WELCOME PACKET FOR ROCK ISLAND COMMUNITY GARDENS 2016
GARDENERS WELCOME PACKET Urban Gardeners 2016 Welcome to the Urban Gardeners (RIUG) Community Gardens. This Welcome Packet contains important information about how we operate our gardens and who to contact with your questions. It also contains information about how you can pitch in to make our community gardens run smoothly and efficiently. We hope this packet will help all gardeners in increase accessibility to healthy foods in our neighborhoods. TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents..1 Welcome to Community Gardening.2 Success and Security at the Garden..3 Frequently Asked Questions.4 Educational Opportunities. 5 Gardener Guidelines...6 Gardener Application..7 Contact Information.8
WELCOME TO COMMUNITY GARDENING 1 A community garden means many things to many people. For some, a community garden is a place to grow food, flowers and herbs in the company of friends and neighbors. For others, it s a place to reconnect with nature or get physical exercise. Yet others use community gardens simply because they lack adequate space to have a garden at their house or apartment. Regardless of why you are choosing to take part in a community garden, the activity comes with both rewards and responsibilities. Rewards: Community gardening has the potential to offer a range of benefits to individuals, families, the community and the environment. Benefits include, but are not limited to, the following: Property values Some research indicates that property values around community gardens increase faster than property values in similar areas without gardens. Food production Community gardens enable people to grow high quality fruits and vegetables for themselves, their families and to share with their communities. Nutrition Community gardeners eat more fruits and vegetables than non-gardening families. Exercise Gardening requires physical activity and helps improve the overall physical health of gardeners. Mental health Interacting with plants and nature helps reduce stress and increase gardeners sense of wellness and well-being. Community Community gardens foster a sense of community identity and stewardship among gardeners. Environment Gardens help reduce the heat island effect in cities, increase biodiversity, reduce runoff from rain, recycle local organic materials and reduce fossil fuel use from long-distance food transport all of which generally improve our shared environment. Learning People of all ages can acquire and share skills and knowledge related to gardening, cooking, nutrition, health, culture, etc. not to mention increase math and science skills. Every part of the education scope, from literacy to history to entrepreneurial knowledge, can be learned by being a part of a community garden. Youth Community gardens provide a place for youth to explore gardening, nature and community. Economy Produce grown at Community gardens may be sold or shared to offset food purchases from the grocery store. Crime prevention Community gardens can help reduce crime. Responsibilities: Successful and vibrant community gardens rely on the dedication of each and every gardener to: 1) Maintain his or her own area. 2) Contribute to the upkeep and management of the entire garden. 3) Share any excess produce they may have with those who have not. Above all, community gardening can provide a real sense of satisfaction and accomplishment for all involved. 1 Adapted in part by Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin and University of Missouri Extension center,
SUCCESS AND SECURITY AT THE GARDEN 2 The following tips are intended to help ensure your success at the garden, minimize theft and vandalism, and keep you safe while gardening. Successful Community Gardening Plan to visit your garden two to three times a week during the growing season. Make a schedule with yourself or other gardeners. Write it in your calendar. Post a colorful reminder on the fridge to go to the garden. Good rule of thumb: Two hours a week can produce a great deal! Attend meetings. This will help you become a part of the gardening community. You ll also learn about new and different ways to raise your produce and various jobs that can be done to keep your gardening fun and efficient. Make friends with other gardeners. Experienced gardeners are an invaluable resource to your garden. Pick their brains for gardening tips. Visit their plots to see how they stake their tomatoes or trellis their beans. Others will need your valuable knowledge too. Share that with others. Volunteer for a garden job. Community gardens don t manage themselves; they require a fair amount of work. By pitching in, you ll be supporting the garden as a whole and ensuring that the work is spread among many people. Educate yourself. Check out books from the library. Let RIUG know what your interests are and we ll plan a speaker to come and share his/her knowledge. RIUG also has many books on gardening, preserving, and selling your produce that we encourage to check out. Security and Personal Safety at the Gardens Know your neighbors. Learn the names and a little about your non-gardening neighbors. Share some extra produce. Take the time to visit with them about how the garden works if they re not familiar with it. Sharing your produce with police also helps them know who belongs to the gardens and who doesn t. Signage. We will have signs for the gardens letting the public know if they can enter into the gardens, if the garden is for community only, or if the garden has specific produce that someone wishes to give away. Check with RIUG for the signage you may want. Harvest produce on a regular basis. Some people use the excuse that it s going to waste to justify take food from a garden without permission. If you are leaving town or unable to harvest when the crop is ready, let another gardener know so they can harvest for you and either give to you or donate to a pantry. Consider growing unpopular, unusual, or hard-to-harvest varieties. People generally go for easy to snatch things like tomatoes, peppers and corn. Grow more than you need. It s the positive way and you will be happier for it! Use common sense. The gardens are only open during daylight hours. Garden in pairs or keep a cellphone nearby if it makes you feel more comfortable. Report theft, vandalism and unusual activities to garden leaders and the police. The more people who are looking out for the garden and talking about what s going on, the more success you ll have at being safe and curbing unwanted activities. 2 Adapted from the Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin Community Garden Organizer s Handbook
Frequently Asked Questions 3 How much does it cost to garden here? At this time, the cost to garden at RIUG s community gardens does not have a cost to the user, unless you wish to have a private city lot ($50.00). RIUG will lease the land, map out the lots, and find a sponsor for the entire garden. RIUG will also loan out the tools and assist with getting plants and seeds if the gardener is unable to get them. The gardeners will be responsible to help RIUG transport water if needed and this may require some funding. What kinds of tools, equipment and supplies are available for loan? Our garden foreman has the use of tillers, mowers, and chippers. Hand tools (rakes, hoes, cages, trellis, seeders, etc) can be borrowed. A complete list of tools is available on the RIUG website. Can I leave a sprinkler or soaker hose on if I am not at the garden? If an irrigation system has been installed at the garden, you may leave the soaker hose on ONLY if you are in the garden. Large tanks with spigots may be available to fill water containers for use in your plot. These tanks may be filled with river water and is not to drink! If we find that spigots are being misused we will lock the containers up and water will only be available when the foreman is present. What do I have to do to stay in good standing with the garden? Care and maintain your area, help with upkeep, and be friendly, courteous and helpful. Can I bring fruit, leaves, yard waste or vegetable scraps from home to compost in the bins at the garden? Not at this time. We are just beginning to understand composting at the community level. How are plot sizes determined? The RIUG likes to get the most produce for the most people. In this respect, we have found that a 4 ft X 4 ft lot works well. Remember not only can we plant on the ground, we also grow vertically. How many plots can I get? One person = one lot. Four family members = four lots. Five lots are the maximum. Is this an organic garden? Yes. You can t use any synthetic products which includes chemical, pesticides, or fertilizers. Who do I contact for gardening advice? We have several people who are quite knowledgeable about a variety of information. Call RIUG at (309)786-2631 (Broadway Church) to ask your questions. We will refer you to the right person or we ll find someone who can answer your question to your satisfaction. How much time should I expect to spend at the garden? We suggest that you spend at least three hours a week for one plot. The time will be used for planting, cultivating, training your vegetables, harvesting and putting your garden to bed for the winter. What should I do if I experience or see theft or vandalism? 1) Call your garden foreman. They will contact the proper authorities. 2) If you feel unsafe, contact the police immediately, 911. What should I do if I am threatened or harassed at the garden? If you feel threatened, contact the police immediately, 911. Then call the garden foreman. 3 Adapted from the Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin Community Garden Organizer s Handbook.
2016 EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Date Time Subject Leader Location Address Jan. 20 1:00 pm Indoor Gardening Illinois Extension Century Woods Community Room Feb. 17 10:00 am Garden Budget: Getting the most out of your gardening budget March 19 10:00 am Calling All Gardeners: Starter plants, early planting, tool prep April 23 10:00 am Tours of Gardens: Q and A May 21 10:00 am Less Work: Making your garden work for you June 18 10:00 am Garden Business: Turning your garden into a moneymaker Illinois Extension Brian McMaster Church of Peace Broadway Workshop 1400 5 th St. 1114 12 St. 707 23 rd St. Augustana Gardens Corner of 9 th St. & 14 th Ave. Will Berge TM Garden 5 St. & 12 th Ave. Chad Summers TM Garden 5 St. & 12 th Ave. July 16 10:00 am Continuous Planting: How to keep your garden producing longer Ed Peterson TM Garden 5 St. & 12 th Ave. Aug. 17 10:00 am Preservation: Preserving your veggies for the winter Illinois Extension Broadway Kitchens 710 23 rd St.
GARDENER GUIDELINES 4 If you have any questions about these guidelines, we encourage you to talk to your garden foreman. 1. All gardeners are required to complete and sign an application form. 2. All gardeners are required to sign up for one of the garden jobs listed in previous pages. 3. Garden meetings and work parties are scheduled throughout the season. Please plan to attend to get to know your fellow gardeners and help with garden upkeep and special projects. 4. Keep your plot and adjoining pathways tended. If you plan to be out or town for a specific time, please contact the garden foreman so we can tend your plot. If your plot goes unattended after one warning, we will give it to another person. 5. Plant tall plants and vines in places where they will not interfere with your neighbor s plot. Planting illegal plants is prohibited. 6. Pick up litter when you see it and place it in garbage containers. Place rocks, sticks and trash into correct piles. Do not lay them in grass or walkways. 7. Please put weeds and dead plants into the compost bin provided. Do not leave them in the pathway. 8. Do not apply anything to or pick anything from another person s plot without their express approval. 9. DO NOT DRINK ANY WATER USED FOR PLANTS. Use the water supply as expected by foreman or the privilege of having water will be taken from your plot. 10. Smoking and chewing tobacco is not allowed. Tobacco can transmit a lethal virus to tomatoes and cigarette butts are loaded with toxins. 11. Pets, drugs, alcohol, and fires are not allowed. 12. Please supervise children in the garden. 13. Garden only in daylight hours. No one is allowed in the garden from sunset to sunrise. 14. Report theft, vandalism and unusual activities to the garden foreman and police. 15. At the end of gardening, season, all dead plants and non-plant materials must be removed and disposed of properly and all gardens left neat and tidy. 16. All papers must be signed and approved by RIUG before planting can begin. Violation of Gardener Guidelines: If any of the guidelines are violated you will be contacted by phone or email and have one week to address the violation. After one week, if the violation has not been remedied, you may lose your gardening privileges. 4 Adapted from the Community Garden Coalition s Gardener Guidelines and Urban Gardeners Guidelines
GARDENER APPLICATION Gardener Names: Address: Phone: Email: Number of plots: If you are a new gardener, would you like an experienced gardener to help you? If you are an experienced gardener, would you like to help a new gardener? Photo permission: From time to time, gardeners, Urban Gardeners and the media will take photos of the garden. By signing this, you are giving approval for photos to be taken. Phone and email: All are required to share their phone number and email address with Urban Gardeners. Please check here ( ) if you do not give your permission to share your phone number and email with ALL gardeners. By signing below, I agree that I have read and understand the Gardener Guidelines and plan to abide by all of the garden rules. I understand that neither the garden group nor owners of the land are responsible for my actions. I therefore agree to hold harmless the garden group and owners of the land for any liability, damage, loss or claim that occurs in connection with use of the garden by me or my guests. Signature Date
CONTACT INFORMATION Urban Gardeners (309)786-2631 Vikki Blair, Community Gardens Coordinator (309)737-7449 Brian McMaster, Community Gardens Manager (309)738-9401 Police Department Emergency 911 Non-emergency (309)732-2715 ONLINE RESOURCES FOR GARDENING University of Illinois Extension: http://extension.illinois.edu (309)756-9978 University of Missouri Extension: http://extension.missouri.edu (Computers are available for your use at Broadway Church, 710 23 rd St.,, IL)