RE: query: start-up costs

J* N* H*

$100 is just materials, including soil.  Prices will vary depending on
location.  Beds can be built by volunteers with a saw, a tape measure, a
square, a marker, a 2 lb. hammer, and a strong arm.  2 people build the
frame for a bed in less than an hour, but swinging a hammer for an hour
takes it out of most people.  If you put more than 3 people on a 4x8 bed
they start getting in each other's way.  Size of crew depends on how much
space you have, how many tools you can assemble, and how much beer you can
afford.  I recommend getting a bunch of kids to transport soil to the beds
in wheelbarrows.  Great fun.

To answer somebody else's question, we get our recycled plastic timbers from
Obex in Stamford, CT.  Call (203) 975-9094.  The timbers are a bit more
expensive than pressure treated pine, but they aren't toxic, they don't
split, warp, or splinter, they are easy to work with, and they appear to be
immortal.

JH

-----Original Message-----
From: Honigman, Adam [A*@Bowne.com]
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2001 4:38 PM
To: 'jackh@knoxparks.org'
Cc: 'community_garden@mallorn.com'
Subject: RE: [cg] query: start-up costs

Jack,

1) Does that $100 figure factor in professional labor?

2) How large a work crew do you use, and how many beds do you create during
the course of the day? ( Me, I'm an amateur and setting up one bed knocks me
out.)

Best wishes,

Adam

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Jack N. Hale [SMTP:jackh@knoxparks.org]
> Sent:	Monday, February 26, 2001 4:01 PM
> To:	community_garden@mallorn.com
> Subject:	RE: [cg] query: start-up costs
>
> In our smaller gardens on bad soil, we often build raised beds that are 4'
> by 8' and a foot deep.  We use recycled plastic landscape timbers that are
> about 3" thick.  It takes 12 timbers, 4 of them cut in half, plus about 30
> 6" galvanized twist deck spikes to make one bed.  It holds just over 1
> yard
> of soil.  I figure a little over $100 per bed when I'm budgeting.  There
> are
> cheaper ways to do raised beds - making them bigger, for instance - but
> this
> size is very solid and easy to build.  A group of people can pick them up
> and move them after they have been constructed.  They make a nice
> manageable
> unit within the garden.
> Good luck.
> Jack Hale
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: community_garden-admin@mallorn.com
> [c*@mallorn.com]On Behalf Of
> 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!
>
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