Stoddart Avenue Community Garden

A vacant lot on Stoddart Avenue provides a place to grow flowers, fruits and vegetables of the gardener's own choice. (The garden is 4 blocks west of Alum Creek Drive/Bexley and 1/4 block north of E. Main St.). All gardeners are encouraged to donate a portion of their produce to a local food pantry. (See 7/7/11 Post: Plant a Row to Feed the Hungry By Donating Garden Produce to Food Pantries). To participate, contact the Garden Manager. Also see the FAQ at the bottom of this site.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Community Garden Soil Testing by OSU Chem Student

Rebecca mentioned to me about ten days ago that the Bexley Garden could get a free soil test from someone in the OSU Chemistry Department. We will definitely need this as we expand the Garden eastward. (We've had some soil testing already as reflected in a June posting here). Today, the Columbus Community Garden blog featured free soil testing for Columbus community gardens by an OSU Chemistry student. A coincidence? I don't know. But, here's more information about this student's great project. (I hope that she's getting classroom credit for this): OSU student garden soil testing website.

Soil testing is extremely important. Lead in particular can infect root crops (like my onions and potatoes) as well as herbs, spinach and lettuce. Fruit crops (like beans, tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, etc.) are less at risk. A community garden in Buffalo, NY which had been in operation for more than 20 years discovered to its horror this summer that its soil had unhealthy levels of lead.

The City of Bexley had the Bexley Garden soil tested in April and May. I also sent soil samples from the Bexley and Stoddart Gardens to the University of Amherst in Massachusetts in June. See Garden Soil Test Results. However, that test did not test for arsenic.

No comments:

Thanks To SACG's Supporters

Scotts Miracle-Gro Community Garden Fund of The Columbus Foundation -- The Cougar Group -- The Columbus Public Health Department's Institute for Active Living -- Thrivent for Lutherans -- Oakland Nursery -- Members of Christ Lutheran Church -- Wrights Tree Service -- Bill Griffith -- Rain Brothers -- Kurtz Bros. -- Girl Scout Troop #1661 -- Build The Bridge of Ohio, Org. -- Trudeau's Fence Company -- Bowden Fence Company -- Home Depot at US 33 and Gender Rd. in Canal Winchester -- Jim Zeier -- Livingston Seeds -- Homeless Families Foundation -- Christopher Hogan, Esq. -- U-Haul on East Main Street -- Barb & Frank Carter -- Potsabilities -- Alexander Family -- Growing to Green -- community garden program of Franklin Park Conservatory -- Crimson Cup -- Dwain Penny -- The City of Columbus -- Urban Connections -- Highland Youth Community Garden -- GreenScapes Landscaping Company -- Tree King Services -- Davey Tree Services -- Bexley Pizza Plus -- Lowe's Home Improvement store on East Broad Street -- Artist John Sunami -- McClellan Family -- Kroger's on East Main Street -- Half-Price Books in Upper Arlington -- Barb Neubig -- Penny Miller -- Whole Foods on Lane Avenue -- Emily Spector's Read to Succeed Foundation -- Donley Complete Tree Care -- Joelle Khouzam -- Neal Barkan -- Cathy & Jason Alexander -- Kim Yee -- Keep Columbus Beautiful -- Kennco Properties -- Amy Thompson -- Mid-Ohio Food Bank Urban Agriculture Grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service's People’s Garden Initiative -- First Congregational Church

Food Pantry Donations

For 2019, SACG gardeners collectively donated over 605 pounds pounds of fresh produce. Since breaking ground, we have collectively donated over 5460 pounds of produce -- mostly this year to Faith Mission as well as to the Salvation Army, and Victory Ministries off East Main Street. (This does not include produce provided upon request to people stopping by the SACG). A list identifying the names, addresses and donation hours of some shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries in Central Ohio which accept garden produce for their clients is included on the June 18, 2014, June 27, 2013, June 26, 2012, July 7, 2011, March 2, 2010 and March 20, 2009 postings on this blog. Nearby organizations seeking fresh produce for charitable donations on Saturdays should contact the Garden Manager.

Wish List

If you have extra and wish to help out a good cause, SACG could put your generosity to good use. The SACG is a non-profit corporation organized under Ohio law and is exempt from income tax as a public charity under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations, gifts and contributions to the SACG are tax deductible.

Trowels, hand pruners and watering cans. We never seem to have enough when more than two gardeners are here.

A cordless weed wacker (to keep those edges sharp).

Yard Waste bags We never have enough.

Patio Umbrella to replace the one destroyed by the 2018 tornado.

Bench because our ancient bench donated in 2009 has broken slats and tired & hot gardeners need a place to sit.

Books for our Free Little Library, including children's, chapter books, young adult, cook books, DIY and home improvement, novels, etc.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Community Garden Soil Testing by OSU Chem Student

No comments:

Post a Comment