Sustainable Growing Project

[Backyard Buddies]

A week isn't bad. That certainly sounds doable.

As for raised beds, I suppose that's a possibility and depending on the soil quality (knowing this area as you do) it may be a necessity. Still, raised beds equals the need to buy and cut a lot of wood, unless we could somehow find it on FreeCycle or as extras from a construction site (although that might be treated with chemicals which could negate the idea of being organic. I suppose we'll be doing a bit of trial and error at first, although hopefully less of the error!

 

[Carri]

You actually don't need to purchase or cut wood. Here is a picture I found online that best describes what I'm thinking.

I did this same sort of thing, but we had extra brick laying around and I set it down on the paths just to give it a nicer look.
What I did was (keep in mind I'm working with a smaller space) was worked all of the soil. I added horse manure and about 12-14 bags of cheap ammendment ($5 for 3 cubic feet). I also added whatever else I had, like old alfalfa. We tilled it all, then I decided where I wanted to put the walkways. I shoveled out about 4-5 inches of the soil from the walkway and put it on the bed, raked the bed so it's flat, and then added some more ammendment on top.
I have the brick for walkways, but you could always do straw or alfalfa to keep it organic.

 

[Carri]

OK! Here we are. This is what I have... Once it stops raining and I have everything cleaned up, the beds should be 4-5 inches higher than the walkways! They go down deep, too. The till goes 8 inches and I've put on a few on top of that. I'd venture to say it's 12 inches deep with good soil.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Ahhhh, thanks! Now I understand. That is totally doable. There's actually quite a bit of soil back there, although I don't know what kind of quality it is. There are some weeds growing so one of the gals is checking into some loaner goats, assuming that these are the kind of weeds that goats would eat. Not having goats, I have no clue. But, from the looks of it, I think there is plenty of soil to build it up in mounds like that.

Also, the talk is to put in some type of drip or soaker hoses on timers. There is water out there, but we'd like to be efficient about the use of it. I would think those kinds of beds would work well with the hoses.

 

[Carri]

They do work well with those kinds of hoses. In fact, that is the watering system we are going to put in. We're piping it in with the sprinklers so the hose comes on while the sprinklers are on. I'll also be able to turn them on longer on hot days.

 

[hcammack2]

I am the founder of my schools sustainable living club. we are trying to make our upper school more of a green school. In my field outback we have a large comunity garden that my family is the main oraganizers of. we plant every mothers day. the flock of hens is mine but I plan on selling eggs to my neighbors. this garden is great. I like your idea it sounds good. I am really passionate and I am thinking about applying for a internship at Joel Slatins farm in the year I want to take between high school and college.

Henry

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Smart idea, Carri! I like both the automatic and override functions you're implementing!

Henry - I'm glad to hear that you've found success at this sort of an endeavor. Were I younger, and a guy I'd also apply for an internship at Polyface Farms. After reading Holy Cows and Hog Heaven I really came to appreciate the approach they take toward the entire system. I'd love to see that in person and hope some day to tour their farm. Our goals are similar, although on a much smaller scale.

Can you share with me some of the issues that have arisen in your community garden? Were there things you did initially that you eventually changed down the road? What sorts of things have you done to increase your production, improve the soil, can or freeze for winter use, etc?

I love the idea of going more "green." Good for you for working toward that!

 

[hcammack2]

Some problems have included what happens when famlies go away over the summer and who will pay the high water bill during the summer. It has pretty mush ended up with my family taking care of the garden all summer and also taking the brunt of the water bill. Hopefully this will start to work itself out the garden is closest to our house we have a one acre field outback owned by 3 neighboring families. Everyone shares the plant buying cost and the garden upkeep cost. This system has worked pretty well for us.

The sustainability club has been a great sucess at my school we have 25 members out of a school of 300 so I guess we a one of the larger clubs and considering that this is are first year we have been fairly sucesfull. We are hopefully atending Friends school day of the earth in westown PA to talk about how to make our quaker schools more enviromentaly friendly.

Thanks henry

 

[Backyard Buddies]

So, basically one of the biggest challenge of the community garden is that a few people end up carrying a bigger share of the load. I can see how that would happen. We will be meeting this Saturday to discuss the particulars, so I'll bring this up as an area to be explored.

I would love to hear what your sustainability club has taken on and some of the ideas that have come out of your meetings together. We've been exploring this as a church and discussing ways to make the church itself more "green." I love hearing that the youth are working toward solutions!

 

[Carri]

How's the project going?