Link to "Three Sisters"---education for sustainability.

Path To Freedom

Catherine Gervis of The University Area Enrichment Association encouraged me to look at this link-- "Path To Freedom." There seems to be a beautiful trend towards urban gardening. I love the contagious aspect of community gardening! I am seeing more gardening here where I live in the University Area and it is making a dramatic change in how the neighborhood feels. We landscaped our front yard last weekend and both of our neighbors are doing the same. It will be interesting to see the changes in Columbus over the next 5 years. This is a time in our country where many people are struggling (gas prices, bills) and adding some flowers, growing our own food, setting up new farmers markets and increasing pubic art....that's transformative and powerful!

From Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Assn.

OEFFA Organic Lawn Care workshopColumbus, Ohio Saturday, June 14, 2008 9:00am-Noon Organic lawn care is a great option for those who want a vibrant lawn that they can be proud of, without using chemical applications that can be detrimental to the health of pets, people, and local wildlife. This do-it-yourself style organic lawn care class will present information on how to safely manage soil health, fertilization, disease, weeds, and pests that can cause problems in the yard. Different types of grass, good lawn care practices, and the use of native plantings as grass alternatives will also be discussed. There will be plenty of time for individual questions. This workshop will be taught by Nate Elfner of Elfner Landscape and Organic Lawn Care.$25 OEFFA members/$35 non-members.Class size is limited, so sign up early! To register, send your check, along with your name, address, phone number, and email to: OEFFAWorkshops, 41 Croswell Road, Columbus OH 43214. Workshop details and directions will be sent to registrants. Questions can be directed to laura@oeffa.org or 614/421-2022. Please visit our website,www.oeffa.org, for more events throughout the year.

some of nature's garden ornaments

waiting, reaching for....spring
which way did she go?
stones should gather moss. live life slowly.
teasal
encompass

passion vine
allium (with silver painted ones in background)
bee on the balm
swiss chard

some of my garden ornaments

fire pit
garden chair
sundial in the butterfly garden
toad house (he is in there)
arbor before the summer clematis covers it

Pumpkin served on a table
she scares me when the wind blows
so romanesque
moon on the arbor
a beaten up windmill

Hmm? Part 2.

I appreciate it. I see its usefulness. I like how it recycles.

But it is ugly. Tires are ugly.

Is there a better way to use this great idea?

Now This Is a Plan

Disco Balls in the Garden

I didn't think I could love gardening any more than I already do, but then I saw this.

"at first I was afraid, I was petrified..."

If we can't figure out how to make them ourselves, we can order them here.

Garden Parties

How about that for an invitation? Beautiful.

Here are 1, 2, 3 websites with good ideas for garden parties.
Here is another gardening blog with lighting ideas.

Sheds Are Cool

I have a weird thing for sheds and barns.

I love them.

They have it all-character, interest, intrigue, fine details, weathering, wear and tear. They convey a warmth and welcome.

These two sheds are great examples of how we could store our tools and equipment at the SHCG.

Umm...This is Just TOO Ridiculously Cute

This is another garden art idea over at Weinland Park Community Gardens. I am at a loss for words. Too ridiculously cute.

It might be fun to do scary & gross bugs and other garden creatures, too!

Seed Packet Art

These packets are available at a very fabulous blog, Modish:

http://blog.modishhandmade.com/modish/2008/03/publish-327-pro.html

Glass and Welded Art

These will be excellent (said like Mr. Burns, please) idea starters for the garden art I would like to create in OSU glassblowing and welding courses.

Help out by Taking a Survey

From the ACGA listserv:

The Urban Ag Committee of the Community Food Security Coalition invites you to take a survey which we hope will help us know better what we should be doing to help urban farmers and gardeners and promote urban agriculture.

Many of you have heard about the North American Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture Alliance -- if not and you're interested, please contact me and I will forward info. This survey should inform that new group's work as well.

Please follow this link and take the survey if you are an urban ag practitioner. It should take between five and ten minutes to complete. If you have comments about the survey itself, please feel free to e-mail them to me by hitting reply.

Also, thanks to all of you out there who helped develop or helped test the survey.

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB227QKMN7JNP

Cynthia Price
Co-chair (with Betsy Johnson), CFSC Urban Ag Committee

Signage

to the point!

wow!

Pretty, but how do they keep it safe through the weather? is it lacquered?

A twist!

Difficult to see, but this is a beautiful recycled & welded example.

Precious.

Official.

I hope someone in our community garden is an artist. This one raises the bar!

elegant.

professional

very nice, but is it noisy or difficult to maintain?

someone has a graphic designer in their community. Very nice.

I love this, but this would NOT fly in my neighborhood.

ooh! beautiful and packs a punch (what a name & they have a motto!)

This looks like my friend Stephanie wrote it. It is cute cute cute. The hours idea is interesting.

THIS IS BADDASS.

Signs say a lot about your garden, including: WELCOME!

When people know what the space is all about and how to be in the garden, I think they are more likely to step on in and engage in a positive way. I found all of these images on Flickr and I would like to use them when planning SHCG sign.