[sustainableri] Re: very important! MUCH!
- From: Michael Giroux <eagleseasons@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: sustainableri@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:01:05 -0400
Hi all!! It looks to be a wonderful day tomorrow, and I want to
double-invite everyone to join us at the garden. We've made plans to go
down there and get the beds prepared and cleaned up, and also start
organizing our seeding process and get soem things started. This will also
be followed at 5:30 by the general meeting which has been discussed and
really EVERYONE should make effort to attend.
Susie, Nina & I (as well as a guest recruit Jeff) went down there on
Saturday to begin the trash picking process; Nina suggested a very intensive
picking for small pieces of broken glass so we can one day go barefoot
inside that chain-link. As I said, it's supposed to be nice out tomorrow.
I'll be down there w/ Trev potentially hanging a new door on the sunhouse
that is 68% GLASS. So fun stuff. Mark will be coming and I've recruited a
URI master gardener as well as droves of neighborhood kids. Fun will be had
by all.
As you can see, the moon is more than half full, meaning we have about
four or five days to most wonderfully capture the rhythm of the SYNODIC
cycle of the moon, it's rhythm between full and new. This week is
considered the best week for seeding in the SYNODIC cycle. Best to plant
during the big & *waxing* moon!
According to Biodynamics, tomorrow is a good day to plant LEAF vegetables
(moon in cancer, ruled by water, which is associated with Leaf Growth in
plants) so any of that lettuce spinach kale cabbage is perfect. theres a
bunch of info on that HERE:
http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk/MoonPlanting.asp
and I'd also like to highly recommend this article title ALCHEMICAL
GARDENING----
http://www.triad-publishing.com/stone20c.html
(actually meant to blow your mind---
"The intent of this article is to establish not the last word about
alchemical gardening, but rather the first. By this approach I hope to
stimulate an ongoing dialogue within the worldwide scope of the STONE so
that we may grow in our understanding of natural, lawful, gardening.
Concern about the environment, overpopulation, earth changes, global
disease, and a dozen other serious issues, stalk our daily lives.
Realistically, what can we expect in 5, 10, or 20 years? It's impossible to
say, exactly, but we know we'll need to eat, and we'll need medicines, and
we'll need a sound and productive natural world. This is certain.
More specifically, increasing toxicity in our air, water, and soil, which
eventually seeps into our food, directly affects our health. Meats and dairy
products carry anti biotic residues and hormone growth enhancers; fruits are
sprayed; vegetables are radiated; and many prepackaged foods carry propyl
derivatives.
In view of these considerations, more and more people are taking the
responsibility of augmenting their food resources with back yard gardens,
organically grown food, stored food, and "controlled environment" food
production such as the biodynamic principles of farming. Yet, I dare say,
the vast majority of these well intentioned people are unaware of the
nutritional potential of adding Alchemically managed food production
principles to their methods."
401PURE858
On Wed, Mar 24, 2010 at 8:02 PM, Dauna J. Noble <daunajean@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> mike! You are an angel! yes get waiting list! yes best way to fill out
> and keep in. FYI_ Yarrow is currently negotiating with an afterschool
> program to rent the rear bay of his building, if they do, they want to
> garden...its all in the works man!
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 10:58 PM, Michael Giroux
> <eagleseasons@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>
>> Thanks for caring for the schedule, Dauna.
>> I have planted some flower seeds in the serpentine bed thus far, so let
>> me know where we put in those blueberries, (I would be interested in those!)
>> I am in full agreement, Andrea, that we have a unique and effective
>> opportunity to grow crops way more efficiently when we have them in neat
>> rows, planted to receive their proper sunlight and so forth, and can have
>> one person go over there and take care of watering the whole thing, so on
>> and so on. It is very eloquently put in your message; I couldnt say it any
>> better.
>> Every other South Side Community Garden has a waiting list. Some people
>> have been on waiting lists for three years. We should contact these people,
>> and incite them to join with us, to be in involved with our progressive and
>> novel take, which is actually more efficient and rational. I have been
>> personally speaking on our behalf to a few people who have shown interest,
>> some right in the neighborhood. But I think a cohesive recruitment is very
>> much in order!! I would be willing to write a statement, Andrea, your
>> statement right there may be a righteous piece in itself!! Can we get that
>> waiting list and contact them?? I am with you too, A, in that I'm not
>> opposed to people doing their own thing, but I would much prefer them to
>> join with us!! I did talk with Yarrow to the point that if we see a bed
>> being obviously neglected this year, we would place a complaint and if those
>> repsonsible dont take care of it, that bed will revert to the collective
>> control of the garden after a said amount of time (I proposed three days,
>> like if there is tons of bugs on their plants and everything, we want to be
>> able to address that quickly)
>> I am going to write to the gardens coordinator right now, from SCLT, and
>> try to get that waiting email list. If any of you would like to write quick
>> snippets, such as:
>> "There is this greenhouse that kind of reminds me of a spaceship, and
>> the people there reassured me that the sun wasn't going to blow up in two
>> thousand twelve!" * -Christian, young neighborhood resident*
>> You know, in your own words though, not paraphrasing for someone else.
>> With these three year waiting lists, I have a feeling we may be able to drum
>> up some members, and I believe we're offering a sort of premier membership
>> in some ways, considering the greenhouse access, although I havent heard
>> anything about extra fees for greenhouse use; emm? I have been nominated as
>> Greenhouse Steward, a position I will accept if/when it becomes formal.
>> I submitted my own wishes for our agreement, including the right to
>> keep BEES which Yarrow is also entirely in favor of, and that we can
>> maintain a campfire space. I am all about maximizing garden beds, but I
>> really feel that the fire is part of keeping our spirits burning, and
>> actually (quick story) one friend and potential new member I brought over
>> changed his opinion from "maybe interested" to "definitely coming this
>> thursday" when I showed him our bad-ass firepit. So as far as making sure
>> we've got enough members, I think there are other allures besides
>> vegetables, being honest. Community and good times are right up there.
>> (we're also going to be needing to burn those blight ridden tomato plants
>> and so forth, so it's really part of farm operations in my book.)
>> More update: the kids have been coming around regularly, they want to
>> learn a lot and grow their own seeds, very interested, very enquiring. So I
>> am inviting them to come on Thursdays also, because that is my consistent
>> day of stewardship and I'll be coming up with activities for them and
>> satisfying their interest in astronomy etc. I think we could eventually get
>> money to do after school programming summer programming etc. which is
>> another way we could pay for our collective rental of the land. If anyone
>> would like to work with me on that, please do!!! For now I just keep doing
>> the good things with trust it will all pan out in the end.
>> More update: The greenhouse is so god-porkin beautiful these days; it
>> has gained a whole new motif since y'all have been there. There's a reason
>> we'll be planting SPACE SPINACH in there this week. (By the way, I went and
>> picked up our 200 seed packs from URI, and also traded for some local seeds
>> from the Laotians and other Providence gardeners. It is high time to get
>> some seeds going and I really look forward to getting some trays filled.)
>> Trev gave it all a fresh coat of paint, and our friend Than has been coming
>> by to water his seedlings, am I making you envious???? well you should be!
>> let's get some seeds going! we gotta straighten out the deal before we do
>> that, tho I put in some basil just to keep myself calm.
>> Yarrow's main focus seems to be upon effective use of the space. He
>> doesnt want to see the land neglected nay more than we do. That is why he
>> would like to get more people involved. Hell, I think we all do! My own
>> hope is that we bring them into the fold of Fertile Underground, because I
>> think it is more coherent, as Andrea described. We have a novel approach
>> that I agree, I don't see elsewhere in any gardens of our size in Prov. So
>> write me some short quotes, those of you with the inspiration to do so, and
>> I'll piece together some sort of press statement if I can get it to that
>> waiting list.
>> Much love, everyone, I look forward to seeing you. By the way, anyone
>> up for a game of 8-player chess?
>>
>> Michael
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 1:34 PM, Dauna J. Noble <daunajean@xxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>> > OK, firstly --- blueberry bushes have recieved such excitement, I think
>> we
>> > would alll love to have them if possible and Yarrow concurs, and
>> serpentine
>> > bed seems good for them. So, if that can happen -DO IT!
>> >
>> > scedule adjust per request- WE WILL MEET EVERY OTHER THURSDAY @ 530
>> > CAMPFIRE, STARTING MARCH 25TH, BUT, ALSO APRIL 1, THEN EVERY TWO FROM
>> > THERE. SO MARCH 25, APRIL 1, APRIL 15TH, APRIL 29TH, MAY 14, MAY
>> > 28......
>> >
>> > AND 1ST SAT OF THE MONTH @ 430 APRIL 3, MAY 1, JUNE 5, JULY 3....
>> >
>> > EVERY THURS AFTERNOON IS A GROUP WORK DAY, AND EVERY SAT AFTERNOON IS A
>> > GROUP WORK DAY. EVEN IF ITS NOT A MEETING DAY.
>> >
>> > You are not required to catch every meeting but both are offered for
>> sched
>> > flexabilty. the idea is to stay connected, so if you cant do thursdays,
>> > really try to be there for the sat meetings and vise versa. YOU ARE
>> REQUIRED
>> > TO CATCH AT LEAST ONE A MONTH!
>> >
>> > NOW THE BIG DEAL
>> >
>> > met with yarrow last weekend. He is taking a MUCH more active role this
>> > year and is hell bent on seeing the garden filled up and rockin. This
>> is
>> > definately a good thing, but presents its challlenges. Yarrows title is
>> now
>> > Garden Director, while mine is Garden Coordinator, and he pretty much
>> wants
>> > to make most of the decisions. He seems to be developing the garden
>> under a
>> > system to allow it to run as a community garden should our group pull
>> out.
>> > He is giving us first rights on everything and does acknowledge that we
>> > brought it this far, so he is being cool, but he is tricky to
>> understand.
>> > Basically, he has staked out many many more beds that he claims he will
>> lead
>> > the building of(and pay for building of), maybe 30 or 40 beds in total
>> (4x8
>> > beds-so many of ours are doubles). Now, he says we can take as much of
>> the
>> > garden as we want to pay for, and the rest he would rent out community
>> > style. This leaves the greenhouse running as a separate entity, where
>> some
>> > members or the group rent greenhouse space, or other entities, other
>> > seasons, rent it separately. Seems confusing to me and I would much
>> rather
>> > see us rent the whole garden and be more clear. But that is up to you
>> > guys. Nothing is set in stone yet- but he is thinking 40 beds at $40 a
>> bed
>> > (includes dirt, water, etc) which is $1600. We have 15-20 members
>> > currently, so that would put us at $80 - $100 PER MEMBER for the year,
>> if we
>> > want the whole garden and most of the greenhouse (except special
>> projects,
>> > winter rental etc) Payment this year is one-time pay, preferable on
>> April
>> > 1. (sorry we cant do the monthly thing again - hes not having it and it
>> was
>> > alot of trouble.)and the season means April thru November.If we do it
>> this
>> > way we would be paying less than last year, have alot more services and
>> > recsources via Yarrow, and twice the bed space, more than twice the
>> food.
>> >
>> > or...do we want to consider having less beds, less contol, less food,
>> and
>> > pay less, and have our group function as a group that works a portion of
>> the
>> > garden while other community members have their own beds. At this
>> point,
>> > the garden itself is one thing, Fertile Underground its tenant.
>> >
>> > We have to have a final vote on this ASAP, AND SIGN UP AND PAY UP, so we
>> > will discuss it at the meeting this coming thursday @ 530, and vote. If
>> you
>> > are unable to attend, please forward your comments and insights, and
>> > preferences about which way you would like to see this go and how much
>> $
>> > you would prefer to pay/ how much is your limit you would pay and still
>> > maintain your membership. We intend to sign a lease April 1, so please
>> plan
>> > to arrange for your membership fees by then if at all possible. We will
>> be
>> > in the garden for facetime/payment thursday 25th (3-7) sat. 27th (1-4)
>> and
>> > thursday april 1 (3-7), or can be mailed to Dauna Noble 109 Summer St.
>> Prov
>> > RI 02903.
>> >
>> > It is tricky, but considering how far we have come and how lucky we were
>> to
>> > get out of $1000 debt AND still have a garden, I think we can work it
>> out.
>> > what do you think? hope to see you alll thursday!
>> >
>> > dirtluv!
>> > -Dauna
>> >
>> > ps-sorry i missed you at the sat. kick-off --my truck broke down, got
>> > stuck....
>>
>>
>
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