Totem Town Community Garden
Friday, February 24, 2006
Gearing Up For the Community Gardening Season
Photo - Simple and Welcoming. A third TTCG entryway built by John F and Larry C. See 2.4.06 post for more information about him.
Before the community gardening season begins, there are several adminstrative chores they require attention.
Each year our garden gets a lease to use the Ramsey County property. The garden makes a request by letter to use the property. The County prepares a "memorandum of understanding." This is an agreement where the county agrees to lease the property, but not to the garden directly. Since the garden is not an organization, we have a "sponsor" sign for us. This year our neighborhood district council has agreed to sign the MOU on our behalf.
One of the terms of the agreement is that we will have liability insurance. It turns out that insurance and insurability are a huge deal. The garden can not get insurance directly. The way we understand it, we, as gardeners, have no insurable interest in the garden, so insurers can't insure us. This year, the neighborhood district council is stepping across the insurability gap and helping us out here too.
At a minimum, this is a two to three month activity with only one question. Is the paperwork moving?
So far, not one word about growing plants, right?
Once it looks like the agreement will be signed, there are news articles, newsletters, and blurbs to write promoting participation.
And of course, the gardener questions start flowing.
- How many gardeners are coming back?
- How many spaces are available for new gardeners?
- Can I get a sunnier garden plot?
- Can I get one with more shade?
- Can I get a bigger plot?
- Can I get two plots?
- My neighbor was too weedy last year. I want to move.
Cool. Another season begins! ¶ 9:13 PM 0 comments
Photo - Simple and Welcoming. A third TTCG entryway built by John F and Larry C. See 2.4.06 post for more information about him.
Before the community gardening season begins, there are several adminstrative chores they require attention.
Each year our garden gets a lease to use the Ramsey County property. The garden makes a request by letter to use the property. The County prepares a "memorandum of understanding." This is an agreement where the county agrees to lease the property, but not to the garden directly. Since the garden is not an organization, we have a "sponsor" sign for us. This year our neighborhood district council has agreed to sign the MOU on our behalf.
One of the terms of the agreement is that we will have liability insurance. It turns out that insurance and insurability are a huge deal. The garden can not get insurance directly. The way we understand it, we, as gardeners, have no insurable interest in the garden, so insurers can't insure us. This year, the neighborhood district council is stepping across the insurability gap and helping us out here too.
At a minimum, this is a two to three month activity with only one question. Is the paperwork moving?
So far, not one word about growing plants, right?
Once it looks like the agreement will be signed, there are news articles, newsletters, and blurbs to write promoting participation.
And of course, the gardener questions start flowing.
- How many gardeners are coming back?
- How many spaces are available for new gardeners?
- Can I get a sunnier garden plot?
- Can I get one with more shade?
- Can I get a bigger plot?
- Can I get two plots?
- My neighbor was too weedy last year. I want to move.
Cool. Another season begins! ¶ 9:13 PM 0 comments
Friday, February 10, 2006
Four Things for This Community Gardening Season
Photo - Another of the TTCG arbors and pergolas built by John F. See 2.4.06 post for more information about him.
Beyond new seed varieties and plants, here are four things to try in my plot and in organizing the garden for the 2006 community gardening season.
1) Reach for the sky! Go massively vertical, More vertical gardening. Use more trellises, string and pipe devices to grow up this year. I have had success with cantaloupe and other heavy produce in the past. VG offers some real advantages. It maximizes the use of space,produce is "lifted" from contact with the ground, and the vining plants are more easily controlled.
2) Get the CG soil tested. The University of Minnesota does a basic test for $15.00. It makes sense to collect random soil samples from the 2 acres of garden and get them tested. Are we gardeners adding excessive fertilizer or not enough? Does the soil need amended organic matter? It's time to find out.
3) Get more gardeners to participate in the garden operation. Asking for volunteers, acknowledging those that do volunteer,and modeling the behavior has not worked. I wonder why? It's time to cave in and make it a condition of CG participation like most other large CGs. Any other ideas?
4) Use row covers more diligently. Past efforts and results have been haphazard. Run an experiment - one raised bed of the Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli family with a cover and one without. Build a sturdy frame, anchor the cover well,and maintain it vigilantly. ¶ 8:01 PM 0 comments
Photo - Another of the TTCG arbors and pergolas built by John F. See 2.4.06 post for more information about him.Beyond new seed varieties and plants, here are four things to try in my plot and in organizing the garden for the 2006 community gardening season.
1) Reach for the sky! Go massively vertical, More vertical gardening. Use more trellises, string and pipe devices to grow up this year. I have had success with cantaloupe and other heavy produce in the past. VG offers some real advantages. It maximizes the use of space,produce is "lifted" from contact with the ground, and the vining plants are more easily controlled.
2) Get the CG soil tested. The University of Minnesota does a basic test for $15.00. It makes sense to collect random soil samples from the 2 acres of garden and get them tested. Are we gardeners adding excessive fertilizer or not enough? Does the soil need amended organic matter? It's time to find out.
3) Get more gardeners to participate in the garden operation. Asking for volunteers, acknowledging those that do volunteer,and modeling the behavior has not worked. I wonder why? It's time to cave in and make it a condition of CG participation like most other large CGs. Any other ideas?
4) Use row covers more diligently. Past efforts and results have been haphazard. Run an experiment - one raised bed of the Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli family with a cover and one without. Build a sturdy frame, anchor the cover well,and maintain it vigilantly. ¶ 8:01 PM 0 comments
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Ten Reasons Why This Man is a Great Community Gardener
Since the garden's 1998 rebirth, John F has worked to make Totem Town Community Garden an ever better place.
In every sense, he is a true community gardener.
Here's a glimpse of why:
1) Gardener - Works his garden with respect, keeps experimenting to improve it, and enjoys the harvest.
2) Designer and Contractor - Over the years, he has built the three arbors and pergolas that lead into our garden.
3) Leader - Led our effort to beautify the entryways into the garden.
4) Carpet layer - He scrounged and carpeted the garden aisles to help keep weeds down (Okay. some ideas work better than others.)
5) Builder - He built our garden's compost bins, several gates, and morning glory structures.
6) Tour Guide - He shows new gardeners around and guided visiting North American gardeners through our garden in 2005 tour.
7) Ditch Digger - He dug up broken water lines.
8) Gentleman - He shares his spring tomato plants and harvest.
9) Caretaker - He watched over the place, checked to make sure the water was locked, and cares about its well being.
10) Scrounger - Always on the lookout for materials to help the garden at no or low cost.
The garden won't be the same.
Over the few weeks, we'll feature photos of some of his work.
Good fortune, John! ¶ 1:22 PM 0 comments
Since the garden's 1998 rebirth, John F has worked to make Totem Town Community Garden an ever better place.
In every sense, he is a true community gardener.
Here's a glimpse of why:
1) Gardener - Works his garden with respect, keeps experimenting to improve it, and enjoys the harvest.
2) Designer and Contractor - Over the years, he has built the three arbors and pergolas that lead into our garden.
3) Leader - Led our effort to beautify the entryways into the garden.
4) Carpet layer - He scrounged and carpeted the garden aisles to help keep weeds down (Okay. some ideas work better than others.)
5) Builder - He built our garden's compost bins, several gates, and morning glory structures.
6) Tour Guide - He shows new gardeners around and guided visiting North American gardeners through our garden in 2005 tour.
7) Ditch Digger - He dug up broken water lines.
8) Gentleman - He shares his spring tomato plants and harvest.
9) Caretaker - He watched over the place, checked to make sure the water was locked, and cares about its well being.
10) Scrounger - Always on the lookout for materials to help the garden at no or low cost.
The garden won't be the same.
Over the few weeks, we'll feature photos of some of his work.
Good fortune, John! ¶ 1:22 PM 0 comments
