Wondering if others have something like the following in their communities:

Allow would-be gardeners who live in apartments or otherwise have no ground,
to grow crops in your garden in exchange for ? a share of produce? other consideration?
Of course taking care to know who they are and make entry arrangements.

ISTR there used to be something like that here; I'm trying to track it down, and
if I don't find, start something.

I'm increasingly dubious about veg gardening, both because of water co$t probably
increasing with CA drought, and because we don't really consume enough to bother.
We have 4 farmers' markets in town, plus a Co-Op, plus Whole Foods (the latter of which I don't patronize), so even though organic is more expensive -- hey, you only go around once.

It's a big life transition after [censored] years of home veg/fruit gardening! I can remember standing at the corn patch, chewing the kernels off the cob w/o even cooking!!! Ditto tomatoes right off the vine. And divine little fraises du bois hiding under their foliage. And crisp snow peas...(pause to wipe mouth)...

But the good years seem, if memory serves, to have been not as frequent as the less good.

Sigh!

HB

On Sun, 28 Sep 2014 13:38:53 -0700 (PDT), Hypatia Nachshon
wrote:

Wondering if others have something like the following in their communities:

Allow would-be gardeners who live in apartments or otherwise have no ground,
to grow crops in your garden in exchange for ? a share of produce? other consideration?
Of course taking care to know who they are and make entry arrangements.

ISTR there used to be something like that here; I'm trying to track it down, and
if I don't find, start something.

I'm increasingly dubious about veg gardening, both because of water co$t probably
increasing with CA drought, and because we don't really consume enough to bother.
We have 4 farmers' markets in town, plus a Co-Op, plus Whole Foods (the latter of which I don't patronize), so even though organic is more expensive -- hey, you only go around once.

It's a big life transition after [censored] years of home veg/fruit gardening! I can remember standing at the corn patch, chewing the kernels off the cob w/o even cooking!!! Ditto tomatoes right off the vine. And divine little fraises du bois hiding under their foliage. And crisp snow peas...(pause to wipe mouth)...

But the good years seem, if memory serves, to have been not as frequent as the less good.

Sigh!

HB

There are ways to grow vegetables with minimal water... raised bed
and/or container gardening work well... set up a drip system. There
are inexpensive amendments one can add to soil that hold onto water
and release slowly. Typically in dry climes the most productive
gardening ploy is to bring in quality top soil and regularly amend...
use a proper composter too. Too many people want to garden on the
cheap, then they get what they pay for.

On 9/28/2014 1:38 PM, Hypatia Nachshon wrote:
Wondering if others have something like the following in their
communities:

Allow would-be gardeners who live in apartments or otherwise have no
ground, to grow crops in your garden in exchange for ? a share of
produce? other consideration? Of course taking care to know who they
are and make entry arrangements.

ISTR there used to be something like that here; I'm trying to track
it down, and if I don't find, start something.

I'm increasingly dubious about veg gardening, both because of water
co$t probably increasing with CA drought, and because we don't really
consume enough to bother. We have 4 farmers' markets in town, plus a
Co-Op, plus Whole Foods (the latter of which I don't patronize), so
even though organic is more expensive -- hey, you only go around
once.

It's a big life transition after [censored] years of home veg/fruit
gardening! I can remember standing at the corn patch, chewing the
kernels off the cob w/o even cooking!!! Ditto tomatoes right off the
vine. And divine little fraises du bois hiding under their foliage.
And crisp snow peas...(pause to wipe mouth)...

But the good years seem, if memory serves, to have been not as
frequent as the less good

Sigh!

HB

Where I live (Oak Park, California), about half the dwellings are either
apartments or townhomes (similar to condominiums but owning the land
directly under the home). Our local recreation and park district (an
independent government agency with a board elected by the voters) owned
a parcel of land too small for making a park. A non-profit organization
contracted with the district to create a community garden on the site.

The district and the non-profit share the cost of water. The district
fenced the property, and the non-profit planted shrubs to hide the
chain-link fencing. The non-profit paid to have a used cargo container
brought onto the site for storing garden tools and then bought the tools.

To get a 10x20 foot garden plot in a 1-foot raised bed, a person needs
to joint the Oak Park Gardeners (a committee of the non-profit). The
Gardeners charge an annual dues to defray the cost of replacing tools,
having trash collection, and its share of the water bill. A person does
not have to be a resident of Oak Park, but Oak Park residents have
priority for being assigned a garden plot when there is a waiting list.

The rules for this community garden require that only organic gardening
practices be followed since the site drains towards a natural park and
its creek. Gardeners must also maintain their plots, clearing them when
annual plants die and removing weeds. Certain invasive plants (e.g.,
mint) are prohibited.

While most of the plots are used for vegetables, there are some
ornamentals. Gardeners are not allowed to "poach" from plots not their
own, but they are allowed to share as much as they want.

The surrounding fence has two gates with combination locks to protect
against human thieves; but squirrels, mice, rats, rabbits, raccoons, and
possums are quite adept at getting through the fence. I don't know how
successful the Gardeners have been with their owl box in getting owls to
nest in the garden and control those varmints.

Community gardens are quite common throughout the U.S., England, and
elsewhere.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On 9/28/2014 4:53 PM, David E. Ross wrote:
On 9/28/2014 1:38 PM, Hypatia Nachshon wrote:
Wondering if others have something like the following in their
communities:

Allow would-be gardeners who live in apartments or otherwise have no
ground, to grow crops in your garden in exchange for ? a share of
produce? other consideration? Of course taking care to know who they
are and make entry arrangements.

ISTR there used to be something like that here; I'm trying to track
it down, and if I don't find, start something.

I'm increasingly dubious about veg gardening, both because of water
co$t probably increasing with CA drought, and because we don't really
consume enough to bother. We have 4 farmers' markets in town, plus a
Co-Op, plus Whole Foods (the latter of which I don't patronize), so
even though organic is more expensive -- hey, you only go around
once.

It's a big life transition after [censored] years of home veg/fruit
gardening! I can remember standing at the corn patch, chewing the
kernels off the cob w/o even cooking!!! Ditto tomatoes right off the
vine. And divine little fraises du bois hiding under their foliage.
And crisp snow peas...(pause to wipe mouth)...

But the good years seem, if memory serves, to have been not as
frequent as the less good

Sigh!

HB

Where I live (Oak Park, California), about half the dwellings are either
apartments or townhomes (similar to condominiums but owning the land
directly under the home). Our local recreation and park district (an
independent government agency with a board elected by the voters) owned
a parcel of land too small for making a park. A non-profit organization
contracted with the district to create a community garden on the site.

The district and the non-profit share the cost of water. The district
fenced the property, and the non-profit planted shrubs to hide the
chain-link fencing. The non-profit paid to have a used cargo container
brought onto the site for storing garden tools and then bought the tools.

To get a 10x20 foot garden plot in a 1-foot raised bed, a person needs
to joint the Oak Park Gardeners (a committee of the non-profit). The
Gardeners charge an annual dues to defray the cost of replacing tools,
having trash collection, and its share of the water bill. A person does
not have to be a resident of Oak Park, but Oak Park residents have
priority for being assigned a garden plot when there is a waiting list.

The rules for this community garden require that only organic gardening
practices be followed since the site drains towards a natural park and
its creek. Gardeners must also maintain their plots, clearing them when
annual plants die and removing weeds. Certain invasive plants (e.g.,
mint) are prohibited.

While most of the plots are used for vegetables, there are some
ornamentals. Gardeners are not allowed to "poach" from plots not their
own, but they are allowed to share as much as they want.

The surrounding fence has two gates with combination locks to protect
against human thieves; but squirrels, mice, rats, rabbits, raccoons, and
possums are quite adept at getting through the fence. I don't know how
successful the Gardeners have been with their owl box in getting owls to
nest in the garden and control those varmints.

Community gardens are quite common throughout the U.S., England, and
elsewhere.


We've had various problems with critters stealing produce from our
garden. Last year I grew a 3 sisters 4'x 8' garden with corn, and we
didn't get one ear of corn due to "something" eating every bit of it.

This year we put in new raised beds, replacing the old ones that were
falling apart, and I finished up putting down outdoor carpet to keep the
weeds to a minimum.

Here are some photos in case you're interested:
http://s991.photobucket.com/user/jen...%202014?sort=3

We have chickens, too, and use all of their poop for fertilizer. It's
all organically grown.

--
Jenn

On 29/09/2014 6:38 AM, Hypatia Nachshon wrote:
Wondering if others have something like the following in their communities:

Allow would-be gardeners who live in apartments or otherwise have no ground,
to grow crops in your garden in exchange for ? a share of produce? other consideration?
Of course taking care to know who they are and make entry arrangements.

ISTR there used to be something like that here; I'm trying to track it down, and
if I don't find, start something.

There is certainly a move to do that in the UK. The wonderful Hugh
Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage fame started it off over there
(in current times) and from reports I've read online, it seems to be
taking off in the UK within the private world. Of course the UK has had
the local government run Allotments for many, many decades.

The (modern day) UK scheme is called Landshare and here are a few links
in case you are interested:
http://www.landshare.net/
http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/home/lo...haring-schemes

I'm increasingly dubious about veg gardening, both because of water co$t probably
increasing with CA drought, and because we don't really consume enough to bother.

What about making yourself a couple of wicking beds to grow the things
that are best picked straight from the garden just before cooking/serving?

Wicking beds seem to be all the rage here in Australia where we share
similar water concerns to California. I don't have one or intend to
start one since we supply our own water and don't have to pay any
municipal charges for its use.

On Sunday, September 28, 2014 2:53:49 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:
On 9/28/2014 1:38 PM, Hypatia Nachshon wrote:

Wondering if others have something like the following in their

communities:



Allow would-be gardeners who live in apartments or otherwise have no

Yes, we have long had here (Santa Monica CA - just over the mountain from David Ross)
such community gardens. One drawback, in the days of leaded gas, was that the community garden was wedged between two busy streets. Thank goodness that is a thing of the past!

My objective is to find reliable people to make their garden in my back yard.

ground, to grow crops in your garden in exchange for ? a share of

produce? other consideration? Of course taking care to know who they

are and make entry arrangements.



ISTR there used to be something like that here; I'm trying to track

it down, and if I don't find, start something.



I'm increasingly dubious about veg gardening, both because of water

co$t probably increasing with CA drought, and because we don't really

consume enough to bother. We have 4 farmers' markets in town, plus a

Co-Op, plus Whole Foods (the latter of which I don't patronize), so

even though organic is more expensive -- hey, you only go around

once.



It's a big life transition after [censored] years of home veg/fruit

gardening! I can remember standing at the corn patch, chewing the

kernels off the cob w/o even cooking!!! Ditto tomatoes right off the

vine. And divine little fraises du bois hiding under their foliage.

And crisp snow peas...(pause to wipe mouth)...



But the good years seem, if memory serves, to have been not as

frequent as the less good



Sigh!



HB



Where I live (Oak Park, California), about half the dwellings are either

apartments or townhomes (similar to condominiums but owning the land

directly under the home). Our local recreation and park district (an

independent government agency with a board elected by the voters) owned

a parcel of land too small for making a park. A non-profit organization

contracted with the district to create a community garden on the site.



The district and the non-profit share the cost of water. The district

fenced the property, and the non-profit planted shrubs to hide the

chain-link fencing. The non-profit paid to have a used cargo container

brought onto the site for storing garden tools and then bought the tools.



To get a 10x20 foot garden plot in a 1-foot raised bed, a person needs

to joint the Oak Park Gardeners (a committee of the non-profit). The

Gardeners charge an annual dues to defray the cost of replacing tools,

having trash collection, and its share of the water bill. A person does

not have to be a resident of Oak Park, but Oak Park residents have

priority for being assigned a garden plot when there is a waiting list.



The rules for this community garden require that only organic gardening

practices be followed since the site drains towards a natural park and

its creek. Gardeners must also maintain their plots, clearing them when

annual plants die and removing weeds. Certain invasive plants (e.g.,

mint) are prohibited.



While most of the plots are used for vegetables, there are some

ornamentals. Gardeners are not allowed to "poach" from plots not their

own, but they are allowed to share as much as they want.



The surrounding fence has two gates with combination locks to protect

against human thieves; but squirrels, mice, rats, rabbits, raccoons, and

possums are quite adept at getting through the fence. I don't know how

successful the Gardeners have been with their owl box in getting owls to

nest in the garden and control those varmints.



Community gardens are quite common throughout the U.S., England, and

elsewhere.



--

On Sunday, September 28, 2014 5:52:22 PM UTC-7, Fran Farmer wrote:
On 29/09/2014 6:38 AM, Hypatia Nachshon wrote:

Wondering if others have something like the following in their communities:



Allow would-be gardeners who live in apartments or otherwise have no ground,

to grow crops in your garden in exchange for ? a share of produce? other consideration?

Of course taking care to know who they are and make entry arrangements.



ISTR there used to be something like that here; I'm trying to track it down, and

if I don't find, start something.



There is certainly a move to do that in the UK. The wonderful Hugh

Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage fame started it off over there

(in current times) and from reports I've read online, it seems to be

taking off in the UK within the private world. Of course the UK has had

the local government run Allotments for many, many decades.



The (modern day) UK scheme is called Landshare and here are a few links

in case you are interested:

http://www.landshare.net/

http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/home/lo...haring-schemes



I'm increasingly dubious about veg gardening, both because of water co$t probably

increasing with CA drought, and because we don't really consume enough to bother.



What about making yourself a couple of wicking beds to grow the things

that are best picked straight from the garden just before cooking/serving?



Wicking beds seem to be all the rage here in Australia where we share

similar water concerns to California. I don't have one or intend to

start one since we supply our own water and don't have to pay any

municipal charges for its use.

Goodness! I never heard of wicking beds.

('Course I know about "wicking" individual ornamental planters from an outside source -- in fact I have to run a tube into one isolated plant that keeps getting forgotten...)

But wicking veg beds? Went on-line, and did I get an education!

Question is, am I up for the work of building w.beds -- or will I just buy (mostly) organic vegs. Stay tuned g

HB

Hypatia Nachshon wrote:

My objective is to find reliable people to make their garden in my
back yard.

then speak to people who might be reliable who live nearby

D