ALLARD STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN GAZETTE

 APRIL 2006

 

 

 

I wish to welcome back all returning gardeners and extend greetings to all our new members! We are reopening the Garden for the fourth season at 105 Allard Street and hope to once again offer individuals and families an opportunity to grow vegetables and flowers, meet new people, exercise and develop a variety of skills. Our motto is “We not only grow veggies, we grow people too!”

 

Our garden features raised beds and planter boxes, a mini fruit orchard, a garden shed that provides participants with tools and supplies, and a compost demonstration site. Our colorful shade structure offers welcome relief from the sun and a perfect spot for our monthly potluck Socials and meetings. Our Garden has been extended to meet the needs of our 80+ gardeners who pay $20 annually to rent a garden plot.

 

Having again received numerous awards and commendations for the Garden’s commitment to organic gardening practices such as composting, water conservation, and natural insect and disease control as well as community building through horticulture, our membership encourages the general public to visit the garden between the hours of 8 am-8 pm, April through October, and meet our gardeners. We continue to offer a children’s “Grow up Green” summer gardening program in July and August, educational talks on organic gardening, and environmental stewardship and lots of humor, to boot.

 

Become “tilthy rich” and get your fingers dirty at the Allard Street Community Garden. If you know of an individual who is interested in having his or her name added to our waiting list, signing up for a guided tour or who requires more information, please contact Suzanne Hanna at 759-2893.

 

We extend a special thanks to Joanne Pearson at the Sault Housing Corporation for providing a site for our March Spring Registration meeting for new gardeners and to Community Living Algoma for photocopying our garden handbooks as an in-kind donation. We welcome the Red Cross Garden Program participants and wish them every success.

 

Suzanne Hanna, Garden Coordinator

 

 

 

• Helping people to help themselves.

• Converting vacant land into productive community vegetable gardens.

• Land stewardship.

• Providing accurate and timely information.

• Team work, cooperation, and networking.

• Lifelong learning.

• Self-reliance.

• Recycling and conservation.

• Environmentally-friendly gardening practices.

 

 

 

We have a large community garden and require the help from everyone to keep it going. From seasonal clean-ups to water barrel filling, flower bed maintenance, lawn cutting, phoning, organizing our annual fundraising or special projects – there is a job for every gardener!

 

• Gardeners are required to work 8 hours each season, per plot. Please select the activities that best suit you and indicate your choices on the Membership Registration form.

• Gardeners are responsible for keeping track of service hours. Sign up sheets are provided at each Work Bee and Meeting for members to log their hours. If you performing a job such as lawn cutting or weeding of communal beds, please leave a note on the clipboard in the garden shed or call 759-2893 and leave a message stating your name, activity performed and when and the time spent. Suzanne keeps a record of member’s service hours. All volunteer hours must be completed by October 31^st to remain in good standing.

  

 

Since this garden was created in 2003, the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides has been banned at the Allard Street Community Garden.  

We are a totally organic garden which means that we garden without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers apart from compost and manure or any harmful chemicals. We focus on building healthy soil (hence the presence of our compost demonstration site for handling garden waste) and learning to garden in harmony with the environment.  

Permitted organic pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers are located in the garden shed and may be used by gardeners in their plots. Plan to attend our monthly Socials and learn more about natural pest and disease strategies and refer to your Garden Handbook for information on what to use. If you are unsure, contact Suzanne at 759-2893.

  

 

Paths must be maintained on all sides of your plot. A weed barrier (used carpet) has been laid underneath the Christmas tree mulch we receive from Clean North’s tree chipping event to keep the paths weed-free. Please report any spots that require additional mulch and pull up any weeds that become present. DO NOT leave garden waste or soil in the pathways. Put them in Compost A.  

 

 

Pets must be kept on a leash outside the garden gates. They are not allowed within the garden. You are responsible for cleaning up after your pet.

 Smoking is not permitted on site. Please smoke outside the garden gates and dispose of cigarette butts. Wash your hands as tobacco carries a tobacco virus which is very lethal to tomato plants.

 

 

Members are welcome to use the garden tools and supplies that are stored in the garden shed. Hand tools, foam kneeling pads, and watering equipment can be found in the shed or on the work bench shelves near the garden plots. Watering cans are hung on the nearby posts.

Please report any repairs or maintenance required promptly to the Garden Coordinator. Leave a message on the clip board inside the garden shed. Do not remove any tools from the garden and be sure to put them back so they can be locked up each night for safety. The front gate key fits the shed lock.

 

 

GARDEN COORDINATOR:	A list of member’s contact numbers will be available at our May Monthly meetings along with a list of those members who volunteer to open and close the garden.
Suzanne Hanna   759-2893
RED CROSS GARDEN PROGRAM:
Shelly Pascall       759-4547

 

  

 

All members are invited to join in the first May Work Bee and Social. Come dressed for the weather and meet under the Shade Structure at 5:30 pm. We will be having a potluck dinner between 5:30-6:30 pm. along with a few laughs. Bring your favorite dish and don’t forget to bring your plate and mug. We will provide the cutlery and beverages. NO Styrofoam, please, as we try to be as garbage-free as possible.

During our meal, we will have a short membership meeting to address issues and concerns and upcoming yard sale. You will have an opportunity to meet your fellow gardeners and receive a short orientation session on how our composting site and watering system works and the conservation strategies we use to keep our water costs low.

From 6:30-8:30, we will have a work bee to get the garden tidied up. We’ve litter to pick up, flower beds to weed, the grass to cut, the garden shed to clean out and organize and so on. Those who attend will be able to claim their time towards their volunteer commitment.  

  

 

v      Kim McBride from Community Living Algoma’s Therapeutic Recreation program has returned from her maternity leave. Special thanks to Kelly McGillivray who supported CLA individuals in the garden.

Happy 50^th Birthday to Udo Werner!

  Watch for the new communication board which will be installed later on in the garden near the shade structure. Members will be encouraged to use it to leave messages for other gardeners. The bulletin board will be reinstalled by the front gate to post the current garden-related notices, garden rules and contact information.

  We are determined to distribute monthly “Gardener of the Month” awards to recognize the efforts of some of our outstanding gardeners.  Do you have an interesting garden style? Plant unique varieties? Have a colorful garden or tidy plot? Perhaps you will be nominated by your peers at our July, August and September monthly meetings. If yours is selected, we will call and ask for permission before placing a sign in your award-winning plot.