NESNA

We recently received an interesting proposal to create a community garden in Memorial Park, similar to the very successful garden at Greenvale Elementary School ( see photos, which you can enlarge by clicking on them.)   Here is the proposal in its entirety.    Ed

November 21, 2008

To the Northfield East Side Neighborhood Association Board:

Greetings from your neighbors!

We are excited to introduce to you a project that we think would be a great addition to our east side neighborhood.  We are part of the Northfield Community Gardeners group, which two years ago helped to start the Greenvale Park Community Garden.  Now that we’ve finished our second successful growing season, our group is seeking a new garden site in another part of town, to make community gardening an option for more Northfield residents.  Our waiting list is evidence of more demand for garden space, and we certainly know of residents on the east side who would like to have a garden closer to home.

We’ve been looking around town for potential sites, and we think one of the most ideal spots for a community garden would be at upper Memorial Park, on the west side of the pathway as you go in the Fifth Street entrance to the park.   It is a large, sunny, flat area that appears to be ideal for gardening.  This area does not seem to be used for other purposes, and is far enough away from the swimming pool complex that its placement wouldn’t interfere with the recreational uses of that area.  For these and a host of other reasons, we feel it would be a great garden site.  We would like to propose the creation of a community garden on a trial basis in this location.  As complete implementation of the city’s master plan for the park is likely several years away, this proposal would give the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council, the neighborhood, and the community gardeners time to try each other out and see whether this activity is a good fit for the park in the longer term.  It would require no structural changes to the park beyond the soil improvement brought about by the gardeners.

We intend to approach the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council about this proposal, but before doing that we wanted to approach NESNA with the idea.  Attached is an information sheet that will give you an idea of how the Greenvale Park Community Garden works, and what a garden on the upper Memorial Park site would be like.

We appreciate your consideration of this idea.  We would like very much to have a letter of support from the NESNA Board as we approach the Park Board.  We are aware that NESNA cannot speak for all the residents of the east side.  However, we do feel it is important to tell you about our plan, invite your comments, and request your support.   (We also invite any of you who are interested to join the Northfield Community Gardeners!)  We do intend to approach each of the households that would be immediate neighbors to this potential garden, to explain the idea and seek their support as well.

I am very happy to talk with you further and answer any questions you may have as you consider this project.

Sincerely,

Sheryl Joy
619 E 3rd St, Northfield
645-9109
rdbaker@charter.net

Sam Demas
410 Winona St, Northfield
sdemas@carleton.edu

About the Community Garden

Why Community Gardening?
Community gardens give people a place grow their own food (and flowers), even if they don’t own suitable land on which to grow it.  There is a resurgence of interest in gardening in our country, and especially in vegetable gardening, as we become more aware of the health and environmental benefits of fresh, local food.  (This interest will only increase as food and gas prices increase.)  Community gardens can improve the physical & mental well being of gardeners through active gardening and eating wholesome produce.   Gardens also build community as gardeners with diverse backgrounds work together to create the garden space, tend plots, and share skills, information, produce, and more.  A visible community garden will help educate children (and adults) about growing food.  (i.e: food doesn’t really come from the grocery store!)  Community gardens are attractive and productive places, and are friendly to visiting birds, bees, and people.
Partners/Participants:
The Greenvale Park Community Garden is a collaboration between the Northfield Community Gardeners (NCG) and the Community Services Division of Northfield Public Schools.  The NCG is a volunteer citizens group operating under the fiscal agency of The Center for Sustainable Living, a non-profit Northfield organization.  The NCG is made up of interested gardeners, and is actively seeking new members to participate in organizing the new garden.  The NCG does the work of managing the garden and working with the gardeners.  The Community Services Division helps to publicize the garden, accepts applications, AND because the community garden is under this umbrella, the School District’s liability insurance covers the garden space.  This is a mutually beneficial arrangement, and we anticipate that any future garden will be organized in the same manner.

How the garden works:
The garden space would be divided into plots, and each plot is under the care of an individual or family.  Gardeners are responsible to care for their own plots and also to work with the group to maintain all common areas (mowing grass paths, trimming fences, maintaining compost, etc.)  The Greenvale Park Garden (GVP) has a Sharing Plot, the produce from which is donated to the food shelf.  This could be replicated at the new garden.   All gardeners are required to use only organic gardening methods.

How plots are assigned:
Applications are made available in early winter, and information and deadlines for turning in applications are published through the Community Services bulletin, which is mailed to all households in the Northfield School District.  Plot space is granted on a first come-first served basis.  Gardeners must pay a small fee (at GVP, $25 for full size and $15 for half plots), and scholarships are available for those who are unable to afford the fee.  Plot fees help pay for garden expenses like water, mulch, etc.

In succeeding years, returning gardeners would be able to return to their same plot, so long as they maintain it adequately, clean it up at the end of the year, and participate in the communal work of the garden.  It’s likely that some gardeners will choose not to return, and this turnover will make room for new gardeners.

Impact on the Neighborhood

Appearance:
The garden layout will be designed by the Northfield Community Gardeners group (input from the community is welcome!)  The garden space need not be square . . . it can be designed with curves or angles to fit and complement the available space.  It will be designed so that it can be divided into plots of fairly equal size.  (The GVP garden has two plot size options: 10’x10’ and 10’x20’).  The total number of gardeners participating will depend in part on how many choose the larger or the smaller size.

Most gardeners plant a combination of vegetables and flowers, which adds to the visual interest of the garden.

Whether there is a perimeter fence will depend on whether there is a need (to keep out rabbits, dogs, etc.) and whether funding can be found . . . there may not be any fencing in the first year.  There will likely be a water tank or water barrels for storing water.  There will be several compost bins, likely made from wood or wood pallets.  It would also be ideal to have a small shed on site for storage of communal tools, but this would depend on finding funding.

Parking:
At the Greenvale Park Garden (which has 30+ plots) there are rarely more than one or two cars parked at any one time, and most of the time no cars are parked there.  Many gardeners walk or bike to the garden.  We do have a communal work day once in spring and once in fall, and on those days there would likely be 6 to 8 cars parked for the space of 3 – 5 hours.