New Lot on Garside St

[Tobias Fox]

Hello to you all!!!!! Please read me!!!! :-)

 

Okay, so we all should now know by now that the lot at 86 Garside St is partially privately owned. Carol Harris was deeply apologetic about this mix-up on behalf of the City and worked very hard to get us another lot on this same street because she witnessed how enthusastic and involved the neighbors had become about having and assisting with the cultivation of a community garden in their neighborhood.

 

I ask that we, for the love of fruits and vegetables and the Garside St residence, move forward from this minor setback. :-)

 

We will be meeting at 86 Garside St. this Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 1pm to make an assessment of the 33 percent city owned space of this lot and then walking down to 110 Garside St to make an assessment of that space. We need to recreate a layout and decide how we want to move forward from here. I understand that this is June, but I promise you that next spring will come with or without us. So just as Noah built his ark because he was sure it was going to rain, let's decide how we want to utilize the available space on Garside St to create a community garden.

 

Also, 110 Garside St. is directly across from an elementary school and there are additional residence on this side of the street who had also become interested with the idea of turning this space into a community garden because their children could get involved. I've attached a picture of this space.

 

Carol Harris wrote:

I was so excited that I found another City owned lot on Garside right down the same block that had potential that I guess I never mentioned the address of the lot…..110 Garside St.  WOW.  74-76 Garside is privately owned….no wonder I didn’t see a shed.  However, I really liked the lot at 110 Garside but of course it is your decision.  Let me know what you think.

 

We need to find a way to put pressure on these private owners to do something with their property or let the people do something productive with it. Until then, let's continue moving onward and upward.....

 

Tobias A. Fox

Community Organizer

646-399-0337

[Chuck Nwosu]

Okay, I'm ready for the move to 110 if necessary.  It's been a fun journey so far. :-)

-Chuck


-

[Jessica De leon]

thank you for the notice




------------------------------
On Wed, Jun 6, 2012 8:08 AM PDT Tobias Fox wrote:

>*Hello to you all!!!!! Please read me!!!! :-)*

>
>Okay, so we all should now know by now that the lot at 86 Garside St is
>partially privately owned. Carol Harris was deeply apologetic about this
>mix-up on behalf of the City and worked very hard to get us another lot on
>this same street because she witnessed how enthusastic and involved the
>neighbors had become about having and assisting with the cultivation of a
>community garden in their neighborhood.
>
>I ask that we, for the love of fruits and vegetables and the Garside St
>residence, move forward from this minor setback. :-)
>
>We will be meeting at 86 Garside St. this Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 1pm to
>make an assessment of the 33 percent city owned space of this lot and then
>walking down to 110 Garside St to make an assessment of that space. We need
>to recreate a layout and decide how we want to move forward from here. I
>understand that this is June, but I promise you that next spring will come
>with or without us. So just as Noah built his ark because he was sure it
>was going to rain, let's decide how we want to utilize the available space
>on Garside St to create a community garden.
>
>Also, 110 Garside St. is directly across from an elementary school and
>there are additional residence on this side of the street who had also
>become interested with the idea of turning this space into a community
>garden because their children could get involved. I've attached a picture
>of this space.
>

>*Carol Harris wrote:*

[monica]

i was really digging the 74-76 space but now that is in the past.
i vote that we begin by putting some lawn furniture under that tree
in the back.
it is inviting me already.
is anyone interested in planting apple trees? i found a great article
on keeping organic trees healthy.

On Jun 6, 11:08 am, Tobias Fox <tobiasf...@gmail.com> wrote:
> *Hello to you all!!!!! Please read me!!!! :-)*

>
> Okay, so we all should now know by now that the lot at 86 Garside St is
> partially privately owned. Carol Harris was deeply apologetic about this
> mix-up on behalf of the City and worked very hard to get us another lot on
> this same street because she witnessed how enthusastic and involved the
> neighbors had become about having and assisting with the cultivation of a
> community garden in their neighborhood.
>
> I ask that we, for the love of fruits and vegetables and the Garside St
> residence, move forward from this minor setback. :-)
>
> We will be meeting at 86 Garside St. this Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 1pm to
> make an assessment of the 33 percent city owned space of this lot and then
> walking down to 110 Garside St to make an assessment of that space. We need
> to recreate a layout and decide how we want to move forward from here. I
> understand that this is June, but I promise you that next spring will come
> with or without us. So just as Noah built his ark because he was sure it
> was going to rain, let's decide how we want to utilize the available space
> on Garside St to create a community garden.
>
> Also, 110 Garside St. is directly across from an elementary school and
> there are additional residence on this side of the street who had also
> become interested with the idea of turning this space into a community
> garden because their children could get involved. I've attached a picture
> of this space.
>

> *Carol Harris wrote:*

>
> I was so excited that I found another City owned lot on Garside right down
> the same block that had potential that I guess I never mentioned the
> address of the lot…..110 Garside St.  WOW.  74-76 Garside is privately
> owned….no wonder I didn’t see a shed.  However, I really liked the lot at
> 110 Garside but of course it is your decision.  Let me know what you think.
>
> We need to find a way to put pressure on these private owners to do
> something with their property or let the people do something productive
> with it. Until then, let's continue moving onward and upward.....
>
> Tobias A. Fox
> Community Organizer
> 646-399-0337
>

>  IMG_20120605_194620.jpg
> 3061KViewDownload

[Tobias Fox]

Yeah, I know Monica. 74-76 would've been a magical location for us. Oh well, we must move on. :-)

 

The tree in the back of 110 Garside is another berry tree, like the one at 86 Garside. Not sure if you'll be able to make Saturday's meeting, but the focus of Saturday's meeting is to make some assesssment of both spaces in both lots so that we can come up with another layout design.

 

I would love to hear your plan of planting an organic apple tree, given that we can't grow produce that we plan to consume directly into the ground :-)

 

The bestes you are! :-)

 

Tobias 

[Maya Curry]

Sounds good. I won't be able to make tomorrows meeting - got a shoot
with my internship @ that time - BUT as always keep me posted, send
everyone my love
And appletrees? Oh yea :)

[monica]

i won't be at the meeting . and if we think about it, there must be a
way to grow apples in newark without newark soil.

[Tobias Fox]

I agree Monica. One of the greatest resources on our planet is the human mind. Innovation! :-)

 

Tobias

[Dina Rodrigues]

Hello people. 

About a week ago, Tobias and I were talking about creating a document with everyone's emails and phone numbers so that we can contact each other better. The idea was kind of pushed to the side and never official proposed to the group. However, with today's meeting [or lack there of], I see the importance of making such a document.

When I arrived at the lot, I was an hour late. I didn't have anyone's phone number but Tobias' and Damian's from the group. Therefore, when I realized I was going to be late, I had no else else to notify. My phone is not a smart phone, so I cannot easily email the group to let people know and ask who is there. I also take public transportation, so getting to lot takes me a while. 

While I was on the bus, being late, I remembered the document idea and promised myself that I would make it as soon as I got back home. Of course by then, some people had come and gone to the lot, and I had no way of reaching out to them. 

The way the document will work is a follows:

1. You cannot view the document if you have not offered a phone number and email [phone number is mandatory; some of us don't have email addresses]

2. Respect those who have offered their emails and phone numbers.

3. If your email and phone number should change, please let me know.

4. If you do not wish to share your phone number with the group, that's fine, but you will not be part of the document group.

If you do not agree to these rules, please let me know so we can discuss the matter further. Otherwise, I will assume that you are in agreement. Once you send your phone number and email, I will share the document with you. [Please make sure to tell me your name when you email your information. Thanks. ]

Please send all emails and phone numbers to occu...@gmail.com.

Futhermore, I have some ideas that I jotted down from the conversations I had at the lot today:

1. There is a general consensus between the residents that the lot down the street is not an optimal place and that we should stay with the 1/3 of the lot we do have. 
   
   1. The other lot is further down the street, away from the residents who are already on board. The lot we have now is within view of all the residents willing to help.
   2. The two lots are about the same size. Therefore, if we are in fact gaining space, it's not by much.
   3. The space we have now stands out more compared to the other one down the street.
2. Regarding a new layout:
   1. Use tires for:
      1. Small raised beds [Like the one Mary set up at the front of the lot]
      2. A barrier wall between what the city owns and what the other owner owns.
      3. A base for a pole(s) that would hold solar panels. Damian was looking at an already existing pole next to the lot. It's a light pole that would gain optimal sun exposure all day. The pole number is 34949. If someone could look into whether that pole could be used to mount a solar panel, that would be great. If it turns out we cannot, we will use a pole stuck in a cement filled tire instead.
3. Water sources
   1. I shared with Damien the idea of creating our own roof to collect water. For example, say we have a bench where people can sit and relax and hovering over their heads is a "roof" that provides shade. However, while providing shade, it also collects rain water that is drained into the rain barrels. This could be a good alternative from using other house's roofs. Then, The issue would be a matter of being able to store water for the drier weather.
   2. Damian has offered to build a charcoal filter for the rain water collected.

That's all I have. I will be drafting layout and sharing it with the group. It will be basing it off of the previous layout we agreed to. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, please email the group. Finally, please email your phone numbers and emails to occu...@gmail.com as previously stated.

See you all soon! Enjoy your weekend.

~Dina Rodrigues

---

From: Tobias Fox <tobia...@gmail.com>
To: on-science-and-sustai...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, June 9, 2012 9:33 AM
Subject: Re: New Lot on Garside St