Community Gardens Discussion Report 6/26/06 - Cathy Holt
June 28, 2006 at 4:23 pm (Community Gardens, SOS DISCUSSION REPORTS 6/26/06, Uncategorized)
Report #:21
Name of Topic: community gardens
Name of Leader: Cathy Holt
Names of Participants: Debbie Cochran, Steve Arpin
Highlights of Discussion (present story unfolding): Recalling video by Community Solutions on Cubas Special Period in which they had to cope with embargo of oil and learned to grow food: the farmers became some of the highest paid workers! After the average Cuban lost 20 lbs.
We discussed existing community gardens: Pearson Garden, Edible Park, Burton St. Garden, and Steves homestead garden. At Pearson, it is just whoever shows up for a workday, while Steve makes phone calls. For mulch and composting, Sanitation Dept will deliver truckloads of leaves if requested. Wood chips are another available resource. It is good to grow a cover crop of white clover and plants can be set into it; the clover provides nitrogen, suppresses weeds.
Steve wants to start a Homesteaders Association as a resource base for community gardeners, and offer tours, workshops.
Ways to advance community gardening: Organic Growers School. Edible Asheville idea (get people to make small areas available from their yards for others to help garden, share produce). Cooperation and communication skills will be key!
Future Action/Next Steps: Homesteaders Association
