Im-Prove it: Community Garden Proposal

• Up to 7 members, one leader
• Factors to consider: time commitment, must be in good academic standing. I'm thinking at least 1 member with experience with community gardening,  1 with hands on gardening/growing/building experience, connections with other relevant aspects of the school, long term commitment- at least 2 underclassmen.
• Cannot be in SGA or SEB :(

1. Team Leader: Heather heathr1@umbc.edu 201-213-1026
2. Paul Lee: paulyoungjinlee@gmail.com (240) 418-6773
   
3. Tanvi Gadhia thetanvi@gmail.com 410-419-5664
4. Rob Bonfante imajicka1@gmail.com  (410) 459-7203 (celly)
5. Theresa Wachter twach1@umbc.edu (443) 610-0822
6. Valerie Shore vshr518@gmail.com
7. Max Tucker <turtlesrcul@gmail.com>,

That's so exciting! I'm thrilled to hear about your project. I can tell you right of the bat that you're going to need to test your soil if you're going to be growing edibles. And for inspiration you should check out the following, if you aren't familiar with them already: Fritz Haeg's Edible Estates (http://www.fritzhaeg.com/garden/initiatives/edibleestates/main.html), Participation Park in Baltimore, Will Allen & Growing Power (http://www.growingpower.org/). 

 

The best people to talk to for more advice about your project would be Miranda Pfeiffer and Patrick Caulfield of the MICA Sustainable Food Project. They started the MICA garden last year & have been the driving force behind its growth. 

 

Miranda: 

mpfeiffer@mica.edu

Patrick: 

pcaulfield@mica.edu

MICA Sustainable Food Project: 

http://micasustainablefood.wordpress.com/

 

All the best!

 

Zoe 

Pres. Students for a Sustainable Campus @ MICA

 

  You can contact Dr. Mary Rivkin (Education) via rivkin@umbc.edu; she has the name

of the student who was interested in a campus garden.  Carol Greitner runs the campus

Greenhouse and can be contacted via greitner@umbc.edu.

Regards,

Sandy Parker

 

let me know how I can help.  I work as health economist but as a senior

scientist at MIPAR I work writing grants and can help

judy

Judith A. Shinogle, PhD, MSc.

Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research

shinogle@umbc.edu

410-455-8458

http://www.umbc.edu/mipar

 

I can't make today's meeting - but I have made some head way on the living learning community.  I takes about one year to go through the entire process and Katie Boone from Residential LIfe seemed really excited about our idea.  I will be meeting with someone over the next week to start the application process.  There is a new building being constructed as well that is LEED certified (silver) and there is a possibility that we could have our floor placed there.  I will continue to work on this.  Unfortunately, I lost my own notes and cannot remember what else I said I would do/who I would contact.  If anything comes up in today's meeting let me know and I will try to work it into my schedule.

Take care,

Laura

Laurajean Lewis <ljlewis@umbc.edu

 

Hi Tanvi, I checked with Dr. Orser about the right way to approach the faculty senate. He agrees with me that it's best to have a formal proposal and request for approval (if needed) before taking up the Senate's time, which is limited. So it's premature to go there right now, but perhaps in the spring...
Best
W. Belasco

 

 

This is the original map of the four locations that was picked out from the facilities management meeting.  As of last meeting, we have chosen to focus on the two areas near the Dining Hall.  I placed the map here, next to the notes from facilities management, but anybody with better google docs skill than myself can feel free to move it to a better spot.  I still need the size info, so I'll need to get in touch with Donna.

 

Notes from meeting with facilities management:

People to contact:

-CJ- Reslife

 

-Mary Rivkin- Professor

-Kim Peng- Student, wants to start garden, on lanscape stewardship committee (next meeting: 2nd thurs in Dec @ 2:30)

-Joe Regire- Commons Director

 

Ideas:

-strawberries

-fencing

-can borrow equipt

-biology- contact about storage space and greenhosue usage

-prehab gazebo

-ABM housekeeping

-Facility Senate, staff senate

-Office of Student Life

-Soil testing

-Raised beds

-Square food method

-

In Section II of your application, you are required to explain and detail your event/project.  Follow the directions for each part carefully.

Sample below! ... note the italic stuff below is just a sample example!!!

Section II:

Part 1:  Overview

Please give a brief (250 words or less) summary of your idea.  Please include background information and describe the overall mission and purpose of your project.

Background:

• divvy up plot/responsibilities to separate groups- eg. herb garden, veggie garden, bee-keeping, composting = UMBC Vegetarians, ResLife, Commuter association etc.
• Rotation schedule- if you are scheduled to work on the garden once a week then you must do so or find replacement if you are away/unable.
  • Train new members who want to help.
  • Systematic & structured with open room for short term involvement/ trying it out
• on campus resident(ResLife) and commuter transfer student(OSS) involvement
• Gathering place- picnic tables, event every semester, open vlunteer work days, training and workshops
• Permacutlture, bio-dynamic, organic & progressive methods
• Rain barrels & composting bins- DIY

• Shriver Center long term service commitment- 8hr/week w/ notation on transcript
• Catonsville Community outreach and plot usage, neighboring elementary, middle, high school trips or work days? training/ workshops

 We plan to transform Commons Circle, the driveway area adjacent to The Commons, into a replica of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  This transformation will bring favorable international attention to UMBC, especially from fans of ancient architecture and vegetation.

Part 2: Benefit to UMBC

Please explain in 250 words or less how your idea would benefit all members of the UMBC community.

-Community gardens can address the following problem and needs of the campus:

1. Sustainability
2. Carbon Footprint
3. Bringing together commuters, transfer students, residential, and people from all walks of life into a comfortable place to socialize and be productive.
4. Offer a phyical connection to UMBC and 'nature' and 'food' in general
5. Giving the umbc the chance to be actively engaged in improving their environment, nutrition, and overall health
6. Cost/transportation efficiency (food source) and reducing waste (composting)

Mission & Purpose

-Health

-Nutrition

-Education & Awarness

-Engaging UMBC Community

-Bringing people together: all types of students, employees, as equals.

-Outlet for contribution to the school & service

The Hanging Gardens of Commons Circle will be a distinctive visual landmark, a thing of beauty for generations of UMBC students, faculty and staff to behold.  In addition, the Hanging Gardens of Commons Circle will provide a convenient outdoor gathering spot during the warmer months, helping to foster a sense of community at UMBC.

Part 3:  Implementation Plan

Please present a detailed implementation plan for your project.  More serious consideration will be given to descriptions that contain more specific information.  You are responsible for doing the legwork necessary to ensure that your proposal will pass a “reality check.”  For example, if your proposal would require the permission or cooperation of a campus administrator, you will increase your proposal’s chances of being selected if you can explain in this section that you have contacted the administrator and he/she has given the necessary permission or cooperation.  Before you contact campus administrators, please consider taking advantage of the information SGA has made available on the                             web site (www.umbc.edu/proveit) and getting the advice and support of the people identified there as helpful resources.

• Hire Intern
• Meet with students and professors interested in assisting in design
• Order & obtain all needed materials
• Advertize for Volunteer Day& Plots
• Host Volunteer Day for construction of fencing/ area prep (raised beds)
• Host Volunteer Day for construction of compost heap
• Host Volunteer Day for Planting of communal garden for Chartwells

Money, which will be needed to purchase items not donated, can be obtained through community fund-raisers such as car washes, craft and rummage sales, pancake breakfasts, and bake sales. They can also be obtained by writing grants, but be aware grant writing efforts can take six months or longer to yield results, and you must have a fiscal sponsor or agent with tax-exempt 501(c)3 status (such as a church or non-profit corporation) that agrees to administer the funds.

13. Make Sure Your Garden Infrastructure is in Place
If you have not yet formed a garden club, now's the time to do so. It's also time to establish garden rules, develop a garden application form for those who wish to participate, set up a bank account, and determine what garden dues will be if these things have not already been done. This is also the time to begin having monthly meetings if you have not already done so. Also, if you haven't already contacted your city councilperson, he or she can be helpful in many ways including helping your group obtain city services such as trash pick-up. Their staff can also help you with community organizing and soliciting for material donations.

14. Get Growing!
Many new garden groups make the mistake of remaining in the planning, design and fundraising stage for an extended period of time. There is a fine line between planning well and over planning. After several months of the initial research, designing, planning, and outreach efforts, group members will very likely be feeling frustrated and will begin to wonder if all their efforts will ever result in a garden. That's why it's important to plant something on your site as soon as possible. People need to see visible results or they will begin to lose interest in the project. To keep the momentum going, initiate the following steps even if you are still seeking donations and funds or your project (but not until you have signed a lease and obtained insurance).

a. Clean up the Site
Schedule community workdays to clean up the site. How many work days you need will depend on the size of the site, and how much and what kind of debris are on site.

b. Install the Irrigation System
Without water, you can't grow anything. So get this key element into place as soon as possible. There are plenty of opportunities for community involvement--from digging trenches to laying out PVC pipes.

c. Plant Something
Once you have water, there are many options for in-garden action. Stake out beds and pathways by marking them with stakes and twine. Mulch pathways (free mulch is available through the Los Angeles Unified School District (213) 763-2968 or fax (213) 745-7067). If your fence isn't in yet, some people might still want to accept the risk of vandalism and get their plots started. You can also plant shade and fruit trees and begin to landscape the site. If you do not yet have a source of donated plants, or don't wish to risk having them vandalized, plant annual flower seeds which will grow quickly and can be replaced later. Seeds for Los Angeles County community and school gardens can be obtained through the Common Ground Garden Program (323) 260-3348.

d. Continue to construct the garden as materials and funds become available.

15. Celebrate!
At this point, your ideas and hard work have finally become a community garden! Be sure to take time to celebrate. Have a grand opening, barbecue, or some other fun event to give everyone who helped to make this happen a special thank-you. This is the time to give all those who gave donated materials or time a special certificate, bouquet, or other form of recognition.

16. Troubleshooting as the Garden Develops
All community gardens will experience problems somewhere along the way. Don't get discourage--get organized. The key to success for community gardens is not only preventing problems from ever occurring, but also working together to solve them when they do inevitably occur. In our experience, these are some of the most common problems that "crop-up" in community gardens, and our suggestions for solving them

a. Vandalism
Most gardens experience occasional vandalism. The best action you can take is to replant immediately. Generally the vandals become bored after a while and stop. Good community outreach, especially to youth and the garden's immediately neighbors is also important. Most important--don't get to discouraged. It happens. Get over it and keep going. What about barbed wired or razor wire to make the garden more secure? Our advice--don't. It's bad for community relations, looks awful, and is sometimes illegal to install without a permit. If you need more physical deterrents to keep vandals out, plant bougainvillea or pyracantha along your fence, their thorns will do the trick!

b. Security
Invite the community officer from your local precinct to a garden meeting to get their suggestions on making the garden more secure. Community officers can also be a great help in solving problems with garden vandalism, and dealing with drug dealers, and gang members in the area.

c. Communication
Clear and well-enforced garden rules and a strong garden president can go a long way towards minimizing misunderstandings in the garden. But communication problems do arise. It's the job of the garden club to resolve those issues. If it's something not clearly spelled out in the rules, the membership can take a vote to add new rules and make modifications to existing rules.

Language barriers are a very common source of misunderstandings. Garden club leadership should make every effort to have a translator at garden meetings where participants are bilingual--perhaps a family member of one of the garden members who speaks the language will offer to help.

d. Trash
It's important to get your compost system going right away and get some training for gardeners on how to use it. If gardeners don't compost, large quantities of waste will begin to build up, create an eyesore, and could hurt your relationships with neighbors and the property owner. Waste can also become a fire hazard. Make sure gardeners know how to sort trash properly, what to compost, and what to recycle. Trash cans placed in accessible areas are helpful to keep a neat and tidy garden.

e. Gardener Drop-Out
There has been, and probably always will be, a high rate of turnover in community gardens. Often, people sign up for plots and then don't follow through. Remember, gardening is hard work for some people, especially in the heat of summer. Be sure to have a clause in your gardener agreement which states gardeners forfeit their right to their plot if they don't plant it within one month, or if they don't maintain it. While gardeners should be given every opportunity to follow through, if after several reminders either by letter or phone nothing changes, it is time for the club to reassign the plot. It is also advisable that every year, the leadership conduct a renewed community outreach campaign by contacting churches and other groups in the neighborhood to let them know about the garden and that plots are available.

f. Weeds
Gardeners tend to visit their plots less during the winter time, and lower participation, combined with rain, tends to create a huge weed problem in January, February, and March. Remember, part of your agreement with the landowner is that you will maintain the lot and keep weeds from taking over. In the late summer/early fall, provide gardeners with a workshop or printed material about what can be grown in a fall and winter garden. Also, schedule garden workdays for the spring in advance since you know you'll need them at the end of winter to clear weeds. If you anticipate that plots will be untended during the winter, apply a thick layer of mulch or hay to the beds and paths to reduce weed proliferation.