For the Vegetarian Gardener

Many of our members grow their own fruits and vegetables at home as well as at the Community Garden.  We  share the same philosophy about knowing the source of our food and how it is grown. Because we are not allowed to use chemical fertilizers in our garden boxes, I found the following article which seems to be quite helpful in sorting out what to use in different soil conditions.

These days, even using animal fertilizers is questionable...blood and bone meal come from cow offal, and we all know that mad cow disease is related to these cow remains.  Fish fertilizer can be heavily contaminated with:

• metals such as mercury and lead,
• industrial chemicals such as PCBs, and
• pesticides such as DDT and dieldrin.

So the following link will take you to an article that may help you figure out what fertilizers you can use for your soil conditions that are not chemical or animal based: http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Is-Your-Garden-Vegetarian-Alternatives-to-2890979.php#page-1

Enjoy! ~admin~

Gardening Tips for All

Please scroll down to Abundant Garden Help

Ten Steps to Starting a Community Garden

The following steps are adapted from the American Community Garden Association's guidelines for launching a successful community garden in your neighborhood.

1. ORGANIZE A MEETING OF INTERESTED PEOPLE
Determine whether a garden is really needed and wanted, what kind it should be (vegetable, flower, both, organic?), whom it will involve and who benefits. Invite neighbors, tenants, communit}^ organizations, gardening and horticultural societies, building superintendents (if it is at an apartment building)—in other words, anyone who is likely to be interested.

2. FORM A PLANNING COMMITTEE
This group can be comprised of people who feel committed to the creation of the garden and have the time to devote to it, at least at this initial stage. Choose well-organized persons as garden coordinators. Form committees to tackle specific tasks: funding and parmerships, youth activities, construction and communication.

3. IDENTIFY ALL YOUR RESOURCES
Do a community asset assessment. What skills and resources already exist in the community that can aid in the garden's creation? Contact local municipal planners about possible sites, as well as horticultural societies and other local sources of information and assistance. Look within your community for people with experience in landscaping and gardening. 

4. APPROACH A SPONSOR
Some gardens "self-support" through membership dues, but for many, a sponsor is essential for donations of tools, seeds or money. Churches, schools, private businesses or parks and recreation departments are all possible supporters. One garden raised money by selling "square inches" at $5 each to hundreds of sponsors.

5. CHOOSE A SITE
Consider the amount of daily sunshine (vegetables need at least six hours a day), availability of water, and soil testing for possible pollutants. Find out who owns the land. Can the gardeners get a lease agreement for at least  three years? Will public liability insurance be necessary?

6.PREPARE AND DEVELOP THE SITE
In most cases, the land will need considerable preparation for planting. Organize volunteer work crews to clean it, gather materials and decide on the design and plot arrangement.

7. ORGANIZE THE GARDEN
Members must decide how many plots are available and how they will be assigned. Allow space for storing tools, making compost and don't forget the pathways between plots! Plant flowers or shrubs around the garden's edges to promote good will with non-gardening neighbors, passersby and municipal authorities.

8. PLAN FOR CHILDREN
Consider creating a special garden just for kids—including them is essential. Children are not as interested in the size of the harvest, but rather in the process of gardening. A separate area set aside for them allows them to explore the garden at their own speed.

9. DETERMINE RULES AND PUT THEM IN WRITING
The gardeners themselves devise the best ground rules. We are more willing to comply with rules that we have had a hand in creating. Ground rules help gardeners to know what is expected of them. Think of it as a code of behavior. Some examples of issues that are best dealt with by agreed upon rules are: Dues, how will the money be used?  How are plots assigned? Will gardeners share tools, meet regularly, handle basic maintenance?

10. HELP MEMBERS KEEP IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER
Good communication ensures a strong community garden with active participation by all. Some ways to do this are: form a telephone tree, create an email list; install a rainproof bulletin board in the garden; have regular celebrations. Community gardens are all about creating and strengthening communities.

American Community Gardening Association
Ten Tools Every Community Gardener & Garden Needs Courtesy of Toronto FoodShare
Gardeners may not agree on the best mulch or the perfect fertilize, but there's one thing that every gardener agrees on: when it comes time to purchase tools, buy the best. Quality garden tools are an investment that yields dividends over time. Here are the top ten gardening tools every community garden should have:

1. Trowel A well-made trowel is your most important tool. From container gardening to large beds, a trowel will help you get your plants into the soil. Essential for everyone.

2. Hand Fork or Claw or CultivatorA hand fork helps cultivate soil, chop up clumps, and work

amendments into the soil.  A hand fork is necessary for closely planted beds.

3. Handled Hoe A long-handled hoe is a gardener's best friend. Keeping weeds at bay is the purpose of this useful tool. Hoe heads come in all different shapes and sizes and every gardener swears by a different one. 

4. Secateurs (aka Hand pruners) Invest in a pair of quality pruners, such as Felco, which is clearly a cut above. There are different types and sizes depending upon the type and size of the job. Secateurs are for cutting small diameters, up to the thickness of your little finger ;-). Anything larger and you need loppers.

5. Watering can A watering can create a fine, even stream of water that delivers with a gentleness that won't wassh seedlings or sprouting seeds out of their soil.

6. Fork You can't dig and divide perennials without a heavy-duty fork (and some dividing methods even suggest you own two!).

7. Shovels & Spades There are several different types and shapes of shovels and spades, each with their own purpose. There are also different types of hand holds for either—a " D" shape or "T" shape, or none at all. They are a requisite tool for planting large shrubs, trees, large perennials, moving soils and leaves, breaking round--just about anything.  The sharper the blade, the better.

8. Wheelbarrow Wheelbarrows come in all different sizes (and prices). They are indispensable for hauling soil, compost, plants, mulch, hoses, tools...everything you'll need to garden.

9. Gloves Unless you want to wear your favorite hobby under vour nails, use gloves. Leather gloves hold up best. If you have roses, get a pair that resist thorn pricks. 

10. Hoses This is the fastest way to transport lots of water. Consider using drip irrigation hoses or tape, 

Abundant Garden Help

Gracious thanks to Bart Mealer at Food Share for sharing this information.

FOOD for Lane County Gardens Program Resources 

Books:

Four Season Harvest- Eliot Coleman, an excellent resource for growing food year round

The Book of Garden Secrets- Patent and Bilderback, great information about growing nearly ever vegetable crop

Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades - Steve Solomon, the resource for gardening in our area, comprehensive and well-tested guidelines.

How to Grow More Vegetables- John Jeavons Using the bio-intensive method, John Jeavons shows how to grow enough veggies to feed a family o f four on 800 square feet.

The Organic Gardeners Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control - Barbara Ellis and Fern Marshall Bradley, helpful resource covering insect and disease problems

Seed To Seed - Suzanne Ashworth, a primer on saving seed with lots of interesting history on the development of different vegetable crops. And great photos!

Winter Gardening - Binda Colebook, the first book written about winter gardening 

Worms Eat My Garbage - Mary Appelhof, great info and inspiration for raising
worms and creating compost.

Websites:

American Community Gardening Association, www.communitygarden.org 

Rebel Tomato, www.communitygarden.org/rebeltomato/

OSU/ Lane County Extension Service, www.extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/ 

Seed Ambassadors Seeding Guide www.seedambassadors.org/
Mainpages/Guardian/SeedingGuide/springseeding.htm

Seeds/ Plants:

Special Note: The Oregon Trail Card/ SNAP program can be used to buy seeds and plant starts anywhere food is sold.

Territorial Seed Company - www.territorialseed.com

Osborne International Seed Company- www.osborneseed.com

Harris Seeds - www.hamsseeds

Johnny's Selected Seeds - vvww.johnnyseeds.com

High Mowing Organic Seeds - www.highmowingseeds.com

Wild Garden Seeds - www.wildgardenseed.com

Norcal Nursery, Sakuma Brothers Farms - (360) 757-6611 (Strawberries, Cane Crops) 
Irwin and Sons Ag. Supply (541)345-1887 (Potatoes, Cover Crop)

Down to Earth Nursery— www.honie2garden.com

Local (Eugene)schools may have greenhouses and bedding plants available for free.

America the Beautiful Fund distributes free seeds www.freeseeds.us/OperationGPform.html 
202-638-1649

Other seed companies may distribute free seeds

Eugene Permaculture Guild sponsors periodic seed swaps,www.eugenepennacultureguild.org

Amendments/ Fertilizers:

Rexius Forest By- Products - www.rexius.com

Down to Earth Distributors - www.downtoearthdistributors.com

Diess Feed and Seed - (541) 343-5007

Konyn Dairy- (541) 683-7241

City of Eugene leaf recycling program- www.eugene-or.gov/leaf 682-5383 Wood chips, 

Contact area tree pruners, including Sperry Tree Care, www.sperrytreecare.com 461-1737

Greenhouse/ Gardening Supplies/ Tools:

Jerry's Home Improvement Center - www.jerryshome.com

BRING Recycling - www.bringrecycling.org

McConkey Company - 1-866- 552-1113

Nursery Cormection - www.nurservconnection.net

OBC Northwest - www.obcnw.com

Oregon Valley Greenhouses — www.ovg.com

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply - uww.groworganic.com 

Down to Earth Retail Stores - www.home2garden.com

Gardening Know How and Help:

Oregon State University Extension Service, Lane County: 682-4247, phone line and workshops, extension.oregonstate.edu/lane

Victory Gardens: creating gardens for anyone in the area who requests one, www.victorvgardensforall.org

FOOD for Lane County Gardens, 343-2822; www•foodforlanecountv.org/programsigardens
-----workshops, info and garden tours 

Eugene Permaculture Guild, www.eugenepermacultureguild.org offers a resource sharing list-serve, seed swaps and workshops

Soil Testing:

A&L Western Agriculture Laboratories; www.al-labs-west.com
$30 per soil sample