Update 6.4.10
I am sorry it has been a little while since my last update. We are definitely up and running as a garden and there are many exciting things that are coming.Fantastic Amount of work last weekend. Great Thanks to Dean and Kristine Nickerson for organizing it and to everyone who came out on such a hot weekend. With the raised beds that were built our total is now 35 and all of them are rented. If you were at the first meeting we had just over a month ago, you will know that exceeds our goal for the summer by 5. In addition another long raised bed is being created for the students to grow in. This bed should be planted by the end of the day on Sunday.
Workday Sunday ( Tomorrow 6/6/10)
At the end of last weekend, Dean organized a workday this coming Sunday for 2pm. Our plans for this day are to finish the raised for the students and begin developing the flower beds that will be placed along sidewalks. The village of Oak Park has begun dumping top soil from their tree removal process that we will use for these “non-edible” beds.
Our upcoming meeting June 9th
BYO Chair. Please make sure that you mark your calendars for our monthly meeting this coming Wednesday June 9th at 7pm. We are going to be meeting out at the garden and will be discussing:
- What is working and what can be improved
- Planned common area projects
- Garden related activities such as the film series
- Educational tracks that are being developed.
- Student Projects
Also be sure to bring your bug spray!! If it looks like we may have rain, we will set up an alternative location and let people know that day.
Student Bed
The students have been in discussion about what they want to plant in their bed and we will be supporting them and planting the left over seedlings
Root Riot- Network Planning Meeting (June 13th)
On Sunday night June 13th we have set up a meeting for the whole Root Riot Network. One of the things we really committed to is sharing knowledge and ideas through all of the gardens that are and will come to be part of the network. This meeting is also going to be a chance for you to personally meet people engaged in the same kind of endeavors at other locations. We are requesting to have a team of representatives of Harambee to participate in this meeting. All you need do to participate is go bring yourself and your ideas. If you want to be on this team, please contact me by email or phone 312-213-7824.
Fencing
We are continuing to work on how we are going to do this. Our most hopeful possibility is that some of the people with the Chicago Park District are looking into loaning us fencing for the summer. Failing that, we are going to be checking with other city departments and we have been getting price quotes for purchasing the beds.
Remaining beds that have not been planted
If your bed has not been planted yet you don’t want to wait much longer than this Sunday. Keep in mind that we have lots of links to educational resources including people at the www.root-riot.com website. If you are looking for some direct support, we have a number of experienced gardeners on our team who can assist you. All you need to is ask.
Two more articles came out this week about Root Riot and Harambee
The wider community is very interested in what we are doing. There have now been a total of 6 articles about Root Riot and the associated gardens. You want to know that your participation in this project has sparked the imagination of a lot of people around the West Side and Oak Park. Please keep on sharing with and inspiring people about what we are doing!!!
Wednesday Journal in Oak Park about our education efforts.
http://www.wednesdayjournalonline.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=17637
Austin Talks featuring the students
http://austintalks.org/2010/06/new-community-garden-in-austin-offers-more-than-food/
Thank you and see you in the garden, Seamus
Root-Riot Urban Garden Network 