Lori Garton's
Garden Philosophy
"I believe that a garden will flourish if stewarded sustainably. As responsible land care-takers we should be growing our soil -- not depleting it. That means not using any synthetic substances, including pesticides and fertilizers. It also means adding to the soil.
Composting is a key component to our Good Food Project garden. The more biodiverse an ecosystem is the healthier it is. That's why we grow as many different species as possible, including worms, chickens and bees. The more things that we have growing ... the more natural nutrient cycling and weed, insect and disease control there will be (and the less we have to do!).
This type of growing takes patience -- Mother Nature does take her time. So take a deep breath, take one step at a time, and let's grow together!"
-- Lori Garton, Director
Good Food Project
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-- Thank You --
The Good Food Project earnestly thanks the following businesses for their support in providing plants and supplies for the community garden.
Lowe's of Alexandria
Petrus Feed & Seed
Inglewood Farm
Burford Trees
Southern Loggers Co-op
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What Our Garden Needs
The following items are needed to enhance our community garden:
Cinder Blocks
Bricks
Containers for Growing Plants
Leaves (non-waxy)
Wood Chips
Please contact Lori Garton at lgarton@fbcenla.org or 445-2773 if you are able to donate any of these items.
Thank You! |
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Sprout
Good Food Project Garden News
December 2011 |
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Thank you for your interest in the Good Food Project, which is operated under the direction of the Food Bank of Central Louisiana in partnership with the Central Louisiana Community Foundation and funded through the generous support of Keller Enterprises.
Our Sprout newsletter will keep you current with the Good Food Project and provide useful information about growing your own healthy food and enjoying the lifelong benefits of gardening.
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Good Food Project
Garden Growing Strong
Starting from clay-based soil in the heat of early September, the Good Food Project demonstration garden on more than one-quarter acre is thriving with more than 70 varieties of vegetables, herbs and fruit. The garden is available for viewing -- and volunteer activities -- at the Food Bank of Central Louisiana on Baldwin Avenue in Alexandria.
An initial tilling was necessary to turn over the compressed earth (exposing hundreds of rocks and discarded construction material) and disrupt a thick mat of grass and weeds. River sand (silt) was incorporated into the soil to provide a texture more conducive to seedlings and seed germination, and sustainable growing beds were built using a "lasagna" method of soil preparation that included cardboard for moisture and weed control, compost, grass clippings, pasteurized chicken manure, straw, garden soil and red worms.
The beds, which are designed for minimum maintenance through permaculture practices, are arranged in a flower-petal design for access and visual attractiveness.
Cold-weather crops in the garden are mustard greens (3 varieties), endives, carrots, arugula, turnips (2), spinach, leeks, beets, radishes (2), celery, kale, lettuce (5), broccoli, cabbage (3), onions (2), peas (2), artichokes, rhubarb, swiss chard, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and collard greens.
Herbs are garlic, fennel, lavender (2), hyssop, oregano (4), mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme (4), paragon and valerian.
Fruits are blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, lime, lemon, orange, grapefruit, kumquat, satsuma, apple (2), pear (2) and grapes.
Additional beds are being prepared for spring and summer planting. The site eventually will be irrigated, landscaped and fenced, and a portable building will be available as a classroom and for garden-related activities.
Produce from the garden is distributed to Food Bank clients, and the site serves as a living laboratory for garden classes and volunteers.
Visitors are welcome to view the garden. |
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Garden Classes in 2012
A series of gardening-related classes will be held in 2012,
announced Lori Garton, director of the Good Food Project. The first class -- which will be held Jan. 28 from 10 a.m. until noon -- will deal with composting and the use of various garden "teas."
The class will be held at the Food Bank of Central Louisiana at 3223 Baldwin Ave. in Alexandria.
The soil preparation curriculum consists of a five-part class on soil preparation using organic practices, including cover crops, vermiculture, sheet mulching/lasagna gardening, and homemade and organic fertilizer.
Other classes will be held on spring vegetables, container gardening, herbs, mushrooms, perennials, beneficial plants, water harvesting, and garden cooking.
Classes will be conducted by Garton and local experts. |
Volunteers Build Hoop House
A hoop house was added to the Good Food Project community garden landscape on a crisp November morning with the assistance of a dozen volunteers.
The 15 by 40-foot structure, which acts as a greenhouse, was constructed with PVC pipe and polyethylene sheets. It will extend the growing season at both ends for spring and fall vegetables. Spring plants will be started in the hoop house within a few weeks.
The project was spearheaded by volunteer Rodney Verzwyvelt, a conservation technician with the Rapides Soil & Water Conservation District. Verzwyvelt has constructed several huge hoop houses under which he grows locally renowned tomatoes.
The hoop house also was raised with the assistance of the Cenla Derby Dames, the area roller derby team.
Home gardeners who want construction plans for the hoop house should contact Lori Garton at lgarton@fbcenla.org. |
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December Garden Activities
We're fortunate in Central Louisiana to be able to plant (and harvest) vegetables each month of the year.
According to the LSU AgCenter, the following varieties (seeds or seedlings) can be planted this month:
Cabbage
Mustard
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Spinach
Carrots
Turnips
Shallots
Onions (pencil-size plants)
Other garden activities include mulching and soil preparation, and pruning if appropriate. December also is ideal for planting trees and shrubs, which add biodiversity to the garden, provide habitat for wildlife, and attract beneficial pollinator and predator insects.
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Soil & Water Conservation District
Supports School Gardens
The Good Food Project, an initiative to build community gardens and encourage people to grow their own healthy food, has received a $2,000 contribution from the Rapides Soil & Water Conservation District to assist schools with garden start-up costs.
The stipend was announced by Max C. Johnston, chairman of the RSWCD board of supervisors. "The Good Food Project has many parallels with our mission of educating children in Rapides Parish in aspects of soil and water conservation, and we are pleased to make it financially easier for schools to get involved," Johnston said.
Participating schools will receive $100 to offset the costs of beginning a garden. Inquiries should be made to Lyn Rollins, Good Food Project coordinator of marketing/outreach, at lrollins@fbcenla.org or 445-2773. "There has been substantial interest by schools in starting gardens to supplement their academic curricula and to teach lifetime skills, but often there is a financial impediment. The farsighted generosity shown by the Rapides Soil & Water Conservation District removes this barrier," Rollins said.
The Good Food Project, supported by a grant from Keller Enterprises, is administered through the Food Bank of Central Louisiana. "We are very excited to collaborate with the Rapides Soil & Water Conservation District on sponsoring start-up costs for school gardens connected with the Good Food Project," said Jayne Wright-Velez, director of the Food Bank. "I commend the RWSCD leadership for its support of our vision of breaking the cycle of hunger in Central Louisiana."
A working community garden, which will serve as a living laboratory, is being established adjacent to the Food Bank at 3223 Baldwin Avenue in Alexandria. Classes will be taught at the garden and outreach sites, and the harvest will be distributed to Food Bank clients. "Our goal is to educate and encourage people to contribute to their own well being by growing their own food in a sustainable garden," said Lori Garton director of the Good Food Project. "The potential is enormous, and we are ready to assist all interested parties in the Food Bank service area."
The Food Bank of Central Louisiana is a non-profit organization whose mission is to alleviate hunger in Central Louisiana. The Food Bank distributes food and grocery products to needy families through a network of approved charitable agencies in the following 11 parishes: Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, Vernon and Winn. |
Garden Volunteers Needed
Volunteers - no experience is necessary - are sought for a variety of Good Food Project community garden projects.
Lori Garton, GFP director, said volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome and appreciated for garden upkeep activities. Volunteers could be involved in planting, harvesting, soil preparation, weeding, pruning, watering, landscaping and other garden chores.
"We do our best to make the tasks undertaken by volunteers educational and fun," said Garton. "Volunteers already have had a noticeable impact on our garden, and we will need more help as we proceed through our year-long garden development program."
The GFP demonstration garden is located adjacent to the Food Bank of Central Louisiana at 3223 Baldwin Ave. in Alexandria.
Volunteers should contact Garton at lgarton@fbcenla.org or call 445-2773 to get additional information or schedule a time to work.
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Sustainable Garden
* Tip of the Month *
A big component of sustainability is not wasting materials and getting the most out of your garden. A garden can't be sustainable if the gardener isn't healthy either, so eat your greens! Lots of greens (leaves of vegetable plants) in the garden are edible that you might not know about! You can eat broccoli greens, cauliflower greens, radish greens, carrot greens, and beet greens.
"Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, probably the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats."
(Source: Laura Dolson, "Green Leafy Vegetables - Nutritional Powerhouses")
If you want to eat the leaves before you harvest the vegetable, make sure you only snip a few at a time so that the plant can continue to grow! They can be eaten raw in a salad or slightly cooked. Just add some olive oil, vinegar and some of your favorite spices for a very nutritious and tasty treat!
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