Monday, April 9, 2012

¡Kate y Aresh Visitan!

El 5-7 de Abril, un par de jardinero/organizadores comunitarios profesionales nos dieron una visita. Kate Temple-West y Aresh Javadi viven en Nueva York, donde trabajan con varios jardínes comunitarios y una organización que se llama "More Gardens!" ("¡Más Jardínes!") (http://www.moregardens.org). Dieron varios discursos y seminarios sobre sus proyectos en Nueva York, los desafíos con jardínes comunitarios que enfrentan, y las etapas que pueden fortalecer a tal proyecto.

Kate and Aresh Visit!
April 5-7th, a pair of professional gardener/community organizers gave us a visit. Kate Temple-West and Aresh Javadi live in New York, where they work with various community gardens, including the Children's Magical Garden, and an organization called "More Gardens!" (http://www.moregardens.org). They held various discussions and workshops about their projects in New York, the challenges that community gardens face, and steps that one can take to strengthen such a project. 


Kate también es herbalista y directora teátrica. Aquí da un seminario en el jardín de Pitzer sobre creatividad, marionetas, y la espiritualidad que se puede encontrar en la naturaleza.
Kate is also an herbalist and theatrical director. Here she is giving a workshop in the Pitzer garden about creativity, puppetry, and the spirituality found in nature.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

¡Inspiraciónes!/Inspirations!
Día de Buena Comida Los Angeles
En el 31 de marzo, 2012, gente se reunieron en 40 sitios diferentes para celebrar la producción, preparación, y consumo de buena comida local de Los Angeles. 
¡Mira este bonito jardín terrazado! 
(PHOTO)
Se llama La Academia de Liderazgo Los Angeles Urbano Proyecto Granja y uno de sus cargadas se graduó de Pitzer. Aquí hay un video sobre el proyecto:



Good Food Day LA
On March 31, 2012, people came together at 40 different sites to celebrate the production, preparation, and consumption of good local food in Los Angeles. 
Check out this beautiful terraced garden! 
(PICTURE?)
It's called the Los Angeles Leadership Academy Urban Farm Project, and one of its managers went to Pitzer. Here's a little video about the project: 


¡Más Jardínes! 
Una guía para empezar un jardín comunitario. Escrito por Aresh, quien visitó a Pitzer y los jardínes comunitarios de este area. Es escrito  específicamente para jardínes "guerillas" en la ciudad Nueva York, pero todavía es pertinente a jardínes en cualquier lugar.

More Gardens!
A guide about how to start a community garden. Written by Aresh, who visited Pitzer and the community gardens in this area. It's written specifically for guerilla gardens in New York City, but it's still pertinent to gardens anywhere.

How to start a community garden now! Yes Yes Yes!



Grow Your Own Zucchini Dreams!
An Un-Common-Sense Guide to Starting Your Own Community Garden
by Cathy Bussewitz and Aresh Javadi
Tired of eating genetically engineered food? Ready to grow your own peaches for breakfast? The community garden in your neighborhood may be the answer to your salad dreams. If your garden is filled for the season, as many are right now, you can request to have a space reserved for next fall or spring.
But if that’s too long to wait for your organic big apple bites, now is the time to dirty your hands planting the seeds of food revolution, and start your own community garden. Follow the steps below…your stomach will be happy you did.
Where can I plant? First, find your future garden. Once you’ve chosen a slice of land, you can find out who owns it by calling NYPIRG, or visiting www.cmap.nypirg.org or www.oasisnyc.net. In either of these sites, type in your zip code and you’re on your way. You should also talk to your local community board to determine whether there are immediate development plans. To find out which community board you are in, call the mayor’s office or visit www.nyc.gov/html/cau/html/cblist.html.
How do I start? If you want to play by the rules, talk to the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and contact the city parks’ GreenThumb office for support. However, rather than talking to these agencies right away, we recommend the following program.
(1) Free the land. Buy bolt-cutters at the local hardware store and open the garden gates. Replace the lock with your own, and make extra copies of the key for your fellow future gardeners. Take pictures of the lot as it is, to document the beauty you bring.
(2) Plant the seeds in your community. Talk to your neighbors and care-taking residents of the block. Throw a party to clean out the trash and weeds from your new plot of land. Invite community groups and church groups to the event. Post fliers to attract as many people as possible.
(3) Beautify. Organizations such as Bronx Green-up and Brooklyn Botanical Garden can hook you up with free trees. GreenThumb will provide free plants after you have registered the garden, but you will have to do some planting in order to register. There are also mail-order nurseries which offer nice discounts. Don’t shy away from hitting up local nurseries for donations.
(4) Start the feeding frenzy. When planting fruits and vegetables, remember that city soil is toxic. If you want to test your soil to find out just how bad it is, contact the EPA or Green Thumb with your soil sample. Using bricks, stones, 2x8 planks, or your favorite found objects, shape and build your large planter. Fill it with clean soil, and plant the seeds. You’re on your way to better dinners!
• Decide the yummies you wish to plant, and follow directions on the seed pack.
• In the spring, April is a good time to plant long-growing vegetables like squash, tomato, peas, beans, herbs, watermelon, and corn.
• In the fall, plant bulbs for onions and garlic before the first frost.
(5) Sustain. Post a sign on the gates to tell others when the garden will be open, and invite members to get involved. Throw parties and cookouts, and take pictures. Invite schools to teach lessons in the garden. Donate a portion of the food to a food pantry or soup kitchen. Grow plants that will help alleviate asthma, like Mullen and Echinacea. Draft rules of membership. At your parties and plantings, invite everyone to sign a petition to make the garden permanent. Save photos and fliers in a garden portfolio.
(6) Make your garden permanent. Contact your community board, and get on the agenda for their next meeting. Win the approval of your council member by inviting him or her to your parties. Bring your portfolio, petition, and member lists to GreenThumb or the Trust for Public Land, to apply for permanent status. Contact More Gardens! Coalition at www.moregardens.org for their “How to Make Your Garden Permanent” book.
Enjoy your home-grown garden paradise!
To learn how to save your seeds to re-plant next year, visit www.seedtrust.com. For gardening tips, check out www.greenthumbnyc.org/links.html. Most importantly, as you’re plowing along on the way to healthier meals, share the trees, bees, and peas with your neighbors and friends. Gardens are for everyone. Take back the land!