GROWTH FACTORS.Byline: Matt Cooper Matt Cooper may refer to:
Age is irrelevant in the community garden, where young and old gardeners alike find common ground talking tomatoes, peppers and the necessity of weekly weeding. While working the earth Wednesday at the Whiteaker community garden in Eugene, 27-year-old Stephen Mildrexler talked shop with two gardeners closer in age to his grandparents grandparents npl → abuelos mpl grandparents grand npl → grands-parents mpl grandparents grand npl . "I don't ever spend time hanging out with people that age - our paths just don't generally cross on a day-to-day situation," said Mildrexler, who manages the garden. But "they're really cool old guys. One of those guys grew the biggest carrot I'd ever seen in my life last year - it was the size of a small football, that thing was huge." Spring is springing, and with it the area's community gardeners are diving back into the dirt on these public plots. The city of Eugene, FOOD for Lane County and the Willamalane Park & Recreation District offer a number of community gardens, but open plots are disappearing quicker than the morning frost. Eugene has run community gardens since 1978. Last year, more than 200 citizens grew everything from tomatoes and peppers to herbs and cut flowers flowers cut from the stalk, as for making a bouquet. See also: Flower . The city has 260 plots, but just a handful are unclaimed, said Matt McRae, community gardens program manager. Gardeners take to the city's plots because their own yards lack either the space or the sun exposure, McRae said. "They tend to have their own little communities and network of people," McRae said. "People get together for potlucks and share seeds and plants." The plots are located at 27th Avenue and High Street; 15th Avenue and Hayes Street; the end of North Polk Street Polk Street is a street in San Francisco that travels northward from Market Street to Jefferson Street. It's attractions are the See's Candy flagship store at California Street, and is usually cleaned every Saturday by the neighborhood organization. ; 301 N. Adams St.; Day Island Road in Alton Baker Park Alton Baker Park is located in Eugene, Oregon, United States, near Autzen Stadium. It features duck ponds, bicycle trails, and a dog park, and directly touches the Ferry Street Bridge. , which features wheelchair-accessible plots; and the west end of Skinner Butte Skinner Butte (also called Skinner's Butte) is a prominent hill on the north edge of downtown Eugene, Oregon, United States, near the Willamette River. Skinner Butte is a local landmark and the location of Skinner Butte Park, a municipal park. Park, by the north end of Washington Street The following streets in the United States are called Washington Street:
FOOD for Lane County runs gardens at 1465 Coburg Road and 2200 Bailey Hill Road, both in Eugene, and 705 Flamingo Avenue, off South Game Farm Road in Springfield. The latter two are open to the public, and volunteers can help grow the organization's food at all three gardens, said Jen Anonia, gardens program manager for the nonprofit anti-hunger organization. "It's been a cold winter and a slow start to spring, so it's exciting to finally get some warm dry days," Anonia said. "People are starting to work on their plots and (plant) peas and spring greens
Spring greens are a cultivar of Brassica oleracea ." The organization will host a plant sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Coburg Road site, called the GrassRoots garden. "The community garden plots are a great way for FOOD for Lane County to encourage food self-sufficiency in our community," Anonia said, "providing a way that people can provide for themselves and help each other to grow food." The Willamalane Park & Recreation District runs a community garden in Meadow Park Meadow Park is the home of the English Southern Premier League football club Gloucester City. The club moved from their former Horton Road ground in 1986. The ground has a total capacity of 4500 with a 560-seat stand. Other than this the ground is terraced and 80% is under cover. , 851 Mill St., Springfield. Park Services Director Joel Miller Joel M. Miller (b. 1943) represents District 102 in the New York State Assembly, which is comprised of Hyde Park, Fishkill, Poughkeepsie and La Grange, among other communities located within Dutchess County, New York. said gardeners are starting to turn the soil and enrich it with compost and leaves. Like the other public gardens, the Meadow Park plots provide a place where gardeners grow not just vegetables, but friendships, Miller said. "It's like any park amenity, whether it's a dog park or whether it's a garden or a play structure - it's all about community and meeting people and friends," Miller said. "It's probably less about the food a lot of times, and more the conversation and the ability to meet people." GROW YOUR GREEN THUMB Interested in community gardening Community gardening is when city planners reserve small, undeveloped spaces to be used for urban agriculture in the city’s core. Its citizens can gain more than just recreational areas, but places that socially integrate and, literally, feed the community. ? Try these groups, but don't delay - plots are going fast. Eugene: Six gardens. Rent is $60 a year, plots are about 500 square feet, and include access to tools, water and on-site help. Register at Parks and Open Space, 1820 Roosevelt Blvd. Phone: 682-4800. FOOD for Lane County: Three gardens, and opportunities to help grow the organization's food. Rent per plot is $15 to $40 depending on income; plots are about 300 square feet. Phone: 343-2822. Willamalane Park & Recreation District: Limited availability When customers of the PSTN make telephone calls, they commonly make use of a telecommunications network called a switched-circuit network. In a switched-circuit network, devices known as switches are used to connect the caller to the callee. for a community garden in Springfield. Free. Phone: 736-4104. CAPTION(S): Stephen Mildrexler works his garden spot at the Whiteaker Community Garden in Eugene. Community garden plots are available now. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion