RE: query: start-up costs

H* A*

LoAlliance:

1) Please go to the ACGA website and plan to spend at least an hour reading
and printing the how-to information there:

http://www.communitygarden.org/

1a) This start-up information is good enough to be catechized:

 http://www.communitygarden.org/pubs/starting.html

1b) Go to the garden links page and find a garden in your area to talk to.
The idea is to network locally, talk to your agricultural extension people
and listen carefully to them.

2) The equation for figuring out cubic feet of soil for x number of raised
beds is a basic mathematics volume question that you can figure out after
you work on the issues in 1b). 

2a) DO NOT USE INORGANIC ARSENICAL, PENTACHLOROPHENOL OR CREOSOTE PRESSURE
TREATED WOOD FOR RAISED GARDEN BEDS ( the different chemicals that preserves
wood for decks and building will leach into your soil. According to Federal
guidelines, treated woods have to be disposed of, in many cases  as
hazardous substances.)  

Untreated wood, brick, or non-reactive recycled plastic designed not to
leach into the ground are the way to go for raised beds. There are long
discussions about this in the archives of the master gardener's listserve. 

http://www.mallorn.com/lists/community_garden/

2c) I'm a big fan of the John Jeavon's books, and if you can, a seminar with
the man can be a great experience, reading the books in his course catalog
extremely helpful http://www.johnjeavons.com/john-jeavons.html

3) Planning a community garden can be a really hard job if you do it all by
yourself. Why not invite interested community members to get involved with
you in this planning process, i.e. two head being better than one, making
community a part of your group's ethos before the first bit of earth gets
turned.

4) Become a member of the American Community Gardening Association. For 25
bucks a year you instantly become part of an international organization ( we
have Canadians, Japanese and a coupla European members) of community
gardeners. Check out this link for all the goodies you can get as a member: 
 http://www.communitygarden.org/about/membership.html

There are karmic benefits to joining the ACGA as well.

Happy gardening,let us know how it works out for you,

Adam Honigman

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	LoAlliance@aol.com [SMTP:LoAlliance@aol.com]
> Sent:	Monday, February 26, 2001 1:26 PM
> To:	community_garden@mallorn.com
> Subject:	[cg] query: start-up costs
> 
> I am working on a proposal for a community garden.  I need to make a
> budget 
> and wonder if anyone can answer these questions:
> 
> 1. Exactly what lumber and other materials are needed to build a raised
> bed, 
> say a series of raised rows to cover most of a lot (I don't have the 
> dimensions yet, so let's say its 25 by 40)
> 
> 2. How many yards of soil do you need per square yard of garden?
> 
> Many thanks!
> 
> _______________________________________________
> community_garden maillist  -  community_garden@mallorn.com
> https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden

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