This spring semester 2010, an Indiana University undergraduate class of 35 students is learning how to design and construct a state-of-the-art compost system for the GANA garden. This class, “E400 Environmental Sustainability,” has been created by Melissa Clark, a lecturer at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Various members of this class have been assigned to write a blog. This week's post(s) follow.
Not too much to report this week as the warmer weather and visions of next weeks spring break had most of the class distracted. I was able to check up on city ordinances group, and they are still researching our options. I am going to be sending a reminder to the other groups that after we return from spring break that they need to get my group their weekly updates in a timely manner. Hopefully after spring break everyones minds will be clear and as the weather continues to improve they project will began to make strides. I am really excited about working with the other groups and making this project great. Hope everyone has a great week, and check back in two weeks.
Braedon A. Engle
Blog Group 7
Sunday, March 14, 2010
GANG and IU SPEA Partnership Project - Weekly Blog Update
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
March GANA meeting and potluck
Date: Tuesday, March 9
Time: Potluck begins at 6:30pm, with meeting to follow
Location: Ann's house, 134 N Overhill
Topics: Blooming Neighborhoods Celebration, 6th Annual Plant Share, GANG updates - lots to share, Bypass Expansion Project, Upcoming Events
Neighbors Present: Jelene Campbell, John and Jessica Gaus, Ann Kreilkamp, Al & Kathy Ruesink, Jane Spearman
Blooming Neighborhoods Celebration - Jane did the table last year, but due to her pregnancy will not be able to do it this year; neighbors agreed it was still important to have a table and that we will do it; Jane will let Vickie know that Green Acres will participate again this year. Part of this event is the three awards, all of which come with $100 prize for the winning neighbor/neighborhood. This is a great way to get match money for Small and Simple Grants. We will have nominations for at least two of the three categories.
6th Annual Plant Share and Neighborhood Clean Up - Jelene will host the 6th Annual Plant Share on Saturday, May 22nd. Neighbors also agreed that we would continue with last year's idea and do a neighborhood clean up following the plant share. More details on both will be circulated later.
GANG - Instructors for the 2nd year have been chosen and Ann has secured a grant from ARC to cover their fees; a SPEA class is partnering with the GANG to build a compost system and to address other issues of the GANG; Ann is working on possible grants from Bloomington in Bloom; Ann is working with the city to address liability issues and how they limit the ability of community gardens to flourish; the GANG will be featured as part of the City's Parks and Rec Department's Garden Tour; GANA has been contacted by Stepping Stones about opportunities for collaboration and this is being worked on.
Bypass Expansion - The project is scheduled to be let on May 12. The mayor addressed the bypass during his State of City Address. The project will start at the west end, near Kinser Pike and work its way east; it could be 3 or more years before ground is broken near Green Acres.
Upcoming events - The 10th Street Mobility Study findings will be presented Thursday at 5:30 at Monroe County Public Library. Immediately following and also at the library will be a showing of the film "In Transition 1.0" sponsored by Transition Bloomington.
Jelene's band will be having a CD release party on April 23; details to come later.
The April meeting will be Tuesday, April 13 and will be kindly hosted by Jane, 2611 E 5th Street. Potluck begins at 6:30 with meeting to follow.
respectfully submitted by me :)
Sunday, March 7, 2010
GANG and IU SPEA Partnership Project
In order to further the educational and community building missions of the year-old Green Acres Neighborhood Garden, we are creating partnerships of various kinds. This spring semester 2010, an Indiana University undergraduate class of 35 students is learning how to design and construct a state-of-the-art compost system for the GANA garden. This class, “E400 Environmental Sustainability,” has been created by Melissa Clark, a lecturer at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Melissa is also a member of the Bloomington Commission of Sustainability and the Environmental Resource Advisory Council for Parks and Recreaction. Various members of this class have been assigned to write a blog. Here are the first and second posts. — Ann K.
3/02/10 Brodie Hopkins writes:
Here is the first blog. No doubt it is atrocious, but I have never written a blog and I got very little information from the groups.
This is the first attempt at a blog regarding the G.A.N.G. community garden and the E-400 Environmental Sustainability class’s project. The class is divided into groups that will focus on various aspects of the community garden, such as the building of a compost bin, fundraising, as well as a case study. Each week this blog will update the readers on the progress of these groups. While it is early in the project, the class is working hard, researching and planning. The compost group is researching design options, as well as investigating local prices of the supplies needed to construct a compost bin. The fundraising group is drafting up fundraising ideas and finding local businesses that are willing to support the community garden. The case study group will be studying community gardens in a major city in the United States and trying to apply the successes to Bloomington, while avoiding the struggles. At this time, I’d like to end the first blog, please join us next week for updates on the progress each group is making.
3/5/10 Chelsie Hopkins writes:
IU's E400 class is hard at work putting together their plans for the Green Acres Neighborhood Garden this week. So far, we have only received one of the completed plans from the group that is focusing on city ordinance issues.
Their plan maps out different things they would like to accomplish with G.A.N.G such as: prohibiting the sales of any retail items on the garden site, restricting hours of operation to 5 am-11 pm daily, having on-site storage container restrictions, vegetation limits, livestock limits, limitations on the size of garden, etc. They are currently waiting for an update form the city of Bloomington to give them more information on restrictions they need to be aware of.
Stay posted as it is still early in the planning process of this project and we will have more information regarding the garden to come in the following weeks.
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Sunday, February 28, 2010
Green Acres Real Estate Update - 2.28.10
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
February Potluck & Meeting
NOTE: This meeting was cancelled due to the weather. Green Acres encourages you to be safe, stay warm, and take care of each other!
Time: Potluck begins at 6:30 with meeting to follow
Location: Ann's, 134 N Overhill
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Green Acres Real Estate Update - 2.7.10
Check out the latest listing of homes for sale in Green Acres. Find a wonderful place to call you own and be a part of our neighborhood.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Green Acres Real Estate Update - 1.17.10
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
January Potluck and Meeting
Time: Potluck begins at 6:30pm with meeting to follow
Location: Kindly hosted by Al & Kathy, 2605 E 5th
Topics: Bypass, GANG, neighbor news
Neighbors Present: Jelene Campbell, John and Jessica Gaus, Ann Kreilkamp, Kevin Polk, Al & Kathy Ruesink, Kimberly Wagner
Bypass: Neighbors discussed the recent H-T article stating that the bypass project is the most important project of 2010. John brought up the idea that since there are lots of houses on the west side of the by-pass and very close to it, perhaps a wall could at least built there? He wants to look at the idea of trying to fight for just this stretch of the road: don't widen this final stretch; slow the speed limit down. Ann will attend the B-Top meeting January 11 (tomorrow evening) and report back to the group anything of interest to us.
GANG: Neighbors discussed what we want the garden to be in its second year. How will the garden continue its educational and community-building mission as well as grow food? An IU Sustainability class will be working with the garden during spring semester to design and build a state-of-the-art compost system using bins. Ann is meeting with Vickie Provine (City's HAND Department) tomorrow for lunch to discuss the garden. Neighbors agreed to leave the ferrocement fence as is and to finish the painting so it is uniform. Also want to make a sign this year. Colin has volunteered to do all the little building projects that remain during the growing season this year: finish the picnic area, build the tool shed, and make permanent cold frames for the front area of the garden. More neighbor support, as well as ideas for what the garden should look like this year, are needed. Ann presented a slide show (created by Jane) on the GANG's first year to the McDoel Gardens Neighborhood Association which got them very excited to do something similar in their neighborhood. We would love to share this presentation with other neighborhoods, so get the word out. We will talk with Nicole from the Service Learning Center at IU to see if there might be a graduate student who could intern at the garden in some way. John brought up the idea of saving seeds from the garden and giving to people in the neighborhood to establish their own gardens. Neighbors talked about the community gardens in the city and thought about the idea of HAND setting up a tour of different types of community gardens that already exist in Bloomington.
Fond Farewell: Kevin and Kimberly announced that they are leaving Bloomington and moving to Athens, Ohio, where they will simplify their lives and start a permaculture garden on 4.5 acres with an existing trailer. They hope to build a straw bale house there eventually. Neighbors were excited to see them take that next step on their journey and sad to know their wonderful friendship and participation would be missing from future GANA life. Best Wishes to Kevin and Kimberly - you will be missed tremendously!
Next meeting Tuesday, February 9 at 6:30pm; kindly hosted by Ann, 134 N Overhill
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Green Acres Real Estate Update - 12.27.09
Check out the latest listing of homes for sale in Green Acres. Find a new home and come be a part of this great neighborhood.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
December Potluck and Meeting
Date: Tuesday, December 8
Time: Potluck begins at 6:30pm with meeting to follow
Location: Kindly hosted by Ann, 134 N Overhill
Topics: Transition Town Bloomington, the City's new Leadership program, and anything else neighbors want to discuss
Neighbors Present: Jelene Campbell, John & Jessica Gauss, Ann Kreilkamp, Jane Spearman
Guests: Dex Conaway, Keith Johnson, Scott Routen, Danny Weddle
Due to some technical difficulties, the full time of the meeting was spent on a Transition slideshow. We learned about the need for cities and neighborhoods to adapt to what is called the Long Emergency. This emergency is caused by the convergence of Peak Oil, Climate Change, and Economic Instability. The slideshow discussed the principles of Transition and how they relate to sustainability. Following the slideshow, neighbors and guests discussed how our neighborhood can prepare and respond. If you would like to learn more, do a web search on Transition and check out a website such as this one; or join in one of the many presentations that will be hosted in our neighborhood and city.
The next meeting is Tuesday, January 12 at 6:30pm; kindly hosted by Al & Kathy Ruesink, 2605 E 5th Street.
Notes respectfully submitted by me!
