The Observation Deck

Hello Observers,

Many of you are aware that the Lakewood Earth and Food Community is now offering, with the help of the FitzGerald administration, community garden plots in four parks throughout the city.

To sign up for a plot you need to complete our plot registration form and deposit it at the Lakewood Public Library, main building or Madison branch. Forms are available online, in the most recent issue of the LO, and at both library buildings.

Please note, an as of yet unidentified individual has posted registration forms at at least one Lakewood establishment. That form states that the plots are free. This is not the case.

All gardeners are required to register with the Lakewood Earth and Food Community. Upon receiving a plot assignment, each gardener will be required to sign a waiver and rules form and submit a payment of $25. Gardeners not registered with the LEAF Community will not receive a plot assignment.

For more information visit - http://leafcommunity.org

To see the LO article about our program visit - http://lakewoodobserver.com/read/specia ... -gardening

Dan,

Do you know approximately how large the plots will be. I am certain it will vary depending on how many people are interested, but do you have a guesstimate.

thanks for the info, Dan.

quick question, do you know if the city installed water spigots at the community garden sites? They had a whole network of spigots at the Ben Franklin community garden in Old Brooklyn, and they were immensely convenient.

If not, maybe some of the participants can rig up some simple rainwater/irrigation systems?

The plots will be 10 feet by 10 feet, with 3 foot pathways in between. We are working to get water spigots at each site but they are not there as of today. The $25 fees will go directly back into the gardens. We will have community tools, hoses, sprinklers, etc. The goal is to get composting and rain water collection going at each of the four sites.

Thanks for the information Dan and Amy.

When will the assigments be made?

Walking my son home from school today I saw the mounds of soil at Webb.

I'm really excited!!

It's difficult for LEAF to give a hard date on when gardeners can begin planting. If the leaf humus that was so generously provided by the OSU extension was spread and worked in today, then the garden leaders will begin configuring and staking the garden plots and the paths this weekend. They will then assign plots to gardeners who have signed the waiver and paid the $25 fee. The gardeners will then be able to plant.

We understand that this year's timeline is not ideal. We are all working as fast as we can to get into the ground. Thank you for your patience.

LEAF is very thankful for Mayor Fitzgerald's and the park division's support of this initiative. I think it's going to be a great asset to our city.