RE: drought

H* A*

Lucy,

The first thing to do is to learn how water restrictions work in your area (
or worked last time.) Most NYS government environmental officials are
looking over the playbook from the last time around and making small
adjustments for current conditions. When you make your call, don't say that
you are a gardener, or garden coordinator, just say that you want to get the
information. 

Usually lawn watering restrictions are on even or odd days. Watering
vegetable gardens can be done in a low key way by using soaker hoses in the
plots which nobody really sees. Exuberance watering and waterfights are to
be avoided! Once you know how and when you can water, lay out a watering
schedule and follow it. Try to do it when the neighbors aren't around. 

It will take some explanation to NY state community gardeners who are used
to a wealth of water and don't thing of specific times to water, but when
faced with the choice of either gardening or not gardening they will usually
fall into line.

This is a great time to teach water conservation and for folks to learn how
to use just enough water to grow their veggies. 

Also, because you are a smart, professional garden person, lay out the
vegetable planting in such a way as to maximize the use of water.

Building community support; Let it be known that your gardens feed x number
of low income folks ( seniors, kids, etc, excess going to senior centers,
shelters, etc.) and that what you do is not comparable to some guy soaking
his picture perfect lawn. Have factoids available: like how many pounds of
veggies your garden(s) produce, how many seniors, kids, are served and how
educational you are. If somebody has a brown lawn nearby, you don't want to
get this fellow as an enemy.  Put a sign out in front of the garden
explaining where the  food you raise goes to, seniors, low-income residents
and the educational programs you run. Get these folks behind by inviting
them into your garden community. 

No complaints from the neighbors, no visits from officials fining you about
water use.

If you have built up a relationship with your local firehouse by bringing
them fresh veggies during the season before ( firemen cook) it might not be
a bad thing. Periodically, firemen have to test the integrity of their
firehoses by using them. A soak from a pumper truck in August might not be a
bad thing in August ( nobody is going to say a word to the firemen.:) 

With organization, good will and a bit of humor, we can get through almost
anything.

Best wishes,
Adam Honigman
Volunteer, Clinton Community Garden

-----Original Message-----
From: Lucy Moreno-Casanova [l*@greyston.org]
Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2002 11:07 AM
To: community_garden@mallorn.com
Subject: [cg] drought

There is a serious drought situation in New York State, as the garden
coordinator for the Greyston Community Gardens Project, I'm really
concern about the situation. What are other organizations or community
leaders will be doing if the garden season gets affected by the
drought. Any ideas, can you please share them with us. Our gardeners
like to plant mostly vegetables.

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______________________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org

To post an e-mail to the list:  community_garden@mallorn.com

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden