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<br /> for maintenance,water and tools through
<br /> fees.Administration was funded through the , 1f.N,,f l Fr
<br /> city's General Fund. x` l',','-,-, '°•1"-:;.,7,,,- i .
<br /> In the mid-1990s,the Volunteer Garden
<br /> Manager Program started.One or two expe- a__ _ yy
<br /> •
<br /> rienced gardeners volunteer to oversee a spe-
<br /> cific community garden and act as liaisons r
<br /> between its gardeners and the city. ; I 1 t. (
<br /> Access denied i . ' +.
<br /> Produce iheft has been something of a r+�p. y s{c r3 a) r #ty
<br /> problem in recent years at the gardens.Bob �� y ry trY 1' { .''.:'.J.,:`:,..-.'",'.; '
<br /> Sanders,volunteer garden manager for Alton d Y{ qsi ,•"' .•<•v.",•,.r a
<br /> Baker Community Garden,says one day"I j r 1t!!
<br /> +.,. se �,�y• .. q` "e+ #
<br /> him and asked what he was doing,the man i ,- #•t„w„ ,11:1;"t ' ,qr ?
<br /> v',
<br /> replied,"Isn't this for the community?" _ + �_. ' rt .,,v - t3 ti ,'t
<br /> For the most part,the problem of theft has
<br /> improved this past growing season with the
<br /> garden communities pulling together and
<br /> putting up locked fences.Mathews Garden, .
<br /> which used to have homeless people camping .
<br /> in it and eating produce from the gardens, f
<br /> reports no theftthis yeas Bob Sanders says orf• ar a+" ° r a r;p� , . l . t3 i�'
<br /> Alton Baker Garden has not hada problem .,, + 1!` 'mss �tL ���
<br /> with stealing since a locked gate was installed. t A ,"P)::1'.... ,t''e' ,"r' ,'':s -'"?'''''',:-1.;.!-,-,3-',',...11.,,.„.•,-..',1,•" i;'.,4• i'.+1,,,,' �� t � �s
<br /> Whittaker and River House gardens con- 6 r - . •'
<br /> tine to have problems with theft.Whiteaker a.a_.. . '.J .ctit th• L.- .. L. -'"w'a`s-em's. `e':.6 -
<br /> has lead the most theft of any of tfte:gardens, q t+t
<br /> ,?
<br /> saysWldteaker Garden Manager Lou Swing, A group of fog plots at Amazon is grow Bow t$e gardens grow Amazons G zrden(28th and High)
<br /> He gal he has a tough time keeping locks on •sag food•the-dol tion••tp F Twelve ::bash garden has its cwn'advanta disECtnazon•Oommunit)R Garden is one of the
<br /> the garden gate because they also get stolen CatmeL a` of 1rC8thoDt nuns 41, adi t;,and community: {most popular gardens and has a low turnover.
<br /> River House has notustalled a new fence Eugrna' !s P''"` '' '' of'gardeners.Garden plots at Amazon sell out
<br /> yet because its money is being saved-to Mathews Garden(15th and Hayes) within five or 10 minutes,faster than most
<br /> -expand the garden,says River House garden- Plotting your move In the center of the large garden one plot concert.tickets. In the past, people have
<br /> er Rick Bickford. Before deciding to rent-a plot,people is left fallow.There are signs that kids have camped out at the River House the night
<br /> should consider whether they are willing to played with their toys on this plot Mathews before to acquire a plot.
<br /> Harvest time take care of the land year-round.Next year, Community Garden is located near Despite the popularity of Amazon and a
<br /> Two of the gardens donate part of their garden plots can-be rented during the spring Westmoreland:Student Housing,meaning demand for more plots,the garden will not be
<br /> produce to charity.Last year Mathews start- for household growing of vegetables and many gardeners are students with families: expanding from its current 45 full plots.A
<br /> ed dedicating its excess food and the food ornamental plants.Returning gardeners regis- This central plot allows parents to bring their. federally protected endangered flower species
<br /> from one.and a half plots to Food for Lane ter for a garden plot before Feb.28,while children with them while they garden. lives next to the community garden,which
<br /> County(FFLC). new gardeners may rent an unreserved plot Mathews Garden has 66 sites with plenty prohibits the garden from acquiring any more
<br /> Amazon Community Garden also donates starting March 15. At this point, it is of sun.The garden expanded two years ago land for expansion.
<br /> its surplus food to FFLC.Amazon has donat- unknown where renters will register for a adding one row of five full plots.Mathews
<br /> ed produce to FFLC since 1993 when they plot.Amazon and River House sites fill up has a waiting list every year for gardeners River-House Garden(301 N.Adams)
<br /> donated 250 pounds of food.Each year they quickly. hoping someone will decide not to keep their The tool shed at River House is well
<br /> have tried to donate more and more of their Garden rules state the garden season runs plot year-round. ' stocked with large garden tools,wheelbar-
<br /> surplus.In the year 2000,Amazon's garden- from March through February and a garden- For two seasons,Mathews has had a pop- rows and a variety of small hand tools.The
<br /> ern donated 2,516 pounds of food, says er must begingardening by May 15 or the ular community composting site.Community tool shed also doubles as a green house for
<br /> Amazon Garden Manager, Alice Aikens. nearest dry day.Planting permanent vegeta- gardeners and people in the neighborhood the gardeners.Seedlings in a cardboard plant
<br /> • Alice Aikens and her gardener friend,Bunny tion such as trees,berry bushes and shrubs is can drop off leaves in the leaf drop-off area'. box hang from a shelf.Other plants waiting
<br /> Lawson,share one plot that is grown specifn- prohibited. The Community Garden and use them for composting. Compost to be planted are packed together under the
<br /> sally for donation to FFLC. Program strongly encourages using organic workshops are:presented by OSU Master hanging seedlings.A bad mouse hides behind
<br /> py e',3 i�mm r,',A}; gardening methods.A gardener may not use Gardeners at Mathews for the-whole corn- some of the tools in the corner;he has beer
<br /> ,-„Z".:."':,.:154,. .$i". -4',..-•"1.A' herbicides'or pesticides. munity,as well. eating some of the gardeners'seeds.
<br /> ` ° t'h„}`+frr, ,�r •r' •res a -"Each gardener has the opportunity to pay .
<br /> (- '` ,x 's a k1,, an extra $10 to use a garden tool shed
<br /> t t 7;' ,fiN S t , between March and February.Tool sheds give y�' offer L'_ d,• ''••`,
<br /> i ., +. p4 gardeners access to a complete selection of Continuality gardeners these lips: `'
<br /> t basic garden tools including shovels,rakes, i
<br /> tb hoes and wheelbarrows.The tool shed at Sheet bitdchittg Saves topsoiland gets rid of seeds and g ass zanily.
<br /> 1I„f tf ,. ri =',f•'`,.' Alton Baker is not stocked with tools,but it is
<br /> )Clear die of of ass
<br /> v
<br /> free• for gardeners to use for housing their1p'
<br /> ra'Y a a cs. own equipment All gardens are fenced and
<br /> ,4,-, 't ,,, eq P2)Complete�y weer plot"iih 4•S sheets of uekspapzr. ,
<br /> ys ;f e J have a supply of water for the plants.Some
<br /> sx scholarshipfunds are available to those who
<br /> 3)Put p�ndally'rotted leaves6-7 inches deep on top of papers.
<br /> rW ' cannot afford to rent a plot.
<br /> 4. (Tills smothers the grass and kills the roots as well.)
<br /> "•t• . For many apartment dwellers,community -
<br /> �.�,, gardens are the only place to grow things. 4)Place compost and planting mix in mounds on ton of leaves. k
<br /> i. Y€
<br /> i -c-3`1+,,'�. i o "Having this math land is a good excuse to
<br /> get outside in the evening,"says Ben Hunter, 5)lou'cm immediately plant seeds or starts in the mound composed
<br /> a gardener at the River.House. of compost and planting aux which is On[op of the teres and nco-npap;r.—EB
<br /> :..,.„... .,u.. ._.._...... ._ ._ �_ _ -EUGENE WEEKLY PLY 3,2002
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