Over the weekend, we worked on fencing the garden in and fencing the deer out. Additional details in the full post.
We made a fence at the front corner of the garden using the ferrocement technique and then used an open fencing for the remainder. The ferrocement fence provides a nice balance to the corner opposite the pond and the open fencing allows passerbys to see what is happening in the garden. Hooks were embedded in the ferrocement fence to hold the future GANG signs! We thought of ways to use the open fence; we could put climbing plants on both sides, we could hang neighborhood art, we could post announcements and much more. It was fun to envision the many uses of our neighborhod space, both inside and outside the garden. Check out Ann's blog for a much better description of the day's events! If you can't make the workshops, you can join us for the weekly volunteer hour, Thursdays from 5:30-6:30pm.
Monday, June 29, 2009
GANG - Workshop #4
Thursday, June 25, 2009
GANG News 6.25.09
Welcome to this week's GANG News post!
Details of this week's efforts, how to volunteer, and the current wishlist follow. Enjoy!
GANG Group Volunteer Hour 6.25.09
We transplanted tomato plants from their location at the end of bed one, to a more soily area in bed two, which should help them thrive. We also continued to weed the beds and discuss plans for next year's beds that will eliminate (or greatly reduce) this particular need. We discussed the bypass project and the meetings held this week to address it (hint: coming to the GANG volunteer hour helps you keep on top of juicy neighborhood news). At the end of the hour, we took home some fabulous greens - mesclun, lambs quarter, and chard; makes a tasty reward for a little bit of work!
Outside the Hour
Tom C., a new Green Acres neighbor who will be moving into 2601 DeKist Street in August, has volunteered to build the toolshed for the new tools that GANA will purchase thanks to Kevin's successful grant application to HAND. Kevin will also help design the toolshed to optimize security and tool retention. Ann K. has volunteered to finance the materials for this project.
Tom has also volunteered to design and build a picnic table that we will place near the pond under the shade for community use. We would love help in both purchasing the materials for this project as well as doing the actual carpentry from our GANA neighbors.
We will be putting up fence's in the garden this weekend for June's workshop. Details are here.
Why & How to Volunteer
We invite all neighbors to join us at the GANG. By volunteering you can earn shares of the gardens bounty; shares earned are based on volunteer hours. There is a weekly group volunteer hour Thursdays from 5:30pm-6:30pm, but you are welcome to volunteer anytime. There is volunteer log we use to track volunteer hours and what work was done during your time. The volunteer log (white binder) is located on Ann's porch, 134 N. Overhill.
GANG Wishlist
* help with weeding the beds; be careful not to distrub the small areas where the hay has been pulled back, these are the areas with new plants; put pulled weeds in the pile against the fence
* plastic blind slats (we will cut them up and use them to label plants in the beds)
* picnic table - materials for, and/or labor to create
* water plants for the pond
* ornamental plants for the areas around the pond and the front area of the garden
* vegetables and herb plants for the beds
* compost and other mulch materials
* buckets
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Green Acres Real Estate Update - 6.21.09
Follow this link to see a current listing of the homes for sale in Green Acres.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
GANG News 6.18.09
Welcome to this week's GANG News post!
Details of this week's efforts, how to volunteer, and the current wishlist follow. Enjoy!
GANG Group Volunteer Hour 6.18.09
We cut and lay carpet scraps for the aisles between the beds and we continued weeding the beds. We checked the plants for growth and general health; some plants were pruned and some were feed to address possible issues. We welcomed some new faces and enjoyed talking together as we worked.
Why & How to Volunteer
We invite all neighbors to join us at the GANG. By volunteering you can earn shares of the gardens bounty; shares earned are based on volunteer hours. There is a weekly group volunteer hour Thursdays from 5:30pm-6:30pm, but you are welcome to volunteer anytime. There is volunteer log we use to track volunteer hours and what work was done during your time. The volunteer log (white binder) is located on Ann's porch, 134 N. Overhill.
GANG Wishlist
* help with weeding the beds; be careful not to distrub the small areas where the hay has been pulled back, these are the areas with new plants; put pulled weeds in the pile against the fence
* plastic blind slats (we will cut them up and use them to label plants in the beds)
* picnic table - designing, materials for, and/or labor to create
* water plants for the pond
* ornamental plants for the areas around the pond and the front area of the garden
* vegetables and herb plants for the beds
* compost and other mulch materials
* buckets
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
GANA wins small and simple grant!
Good news! I just found out today that Bloomington's Small and Simple grant program will help us buy tools for the Green Acres Neighborhood Garden (GANG).
If you have attended the monthly GANG workshops, it may appear that tools just (ahem) grow on trees. In reality, instructor Keith Johnson has lugged wheelbarrows, shovels and myriad other tools to class from his urban homestead each time. Problem is, we need the tools much more than once a month, and we'll need them season after season to come.
That's why Ann has committed to building a tool shed at the GANG site by August 1. The City is chipping in for the tools themselves, and GANA will secure and maintain them. So as we approach harvest time, we'll have the carts, shovels, forks, shears, and other tools needed to prep and maintain the garden through Fall and Winter.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
GANG News #1
Welcome to the first GANG News post! Our plan is to update the blog weekly with what is going on in the garden.
Details of this weeks efforts, how to volunteer, and the current wishlist follow. Enjoy!
GANG Group Volunteer Hour 6.11.09
We identfied the plants in the beds, worked on weeding the beds, and planted some new foods.
Bed Inventory (Beds numbered by proximity to the pond, plants listed from west to east)
Bed 1 - Berry plant (1)(not sure what type yet), green leaf lettuce(32), caraway (7), marjoram (2), oregano (2), dill (3), carrots (1), sunflowers (3), several varities of tomatoes (17), basil (9), and some surprise plants (9).
Bed 2 - brassica (6), red chard (2), giant lambs quarter (3), green chard (4), brassica (2), collard green (1), green chard (8), red chard (4), red coxcomb (1), yellow coxcomb (2), heirloom tomatoes (2), giant lambs quarter (1), berry (1)(not sure what type yet)
Bed 3 - green leaf lettuce (lots), red leaf lettuce (6), cauliflower (6), brassica (6), tomato (1), potato (5), mizuna (8), leeks (lots), berry (1)(not sure what kind yet), tomato (1), pumpkin (4)
New Plants (all in middle of bed 2)
We planted - cucumber (14), beets (15), carrots (16)
Pond - the koi have new friends, about 100 tadpoles
Why & How to Volunteer
We invite all neighbors to join us at the GANG. By volunteering you can earn shares of the gardens bounty; shares earned are based on volunteer hours. There is a weekly group volunteer hour Thursdays from 5:30pm-6:30pm, but you are welcome to volunteer anytime. There is volunteer log we use to track volunteer hours and what work was done during your time. The volunteer log (white binder) is located on Ann's porch, 134 N. Overhill.
GANG Wishlist
* help with weeding the beds; be careful not to distrub the small areas where the hay has been pulled back, these are the areas with new plants; put pulled weeds in the pile against the fence
* plastic blind slats (we will cut them up and use them to label plants in the beds)
* picnic table - designing, materials for, and/or labor to create
* water plants for the pond
* ornamental plants for the areas around the pond and the front area of the garden
* vegetables and herb plants for the beds
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
June GANA Potluck and Meeting
Date: Tuesday, June 9th
Time: Potluck begins at 6:30pm with meeting to follow
Location: Kindly hosted by Ann K., 134 N. Overhill
Topics: Ann K.'s Award and Blooming Neighbors, discussion of our neighborhood plan and how to move forward with our objectives, news & announcements
Neighbors: Jelene Campbell, John & Jessica Gaus, Ann Kreilkamp, Kevin Polk, Al & Kathy Ruesink, Georgia Schaich, Erik Schedler, Jane Spearman, Kimberly Wagner, Katie Zukof
Special Guests: City of Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development staff, Vickie Provine and Bob Wolford
Ann Award & Blooming Neighbors
We discussed Green Acres' participation in the Blooming Neighbors Celebration on June 6th and Ann's Certificate of Recognition in the HAND Neighbor of the Year category. Ann's award was passed around and neighbors gave Ann a round of applause for her accomplishments. Check out the blog post with pics of Green Acres' table and Ann receiving her award.
Neighborhood Plan (link to plan, pages 21-28 were discussed)
Vickie introduced Bob Wolford, who was able to step in for Nate Nickels (City Planning). Everyone thanked Bob for taking the time to join us in Nate's stead. Vickie read through our plan item by item and neighbors talked about the progress on goals and items of concern. Highlights include:
* drainage issues at Clark & 5th and Hillsdale & 5th, Vickie will report these issues; neighbors also shared their disappoint in the way the street and drainage project on east fifth did not follow more sensible, environmentally beneficial plans
* seemingly abandoned house on 8th & Clark; Vickie will report to HAND
* 3rd street sidewalk - neighbors are interested in seeing work begin on extending the sidewalk along the entire north side of E. Third Street; Bob reports that this is in the works and has city support, but neighbors should still speak with planning and their council persons to show the eagerness of the neighborhood to see this project move along
* Bypass - neighbors would like to see the plan (Vickie mentioned that City Hall should have one as should Planning, MPO, and IU Architect's Office); there is some possible action needed soon that might postpone the start of the widening project and neighbors could be needed to mobolize quickly on this issue; updates will be shared via the email list (to join, send us an email)
* Painting signal box at 3rd and Hillsdale - neighbors were curious what it would take to get the okay to paint the signal boxes, Vickie suggests contacting Miah Michaelson to discuss
* Signs - we discussed sign ordinances, both for neighborhood markers and for the GANG, it is likely that the sign for the garden will need a variance, so Vickie suggests that we talk with planning
* energy usage - neighbors discussed ideas for addressing energy usage in the neighborhood, such as carbon cutting workshops and teaching neighbors how to determine their energy usage
Vickie announced that the fall 2009 Citizen's Academy course had only 3 spots left. Jane will email the list right after the meeting about this opportunity.
Ann is working on plans for the home next to the garden. She would like to use it as a Healing and Community Center and is finding out about the variances needed to do this. The space could be used for neighborhood gatherings, movie nights, workshops; Ann would also like to have an artists space for more individual work and the garage would be available for use as a workshop to learn sustainable skills.
The next meeting will be Tuesday, July 14 hosted by Jane Spearman, 2611 E 5th; potluck begins at 6:30 with meeting to follow
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Blooming Neighborhoods Celebration Weekend
Ann K. receiving her award
On Friday, June 5th, Jim Diers' gave a presentation on community building. Green Acres won a HAND goody bag (complete with a copy of Jim's book) for having the most neighbors in attendance!
On Saturday, June 6th, the participating neighborhoods set up tables to display neighborhood information. This occured at Farmer's Market and during this time, the neighborhood awards were given. Our own Ann K. received a Certificate of Recognition in the HAND Neighbor of the Year category.
Thanks to all the neighbors who helped create and staff our table, and to those who came to cheer for Ann. Thanks also to Ann for making the neighborhood garden a reality and giving us something to cheer about! More pictures from the day are in the full post.
To see broadcasts of Jim's presentation, check the CATS schedule at this link.
Kevin P., Kimberly W., and Jane S. at the GANA table
Ann K. receiving her award
Jane S. and Roxy at the conclusion of Blooming Neighbors
