Greenbelt Three Sisters Garden Update August 2011

Greenbelt Three Sisters Demonstration Gardens & Urban Foodshed Project August 2011

Greenbelt Three Sisters Update

Greenbelt Original Plan Included Gardens

1940’s Victory Gardens

In a sense its all about water and soil flow

2010—Food Security—Urban Food Movement• Non-local –dependence on fossil fuels, --waste issues--pesticides• Water issues ---Current unsustainable agricultural water use practices use 80 percent of water for agriculture• Public health –chronic diseases--childhood obesity• Peak soil –Long since reached -estimate 40 years of soil left every pound eaten 6 to 24 pounds lost to erosion• Desertification—over grazing• Global warming may cut agricultural production in half by 2020• Fossil fuel dependent agriculture and land care• In US-- 2/5 of 1 percent of population are farmers—average age 55• Mono-culture loss of diversity--95 percent of seeds used in agriculture are lost

Watershed—Bay Health • On a per acre basis, urban and suburban contribute 7 times the pollution to bay as agricultural areas

Grew out of Green Aces Pesticide and Land Care Report RecommendationsThe City and partners engage in a strong publiceducation campaign designed to inform residents ofBay friendly and Organic Land Care, and to provideinterested citizens with knowledge of alternatives topesticide use. Outreach and education tools include:household brochures, workshops, GreenbeltRecreation Department courses, and experimentalcommunity demonstration gardens

Four Equal Interrelated Goals• Provide additional gardening opportunity for urban dwellers—participate in food production• Promote Bay Friendly edible and native plant landscaping—help run off to Bay issues• Promote community and co-learning in different areas of Greenbelt• Educational, Scientific and Artistic and creative expression

Principles• Inclusive—multi-age and ethnicity— handicapped access• Organic –Bay Friendly practices• Use of unused space now in grass• Provide for sustainability of gardens–on- going infrastructure• Incorporate education and art—creative expression; On-going life long co-learning

Three Sister Areas of Greenbelt• Idea is that would work together on plans and each help get started- – Greenbelt—Center—Back of community center – Greenbelt—West---Springhill Lake Recreation Center grounds – Greenbelt—East—Schrom Hills Park

Three Sister Sites

Community Center

Center Garden

The Three Sisters Corn, Beans and Squash—Center Garden 2010

Time to Play and Bond with the Soil

Square Foot Gardens: Center 2010

Making Fairy Houses to Place in theGardens—Putting the Gardens to Bed: October 2010

Schrom Hills

Schrom Hills Garden: August 2011

Springhill Lake Rec Center

Planting at Springhill Lake May 2011

Springhill Lake 2011

Help Us Climb to the Top of theHill! Adopt a Box or Pathway Stone

Adopt a Garden Box and Pathway Project at Springhill Lake Garden!• Site and soil conditions (storm run-off area) indicate that we need to garden at Springhill Lake site in deep raised bed containers.• Design for circle of 16—boxes that are about 4 by 8 feet and two feet deep & eco-art stepping stone pathways.

There are many ways tocontribute—Do one or all three!1) Donate funds for materials and soil to help build a box or for eco-art pathway stones.2) Participate in workshops to build the boxes and eco-art stepping stones.3) Plant and maintain a box working with the CHEARS Chesapeake Conservation Corp volunteer.

Raising Funds to Support and Sustain the Gardens --Suggested Donation• We’re asking individuals and groups to give support in donating to this project. All names of contributors of any amount will be acknowledged on boxes and stones• $100 donation needed to support a box (materials, soil, initial plants—(folks may make whole or partial support donation—any amount appreciated)• $25 donation for pathway stone

Erosion --Next to Springhill Lake School

Planting Rain Garden EarthSquad --Earth Day-Greenbelt

Public Works Supportive with Conditions• Small manageable— • Design help from city has limited area and is being given—work• Must be aesthetically closely pleasing • City not responsible for• City agrees to allow use vandalism; Accept may of water from near by loose; near community buildings centers help• Volunteers must • Chears agrees to be implement and sustain responsible for any gardens; Plan to hold needed restoration workshops to implement

Center Sister– Workshops (Four-Square, Biointensive and Three Sisters Gardens)– Plantings 4 fruit trees( 2 cherry trees, peach, and plum)– Herbs and veggies ( Greens, cabbage, chard, peppers, corn, beans squash, tomatoes, pumpkins, sunflowers)

East Sister• Schrom Hills Park—July 25—BIG STORM Day—Kick off – Workshop s • Drought Tolerant & Eco-Circles with Master Gardeners • Vertical gardens—construction with bamboo – Plantings • Fruit Trees/bushes (Persimmon, figs, grapes, kiwi) • Drought tolerant herbs and flowers

Greenbelt West Sister Kick-Off• Kick-off September: 2010• Equinox Celebration and Medicine Wheel Gardens• Camp Fire Inc Partnership

Goals for 2011– Sustain/start gardens/workshops continue– Outdoor Nature Classroom (Arbor Day Project)– Urban/suburban food shed (link to Green Aces sustainablity plan)– Handicapped access– Community partnerships—adult day care, camp fire– Food Forest– Link to reducing run off and monitor

Next Steps—Outdoor Nature Classroom/Art• Center Garden—Re-plant beds –outdoor nature classroom & handicapped acccess also work with adult day care center• Schrom Hills---Cover crop—plant—forest garden• Springhill Lake—16 beds—work with school and camp fire—stream monitoring—forest garden

Homescale Demonstration Workshop topics• Permaculture• Biointensive• Forest gardens• Eco-circles• Organic farming and land care• Square foot gardening• Conservation landscaping—native, wild life• Bio-retention—rain gardens

Permaculture is an interdisciplinary design system.• The observation of natural ecosystems• The wisdom of indigenous peoples• Traditional farming systems• Modern scientific and technological knowledge

Build Soil Fertility NaturallyGreen manures Put the worms to work DYNAMIC ACCUMULATORS Comfrey

Square Foot Gardening• One square foot garden unit measuring 16 sq ft (1.5 sq metres) holds an average of 130 plants and produces enough vegetables for one person. A family of four can have fresh greens in abundance throughout the growing season and beyond from only 64 sq ft of growing space (6 sq metres).

Biointensive• Double-Dug, Raised Beds• Composting Intensive Planting-build soil-60 percent cover crops• Companion Planting• Carbon Farming• Six to 8 times less water use per pound of food• Calorie Farming• The Use of Open-Pollinated Seeds• A Whole-System Farming Method

Eco-circles

Eco-circle gardens conserve water

Forest Gardens

Restore forests Plant trees!

Rain Gardens 48

UseVerticalSpaceKuhn/Shephardhouse and garden,Toronto, Canada

Container Gardening

Greenbelt Three Sisters Garden Update August 2011

by CHEARS on Dec 07, 2011

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Greenbelt Three Sisters Garden Update August 2011 — Presentation Transcript