Children andCommunity

Gardening inMadison County

Elizabeth Ayers

Madison County Cooperative Extension

Introduction

• America Community Gardening Association

Community and School Gardens

• Environment to work with teachers, parents and neighborhood resident volunteers

• Learning the relationship between people, plants and wildlife

• Lessons are limited only by one's creativity

Community and School Gardens

• School Gardens are like libraries

• Responsible and knowledgeable people to maintain

• Children can and will learn

• Permanent additions

• Utilized year-round

Step 1--Form a Garden Committee

• No one person can coordinate

• Finding funds to support the garden

• scheduling educational activities

• finding and training volunteers

• researching and disseminating information

Step 1--Form a Garden Committee

Where do you find such people?

• School staff

• Parents

• Local residents

• Gardeners

Step 1--Form a Garden Committee

• Determine if there really is a need and desire for a garden

• Who will the garden serve--kids, seniors, special populations, schools

Step 1--Form a Garden Committee

• If project meant to benefit a particular group - essential they be involved in all phases

• Organize a meeting of interested people

• Make a list of what needs to be done

• Obtain lease or agreement from owner

Step 1--Form a Garden Committee

• Find a garden site but consider past uses of the land. Is there any contamination?

• Is insurance something you need to consider?

Step 1--Form a Garden Committee

• Decide on a mailing address and central telephone number(s). Try to have at least 3 people who are very familiar with all pertinent information.

• Form a telephone tree

Step 1--Form a Garden Committee

• If your community garden has a budget, keep administration in the hands of several people.

• Choose a name for the garden

Step 2--Define the purpose and objectives of your garden

• Every garden fulfills some need or objective

• Each garden is unique • All gardens are a learning aid or teaching

tool• What kind of garden--vegetable, flower,

trees, a combination?

Step 2--Define the purpose and objectives of your garden

• Some teachers may utilize the garden across all curriculums.

• Whatever your needs are, by addressing these issues, you will have a better understanding of the work involved in this stage.

Step 3--Layout your students gardening activities

• Determining your objectives allows your next step to be lesson plan.

• You will need to determine which groups of students will be doing what and when

• Opportunity to schedule specific activities at specific times or assign certain tasks to your volunteers.

Step 4--Define a year-round garden plan

• Identified what your garden will be like while school is in session.

• Summer break? • Who is going to keep this garden

maintained until school starts? • How do you want the garden to look on

the first day of school?

Step 5—Choose garden site and design your garden

• Garden site should be in an area that receives– Plenty of sunlight – Good drainage– Close proximity to water – Electricity – Accessible to students, volunteers, and

teachers

Step 5—Choose garden site and design your garden

• Site should have enough room for • Garden • Tool storage • Students • Maintaining a large garden will use up all of your

time and energy so select a relatively small area.

Step 6--Build your Garden according to plan

• This is the big moment when teachers, volunteers, students and their parents pool their resources and build this permanent addition to the school.

HOW SHOULD THE GARDEN BE ORGANIZED?

• Are there conditions for membership (residence, dues, agreement with rules)?

• How will plots be assigned (by family size, by residency, by need, by group- i.e., youth, elderly, etc.)?

• How large should plots be (or should there be several sizes based on family size or other factors?

HOW SHOULD THE GARDEN BE ORGANIZED?

• How should plots be laid out? • If the group charges dues, how will the money

be used? • What services, if any, will be provided to

gardeners in return? • Will the group do certain things cooperatively

(such as turning in soil in the spring, planting cover crops, or composting)?

HOW SHOULD THE GARDEN BE ORGANIZED?

• When someone leaves a plot, how will the next tenant be chosen?

• How will the group deal with possible vandalism?

• Will there be a children's plot? • Will the gardeners meet regularly? If so, how

often and for what purposes? • Will gardeners share tools, hoses, and other

such items?

HOW SHOULD THE GARDEN BE ORGANIZED?

• How will minimum maintenance (especially weeding) be handled both inside plots and in common areas (such as along fences, in flower beds, and in sitting areas)?

• Will there be a set of written rules which gardeners are expected to uphold? If so, how will they be enforced?

• Should your group incorporate and consider eventually owning your garden site

INSURANCE

• Difficult to obtain leases from landowners without public liability insurance.

• Garden insurance is a new thing for many insurance carriers

• Work with an agent from a firm which deals with many different carriers

• Better success with one of the ten largest insurance carriers

Sample Guidelines and Rules• I will keep weeds down and maintain the

areas immediately surrounding my plot if any.

• I will keep trash and litter cleaned from the plot, as well as from adjacent pathways and fences.

• I will plant tall crops where they will not shade neighboring plots.

Sample Guidelines and Rules• I will not use fertilizers, insecticides or weed

repellents that will in any way affect other plots.

• If my plot becomes unkempt, I understand I will be given 1 week's notice to clean it up. At that time, it will be reassigned or tilled in.

• If I must abandon my plot for any reason, I will notify the manager.

Most Important

• Have fun

• Education

• Relationships

• Exercise

• Healthy Eating

• Stewardship

My Experiences In Madison Co.

• 4H Mini-gardens

• Hot Springs School Garden

• Seven Glenns Community Garden

• Victory Garden at The Veteran's Restoration Quarters

4H Mini-Gardens

• 4H Project Book

• Record keeping

• Educational resources

• 2 site visits with Master Gardeners

• End of Year celebration

Hot Springs School Garden

• 4th Grade Teacher and classroom

• 4H curriculum following standard course of study

• School and Cooperative Extension

• Spring and Fall Garden

• School and Community

Victory Garden

• ABCCM - The Victory Garden

Seven Glenns Community Garden

• Housing Development

• Gardening Club

• Educational Resources

• Row for the Hungry

• Fields of Hope

Summary

• Whether it’s a community garden or a school garden remember:– Purpose of garden– Guidelines and Rules– Invite everyone– Build community– Grow

Thanks

• North Carolina Cooperative Extension

• American Community Gardening Association

• North Carolina 4H

• ABCCM – Video

• aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu

Any Questions?