Fwd: Garden Leadership Updates and Garden Budgeting Tips

[Bonnie Wessler]

Who's down for attending?  I'm in if others are!
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Bonnie Wessler
734/719-0266
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Liz Drabik <li...@growinghope.net>
Date: Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 11:01
Subject: Garden Leadership Updates and Garden Budgeting Tips
To: Liz Drabik <li...@growinghope.net>


Good morning!

We just wanted to touch base again with everyone who attended the Intro to Community Gardening class, and provide you with a bit more information to keep gardens on your mind during the hectic holiday season--

• The venue for Garden Leadership Training has changed from what was on the original flyer. The classes will now be taking place at the First Congregational United Church of Christ of Ypsilanti, located at 218 N. Adams St. The dates and times for GLT - Mondays starting January 23 and running through February 27 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. - remain the same. Reserve your group's place now - the deadline is January 13, 2012!
• Our staff has met several times recently to discuss Growing Gardens 2012 - we're still working on some of the finer points, but one thing we are sure of is that your sliding scale course fee for GLT will include a free year membership in Growing Gardens for your group! For starters, this means you can borrow tools from the Growing Hope Center and receive some free seeds and plants in the spring!  
• Site visits and meetings with past GLT participants have given us fresh ideas and perspectives as we flesh out each of the training sessions for 2012. We have tentatively scheduled a panel discussion with some of these folks so that you can benefit from their experiences and challenges too.

Community Garden Tip of the Week:
Developing a budget for your garden may seem like a daunting task, but a little planning around funds will keep your garden in the green and out of the red. Here's what Urban Harvest has to say: Cost varies greatly depending on size and design, so plan your garden accordingly.  The start-up cost for a community garden can range dramatically, but keep in mind it is possible to build a small community garden for much less if you are a bit creative with found materials for bed edges and composting techniques to build your own soil. 

The initial budget for your community garden should include:

Raised bed frames
Soil for the beds
Mulch
Path materials (optional but recommended)
Water connection and irrigation
Fencing (optional)
Tools (can borrow from Growing Hope)
Fertilizers & pest repellents
Seeds and young plants (Growing Hope will provide a limited number to Growing Gardens members)
Instruction

To read the entire article (with general pricing), check out: http://www.urbanharvest.org/cgardens/startguide/budgeting.html

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Liz Drabik
Growing Hope
Garden Programs VISTA
(734) 786-8401
li...@growinghope.net