The American Community Gardening Association’s

The Community Gardener

Building Community through Gardening and Greening Across the U.S. and Canada

Volume V Issue 1 March 2006

Rooting for the Future — 27th Annual Conference

By David King, Los Angeles, CA

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Is a LA just another pretty face as seen in the movies or is it a rich land filled with
creative ideas and plans for a more sustainable world? Right now, a dedicated group of
1 Save the Date community gardeners and other good hearted people are putting together a greener
Aug. 11-13 future that will be the focus of the 2006 Los Angeles ACGA Convention. “Rooting For
The Future” isn’t just a catchy slogan for the annual event which will be in sunny Los
2 ACGA Angeles this August; “we’re talking about the framework required to get community
President’s Message gardens in place and keep them there, as well as getting young people into gardens as an
educational tool,” said Teague Weybright, one of the co-chairs of the Los Angeles Host
3 Toledo GROWs Committee.
Nutrition Education
Teague assures everyone that the August weather in Los
4 In the Garden, Angeles, especially so close to the Pacific Ocean, will
Adam’s Tale provide conventioneers with three days of sunshine, 75-
Rip Van Winkle 80° with a mild breeze wafting scents of blooming citrus
Canada’s
and other seasonal flowers in the air. But we won’t be
5
Seedy Saturday sipping drinks by the pool! There’s a lot happening in Los
Angeles that doesn’t populate the entertainment news –
6 Bulletin Board and this is one convention where you can roll up your
ACGA in the News sleeves and do
Teleconference some gardening!
Workshops
All of the lodging
7 Bulletin Board and most of the workshops and events take
Garden Mosaics place in UCLA’s Sunset Village, which is named
National Garden by virtue of being situated just south of the
Month famed Sunset Boulevard of film and song. Not
Growing
only will attendees’ rooms and meetings be held
Communities
Workshops in the Village, but there are also amenities such
as hotspots that are available in some of the
8 State Networks common areas of the village for those needing an email check and an (continued on p. 12)

9 New Board NOMINATE A FREE ACGA’S NEW

Members
Board Contact Info Gardener’s Supply MAILING
Company RODALE’S
10 Ten Tips on
ORGANIC ADDRESS:
Preventing GARDEN
Vandalism & Theft CRUSADER GARDENING c/o Franklin Park
11 Membership Survey www.gardeners.com WITH AN Conservatory
1777 East Broad St.
Results (community tab) ACGA Columbus, Ohio 43203
12 Rooting for the Future Due MEMBERSHIP (Effective May 1)
Continued June 1, 2006 www.communitygarden.org
Support ACGA 877-ASK-ACGA
PAGE 2 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER MA RCH 20 06

A Message from ACGA President, Gerard Lordahl

Much has been happening at the board level of ACGA over the last year. In
keeping with the goals set out by our strategic plan, membership has increased
significantly, training workshops are being planned and conducted, conferences
are planned three years in advance and our bi-national networking through
publications, teleconferences, the ACGA listserv and website continue to be
valuable resources, as defined by ACGA members in our recent survey. The
board continues to strive for geographic diversity and now includes several
Canadian board members who continue to contribute greatly to the community
gardening dialogue. And lastly, many of you already know that we have been
working steadily to achieve a smooth transition to our new home, from the BIG
Apple to the Buckeye State. Well, here is my update regarding our progress on
ACGA’s move.
The ACGA Board of Directors, over President’s Day weekend, held our board
meeting at ACGA’s future home, 90 acres within Columbus’ largest central city
neighborhoods. We were treated very graciously by our host, the staff of the
Franklin Park Conservatory (FPC). FPC opened to the public in 1895 and is
located within one of Columbus’s oldest and largest parks 2 miles from downtown Columbus. Inspired by the Chihuly
Collection of beautiful artglass on display and The Amazing Chocolate Tree exhibition in the Conservatory, the ACGA board
oriented new board members, reviewed our strategic plan, presented committee reports and tasks, toured the facility,
met with FPC Executive and Program staff and engaged the local community garden leaders in ACGA activities over
the following two days.
FPC has a rich history of supporting community gardening in the Columbus area. FPC’s Growing to Green Program is
just 5 years old, but is Columbus’ largest organized effort to promote and provide resources for 70 sustainable,
neighborhood greening projects. In addition to their Urban Garden Academy there is also a re-granting program, awards,
extensive resource library and on-site community garden. Bill Dawson, Program Coordinator, planned and hosted, a
statewide community garden conference, on November 19, 2005 at FPC which drew community garden leaders from
Dayton, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo. Our very own Executive Director, Betsy Johnson addressed the audience with
remarks about ACGA’s strategic plan and collaboration with FPC. The conference brought Ohio community gardeners
together for this one-day event of information sharing.
Bill Dawson’s 12 years with FPC and the hundreads of community garden coordinators he interacts with made him the
perfect tour guide for our Saturday site visits around town. The ACGA board toured several of these garden sites on a
frigid Saturday in February. Before our tours, however, while conducting our ACGA business meeting in the hotel lobby,
we enjoyed watching Bill on the local NBC news channel dispensing garden information to the public and giving ACGA
a promotional plug. Thanks again Bill!
Traveling downtown we were met by youth from the Greater Columbus Foodshed Project at the local library, who
under the guidance of Cheryl Foster, have been examining their own personal eating habits as a result of growing fresh
vegetables themselves to sell at their own, local farmers’ market. Then it was off to several other community gardens
including the Native American Indian Center where we heard other inspiring garden stories of equal importance
regarding community building and sustainability.
Our trip to Columbus, Ohio certainly solidified, in the minds of the entire ACGA board, just how mutually beneficial it
will be for ACGA’s bi-national office to be located there. Columbus, Ohio, here we come!

The Community Gardener is published by the American Community Gardening Association, building community through gardening and greening across
the United States and Canada.
The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) recognizes that community gardening improves the quality of life for people by
providing a catalyst for neighborhood and community development, stimulating social interaction, encouraging self-reliance, beautifying
neighborhoods, producing nutritious food, reducing family food budgets, conserving resources and creating opportunities for recreation, exercise,
therapy and education.
c/o CENYC, 51 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007; 877-ASK-ACGA (877-275-2242); www.communitygarden.org
Newsletter: Betsy Johnson, Executive Director, James Kuhns, Communication Committee Chair, ACGA Communications Committee
PAGE 3 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER MA RCH 20 06

Toledo GROW’s Children’s Health Initiative

By Michael Szuberla,Toledo GROWs,Toledo, OH
In 2005 the Toledo Botanical Garden/Toledo GROWs
created the Children’s Health Initiativeldren’s Health Initiative.
Children’s Health Initiative helped youth (and their families)
become more aware of health and horticulture. Children’s
Health Initiative promotes the understanding that there is an
inseparable connection between the health of an individual
and his/her environment. Optimal health requires a
dynamic interaction between people and plants.
Children’s Health Initiative’s activities are based in
community gardens and aim to help Toledo’s youth become
active agents in transforming their health and environment.
Environmental degradation, asthma, lead poisoning, obesity
and diabetes are all crisis levels in our community.
Children’s Health Initiative worked on scales that
participants could make noticeable transformations – horticulture and indoor air quality. Houseplants improve
specifically we sought to empower participants to create indoor air quality in many ways – including removing toxins
healthful ecologies in their bodies and homes. Participants and creating oxygen from their immediate environment.
learned, through a series of enjoyable activities, that they This element of Children’s Health Initiative was informed
can have a positive impact on their environment (including by Dr. B.C. Wolverton’s book How to Grow Fresh Air.
the air they breath) – and that their environment has a Puppet shows taught youth how to avoid lead poisoning.
crucial impact on their well-being. These performances emphasized the importance of a good
diet and hygiene. Children’s Health Initiative coordinated
Children’s
lead screenings. Green leafy vegetables can help to chelate
Health
heavy metals from the blood (while a high fat – highly
Initiative
processed diet can cause an individual to absorb more lead).
emphasized
In collaboration with Bowling Green State University we
that through
offered workshops for parents on “Creating a Healthful
our diets we
Household”.
establish our
baseline for This program was made possible by a grant from the St.
health and Marguerite D’Youville Foundation (a local foundation that
our funds programs that empowers economically vulnerable
connection to members of our community).
the earth. For additional information about Toledo GROWS and the
We implemented a wide variety of activities to broaden the Children’s Health Initiative, go to
eating horizons of participants. It was pleasantly surprising www.toledogarden.org/grows.html.
how open-minded youth were about trying new foods (IF –
they helped prepare them and there are no competing junk
“foods”). We found that it was easier to get youth to enjoy We come out of the earth and we have a right to the use of
and understand the benefits of unprocessed foods than the materials; and there is no danger of crass materialism if
we recognize the original materials as divine and if we
explaining the problems of hydrogenated oils (though we understand our proper relation to the creation, for then will
did activities on how to read food labels). gross selfishness in the use of them be removed. This will
necessarily mean a better conception of property and of one's
We had a strong emphasis on ethnic foods – especially live- obligation in the use of it. We shall conceive of the earth,
culture fermented foods (Sandor Katz – author of Wild which is the common habitation, as inviolable. One does not
Fermentation gave a fabulous workshop). Youth learned act rightly toward one's fellows if one does not know how to
about the health and immune system enhancing benefits of act rightly toward the earth."
fermentation.
Liberty Hyde Bailey from THE HOLY EARTH written in 1915
Children’s Health Initiative organized workshops on Contributed by ACGA Board member Ted Zerger
houseplants with specialists who talked with youth about
PAGE 4 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER MA RCH 20 06

You Never Know Who Will Walk Into Your Community Garden
By Adam Honigman, New York, NY
Here's a spring story for you - Gigante, whom I knew as someone who loved
About thirty years ago, pre-marriage, kid, when I had tomatoes, and ran the Genovese family in his spare
lotsa hair, and no beard, I was digging in the Liz time died in a Federal Pen. You never know who is
Christy Garden, during the spring. There was soil going to walk into your community garden and want
then, and it wasn't the dump it had been. to talk about tomatoes.

So, I'm digging with the pitchfork, and this big guy in
a dressing gown starts to talk to me. Understand that
it's the Bowery and we had alot of unusually dressed
guys walking around. He says,
"Hey kid, you gonna grow somethin' dere?"
Sez me: " Yeah, I'm gonna grow tomatoes. If they
grow good, I'll give ya one."
Adam gardens at the Clinton Community Garden
on West 48th Street in New York City. He is a
regular contributor to the ACGA listserv.
The True Story of Rip Van Winkle
By Reginald Arkell

Sez the guy in the bathrobe:, "My faddah usta grow When Mr. Van Winkle,
tomatoes inna old country." Whose first name was Rip,
Decided to give
Sez me," You gotta like tomatoes,". My guy shuffles His old woman the slip,
off and two cars, follow him. This suit comes out of He whistled his dog,
one car and asks me, " You know this guy?" He put food in his pack-
And, Mr. Van Winkle,
I say, "Who do I know?" He never came back.
The guy in the suit who shows me a badge," The guy Poor Mrs, Van Winkle
in the dressing gown," Was heard to declare:
It was only the drink
"Oh, everybody around here wears dressing gowns, That was keeping him there.
me too - but I left mine home today. One just came And when he stopped out
up to me today, and instead of grabbing my butt For the whole of next night,
asked me if I liked tomatoes." We reckoned that Mrs,
Van Winkle was right.
The badge and suit says," So what did you say?"
I sez," I told him I liked tomatoes, you like tomatoes But over the hill
officer?" Far away from the town,
You'll find an old gardener,
The suit and badge told me to go "F" myself, in those Jolly and brown.
politically incorrect days. I said, while digging, " I He sings at his work,
guess you can dress 'em up...." As he kneels on a sack-
And Mr. Van Winkle
Two weeks later, a big guy comes up to the corner Will never go back.
and sez," These are from..." and he rubs his chin. He
had a case of two dozen tomato seedlings in a box.
I say, "Please thank him for the garden. Tell him to
come by later when they are grown" And I rub my ACGA Thanks Sustaining Members
chin. I didn't see him later in the season, but later that Special thanks to:
fall, I saw him in his bathrobe and told him that the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
tomatoes were good. He was acting crazy, but he P-Patch Trust (Seattle)
winked at me, so I knew he heard. The Weasel Fund
I read in the papers yesterday that Anthony "Chin"
PAGE 5 T HE CO MMU NIT Y GA RDE NER
Seedy Saturdays in Canada
By James Kuhns,Toronto & Kathryn MacKenzie, Winnipeg
TORONTO: After months of winter, many
Canadians can only dream of gardens, dirty hands and
green. One of the dreamiest days is Seedy Saturday!
Seedy Saturday is not one, but many days. For the past 13
years on a Saturday in February or March, gardeners gather
to purchase or exchange seeds, talk about gardening and
growing, see old friends and make new ones. Information
is also there for the taking – many display tables from
diverse groups and gardening workshops are common.
Although there are similarities, all events are organized
individually and uniquely. One common thread is that many
Seedy Saturdays act as a fundraiser for Seeds of Diversity
Canada – an organization devoted to spreading the word
about preserving Canada’s genetic plant diversity.
At any given event, there could be everything from displays
of gardening tools and fruit tree saplings, to worm
composters, bees and on-site soil testing. The Canadian
non-governmental organization USC will feature their
“Seeds of Survival: Sustaining Life,
Securing Livelihoods” project at
various Canadian stops.
The seed exchange table reflects the
essence of the day. Here seed savers
can trade and exchange their seeds.
The variety of what local growers
have on offer can be staggering. It’s
important to have events such as this
to continuously reinforce the message
that saving seeds is vital for
protecting our agricultural heritage
and for ensuring food security for all. Seedy Saturday is a
great place to pick up that heirloom or rare variety you’ve Great connections and new ideas are the fruit of Seedy
been looking for!
Here in Toronto, Seedy Saturday was held on March 18 at a — Kathryn MacKenzie
MA RCH 20 06
community centre downtown. Dedicated volunteers
started planning in December to ensure the day is just right.
Many grassroots seed sellers, local nurseries, environmental
groups and food security agencies will be busy at their
tables selling, trading and informing. The food is always
special. This year local community kitchens will figure in
our plans to provide healthy, tasty, food from different
cultures.
At the end of the day, gardeners will have enjoyed a fun
day, have some seeds and no doubt will have great ideas for
the upcoming season! — James Kuhns
WINNIPEG: Seedy Saturday at the Assiniboine Park
Conservatory has become a much anticipated annual event
on the Winnipeg gardening calendar. On February 18, over
600 people enjoyed the tropical venue while swapping seeds
and sharing stories. Thanks to the growing popularity of the
swap tables, and to local seed producers dealing in native
plants, herbs, flowers and vegetables, no one went home
without a package of dreams for the new season.
Our featured speakers this year covered such diverse topics
as honey bees, the development of a Manitoba food
charter, and greening a schoolyard. The gardening
community really came together with an astonishing array
of informative and inspirational displays. Visitors
encountered earthworm compost; signed up for master
gardener or permaculture training programs; joined an
agricultural co-op for fresh vegetable delivery; learned how
to grow lilies, herbs and more; heard about native prairie
plants for the home landscape, and the role of botanical
gardens in biodiversity conservation; and talked and talked
and talked, to friends, neighbours and strangers, about the
joys of gardening.
Saturdays. Now we are truly ready for spring.
PAGE 6 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER
THE COMMUNITY GARDENER
BULLETIN BOARD
National Publications Feature
Community Gardens
by Marti Ross Bjornson
Reaching beyond “preaching to the choir,” ACGA and
community gardens made headlines in cover story features
in two national specialty publications this spring. “Bloom
to Grow” is the cover story for the March issue of Parks and
Recreation Magazine, the official publication of the National
Recreation and Parks Association; Lawn and Garden Retailer,
a national publication for independent garden centers will
feature community gardens in its April issue.
ACGA Director Bill Maynard of Sacramento, a parks and
recreation professional, pitched the story idea, why
community gardens are great for parks and recreation
programs, to Parks and Recreation Magazine. The editors gave
the go-ahead. Bill, ACGA executive director Betsy
Johnson, and member Marti Ross Bjornson made it
happen.
The article featured ACGA member programs and leaders,
including:
• Leslie Pohl-Kosbau, director of Portland [Oregon’s]
Community Gardens
• Rich MacDonald, manager of Seattle, Washinton’s
P-Patch Program, from the Department of
Neighborhoods
• Solomon Boye, coordinator of the Toronto
Community Gardens Program (in partnership with
FoodShare and the Toronto Food Policy Council)
• Jim Flint, Executive Director of the Friends of
Burlington Gardens, and Lisa Coven, Land Steward
Parks and Recreation Department of Burlington,
Vermont
• Bill Maynard, Sacramento, California’s Parks and
Recreation Department’s first community garden
coordinator
• H. Michael Simmons, Adult Program Specialist
• Bloomington (Indiana) Parks and Recreation’s
Community Garden Program
• Teva Dawson, the horticulture inspector of Des Moines
[Iowa] Park and Recreation Department, coordinater of
DesMoines Community Gardens program.
Lawn and Garden Retailer contacted ACGA to propose the
story about partnerships between independent retailers and
community gardens. ACGA’s Marti Bjornson interviewed
selected independent retailers to get their perspective on
MA RCH 20 06
these partnerships and to encourage their peers. In April,
more than 20,000 independent lawn and garden center
readers will learn how some of their peers partner with
community gardening and greening programs around the
U.S.A., and why they should, too.
Featured retailers included:
• Jack Russell, manager of the Garden Shop at Russell’s
Garden Center in Wayland, Massachusetts, near Boston
• Jim Feinson, president of ACGA sponsor Gardener’s
Supply Company of Burlington, Vermont;
• Peggy Acott, Community Outreach Coordinator for the
family-owned Portland Nursery in Portland, Oregon;
• Regas Chefas, founder and owner of Gethsemane
Garden Center in Chicago.
Check out “Bloom to Grow,” the cover story of the March
issue of Parks and Recreation Magazine, at your public library
or local park and recreation department, or check the
website:
http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?document
Id=3765
Use the article to promote stronger and better partnerships
yourself. Join ACGA’s teleconference on community
gardens in parks and recreation departments on April 20.
In April, check in at your local independent garden center
to see whether they have the current issue of Lawn and
Garden Retailer. Or go online: www.LGRMag.com
Contact the featured parks and recreation departments and
local retailers to thank them for their support, and contact
the two publications to thank them for the public support
of our critical work. A little thanks plants many seeds.
ACGA’s 2006 Teleconference
Workshops
ACGA will be continuing its new educational program.
The workshops are 4 PM eastern, 3 PM central, 2 PM
mountain, 1 PM pacific. The sessions run 90 minutes.
The upcoming Teleconference Workshops are:
April 20: Park departments & community gardens
May 18: Why the Farm Bill is of interest to community gardeners
June 14: Immigrants and community gardens
Pre-registration is required. Space is limited. Call-in
number, workshop materials, and participant list are then
provided. Sign-up by email to:
betsyjohnson@communitygarden.org
or call 877-275-2242.
 PAGE 7 T HE CO MMU NIT Y G A RDE NER MA RCH 20 06

ACGA Adopts Garden Mosaics
At its February meeting, the ACGA Board of Directors voted
to assume responsibility for promotion and distribution of
Garden Mosaics. This curriculum is a National Science
Foundation funded informal science education program
developed by Cornell University that connects youth and
elders to investigate the mosaic of plants, people, and cultures
in gardens, to learn about science, and to act together to
enhance their community. The program responds to the fact
that educators and community-based organization staff often
lack the training and resources needed to provide children
with informal science-based learning in urban agriculture and
the environment. As a result, urban youth rarely are aware of
where their food comes from, the scientific processes needed
for food production, and how the quality of the environment
impacts local gardening.
On March 15, two dozen ACGA members participated in a
Teleconference Workshop led by new ACGA director and
current Garden Mosaics program manager, Keith Tidball. Jo
Ann Whitehead of Boston Natural Areas Network and
Emelie Swackhamer of Pennsylvania Extension in Allentown
described how they have used Garden Mosaics as a “learn and
serve” program. For more information go to
www.gardenmosaics.cornell.edu or link from
www.communitygarden.org.
Growing Communities Workshops
Thanks to the Community Food Projects Program of the
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and
Extension Service, ACGA continues to work with local
organizations to host Growing Community Workshops. Thanks
to Council on the Environment of NYC, GreenWorks,
Columbus FoodShed, and Association for the Chesapeake
Bay workshops have been recently held in New York City, St.
Paul, Columbus, and Richmond. Thanks also to facilitators
Betsy Johnson, Gerard Lordahl, Jennifer Aase-Remedios,
Erica Packard, Amanda Maria Edmonds, Courtney Tchida,
Noreen Warnock, Cheryl Foster, Eric Palowski, and Don
Boekelheide.
This highly participatory workshop involves attendees both with the reality of garden management.
attending and presenting workshops on community
organizing, leadership development, fundraising,
communication planning, coalition building, and more.
Upcoming workshop: July 7-8 at the Michael Fields
Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin.
To host a workshop, call 877-275-2242.
ACGA Joins NGA with National Garden
Month & NYC Grows
ACGA is joining with the National Gardening Association
(NGA) in National Garden Month, a nationwide
celebration and promotion to increase the popularity of
gardening and its many benefits.
This year, NGA is partnering with the New York City
Department of Parks & Recreation, ACGA ,
and Les Dames d’Escoffier International to
present NYC GROWS, a multi-day
celebration.
For two weeks, NYC GROWS events will
focus on different gardening themes such as
environmental stewardship, health and wellness, community
development, home gardening (with a focus on container and
rooftop gardening), and plant-based education. On Tuesday,
ACGA will join Mayor Bloomberg and NGA in announcing
the Adopt a Community Garden program.
On Saturday, April 29, 2006, the NYC GROWS Garden
Festival in Union Square Park will be located adjacent to the
popular Greenmarket in Union Square between 14th and 17th
Streets. ACGA will sport a booth in conjunction with the
Council on the Environment of New York City, Whole
Foods-New York, and Rodale. Other ACGA member
organizations are also participating, including Brooklyn
Botanic Garden, Green Guerillas, GreenThumb,
Horticultural Society of NYC, New Haven Land Trust, and
New York Restoration Project.
At the ACGA booth, visitors will pick up a “Garden
Passport” to encourage them to explore community gardens
within an adjacent 10 block area. Garden “travelers” who
visit four of the gardens will be eligible for a gift bag at the
Union Square Whole Foods Market. Each garden will be
hosting a special activity, such as a rainwater harvesting
workshop, cooking demonstration, and craft activities.
Helpful Resources on the Web
Check out the Community Garden “Game” at
http://osutbg.osu.edu/cggame.htm. It was developed by
Ohio State University Extension to help new garden leaders
Check out the School Garden Wizard at
http://www.schoolgardenwizard.org. This site was
developed by the United States Botanic Garden and the
Chicago Botanic Garden. It de-mystifies the steps to creating
a school garden and connects to other resources.
Check out the Madison community gardener’s volunteer
handbook at
http://www.cacscw.org/gardens/handbook/
PAGE 8 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER MA RCH 20 06

State Networks Take Hold

By Betsy Johnson, ACGA Executive Director, Boston, MA
Over the past couple of years, new statewide networks of On February 4 at in Burlington, Vermont, Jim Feinson,
community gardeners have begun throughout the United president of Gardeners Supply Company welcomed
States, including in Michigan, Connecticut, Ohio, and participants to the company’s store for the first statewide
Vermont, as well as a school garden network in California. community garden
[Please let ACGA know of others!] ACGA has just initiated conference. He inspired
a Task Force headed by ACGA vice president Bill Maynard all with the stories of the
to develop a plan for regionalizing ACGA. 2005 Garden Crusader
awardees. Organized by
While community garden networks exist elsewhere on a city
Jim Flint of the
or regional basis, the statewide focus provides not only a
Burlington Area
regional learning community, but the opportunity to
Community Gardens, the
educate state law-makers and bureaucrats who could
conference was attended
provide resources for community gardens.
by gardeners from all
The Michigan Community and School Garden Coalition is corners of the state —
being led by Ashley Atkinson, Greening of Detroit, Brattleboro to Bellows
Amanda Edmonds, Growing Hope in Ypsilanti, Roberta Falls to Montpelier to
Miller, the Garden Project in Lansing, and Lisa Rose Burlington.
Straner, Mixed Greens in Grand Rapids. In November
Keynote Joseph Keifer of FoodWorks lit both a candle
2005, they convened a two-day conference, including a day
and the audience during his presentation.
learning advocacy skills and visiting state legislators. In
February, they were asked to testify at a state legislative
ACGA executive director, Betsy Johnson was privileged to
hearing about how community gardens can improve health
speak at both the Columbus and Burlington gatherings.
and reduce childhood obesity.
On November 19, 2005, Bill Dawson of the Franklin Park Cordalie Benaf of the New Haven Land Trust explains that
Conservatory organized the first Ohio-wide community the Connecticut Community Garden Association evolved
garden event. A panel discussion at the conference while planning the 2005 community garden convention
highlighted community gardening programs in five major from an ad hoc group, which had planned two previous
Ohio cities: community garden conventions. Although the epicenter of
Cincinnati, home rule, and the Yankee/Red Sox divide, all of the
Cleveland, programs work with the Connecticut Department of
Columbus, Agriculture, the Connecticut Department of Environmental
Dayton, and Protection, Connecticut Department of Consumer Affairs,
Toledo. and the University of Connecticut Sustainable Agriculture
Department. Statehood is what the groups have in
common.
Through the association, the programs exchange ideas,
Michael Szuberla, Toledo GROWs and Noreen Warnock,
Columbus FoodShed Project (front left) join other Ohioans.
problem solving techniques, and develop models. Together
they garner state funding opportunities and services.
Youth programs were a
Across the county, in California, in fall 2005, educational
highlight throughout the day,
institutions and corporate partners formed the California
which also included poetry
School Garden Network. The mission is to “create and
and a drum circle.
sustain California school gardens to enhance: academic
Kwodwo Ababio of Columbus achievement, a healthy lifestyle, environmental stewardship,
tells about creating and community and social development. Meeting at least
community among through
gardening, including monthly throughout the state, the network aims to leverage
transforming a vacant lot resources, provide training, and truly achieve effective
and placing barrel planters “gardens in every school.” The network will be involved in
painted with African
Andrika symbols throughout
ACGA’s Annual Conference in Los Angeles in August
the neighborhood. 2006.
PAGE 9 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER MARCH 2006

INTRODUCING ACGA’S NEW DIRECTORS

Cheryl Foster Community – a garden shared by the adjacent school and
Cheryl was working with Head Start when she became community residents—she sees the garden as an
hooked on community gardening by being involved in a educational resource. When she is not gardening she is
new youth initiative of the Greater Columbus Foodshed works as a teacher at an After School Program and is a full
Project. Her youth who are providing fresh vegetables for time graduate student at Lesley University majoring in
food pantries and learning about healthy Education. Shandal is also a fiber artist and photographer.
eating have spoken at conferences in
Charles Zalman Levkoe
Battle Creek, San Francisco and
Charles is currently the urban agriculture
Washington D.C. Although she now
coordinator at The Stop Community
does quality assurance and business
Food Centre in Toronto and was part of
support for a software company, she
the team that organized ACGA’s 2004
continues to lead the model youth
annual conference. In July 2006, he will
program as a volunteer.
be moving to Kennetocook, Nova Scotia
Anne Gachuhi to work with SunRoot Farm, a
Anne moved to the U.S. from Kenya via cooperative organic agriculture initiative
Holland 8 years ago. She has lived in St. and community-
Louis, Minneapolis, and now the based non-profit organization. When
Chicago area. A horticulturalist by not gardening, he enjoys knitting,
training, she has worked for various cooking, and stilt walking.
state extension services, currently Keith G. Tidball
University of Illinois Extension Service. She looks to Keith is the program manager for
engage Extension volunteers more actively with community Garden Mosaics in the Department of
gardens. Natural Resources at Cornell University,
Shandal Renee Grayson and a farmer at Canoga Creek Farm in upstate New York.
Shandal is a Master Urban Gardener and Greenspace stewardship is a core value, and community
wants to educate the public about participation and involvement are ways in which that value
community gardens and their needs. A is expressed. He divides his time among teaching, research,
gardener at the Madison Park-O'Bryant family, and farming.

ACGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Shandal Grayson Gerard Lordahl, President

Feel free to contact Board members with Boston, Massachusetts New York, New York
questions about ACGA or community gardening. hlpme2001@yahoo.com plantlot@aol.com
For complete contact information, go to: Gwenne Hayes-Stewart, Secretary Zazel Loven
www.communitygarden.org/board.php St. Louis, Missouri New York, New York
Kate Chura, Treasurer & gwenne.hayes-stewart@mobot.org zazel.loven@rodale.com
Program Committee Chair David King, Conference Host Bill Maynard, Vice President
New York, New York Los Angeles, California Sacramento, California
kchura@hsny.org learninggardenmaster@yahoo.com sacgc@ulink.net
Amanda Maria Edmonds, Rory Klick, Jason O’ Brien
Research Committee Chair Development Committee Co-Chair Vancouver, British Columbia
Ypsilanti, Michigan Lake Villa, Illinois obrienjason@shaw.ca
amanda@growinghope.net roryklick@yahoo.com Keith Tidball,
Martha Egnal, Youth Subcommittee Chair James Kuhns, Garden Mosaics Subcommittee Chair
Silver City, New Mexico Communications Committee Chair Ithaca, New York
marthaegnal@yahoo.com Toronto, Ontario kgt2@cornell.edu
Rebecca Ferguson, jkuhns@sympatico.ca Teague Weybright, Conference Host
Advocacy Committee Chair Don Lambert Los Angeles, California
New York, New York Dallas, Texas tweybright@lacorps.org
rebecca@nycgreen.org grower@flash.net Daniel Winterbottom,
Cheryl Foster Charles Levkoe, Development Committee Co-Chair
Columbus, Ohio Strategic Plan Ad Hoc Committee Chair Seattle, Washington
cfoster@ssiscom.com Toronto, Ontario nina@u.washington.edu
Anne Gachuhi zalman4@yahoo.com Ted Zerger
Hoffman Estates, Illinois Salina, Kansas
annega2@yahoo.com vtzerger@aol.com
PAGE 10 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER MA RCH 20 06

Ten Tips for Preventing Vandalism and Theft

(To Fence or Not to Fence)
1. Befriend the garden’s neighbors. General neighborhood support for the garden is the primary way to
prevent garden vandalism and theft. Neighbors, teachers (if the garden is near a school) and park friends (if
it is in a park) who watch the comings and goings of the garden are the best protection. Some gardens have
encouraged someone to become the “Garden Angel.”

2. Involve kids. Neighborhood children “hanging around” are often the cause of garden vandalism. Invite
the kids to garden with adult gardeners or even let them have plots of their own.

3. “Friends of the Garden” membership. Some gardens extend membership to neighbors who are non-
plot holders. These members are given a key to the garden, invited to come into the garden to visit and
relax and in return they pay a small fee or may help on work days.

4. Invite the community to the garden. From pig roasts to concerts to posted visting hours to
neighborhood barbecues, many gardens have had success with having events for the greater community.
Such activities help break down the perception that the garden is a private enclave just benefiting a few.

5. Signage. Whether the garden is fenced or not, has a locked gate or not, signage is key to explaining who
owns and uses the garden, and in a friendly manner the rules of the garden.

6. Edible landscape and U-Pick. Some gardens have had success with preventing theft by providing plots
of strawberries, cherry tomatoes, cutting flowers, lettuce, and herbs, as well as raspberry, blueberry and
other edible landscaping that are signed for limited harvesting by all. Put out a surplus produce basket for
neighbors and passers-by.

7. Make friends with police and firefighters. Attend community policing meetings. Invite police and
firefighters from nearby stations to garden events. Have gardeners help with landscaping at the police and
fire stations. This should make them more responsive to future calls for help and build community.

8. Acknowledge the purpose and limitation of fences. While fences and locked gates may seem
necessary in certain locales they can most always be scaled or broken. Their role should more be to define
the garden’s boundaries.

9. Grow to prevent theft. Tomatoes and pumpkins are particularly tempting. Encourage gardeners not to
plant such vegetables at the edge of the garden. Potatoes, Brussels sprouts, beans, kale are seldom stolen
and provide a protecting ring around the tomatoes.

10. Expect and accept some vandalism and theft. Understand that there is no amount of fencing,
neighborhood involvement, and community relations that will prevent all theft. Since some of the theft will
be from within the garden, make sure that the garden’s guidelines clearly state strong repercussions from
theft and encourage prompt harvesting to discourage others from picking it first. However, community
gardens have continued to thrive – just don’t let it get you down!

Tips generated from the December 2005 ACGA Teleconference Workshop.

PAGE 11 PAGE 11 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER MARCH 2006

ACGA MEMBERSHIP SURVEY

Compiled by Rory Klick, ACGA Immediate Past Membership Committee Chair
Thanks to all who returned the survey from the fall and winter issues of the Community Gardener. We wish to
share the results. The ACGA Board of Directors is using this information as we currently update our Strategic
Plan. If you did not previously complete a survey, but are willing to do so now, the survey can be downloaded
at www.communitygarden.org/membership.php.

GENERAL INFORMATION (60 replies)

Location
Northeast Southeast Midwest Northwest Southwest California Canada Other
11 5 16 7 1 9 6 3
Individual (note that people chose multiple descriptors)
ComGrdner Grdn Leader Prgm Direc Educator Professional Supporter Related
26 27 16 17 13 18 6
Type of Community
Rural Suburban Urban
8 16 35
Garden Age
< 1 yr 1-5 yrs 6-10 yrs 11+ yrs "Idea"
2 11 19 20 2
Describe the Gardening Effort
ComGroup IndNonProf Part of Org Part of Other Public Garden Spprtd Govt Spprtd
20 17 11 8 none 9

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Current Member? Yes 49 No 8
For how long? < 1 yr 2-3 yrs 4-6 yrs 7-10 yrs 11+ yrs
20 13 7 6 4
Attend conference? Yes No Some if local
21 27 12

Perceived member benefits?

Networking Info/Ideas Educ/Train Pubs Regnl Link Conference Advocacy Website
31 25 8 2 2 5 5 1

Listserve CG Cause Experts Teleconf Resources

3 9 2 3 4

Make ACGA more useful?

Grants Regnl Train Member Dir Mentors Prtnrshps Research Adv/Leg Local
22 23 13 13 5 4 2 2

Org Devlp Fundraise Promotion Discounts Online pdfs Youth/Sch Insurance Registry
2 3 5 2 5 2 1 2

NOTES:
Location: The northeast extended to PA; the southeast included TN and SC; the northwest was really just WA and
OR; the lone southwest reply was from TX; "west coast" was renamed simply CA; other included Germany and
Nigeria.

Community: Most people said urban, but then wrote in small population sizes; others said rural but had 2 million +
population. Clearly a more subjective concept than we thought!
PAGE 12 T H E C O MMU NI T Y GA RDE NER MARCH 2006

(Continued from page 1)

onsite coffee shop open until very late in the evening.
Sunset Village is on the northwest edge of the UCLA campus which puts the nearest shops, restaurants and transit
system entry points about 3 miles away in Westwood. “Not a problem,” says Teague. The committee plans to have a
shuttle between Sunset Village and downtown Westwood.
Los Angeles’ reputation as a spread out city is warranted, but the committee has decided
to use it to an advantage. On Saturday, workshops will take place on the bus en route to
sites that enhance the learning experience. Some of these “tourshops” will include in-
service projects where we’ll use what we learn.

New and different films will be added to the “Film Night” and a side trip to Dodger
Stadium to see the Dodgers play their hard core rival San Francisco Giants. Will Barry
Bonds have broken Hank Aaron’s home run record by then?
On our tour list will be South Central Farm – the 14 acre community garden that has
been posted with eviction notices just last week. We’ll meet the people involved and see
the farm as it continues to thrive, or we’ll meet outside the warehouse being built in its
place. We’ll find out what went right or what went wrong; what could have been done
differently and what actions really worked.

Diane Pollock, Venice H.S.

In keeping with our focus “Rooting For The Future,” we’ll learn how to grow
teacher’s January harvest at community gardens in our cities and towns for ourselves and future generations. And
the Learning Garden, a stop how to contend with the challenges and vagaries of the political landscape that has put
on one of the conference South Central Farms in jeopardy.
tours.
Los Angeles is a diverse world where cultures and traditions mix to make the fertile
ground in which new beginnings can germinate: Rooting For The Future! See you in LA August 10 - 13!

Join or Renew with ACGA

Online at www.communitygarden.org/join.php
Membership rates Sampling of the Benefits
Corporate $1,000 Be part of the movement to improve communities throughout the US & Canada
Sustaining $ 500 • Free year’s subscription to Rodale’s Organic Gardening
Organization $ 100 • 10 % discount at Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply
Professional $ 50 • Monthly Teleconference Workshops
Basic $ 25 • Quarterly Community Gardener newsletter & annual Greening Review
Sliding Scale $10—$25 • Conference discount

Send memberships & contributions to: ACGA, 51 Chambers St. Room 228, New York, NY 10007
(U.S. currency checks only, please)

Name ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Organization ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Address (indicate if home or work) ______________________________________________________________________

City, State, Postal Code, Country ________________________________________________________________________

Home phone _________________________ Work phone _______________________ Fax __________________________

Email ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Credit card # ________________________________________ Exp. Date _________________ CVV # ________________