouldn't and needn't
be talking about a lease per se.  I'm not a lawyer, but my understanding is
that leases by definition and regardless of their specific language confer a
kind of temporary but proscribed ownership, more than you are likely looking
for.  That's why this one is called a license agreement.
For what it's worth, I have also included a list of license agreement
elements, which I submitted to these folks before they turned their lawyers
loose on it.
I will be interested to see what you come up with.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Don Boekelheide
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2004 8:05 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Re: community_garden digest, Vol 1 #1808 - 5 msgs

Hi, everyone,

I was standing in the rain today, watering my freshly
transplanted peppers. Only a gardener would understand
this...

Anyway, political/technical question. Does anyone have
a good model lease for a garden on privately held
land? I've looked everywhere, ACGA website, googled,
and haven't found what I need.

We've got a couple of guys here (a friend of mine
calls them 'the anarchists') who are intent on
starting a community garden on the vacant lot next
door to the house they rent. They know the owner and
she's willing, but we need a lease. Sure, we could
look for a pro-bono attorney, but figure that some
community gardener out there already has a better
model. Any leads?

Thanks in advance,

Don Boekelheide
Charlotte, NC

--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> Send community_garden mailing list submissions to
>   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the web, visit
>
>
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
> 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. RE: insurance (Chun, Stacie)
>   2. Re: insurance ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
>   3. RE: insurance ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
>   4. Ideas needed for gleaner (Sandy Mehling)
>   5. Re: garden bulletin boards (Jude Carson)
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 1
> From: "Chun, Stacie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'"
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: RE: [cg] insurance
> Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 10:07:32 -0700
> boundary="_=_NextPart_001_01C43E8C.F0772460"
>
> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail
> reader does not understand
> this format, some or all of this message may not be
> legible.
>
> --_=_NextPart_001_01C43E8C.F0772460
> Content-Type: text/plain
>
> At the Hayward Community Gardens in Hayward
> California, we have general
> commercial liability insurance from Financial
> Indemnity Co., through a local
> agent. We pay $1,075/year, including the landowner
> (the local gas and
> electric company) and a funder (City of Hayward)
> named as additional
> insured. The garden is about 7 acres.
>
> How about Directors & Officers coverage? Do any of
> the gardens have D & O
> insurance? We are debating whether it's necessary.
>
> Stacie Chun
> Hayward Community Gardens
>
> -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 9:48 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [cg] insurance
>
>
> Can we hear from community gardens and/or community
> garden organizations
> regarding their insurance situations?
>
>
> --_=_NextPart_001_01C43E8C.F0772460
> Content-Type: text/html
>
>  Transitional//EN">
> 
> 
> Message
>
>  name=GENERATOR>
> 
> At the Hayward
> Community Gardens in Hayward
> California, we have general commercial liability
> insurance from Financial
> Indemnity Co., through a local agent. We pay
> $1,075/year, including the
> landowner (the local gas and electric company) and a
> funder (City of
> Hayward) named as additional insured. The
> garden is about 7
> acres.
>  class=515351517-20052004> 
> How about
> Directors & Officers coverage?
> Do any of the gardens have D & O insurance? We
> are debating whether it's
> necessary.
>  class=515351517-20052004> 
> Stacie
> Chun
> Hayward
> Community Gardens
> 
>   
>align=left>   face=Tahoma>-Original
> Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>   [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday,
> May 20, 2004 9:48
>   AMTo:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: Re:
> [cg]
>   insurance
>   Can we hear from community gardens an

RE: [cg] insurance

[Jack Hale]

Hello-
Here's the piece I wrote some years back.  Bottom line is that you will need
to deal with a local agent.
JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244

Insurance for community gardens

For several years, the board of the American Community Gardening Association
has been working to provide liability insurance for member gardens.  Surveys
of members suggested that obtaining such insurance was a priority for many
gardens.  We did provide access to coverage during 1998, but less than a
dozen gardens took advantage of the offer.  In 1999, the insurance company
was unwilling to renew the coverage, and we were unable to find another
carrier.  Although we continued to seek a carrier, we were unsuccessful.
Here is what I have been telling members who are seeking insurance.

1. Liability insurance protects the organization that owns it or some other
entity (like a land owner) who is "named as additional insured" on the
policy.  It protects gardeners or volunteers indirectly only if the insured
organization stands between them and a potential lawsuit.  It does not
protect individuals from legal action, nor does it necessarily pay
individuals for injuries or damage that occur at a garden.  Most gardens
have insurance because they have an organization to protect or because some
other entity requires coverage in order for the garden to exist.

2. Usually, individual gardens seeking liability coverage will pay a high
price.  Just as group health insurance is much less expensive than
individual coverage, insurance purchased by a larger organization to cover a
multitude of risks will be less expensive per coverage than the same
insurance purchased piecemeal.  Therefore, if you are a single garden
suffering from sticker shock, the best avenue may be to ask a larger
organization that already has liability coverage to sponsor the garden.
Such organizations might include community groups, churches,
horticultural/agricultural organizations, or anything else that might work
in your locale.

3. Often it is a city or town providing land for a garden that is requesting
insurance.  They usually have a "risk manager" whose job is to protect the
municipality against all risk.  Whenever the town enters into a
relationship, that relationship is passed before the risk manager, and the
risk manager almost always says "buy insurance" to protect the town.  But
towns always have lots of insurance.  They engage in lots of risky business.
Adding a community garden to their list of risks will have almost no impact
on their overall risk and on the cost of their insurance.  It becomes a
political issue and should be treated as such.  If the town wants to support
community gardening, the risk is trivial; if the town doesn't want to
support community gardening, it is easier to say "buy insurance" than "we
don't like you."
A side issue that arises in some cases is whether the gardens are public.
In Berkeley, California, the city wanted to require insurance and also
require that the gardens be open to the public.  People who don't want to
support gardens compare them to parks that are ostensibly open to everybody
all the time.  They point out that community gardens have fences and gates
and private plots.  More politics.  Perhaps compare your garden to a
football stadium.  Very risky activity going on there, and fully supported
by the town!  Anybody can go and watch when there is a game on, but hardly
anybody gets to play.  Which is more exclusive, a garden or a sports field?
Remember that anybody can walk by and look at the garden.  You might even
schedule some times when the garden is open for public enjoyment.  This does
suggest, however, that gardeners need to design and maintain their gardens
in ways that truly do enhance their neighborhoods.

4. Insurance is a local business, governed to some extent by state law and
regulation.  Although there is a certain amount of uniformity and insurance
companies operate across state lines, your experience with coverages and
costs may be quite different from those in a neighboring state.  If you have
to buy insurance, a creative and responsive local agent can be very
important.  Remember that there is a good chance they haven't insured a
garden before and they will have to figure out how to do it.  Here in
Connecticut, we started out with an insurance agent who decided gardens were
like vacant lots, which tend to attract inappropriate uses.  Premiums were
based on street frontage and they were high.  Strangely enough, our largest
garden, which had no street frontage, was insured for nothing, while one of
our smaller gardens on a corner lot carried a high premium.  Our current
agent, which specializes in insurance for non-profit social service
organizations, decided gardens were like social service programs and did a
more general analysis of risk.  Our premiums are now quite low.

5. If gardeners or garden officers are concerne

RE: [cg] Raised Bed Materials

[Jack Hale]

My tried and true source here in Connecticut has gone out of business, but
if you Google up ""recycled plastic landscape timbers," you will get lots of
options, maybe one near you.  Sorry I can't recommend anything specific.
Good luck

Jack Hale

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jody Wilson
Sent: Tuesday, May 04, 2004 10:49 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Raised Bed Materials

My Master Gardener group is planning a public garden with raised beds.  I
remember someone
writing about recycled plastic "lumber" for raised beds.  Any further
information,
especially sources, and any recommendations, would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jody


__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Raised Garden Bed Materials

[Jack Hale]

We have been using recycled plastic landscape timbers for years to build
raised beds.  We haven't used any of the kits.
Unfortunately, our supplier, after an atrocious string of bad luck, has gone
bankrupt, so we are looking for an alternate product.
1.   We most recently paid $11 for 8-foot 3X5 timbers.  We
typically purchased a couple hundred timbers at a time.  The factory was
just an hour from here, so we picked them up ourselves - cost was staff time
and gas.  We put our beds together with 6-inch galvanized spiral deck
spikes.  Each 4x8 bed, 3 layers high, uses 28 spikes.
2.   As far as we can tell, the timbers are immortal,
although they can break if you back into them with a car.
3.   Construction was easy, particularly since the timbers
bend a bit and will thus help you deal with a level of inaccuracy in
cutting.  We used a circular saw for cutting.  A chop saw is a nice touch,
particularly if you want to cut angles.  Sometimes we pre-drilled holes, but
if we had some beefy folks who could swing a 2-lb. hammer, we didn't bother.
4.   The plastic lumber is somewhat heavier than pressure
treated pine.  In some people's minds, it is also uglier - ours is a kind of
medium gray color.  But then it doesn't split, splinter, or warp, and, as
far as I know, it doesn't release any nasties into the soil.
5.   See above
6.   I was famous in the recycled plastics business for a
little while when our supplier went out of business.  Plastics World
magazine called me up for a reaction, and published a story.  A good number
of manufacturers called me looking for business.  I don't know any well to
tell them apart just yet, but we'll see.
7.   The kits I have seen seem a bit over-engineered for our
purposes - they are more appropriate for small scale or back yard use.  I'll
be interested to hear what people come up with.

Jack Hale
Hartford, CT

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Connie Nelson
Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2004 12:30 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Raised Garden Bed Materials

I know we've had this discussion before from different angles, but I still
have a question or two.

For various and sundry reasons, I'm investigating use of "plastic lumber" in
the use of 4 X 8 foot garden beds.  There are a bizillion different places
that sell these kits for use in raised beds.

If you have experience in this material, would you please address one or
more of the following questions?

Have any of you tried these and:
1) what was the cost (include both the kit cost and transportation)
2) how long did they last
3) were they easy to put up
4) was the weight similar to wood products (or lighter, heavier)
5) were they easy to cut if you needed to make changes
6) are there any companies you actively recommend or conversely, strongly
suggest avoiding
7) any other suggestions / comments you might have?

What I'm hunting for here is practical experience consensus.  Hopefully by
tapping into the listserv's expertise, I can find that agreement.

Thanks for helping!

Connie Nelson
Spokane, WA
  _

Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos: High-quality 4x6 digital prints for 25"
<http://pa.yahoo.com/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=23765/*http://photos.yahoo.
c%0D%0Aom/ph/print_splash>

RE: [cg] Quantifying Gardeners

[Jack Hale]

National Gardening Association tries to keep track of that kind of
information.  They are in Burlington, VT.
Their web address is http://www.garden.org/

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Connie Nelson
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 3:53 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Quantifying Gardeners

Does anyone have any measurable number of gardeners in the US?  Even better,
a breakdown, even roughly, by demographics (age, gender, economic status
etc).

I realize this is wide open, but I'm hunting for numbers of people who
garden above and beyond house plant level.

Definition of gardener is up to you, but if you would please include it in
any email response, hopefully I can develop a generic definition.

Thanks one and all!

Connie Nelson
Spokane, WA
  _

Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - File online by April 15th

RE: [cg] Garden plot size

[Jack Hale]

Wow!  That's one of the truly imponderable questions in community gardening.
We have 15 garden sites in Hartford, CT.  At several, where we have raised
beds built up with landscape timbers, the plot size is 4 feet by 8 feet.
At another, which caters to hobby gardeners, the plots are 15 by 20, but
some people use half plots.
At another, the only garden with real native soil, the plots are 25 by 25
and some people use 6 plots and would use more if it were allowed.  It's
where the farmers go.
I've heard of relatively rural programs where plots are much larger.   And
then there is the Clinton Community Garden where a plot is just about big
enough for a respectable bush zucchini.
It may seem like a lot of extra work, but perhaps you should get prospective
gardeners together to discuss this and ask them to come up with a
recommendation.  One woman's postage stamp is another man's acreage.
Good luck.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jason Bailey
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 1:08 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Garden plot size

Can anyone share what the optimal individual plot size is for a community
garden?  We have 22 acres to work with but I'm hoping to designate an
appropriate plot size (length and width) in feet prior to allocating plots.

Thanks!

Jason A. Bailey
Business & Fund Development
Delano Regional Medical Center
661-721-5607
www.drmc.com

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

-Chinese Proverb





__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Liability Insurance

[Jack Hale]

One more thought on liability insurance.  If you are having sticker shock,
join the club.  According to my agent, there are 2 processes in play.
1.   Most of the money in the insurance business comes not
from premiums themselves, but from investment of premiums.  Over the last
few years, investment markets have been relatively unproductive at best.
Premiums have been increasing rapidly for everything.  Comparing what you
are paying now to what you were paying 5 years ago is just about guaranteed
to cause stress and pain.
2.   The September 11 disasters actually wiped out some
reinsurance companies.  These are companies that pool the risk covered by
the companies we deal with directly.  Everybody got hit and some didn't
survive.  As a result, remaining companies are financially wounded and have
less competition in the marketplace.  So..we all get to pay higher premiums.

JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Corrie Zoll
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 3:11 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: Joyce Wisdom; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Liability Insurance

In the Minneapolis - Saint Paul region, an organization called The
Sustainable Resources Center (SRC) has provided direct services to community
gardens for the past 30 years, including lease holding and liability
insurance.   SRC announced in December that they would be unable to provide
leases, liability insurance, or other services to community gardens in 2004.
SRC insured more than 50 community gardens, and presumably every one of
these gardens is at risk of shutting down without liability insurance
coverage.

SRC was able to insure community gardens at the very low rate of $35 per
year per garden site.  This covered $1,000,000 in commercial general
liability insurance.  To put this number in context, one small organization
that I work with found that insuring their single 5000 sq ft community
garden site would cost more than $1200 per year.

I have been working over the past two months to figure out whether my
organization, The Green Institute, can provide leases and liability
insurance for community gardens as a stop-gap measure until a more
sustainable plan can be developed.  At this time, it seems that we can
insure these sites for approximately $125 per garden per year.  With an
administrative fee, this would mean something like $200 for the gardeners,
still a very large jump from $35.  In order to demonstrate that The Green
Institute has an insurable interest in the garden, we will lease the lot
from the property owner for a minimal fee.  Gardens are owned by a variety
of entities, including the city, the county, churches, schools, non-profits,
and a railroad.

I am looking for input from other cities on how to make this work.  I am
hopeful that you all have experiences from which I can learn.  Anything you
can share would be helpful.  Here are a few of the questions I need to
answer for my board of directors:

*Will we need to enforce a "safety policy" regarding use of tillers, gas
mowers, weed whips, chainsaws, chippers, etc?

*Will we need to require organic gardening practices?

*How can we enforce these requirements?

*Will we need to have gardeners sign release forms?

*Will we need to keep a list of who is allowed to enter the garden?

*What happens when unknown people enter the garden?

*Will the discovery of uninsured activity in the gardens affect coverage of
other sites?

*Will claims on these policies increase premiums across the rest of my
organization?

Thank you for your attention.  This crisis affects more than one in four
community gardens in the Twin Cities.
As you can see from this list of questions, the learning curve ahead of us
is steep.  If you have samples of contracts, policies, or other documents
that you cannot send electronically, please feel free to use the fax number
listed below.

-Corrie

Corrie Zoll, Program Director
GreenSpace Partners
A program of The Green Institute
2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 110
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Telephone 612-278-7119
Facsimile 612-278-7101
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
www.greeninstitute.org/GSP 

RE: [cg] Liability Insurance

[Jack Hale]

Here's my old article about insurance for gardens.  It's still pretty much
true.
Jack Hale

Insurance for community gardens

For several years, the board of the American Community Gardening Association
has been working to provide liability insurance for member gardens.  Surveys
of members suggested that obtaining such insurance was a priority for many
gardens.  We did provide access to coverage during 1998, but less than a
dozen gardens took advantage of the offer.  In 1999, the insurance company
was unwilling to renew the coverage, and we were unable to find another
carrier.  Although we have continued to seek a carrier, we continue to be
unsuccessful.  While the search continues, here is what I have been telling
members who are seeking insurance.

1.  Liability insurance protects the organization that owns
it or some other entity (like a land owner) who is "named as additional
insured" on the policy.  It protects gardeners or volunteers indirectly only
if the insured organization stands between them and a potential lawsuit.  It
does not protect individuals from legal action, nor does it necessarily pay
individuals for injuries or damage that occur at a garden.  Most gardens
have insurance because they have an organization to protect or because some
other entity requires coverage in order for the garden to exist.

2.  Usually, individual gardens seeking liability coverage
will pay a high price.  Just as group health insurance is much less
expensive than individual coverage, insurance purchased by a larger
organization to cover a multitude of risks will be less expensive per
coverage than the same insurance purchased piecemeal.  Therefore, if you are
a single garden suffering from sticker shock, the best avenue may be to ask
a larger organization that already has liability coverage to sponsor the
garden.  Such organizations might include community groups, churches,
horticultural/agricultural organizations, or anything else that might work
in your locale.

3.  Often it is a city or town providing land for a garden
that is requesting insurance.  They usually have a "risk manager" whose job
is to protect the municipality against all risk.  Whenever the town enters
into a relationship, that relationship is passed before the risk manager,
and the risk manager almost always says "buy insurance" to protect the town.
But towns always have lots of insurance.  They engage in lots of risky
business.  Adding a community garden to their list of risks will have almost
no impact on their overall risk and on the cost of their insurance.  It
becomes a political issue and should be treated as such.  If the town wants
to support community gardening, the risk is trivial; if the town doesn't
want to support community gardening, it is easier to say "buy insurance"
than "we don't like you."
A side issue that arises in some cases is whether the gardens are public.
In Berkeley, California, the city wanted to require insurance and also
require that the gardens be open to the public.  People who don't want to
support gardens compare them to parks that are ostensibly open to everybody
all the time.  They point out that community gardens have fences and gates
and private plots.  More politics.  Perhaps compare your garden to a
football stadium.  Very risky activity going on there, and fully supported
by the town!  Anybody can go and watch when there is a game on, but hardly
anybody gets to play.  Which is more exclusive, a garden or a sports field?
Remember that anybody can walk by and look at the garden.  You might even
schedule some times when the garden is open for public enjoyment.  This does
suggest, however, that gardeners need to design and maintain their gardens
in ways that truly do enhance their neighborhoods.

4.  Insurance is a local business, governed to some extent
by state law and regulation.  Although there is a certain amount of
uniformity and insurance companies operate across state lines, your
experience with coverages and costs may be quite different from those in a
neighboring state.  If you have to buy insurance, a creative and responsive
local agent can be very important.  Remember that there is a good chance
they haven't insured a garden before and they will have to figure out how to
do it.  Here in Connecticut, we started out with an insurance agent who
decided gardens were like vacant lots, which tend to attract inappropriate
uses.  Premiums were based on street frontage and they were high.  Strangely
enough, our largest garden, which had no street frontage, was insured for
nothing, while one of our smaller gardens on a corner lot carried a high
premium.  Our current agent, which specializes in insurance for non-profit
social service organizations, decided gardens were like social service
programs and did a more general analysis of risk.  Our premiums are now
qui

RE: [cg] Re: offering tilling as part of community garden services

[Jack Hale]

Hi all-
We started our first community gardens in 1972, the idea being that we could
give some city-bound back-to-the-landers a shot at getting their hands
dirty, and we could help deal with what then was a surfeit of vacant lots in
the city.  It was a do-gooders paradise.  We did everything for the
gardeners - water, compost, soil tests, plowing, marking plots, etc.
By the time I came on board in 1980, we had around 20 garden sites, and lots
of things weren't working so well.  In particular, folks always wanted us to
till as early as possible, and it seemed that we were always having to pull
the tractor out of the mud when it hit a particularly wet patch in one of
the larger gardens.  If we had an especially dry spring and really got out
there early, people complained that their soil was compacted and full of
weeds by the time they got out to plant their tomatoes on Memorial Day.
Seemed like everybody was mad at least part of the time, and our garden
coordinator (me) just had to run around like a chicken with no head from mid
March to mid June.  Not only that, but the soil was never ready in time for
people to plant their peas on St. Patrick's day (traditional around here) or
get their spinach in nice and early.  Our machines, operated by friendly
farmers, couldn't be expected to work around everybody's little early crop
patch or their winter-over patch, although they did try.  And the fall
harrowing always conflicted with some people's desire to have fresh
homegrown collards for Thanksgiving.  And of course, nobody could grow
asparagus or strawberries or raspberries.  And the best part was that the
tractors tended to break our water lines.
So, we took a page from Portland's book and tried to set aside part of most
gardens for "year-round plots."  We proposed cutting the fee by $5 a year,
leaving tilling to the gardeners, and granting 365-day access.  That was
probably a good idea for starting a garden, but getting people to switch
plots so they would be in the right part of the garden for their personal
style and desires was probably the equivalent of getting people to switch
babies.
Next idea - all plots are hereby declared year-round plots.  Everybody's fee
goes down.  We refer people to folks who will do tilling.  Sometimes, if
they beg, we will lend them one of our tillers.  Our youth corps members
will do tilling at a nominal price, but we make it clear that it will be
done on our schedule.  Most folks figure out something on their own or
together with other gardeners at their site.
Everything is perfect now (heh, heh!).  We have peaches and raspberries and
strawberries and perennial flower gardens and late crops and early crops and
over-winter crops.  Most folks seem moderately happy with the situation, we
don't go quite so crazy, and we hardly ever lose a tractor.  Just a few
small problems.  Fact is, there are lots of sloppy gardeners out there.  We
have some concern about poor garden practices leading to unhealthy
situations and complaints from neighbors, and we really don't have much
interest in being the garden police.  Cripes!  These folks are adults,
aren't they?  Our task comes to be encouraging gardeners (together) to take
responsibility for the success of their own gardens and to adopt garden
practices that are effective and yield good results.  Encouraging change is
a challenge, particularly when folks think they are doing just fine, thank
you.  Sometimes you just have to let folks take their lumps when the guy
from the health department comes out and says they better clean up the
garden or the City will come in and mow it down.
Boy, does this ever remind me of trying to raise adolescents (another of my
hobbies), with all its risks, rewards, and consternations.  Using big sticks
doesn't seem to work - they can always be turned against you, and some
people really take offense.  Relying on good intentions is also a losing
proposition.  I figure we're down to occasional pronouncements, an
undercurrent of feather-light nudges, and all the trickery and guile we can
muster.  Every once in a while you run into a gardener with a big smile on
her face telling you how grateful she is and showing you her beautiful crop
of sweet potatoes, or a bunch of gardeners decide to have a party for all
the other gardeners in the city.  Whoo-ee!  That's what I'm talking about.
Happy holidays, everybody.
Jack

__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's 
services to community gardeners. To lea

RE: [cg] City Repair? and Asheville

[Jack Hale]

I have to say, Asheville has a long community garden history.  I attended my
first ACGA conference in Asheville in the early '80's.  Mountain Area
Gardeners In Community (MAGIC) was a going concern at that time.  I'm not
sure how many gardens there were in Asheville per se, but the natives put
together a great conference and a good crowd.  It included a pig roast and
everybody doing the hokey-pokey in a school gym.  Must be time to do it
again.
Jack


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of James Stewart
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 1:54 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [cg] City Repair? and Asheville


Hello folks,
James Stewart here.  I live about an hour west of Asheville in the small
town of Sylva, NC.  Thanks for the heads up on City Repair.
Asheville does have a community garden: the Pearson St. Garden, part of the
bountiful cities project.  Check it out if you are ever in the area.  Also,
Sylva has a community garden as well: ShareCroppers Organic Community
Garden.  It was only started last spring (a baby!) and for the sole purpose
of growing food for the 'food insecure' in our county.  It was quite a
success.  Everything, from land to seeds to tillers and hands, was donated.
I plan to carry it on, with some expansion and some changes, for as long as
I can.  Check out www.communitytable.org 
for pictures of the garden opening and whatnot. Thanks.
Ok. Let me get on my soapbox of sorts.  All posts concerning the
'progressiveness' of A-ville are true.  But sometimes we can't see the
forest for the trees.  Western NC is a pretty spectacular area with even
more spectacular small progressive communities.  'My' town, Sylva, for
example, boasts many attractions that are not normally found in towns of
4,000 individuals: excellent vegetarian, ethnic, or eclectic restaurants,
good venues for live music, an organic grocery store, two health food
stores, wonderful book and music stores, a thriving tailgate market, more
bodywork therapists and yoga instructors than you can shake a stick at (yes,
I am southern), and (most importantly) an atmosphere where careful,
concerned, and vigorous debates are abundant and where all of our different
selves and forms of expression exists peacefully.  If it seems I am making
Sylva out to be something of a mountainous, fairytale land, that is not my
intention! . Rather, this post is just to say that Sylva and our other small
mountain towns of Waynesville, Bryson City, Franklin, Cashiers, Highlands,
etc. are like Asheville, but on a smaller scale and with more emphasis on
'community'.  Often, the little folks in the little towns are forgotten when
discussions of 'progressiveness' happen.  Sad.  We are often some of the
most progressive little pockets in our land.  Ok.  That's it.  I do
encourage you to visit A-ville, Sylva, or any other town in WNC.  We're
lovely folks out here. Heck, I'll be your tour guide if you come through
Sylva.  Take care all.
>From: "Sharon Gordon"
>To:
>Subject: RE: [cg] City Repair? and Asheville
>Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 09:36:39 -0500
>
>
> >Asheville, a small western
>Carolina city that nonetheless is biggest in the
>mountains, is a progressive enclave where all kinds of
>interesting things take root and grow. I'm not sure,
>though, what's currently happening there in terms of
>community gardening - there was an active program,
>MAGIC?, in the past. (yo, Asheville, if anybody's
>lurking on this list). Anyway, that progressive
>tradition may explain why City Repair is speaking
>there.
>
>I don't know about the regular community gardening in Asheville itself. I
>do know there is permaculture community gardening in the surrounding area
>http://www.permacultureactivist.net , http://www.earthaven.org .
>
>Asheville and several places in the surrounding area are also doing
>strawbale building and earth plasters as well as various local food
>initiatives including some really good bakeries, and local artisianal
>quality household items such as furniture, pottery, and textiles.
>
>If you go to the meeting Don mentioned, it's worth it to go early and visit
>the book and newstand on the same street and Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe
>within a block or so and to have dinner at one of the nearby restaurants (a
>variety of non-chain restaurant choices).
>
>If you go during a warmer part of the year, Asheville also has a botanical
>garden.
>
>Sharon
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
>
>
>
>__
>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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


  _

MSN Shopping upgraded for the holidays! Snappier product searc

RE: [cg] definition of community garden

[Jack Hale]

Depends on your purpose for defining it.  Seems to me that once when we were
talking about who should be in ACGA, the definition of community gardening
turned out to be something like "people gardening together in public."  Then
there's Adam's bit about 50% gardening and 100% politics.  I always tell
people the important word in "community gardening" is not "gardening."  If
you are talking to a potential supporter, the description starts to have
words like "sharing, relationships, growth, community development,
leadership, self-reliance," etc.   It depends on the purpose of the
definition.
JH

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Amanda Maria Edmonds
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 2:59 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] definition of community garden

Here's a question for everyone...

If you had to define community garden/-ing in one or two sentences, how
would you do it? I'm curious how people's definitions vary.

:)
Amanda

Amanda Maria Edmonds
-===---__

"We must be
the change we wish to see in the world."
"To forget to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves."
- Mahatma Ghandi

[cg] job announcement

[Jack Hale]

Hi folks-
Here’s an opportunity for the right person.  Although it is not emphasized
in the job announcement, a major role of this position is to coordinate our
network of about a dozen community gardens in Hartford, CT.  Please pass
this around, and let me know if you need more information.
Jack

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244



Job Announcement
Community Network Builder

The Community Network Builder brings the programs of the Knox Parks
Foundation to the Hartford area community. He or she is an integral part of
the program team, including the Green Crew Coordinator and the Program
Manager, which is responsible for all Knox programs.  The Community Network
Builder works with other staff to identify and define fundable program
components in preparation for grant proposals.  The Community Network
Builder reports to the Executive Director.

The primary role of this position is to develop and maintain the networks of
individuals and organizations necessary for the success of Knox programs.
These networks include teachers, community gardeners, community
organizations, City of Hartford staff, human services case managers,
potential employers for Knox trainees, community volunteers, and
neighborhood leaders. Special emphasis will be placed on building
self-reliant groups able to work in support of elements of the Knox mission.
This is not an entry-level position.

Applicants with any or all of the following attributes will be considered
most highly.

*   Understands how to empower people to work together for the good of
the community
*   Communicates effectively in person and in writing with a wide range
of people
*   Relishes opportunities to work with a wide range of people
collaborating to meet common goals
*   Works effectively as part of a team
*   Communicates community organizing values and practices to team
members and incorporates them into program efforts
*   Makes effective use of computers, especially elements of Microsoft
Office.  Can work effectively without significant clerical support
*   Communicates effectively in Spanish as well as English
*   Is sensitive to racial, ethnic and class differences as well as
other differences among people with whom he or she will work
*   Is interested/experienced in gardening

We especially seek people with the following experiences:
*   Community organizing experience
*   Knowledge of Hartford, its people, and the surrounding area
*   College degree not required but relevant college work will be noted

Compensation is competitive, including substantial benefits, and will be
based on skills and experience.
Knox expects to fill this position in January, 2004.

Interested parties should submit a resume and letter of interest to:
Personnel Committee
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
fax 860/951-7244
www.knoxparks.org 

The Knox Parks Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All are
encouraged to apply.



__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] Governor Arnold and Community Gardens?

[Jack Hale]

I'm ready for a new series of films
Gardenator
Community Garden Cop
Total Recycle
ACGA needs to start a screenplay committee.
JH


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 3:04 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Governor Arnold and Community Gardens?

Friends,

When interesting events like the California Gubenatorial election occur, the
first question community gardeners should ask (after picking themselves off
the floor, in either glee or shock) is, "Is this good for community
gardeners?"


My feeling is that the volunteer energy, work by local residents in fighting
hunger and the self-reliant ethos of community gardening should be
attractive to those on the right as well as those, like me, who are liberal,
yellow-dog Democrats.

A tour of a tidy and productive California community garden that produces
food for low income residents on a volunteer basis (at little or no cost to
the State of California) would be a great photo-op for the new governor, at
the very least, and might actually get his support as a kind of
self-reliance project.  A point of light.  And being in some ways a social
progressive (or a conservative of a pramatic nature) the concept of
community gardens might get support from governor-elect Schwartzeneger in a
way that other food security efforts might not.

Looking for cultural contexts: While a quick search of the web didn't get me
the Austrian allotment garden organization link, allotment gardens,
"kleingartens", or recreation gardens, exist around Vienna and other
Austrian cities.  Often, and interestingly, many of the folks (though
certainly not all) engaged in this pursuit in the German speaking countries
can be quite conservative in their politics. I mention this because it might
give a context for those Californian community gardeners who might wish to
reach out to the new governor directly, might want to be aware of.

Community gardens do not require heavy governmental support and do much good
for their neighborhoods.  And if more hungry get fed at low cost, it might
be the kind evidence of good governance that this new California State
administration might find attractive.

Of course all politics is local, and Californians in Sacramento, San
Francisco, San Diego and other urban areas where Community Gardens are
currently being run, would have to decide on the strategies and approaches
they want to follow.

What can Governor Schwartzeneger say? No?  But it would be interesting if
our community gardens pique his interest.

Best wishes,
Adam Honigman
Volunteer,
Clinton Community Garden 

RE: [cg] Can't Believe It - A Health and Gardening Article in the Wall Street Journal!

[Jack Hale]

This definitely gets the "well, duh" award for this week.  I wonder where
they got the idea that this was news.
Nonetheless, I guess they should get a thank you note anyway.
Jack

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 5:09 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Can't Believe It - A Health and Gardening Article in the Wall
Street Journal!

The Leafy Green Road
To Good Mental Health

New Science Points to Benefits
Of Weeding, Watering Gardens

By MICHAEL WALDHOLZ
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Stuck in an emotional funk after a personal loss, Janice Mawhinney couldn't
muster the enthusiasm to tend her backyard garden in Toronto for three
years. Then, inexplicably, one day this past spring, she found herself
vigorously weeding again, her spirits slowly blossoming along with a
long-concealed blue lupine, a pink and white bleeding heart, several Shasta
daisies, and a host of other recovered plants.

As Ms. Mawhinney restored the garden, it in turn helped restore her. Now,
"every morning I rush to look out at all the color through my bathroom
window," says Ms. Mawhinney, a 58-year-old reporter at the Toronto Star. "In
just a few minutes I feel refreshed."

Common sense and experience tell us that hiking in the wild or working in a
garden can be emotionally restorative. Now, scientists are beginning to
understand why: Gardening -- or simply observing a lush landscape -- holds a
powerful ability to promote measurable improvements in mental and even
physical health.


Vertical gardening methods like this at the Chicago Botanic Garden's Buehler
Enabling Garden not only promote easy tending but also clearly outline
planting areas for people with low vision.







Building on the science, a new practice of horticulture therapy is
sprouting. Increasingly, hospitals are using the insights of environmental
psychologists to build small but elaborate gardens for patients, visitors
and even stressed-out doctors. Some urban botanical gardens and
health-rehabilitation centers are creating so-called healing gardens with
horticultural-therapy programs that teach patients and the public about the
recuperative effect the natural world has on the human psyche.

"If a researcher had seriously proposed two decades ago that gardens could
improve medical outcomes, the position would have been met with skepticism
by most behavioral scientists, and with derision by most physicians," says
Roger Ulrich, a Texas A&M University professor and a leading researcher in
the effects of environment on behavior. "We now have studies showing that
psychological and environmental factors can affect physiological systems and
health status."

One study published in June found that people who were exposed to nature
recovered from stress more quickly than others who weren't; what's more, the
positive effects took hold within just a few minutes. Dr. Ulrich's research
has showed that hospitalized patients whose windows looked out at landscape
scenery recovered from surgery more quickly than those without such access.
Other studies have found that simply viewing a garden or another natural
vista can quickly reduce blood pressure and pulse rate and can even increase
brain activity that controls mood-lifting feelings.

A growing body of evidence suggests that humans are hard-wired not just to
enjoy a pleasant view of nature, but to actually exploit it, much like a
drug, to relax and refresh after a stressful experience. Our earliest
ancestors, Dr. Ulrich theorizes, likely needed a way to swiftly recover from
a traumatic experience such as a hunt, a battle or an attack from a wild
animal. "You can imagine that those who could look out at the open savannah,
seeing its safety and tranquility, and quickly feel calm but also alert to
their environment would likely have a survival benefit over others," Dr.
Ulrich says.

Scientists have documented this restorative effect in a number of controlled
experiments. In the study published in the June issue of the Journal of
Environmental Psychology, Terry Hartig and colleagues at the University of
California at Irvine measured markedly different physiological, attentional
and mood changes in test subjects exposed to natural or urban settings.

In the experiment, 112 young adults were assigned a variety of stressful
tasks, including driving to a site they hadn't visited before. Afterward,
the people who sat in a room with tree views and then walked through a
nature preserve showed declining blood pressure and substantially more
positive change in their feelings than those who sat in a windowless room
and then walked in an area of medium-density urban development.

Some of the changes could be measured within minutes of being exposed to the
natural settings, says Dr. Hartig, now at Uppsala University in Gavle,
Sweden. He provides advice to several European cities whose planners are
considering expanding so-called urba

RE: [cg] Does anybody have a good recipe for whitewash?

[Jack Hale]

Here's one.
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/4095/resources/recipes.htm#whitewa
sh
 


 -Original Message-
From:   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]  On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent:   Monday, August 18, 2003 3:48 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED];
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject:[cg] Does anybody have a good recipe for
whitewash?


<>

[cg] We're number one

[Jack Hale]

Hi gang-

Just received the monthly e-newsletter of the American Civic League.  This
month it promotes the Alliance for National Renewal’s “100 things you can do
for your community in a new century.”  In their excerpt from the list, guess
what was number 1.

Start a neighborhood community garden.

I think folks are catching on.  Anyway, if you would like to know more, go
to www.ncl.org/anr  .

Then ask the ACGA board to consider being one of the partners.  ANR lists a
bunch of resources for community builders, and they don’t have anything to
help people build gardens.  I think they need help.

JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244



__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

RE: [cg] CCA treated wood

[Jack Hale]

Don-
I happen to agree with you.  We haven't used pressure treated lumber at all
during the 23 years I have been working with community gardens in Hartford.
I just think people should avoid getting heated up about this "new" finding
one way or another.  We have always known that arsenic is bad news.  For
that matter, so is chrome (see Erin Brockavich), one of the "C's" in CCA.  I
figure we should avoid things that will hurt us and as responsible folks,
parents and garden leaders, we should make sure we are not putting others in
harm's way, particularly when we have an available alternative.  I
particularly enjoy the work people have done to come up with alternate
raised bed materials. On the other hand, we need to pay attention to what
sometimes passes for math and science so we can keep such announcements in
perspective.  There is no question that arsenic is toxic, and that we should
avoid putting people in contact with it.  Nonetheless, I suspect far more
damage is done to our children and friends by Coca Cola and French fries
than will ever be done by treated wood.
Personally, I'd like to see more work done on the long-term impact of
pressure treated lumber.  I know that there is often a water soluble residue
of CCA on the outside of new lumber, and a manufacturer I talked to once
allowed that it wouldn't be a bad idea to wash it with soap and water before
letting people come in contact with it.  I'd like to know whether the
chemicals continue to leach (the manufacturers say it doesn't), or whether
the risk of exposure goes down with age.  There are tons of this stuff in
the environment now.  If it continues to be dangerous over an extended
period, perhaps we should be working to get it all up and disposed of in a
relatively safe manner.  The guaranteed lifespan of this stuff is 40 years,
and that's only because it hasn't been around long enough to know how much
longer than that it can be expected to last.  The encapsulation idea is
interesting as a hypothetical, particularly around playgrounds, although
there is apparently no technology currently available/effective.  That
probably isn't going to be useful in ground contact situations, the ones
gardeners tend to care about, but it would be good to know what we should be
doing.  Unfortunately, the Consumer Product Safety Commission isn't going to
take that on - that issue would go back to the EPA.
In the meantime, I'm going to get a look at the actual CPSC reports.  They
released hundreds of pages of material the other day.  Might just be some
good stuff there.
JH

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Don Boekelheide
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 11:22 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] CCA treated wood

Hi Jack and everyone,

While I have great respect for your work in Hartford,
Jack, and for the leadership and support you give
ACGA, I'm afraid I have to disagree with your
conclusions about treated lumber and 'bogus science'.

I think community gardens should avoid CCA lumber for
3 reasons - it may open gardens to lawsuits; there are
better garden structure materials available, often for
lower cost (aka free); and since there is a scientific
debate going on about the product's safety, with no
clear consensus, it only makes sense to err on the
side of caution when it comes to nutrition and child
safety.

In support of my first point, check out this website
for personal injury lawyers,
http://www.personal-injury-attorney-finder.com/pages/treated_wood_cca.html.
Gardens with CCA wood in reach of children, or where
food is cleaned, harvested, sold or displayed, may be
open to lawsuits not just from people who think
they've been hurt, but from opponents of community
gardens as well. Even if all you say is correct, Jack,
this risk seems real and avoidable to me.

Second, what is CCA good for? Raised beds? "Regular"
raised beds work best without any structure around
them, actually. Those vast fields of veggies in
California have no 'box' around them, simply a raised
mound of soil. If you want to raise beds for access,
cinderblock designs seem the best bet. If you want to
'outline' beds or make terraces, I like David Hawkins
idea of using rubble (at the Edible Schoolyard). For
playground equipment, there are now other choices.
Certainly, gardens need to include parents in the
decision when they build. Same goes for decks and the
like. I personally find lots of cheap stone and free
tree trimmings to make stuff out of here in Charlotte,
supplemented by metal (rebar is great stuff).

Finally, there is no debate that arsenic and chromium
are highly toxic heavy metals, and that copper causes
havoc with marine organisms. The scientific debate
about the risks of CCA wood is continuing, and, as you
suggest, we need to be careful when reading studies
created to support one side or the other instead of
provide solid information. David Stillwell of
Connecticut's Ag. Experiment Station (you might

RE: [cg] Just In Case You Thought Treated Wood Was OK For Garden Uses

[Jack Hale]

Hi all-
Although I have no love for CCA or pressure treated lumber, this sounds like
bogus science.  Or at least blowing things out of proportion.  We need to be
careful how we handle this kind of "information."  Bad information is way
more dangerous than pressure treated lumber.  Here's what I'm thinking.
- one-in-a-million used to mean incredibly rare.  2-in-a-million seems like
about the same.  100 in a million is bigger, but a pretty small number.  It
equals 1 in 10,000.  The chance of a resident being murdered here in
Hartford in just the next year alone is about 1 in 3,000.  I know, I know,
there are some other risk factors like being young, minority, and male and
involved in drugs, but it's just to give a sense of scale.  Does anybody
want to figure out what the relationship is between the cancer risk of
playing on a pressure treated playground to some other behaviors?
- It appears that this report is the result of a mathematical model.
Somebody had to make a lot of guesses about how much CCA gets on a person's
hands during play, how much gets transferred to mouth, and what impact that
might have when extrapolated to a million kids.  They didn't refer to any
specific evidence of a link between such play and actual cancer cases.
Admittedly, these folks have some pretty high-end Oija boards, but I
wouldn't bet the ranch on their results.
- Nonetheless, I like their advice.  Teach your kids to keep their hands out
of their mouths, and to wash their hands after they play outside.  It
probably wouldn't be a bad idea to hose off the playground equipment every
once in a while too, or even scrub it with soap.  At least it would remove
some of the pigeon droppings.

I don't have any particular love for CCA, but I have even less love for
seeing my friends stampeded by this kind of stuff.  The real big battle for
the health of our children is in our gardens and our schools and our city
halls and in Washington and in our own homes.  We need to be vigilant and
careful, but we also need to maintain a sense of balance.  From what I hear
lately, for example, the impact of the Bush "No Child Left Behind" plan on
the stability of local schools may well far surpass the impact of all the
pressure treated playgrounds on the continent.

JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 3:41 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Just In Case You Thought Treated Wood Was OK For Garden Uses

Friends,

This came across Associated Press. Now while I have difficulty believing
much
of what I hear from the US government, for an announcement like this to come
out in the middle of this Conservative, pro-business administration is
significant. I forward this to you for your "evidence" file, the next time
somebody tells you there's a sale on treated wood at the nearby Wall Mart,
and wouldn't you like to use it for your garden?

Best wishes,
Adam Honigman


Playground Equipment May Pose Cancer Risk

By DAVID HO
.c The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Children could face an increased lifetime risk of
developing lung or bladder cancer from using playground equipment made of
wood treated with arsenic, the nation's top product safety official said
Friday.

Almost all wood playground equipment now in use has been treated with a
pesticide called chromated copper arsenate, said Hal Stratton, chairman of
the Consumer Product Safety Commission. He said children can get arsenic
residue from the treated wood on their hands and then put their hands in
their mouths.

Stratton said the agency's scientists recommend that parents and caregivers
thoroughly wash children's hands with soap and water immediately after
youngsters play on playground equipment made of the treated wood. Children
also should not eat while on the equipment, he said.

The safety agency will hold a public meeting next month to consider a
proposed ban on the arsenic-based preservative in playground equipment.
Advocacy groups petitioned for a ban in 2001.

Last year, preservative manufacturers agreed with the Environmental
Protection Agency to stop using the chemical in new wood playsets and other
consumer products by December 2003. An EPA report on the risks of the
pressure-treated wood is expected later this year.

To figure a child's cancer risk from treated playground equipment,
researchers considered factors including how much arsenic is released from
wood, the amount picked up on hands and transferred to the mouth and the
time
a child spends with the equipment. Researchers said an average child visits
playgrounds three times each week.

The study found that for every 1 million kids exposed to the treated wood
that frequently during early childhood, two to 100 of them might develop
lung
or bladder cancer later in life because of that exposure. This increase is
in
a

RE: [cg] Community Land Trusts

[Jack Hale]

There is the Southside Community Land Trust in Providence, RI, and the New
Haven Land Trust in New Haven, CT.

Jack

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of aliye aydin
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 11:55 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Community Land Trusts

I know that this has been posted recently, but can anyone point me to
specific examples, contacts and resources where Community Land Trusts have
been set up to secure community garden land?
Thank you,
Aliye Aydin
Development Director

Long Beach Organic
1336 Gladys Avenue
Long Beach, CA  90804
(562) 438-9000
FAX (562) 439-0327
www.longbeachorganic.org 


  _

Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus
  - Powerful.
Affordable. Sign up now

RE: [cg] county/city funding

[Jack Hale]

The Knox Parks Foundation frequently gets a Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) from the city of Hartford.  It is typically in the $30-35,000
range.  It is a competitive and highly political process, so sometimes it
doesn't happen.  The funding is for garden development and improvement, so
at least 2/3 of the money is for hard costs of physical improvements to
gardens.  We pick up some staffing costs on the assumption that some
staffing is necessary to get improvements done.  This money is about 5% or
our organization's operating budget.  Because of the way we are organized,
it is a little difficult to say how it relates to the community gardening
aspect of our operation.  A rough estimate is that it is about 1/3 of
community gardening costs.

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Amanda Maria Edmonds
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 7:06 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] county/city funding

I think I've asked a question similar to this before, but I'll give it a try
again, because I didn't get response before...

I am trying to find non-profit or government community gardening
organizations who receive regular, annual funding from a city or county
government agency. If this is the case with your org, please tell me! I
really want to hear what percentage of your annual operating budget comes
from that source... I'm trying to show a local government agency that their
peers regularly contribute to-- or even sponsor-- community garden
orgs/programs... and to what extent.

Please, share!
Amanda

Amanda Maria Edmonds
-===---__

"We must be
the change we wish to see in the world."
"To forget to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves."
- Mahatma Ghandi

RE: [cg] Re: dogwoods

[Jack Hale]

I just heard a different point of view on this discussion.  A fellow from
one of the big tree care companies, speaking at the Connecticut Urban Forest
Council annual conference, suggested we shouldn't give up so easily.  He
said we should plant the natives anyway, realizing that they have a pretty
fair chance of picking up the disease.  Then we should take care of them and
deal with the disease when it appears.  As a guy with a large afflicted
dogwood in his back yard (it's about 14-16" dbh), I wouldn't give it up for
anything, even though I have to keep removing dead limbs.  There isn't any
substitute for that wonderful white cloud.

JH

Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
f860/951-7244


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Craig Tufts
Sent: Monday, December 02, 2002 2:38 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [cg] Re: community_garden digest, Vol 1 #1237 - 2 msgs

Back on the dogwood disease thread.   It's my understanding that kousa
harbors but is not affected by the anthracnose as do the hybrids. As
more and more of these trees capable of holding and spreading the
disease are planted, the picture looks bleaker and bleaker for the
native species, C. florida in the East and C. nuttallii in the west.

Dogwood berries contain more fat calories than virtually any other
native fruit in their range.  Migrant songbirds depend on them in order
to build  energy reserves for their migration to the southern US,
Central and South America for the winter.

Craig Tufts
>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 11/23/02 01:00PM >>>

Send community_garden mailing list submissions to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the web, visit
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
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. dogwoods (a.h.steely)
  2. Re: dogwoods (Libby J. Goldstein)

--__--__--

Message: 1
From: "a.h.steely" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 15:56:58 -0500
charset="iso-8859-1"
Subject: [cg] dogwoods

The anthracnose is supposed to be some foreign thing that came in
accidentally.  The native dogwoods are being affected.  Our instructor
at
the native species class said that if you dig in compost and find a
tree
that is free of anthracnose sometimes you can keep the tree growing.
However, we are in the relative countryside compared to NYC.  The
environmental onslaught would kill me so I understand the "tree in
Brooklyn"
checking out.
Helen Steely
Hbg., Pa.



--__--__--

Message: 2
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 20:24:15 -0500
To: "a.h.steely" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: "Libby J. Goldstein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [cg] dogwoods

In these parts (Philadelphia region), most folk are recommending and
planting Cornus kousa or its hybrids with C. florida since they seem
to be fairly resistant to anthracnose. I think one can eat the fruit
too...or at least make jam with it.

Libby



--__--__--

__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


End of community_garden Digest

__
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:
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden


__
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:  
https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden