Benefits of Community Gardens

Note: This blog is a companion to Galion Garden Group 
GGG is Aquaponics oriented, yet many of the
 topics there may be of value to you.

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The American Community Garden Association lists the following benefits.

Improves the quality of life for people in the garden

Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development

Stimulates Social Interaction

Encourages Self-Reliance

Beautifies Neighborhoods

Produces Nutritious Food

Reduces Family Food Budgets

Conserves Resources

Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education

Reduces Crime

Preserves Green Space

Creates income opportunities and economic development

Reduces city heat from streets and parking lots

Provides opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections

 

More to come...

~GCG~

How Do I Invite You to Grow Food?

Note: This blog is a companion to Galion Garden Group 
GGG is Aquaponics oriented, yet many of the
 topics there may be of value to you.

*****

Ancient farming techniques - our way to the future?

How Do I Invite You to Grow Food?  * peakmoments * [27:59]

This is a heavy intellectual piece about where we, (the human race) are and where we are going. Normally I [GCG admin.) would file it under the Self-Reliance-Sustainability tab on the aquaponics blog. For those of you doing in-soil gardening perhaps this is an introduction to permaculture; nature’s way/system of providing sustainable food production. 

More to come...
~GCG~

A Garden in Every Neighborhood!

Note: This blog is a companion to Galion Garden Group 
GGG is Aquaponics oriented, yet many of the
 topics there may be of value to you.

*****

 

Added to the Politics Tab is a video produced for the Denver Urban Garden program. They have established 120 gardens. Given the population difference in our two communities, can we shoot for 20, 25, or ??? gardens in Galion?

 

More to come...

~GCG~

Aquaponics in a Community Garden

Note: This blog is a companion to Galion Garden Group 
GGG is Aquaponics oriented, yet many of the
 topics there may be of value to you.

*****

An aquaponic system is compatible to other methods of gardening and the fish solid waste (fish emulsion), when diluted can be used to fertilize plot or container in-soil gardens.

Due to the seasonal changes here in Galion a year-round system needs to be built inside a building or greenhouse. Establishing a small system first and then expanding on that system to become a commercial and/or charitable operation is highly recommended. This would hold true for an aquaponics division of the Galion Community Garden as well.

In the following videos watch Gina Cavaliero of Green Acres Aquaponics introduce her steps to developing her commercial system and take note of the possibilities for the development of a large-scale aquaponics system within the community garden to produce local fresh healthy year-round harvests for distribution to the general public.

START SMALL

Green Acre's "I Aquaponic" [3:16]

 

To learn more about aquaponic gardening watch the following video and the two links below, and/or go to our companion blog = Galion Garden Group.

 

Below is 1 video and 2 links to more from Green Acre Aquaponics if you are intrigued; if not skip these for now.

 

Green Acer Organics Farm Tour 4-7-2012 [15:00]

 
Green Acre's Organics FarmTour Part2 [15:00]
Green Acre's Organics Farm Tour Part 3 [15:00]

More to come...
~GCG~

 

Excellent puveyour of in-soil garden wisdom

Note: This blog is a companion to Galion Garden Group 
GGG is Aquaponics oriented, yet many of the
 topics there may be of value to you.

*****

 [Reprint from Galion Garden Group]

Friday Oct. 11th 2013

 

For those interested in the community garden project as soil-based gardeners and have a how-to need, Gary Pilarchik has dedicated nearly 250 videos to tomato and vegetable gardening, seed starting, mostly organic fertilizers, and home remedy pest/disease control on his YouTube channel - Gary Pilarchik.

Tour of The Rusted Vegetable Garden with Gardening Tips 5/27/12
 

 

Gary's Blog = The Rusted Garden where he introduces another video series for beginning gardeners. Gary also has a Yahoo Group of 2500 members!

More to come...

~GCG~

Types of Gardens and Gardening

Note: This blog is a companion to Galion Garden Group 
GGG is Aquaponics oriented, yet many of the
 topics there may be of value to you.

*****

Forest gardening, a plant-based food production system is the earth’s oldest form of gardening. In a perfect world we would return to it.

SEE: Permaculture under the tab Self-Reliance/Sustainability Tab on Galion Garden Group  At a residential home = Practical Urban Permaculture, which is a series of 18 ten minute videos worth every minute of your time. Another, further down the page is Geoff Lawton’s Food Forest Plan. In 4 minutes he demonstrates how nature intended sustainability to be.

Today, we have residential gardens that may be located In front or back yards, on table tops, in raised beds and in containers in which soil is the grow media. Outdoor and indoor gardens exist that use soil or more recently; hydroponic or aquaponic gardening methods.

Commercially gardening is done in fields, greenhouses, in buildings and on rooftops. Local community gardening with a wide range of plants is more sustainable than the mono-crop farming practices that have developed world-wide.

Local urban gardening is a sensible social and economic activity in which an area of land (also buildings) is gardened by a group of people, providing fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as access to satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment.

Community gardens are typically underwritten by civic governments, non-profits, charities, fraternal organizations, religious groups, or just a band of neighbors joining together in the activity. In some cases garden sharing partners landowners with gardeners in need of land. Most of these groups provide harvest over-abundance to food banks or community kitchens. Some gardens are started for this purpose alone.

"Green Gardening"  involves  growing plants using organic fertilizers and pesticides so that the gardening process - or the vegetables flowers and fruits produced thereby - doesn't adversely affect the environment or people's health in any manner.

SEE: The Welcome Tab entries that show how we can get started here in Galion.

More to come...
~GCG~ 

 

Why establishing Urban Gardens is important

Note: This blog is a companion to Galion Garden Group 
GGG is Aquaponics oriented, yet many of the
 topics there may be of value to you.

*****

Community Gardens are important social, economic and environmental sectors of neighborhoods because they provide fresh local healthy food to the participants and hopefully, with management and growth in size and/or locations, to others in the immediate municipal region.

Ideally, communal gardening provides exercise, pride of accomplishment, shared knowledge and positive collective experiences. Usually, a percent of each harvest is ear-marked for the needy.

 

Development of multiple community gardens in partnership with local organic and/or naturally grown practicing farmers facilitates a long-term sustainable environment for the citizens of the community.

Bountiful, well-tended gardens with fresh non-GMO (genetically modified organism) and non-GEO (genetically engineered organism) loaded produce will attract certain positive attention and sales of heirloom seeds, transplants and/or produce harvests.

Income to the producers has a multiplier effect for positive community economics, as does the wages of employed workers in a for-profit operation or co-operative enterprise.

Environmental best practices being implemented and taught enlightens the general public’s awareness of the harm our current global food delivery system and mono-crop practices have on society and the eco-system.

Participating in a community garden program is a step toward self-reliance and continuing the practice of natural food production is a positive impactful way of protesting the current corporate consumer food delivery system and practices, as well as ensuring a better quality of food for ourselves, our families and our community.

WILLIE NELSON

 

Galion Community Gardens blob administrator believes it is time to extend Willie’s quote one step further and grow as much of our own food stuffs as we can. Do you agree?

More to come...
~GCG~