Community Garden - News Page
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Agromin to the rescue!
Agrominome to our aid. They sent out our newest gardening friend, Max with 12 yards of amended soil to fill beds. A short while later, he returned with another 15 yards of compost. Max is also a gardener and very proud of the number of community gardens he gets to deliver compost to.
We had volunteers show up and help us start moving the materials, and by mid-day had filled a number of beds, raked them out and topped them off with a generous layer of compost.
I put up an image gallery here called 'Thank You Agromin'. Photos are by Don Wallace.
(N.B.: Please excuse the low-res videos - I am too cheap to spend the $30 to get hi-res)
Here is proof that the ladies can work just as well as the guys... "Compost Happens"
Here are photos of another days workrecorded by Don Wallace...
And, just for fun, I made a quickie video for your entertainment...
Antonio Halloween Eve Workday
What a great day. Pictures are starting to come in. Click here to view photos taken by Don Wallace.
Antonio Garden Workday
We had a reat turn out for our construction day today. Everyone who turned out today has won a place on our honor roll.
I have posted a few photos here, but the software I use for this site doesn't do a good job with lots of large images. My other website does a good job with photo galleries, though. Check out all the pictures submitted so far on these two pages...
Here's a teaser video - see the comlete galleries in the links below...
Photos by Don and Jacky Wallace
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Stock Lumber of Camarillo donated two truck loads of lumber to the community
garden. We started the morning with some bend-and-stretch exercises unloading Carl' truck. The rack came in so handy and saved a lot of manual loading. |
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Whole families turned out to help. This was so heart-warming, and just what I envisioned. We had workes from the age of two to eighty-nine. Some are gardeners, some are newbies. What a perfect mix! |
| These kids will grow up with the garden, and wait until they discover fresh foods coming out of it. |
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We started be cutting wood and laying out the first bed. After that, we had a model to work from. |
| We still needed a visual of how it works... |
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We needed to level the entire area. It was just too crowned to get stuff to lay evenly. We moved a lot of dirt today. |
| Everyone helped, even if was just 'hold on this for a second'... |
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The wood we got was pretty twisted and required convincing in many cases... |
| According to Lenna, this bed will now stay put. |
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We pre-fabbed as much as possible, and with only 3 lengths to deal with, it was quick and easy. Sort of. Other than the heat, dirt, and having to swing hammers... |
| We are really doing it! We are really making a garden together. |
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The design I used calls for 2', 4' and 8' lengths of wood, plus the long runs down the sides. |
| Ricardo, Mark, Carl, and Helen kept up with the demand as best they could. We were lucky to have had a generator on-site. |
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Once we had one laid out, and everybody could use it as a model, we ran theough the wood the guys had been cutting for us. |
| We started down the west side of the garden |
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And we got pretty far along before we ran short on 2' pieces and will-power.
Eileen said she had been working out, and it shows - she was there until the
end, hammering, hauling, roto-tilling. There were a few comments regarding M.C. Escher today... |
| I am either explaining how easy it will be to reach all the garden area, or I might be making jet airplane noises and getting ready to run real fast - I forget which... |
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Jacky seems pretty happy with our progress today... |
| The end of a long day... |
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October 23, 24 and 25
Antonio Garden Workdays!
Today (Friday) we are picking up the lumber to construct our raised bed gardens. We will work around when a suitable truck is available, and we need a couple of bodies to help move the sizable boards we are getting.
Saturday, we build raised beds, finish and turn on the water system, and begin soil prep and filling the beds. Sunday, we will finish any remaining beds. We need you to show up with saws, hammers, shovels, wheel barrows and other items I mentioned in the e-mail. we will have a roto-tiller, shovels, and whatever tools people bring.
This is your garden, and we need you to turn out to help! Call Sheila at 482-2099 to tell her when you will be there.
October 17, 2009
Antonio Garden Water System
We got trucks, tools, materials and people together at the same time and the same place today. Thanks to Don and Jacky Wallace, Helen and John Riley, Pat Browne, Sheila Smith and her son-in-law, Ricardo Zambyana. and Mark Carter We lucked out and missed the 100 degree day on Friday, and had a balmy 86 degree work day.
We also lucked out in getting Ricardo and Mark to help out. They worked their magic to help get the trenches ready for the piping.
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We wound up having to rent a trencher, and the only one available was not even driven - Ricardo and Mark had to drag it as they cut us 300' of trench.
This double row of spigots gets water to every set of garden plots. This was a lot of work, and these two volunteers don't even have a spot here...
I think that the ease of getting water to your plot will make the expense and effort worth while - for many gardeners and for many years. |
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While the boys were fighting the trencher, John, Helen and I started assembling the risers and spigots - aka hose bibs - to get ready to lay some pipe...
We pre-cut the long runs, glued up the Tee/riser assemblies, and has pipeline runs ready to go when the trenches were done and cleaned out.. |
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John expressed doubts about the water tightness of our work.
OK, we'll leave the joints visible till we pressure it up.
At the time we took this picture of us closing up, Some of us had been working non-stop for 6 or 7 hours, and it was hot... I know I drank at least 5 liters of water and lemonade and still dropped 6 pounds...
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The water system didn't look that big on an 81/2 by 11 sheet of paper, did it?
What seems especially odd is that Better Homes and Gardens photos are always so cool and of places to putter... Not here, not now...
We laid it out so there will never be any vehicle traffic over the pipes. We will need to make sure we use care driving stakes into the ground, though... |
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I do believe we have what you might consider a reliable water supply.
Actually, we don't have it quite yet. Jerry from Pleasant Valley Mutual Water Company will add an isolation device to our hook up to prevent any possible contamination of the water syster.
We can then flush the system, add out last hose bibs, and start setting up our garden beds |
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September 16, 2009
Construction begins on the Antonio Garden
A work crew from Pleasant Valley Recreation and Parks District arrived at the
garden today to begin fence installation. We did suffer one set-back (pun
intended) from the city. They demand a residential set-back to the fence line
that is 16' further up the property than we wanted. Why they have different
regulations across the street for the same property owner escapes me, but the
result is that we lost 8 plots to city agents...
August 12
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK PROCLAIMS AUGUST 23-29 AS NATIONAL COMMUNITY GARDENING WEEK
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today encouraged Americans to connect with the land, the food it grows and their local communities by proclaiming August 23-29, National Community Gardening Week.
A community garden is an opportunity to educate everyone about from where food comes, whether that is a Farmers Market or a garden, and is important to increasing generations of healthy eaters. Community gardens can be anywhere whether it is in the country, a city or a suburb. It can be one community plot or can be many individual plots.
The American Community Gardening Association was presented with the official proclamation at the association's 30th Annual Conference today in Columbus, Ohio. USDA continues its work across the country to promote the value and importance of how people can benefit from healthy food in their communities. Resources available to community gardens through the USDA include grants, site technical assistance and informational materials on gardening and food production methods.
There are thousands of community gardens nationwide including 'The People's Garden' at USDA Headquarters on the National Mall. Earlier this year, Vilsack broke ground on 'The People's Garden' - a vegetable garden on USDA property that recently was expanded to include sustainable landscaping for the entire grounds. Since May 21, USDA has harvested and donated more than 170 pounds of produce to the DC Central Kitchen. The DC Central Kitchen offers job training in culinary and food service skills to DC's homeless.
'The People's Garden,' a USDA domestic and international initiative, will help illustrate the many ways USDA works to provide a sustainable, safe and nutritious food supply as well as protect and preserve the landscape where that food is produced. It is the Nation's demonstration plot designed to provide a sampling of USDA's efforts throughout the world as well as teach others how to nurture, maintain and protect a healthy landscape. 'The People's Garden' landscape demonstrates environmentally responsible practices and educates and engages the public via accessible exhibits. It also provides social benefits for employees and serves as a model for other public institutions in the region. USDA plans to reduce stormwater runoff with rain gardens, green roofs and bioretention practices. USDA also is reducing its impervious surfaces and enhancing the USDA's Farmers Market.
The garden concepts that USDA is practicing serves as a living example of how to provide healthy food, air and water for people and communities as well as food and shelter for wildlife, while improving soil health and water quality. Information about 'The People's Garden' initiative is available at www.usda.gov/peoplesgarden
or follow 'The People's Garden' at www.twitter.com/peoplesgarden for the latest updates, harvests and events.
And as the federal partner in the Cooperative Extension Service, USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service provides funding and national leadership to the Master Gardener program. The program, which began in 1972 in Washington, is another important example of how people can contribute to promoting healthier food and communities. Since its inception, the program has grown to 94,865 volunteers across the country who give horticulture information to the public through a variety of locally-based programs. Volunteers receive 40 to 80 hours of instruction and, in return, give an equal number of volunteer hours during the next year.
August 8, 20091> We Have Broken Ground
We are under way! We have officially broken ground for the Antonio Garden.
Plot locations and mark hose bib locations are marked out and ready for installation. Fencing is scheduled for next week. Jerry and crew will install hose bibs for us, and will install all the hose bibbs we supply. When the garden opens, we will have enough spigots so thata 25' hose will reach every part of every plot.
Click here to view photos from the groundbreaking event. (and send me yours to post as well!)
We will be making minor adjustments to plot layout shown below, but the layout seemed to be well received. Make sure you are signed up for our mailing list to get updates as opening day nears. Click here to subscribe to our free newsletters and alerts.
If you are interested in joining the fun, click here to apply for and reserve your garden plot!
July 23, 2009
We Have Ground-Breaking News!
We are under way! We have done the first earthwork at the Antonio Garden. The site had been a guerilla dump-site in the past, and Jerry and his crew from Pleasant Valley Mutual Water Company have removed the debris, road base, chunks of concrete and all the other junk - leaving us with clean, native soil.
Our next step is to lay out the plot locations, mark hose bib locations. Jerry
and crew will install hose bibs where we leave stakes, and the garden will be
ready to amend, shape and plant!
Shown at left is one possible plot layout for the Antonio Garden, featuring 10' x 10' plots arranged in 2x2 blocks. Room is reserved for a composting area, a tool shed and porta-potty, a reserved area for off-street parking.
This is by no means a finished design, but rather a suggestion to start a discussion. Got some ideas you want to see included? Drop me a note via the 'e-mail the webmaster' link at the top of the page.
Speaking of Designs - here is the result of a group effort to define who we are and what we are about. Check out the collective 'Community Garden Mind Map'.
July 1, 2009
A Change of Plans Announced!
We recieved word from Pleasant Valley Recreation and Parks District regarding our garden site. The proposed site we had been working towards is the Skyway Drive propoerty mentioned below, but this site is no longer being offerd to us. We are first developing the property on Antonio Drive. The PVR&PD is still going to give us a parcel of land, but the site will be announced at a later date.
Please join our free mailing list, if you haven't already done so, so we can keep you up to date as our project advances. Click here to join the list.
Also, an important note regarding refunds for plot appplications: Since we took deposits for plots that will not be going in where we advertised, we will happily refund those deposits to any one who asks. We have a no-questions-asked full refund policy. If your check has not been deposited, we will return it to you. If it has been deposited, we will issue you a full refund. Simply call our contact number, (805) 482-2099 and ask that your check be returned.
May 22, 2009
We have land!
We have recieved our first piece of property this week. Pleasant Valley Mutual Water Company has granted us use of a quarter acre property at Antonio Drive and Poderosa Drive in Camarillo. The site is shown below, outlined in yellow.
This site is uniquely located adjacent to a condo complex, around the corner from a retirement community without gardening possibilities for the residents, and across the street from an assisted living facility (Alta Vista). This 1/4 acre is ~ about 60' wide by 180' deep. Water will come from the water suply that feeds my house and garden. We need to participate in fencing, preparing the soil, creating raised beds for mobility limited gardeners, etc.
(click the image for a larger view)
We now have a link on the home page that let's you sign -up for a plot in this new garden. At the very nottom of the page in a place to enter a friend's e-mail address plus a push button that let's you add a personalized message to your friend as you send them the page link. Show us - and your gardening friends - some love and help us spread the word!
Discussion Forum
We have a discussion forum (<-Click the link here or see the link at the top of each page in the web) that seems to be the best kept secret in town. Forums allow you to keep track of on-going conversations, send other members private messages, share files, etc. Forums are a lot like blogs, but more community based (rather than blogger-based) and not as pretty...
I would like all of you to sign up to the forum and get full access. Registration is quick and easy, and registering allows you to comment on the topics or create your own new topics.
I have set up an area to discuss the proposed garden rules. I would like to have these rule reflect the desires of the gardeners. Your input is important to uour success.
Older News
April 19th, 2009
We got a response from the Recreation and Parks District with a couple of
offers. Daryl Wagar replied to a message with the following:
"... the areas that currently are under evaluation for a community
garden are:
the turf area at the by youth sports & preliminary plans for a
large picnic area.
(that area is shown here - Click for a larger view. I'm unclear on how much he means, but the eastern chunk is 100' wide, and 150' to the small tree in the middle, and 250 to the large trees along the west end of the fence.)
"I know neither one of these locations are ideal but I think it is important to
start with a small site & then develop support and funds to expand.
"I'm sure there are other locations around town but that is as far as I have
gone. Has your group made any contacts with other groups, or property owners, I
know there is a botancial society in town & I'm sure there are other parties.?"
Although they are limiting the amount of space they will discuss, the message I
get is that we will get our foot in the door at the Senior Center after
all, and we have one or two other offers they will persue on our behalf...
(this has changed)
April 2nd, 2009 - Recreation & Parks Meeting recap
Good morning everyone.
We had a good turnout for last nights meets - thanks to all who came, and thanks as well to those who sent regrets.
We were joined by Walt Robbins from the Council on Aging. Walt is proving to be a valuable ally - more on this later...
Before we were given a chance to speak, a mother from the Rise and Shine Preschool spent over an hour, with a power point presentation, noting all the ways the board had failed them. One board member's comments were to the effect of, "Good presentation, but there was nothing in there we didn't already know...".
What the board members did reveal in their comments on the presentation were their concerns - primarily, budget and costs, appropriateness of a program to the Recreation and Parks District's focus, number of people served and effectiveness of a program to meet the stated goals. Quite honestly, we kick butt in these areas...
When I was called to the floor, I kept it very short and adhered to the 3 minute rule, and state our case - we had public support, we put the community into community garden, we offered a plan for the disputed dog-park area that is low-cost, high-visibility, and high-value, produces gardens instead of waste, recycles rather than generates waste, replaces lawn mowers with hand tools, provides educational and social opportunities, and saves the water they dump on the lawns.
When I finished, Walt Robbins rose, and stated that the Council on Aging supported the project, us and our goals.
One of our group members reported hearing a board member comment that "there's nothing we can vote against" in our proposal. It is highly unlikely the person who raised community outrage over the dog-park could raise such ire against senior citizens tending their broccoli! Daniel La Brado was directed to work with us to come up with a plan he/we can present to the board.
My goal for the evening was to earn the right to be heard and be part of the discussion, and I think we just won more than that...
When we left the meeting, Walt Robbins stopped us at the door. He told us that on April 5th, the City and the Council on Aging were staging an 'Active Seniors Country Fair' at the Senior Center. He offered us a PRIME location, with good traffic circulation, shade, a patch of lawn, and room for a couple of tables so that we can publicize the project. He promises us at least 400 people will be in attendance.
We could easily double our list of petition signers at this event (we currently have 321 - 1 'Rise and Shine' mom signed up when she was leaving!). I have been collecting 'Victory Garden' propaganda posters, and will have some of them reproduced to use at the event. I think we can get some previous Victory Gardeners interested, and at least start some senior buzz.
One thing that could be great at building buzz would be to have someone there interviewing and recording people's memories of wartime gardens and related oral history (gardens, rationing, recycling/making do, coping with no money - all are topics closely related). It wouldn't take more than a couple of people willing to share their childhood memories to generate a lot of press and a lot of word-of-mouth support...
I also has several hundred various tomato plants started and ready to plant out or move into 6-packs or 3" or 4" pots. We could could have a large number of plants to give away at this event for a very low outlay. "What? No place to plant it? Ah, too bad we don't have a community garden. Sign here..."
Pat Browne has asked me to interview Daniel and nail down R&P's main concerns - funding, costs, operational issues, volunteerism, staffing requirements, etc. so that we may address each of these items prior to starting any serious negotiations or design phase. Spot on, Pat. Will do.
Speaking of design, I am enlisting the help of Billy Goodnik with our design. Billy is retiring this year as City of Santa Barbara landscape architect, and is Owen Dell's partner from Santa Barbara's "Garden Wise Guys" TV show. I am sure that his experience with city planners will be quite helpful.
