EDIBLE ESTATES regional prototype garden #3: MAPLEWOOD, new jersey
see the video by Sara Grady & Andrew Freiband and New York region planting calendar pdf
Owners: Michele Christman, Chris Wei, and Atticus Huckleberry Wei
Location: Maplewood, New Jersey
Sponsored by: Gardeners Supply Company
USDA plant hardiness zone: 6b
Established: July 6–8, 2007
Front yard exposure: Southwest
Size of front yard: 38 x 40 feet
After six months of searching for a family and house for the New York City–area prototype garden, we had selected an Indian family with three daughters in Queens. At the last minute they backed out when the father couldn’t be convinced to get rid of the front lawn. He said, “Not having a front lawn is like not wearing a tie.” I went back over the e-mails from local applicants and was struck by the following one from New Jersey.
ORIGINAL EMAIL FROM THE ESTATE OWNERS
From: Michelle Christman <xxxxxxx@mac.com>
Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:54:58 -0700
Subject: new york city garden to convert? take my lawn, please!
we bought our house in maplewood, new jersey 2 years ago. maplewood is a small, well manicured, 1920s charmer of a town with a super progressive community (find out more about the town at our local community web site at maplewoodonline.com) just 27 minutes by train from penn station in new york city. it is a classic town with classic lawns. but a forward-thinking community. racially diverse. (we're a mixed race family.) economically surprisingly diverse but not segregated like a town like montclair. lots of gay families, musicians, artists, writer--as well as stockbrokers, lawyers, and biz people. it is a big commuting town and a dominantly family population.
my husband chris wei (a composer and retired chef), my 1-year-old son atticus huckleberry wei, and our two french bulldogs (bodhi and yoda) have been trying to get more green everyday. the steps are small. a clothesline instead of a dryer, composters in the backyard, plans to install rainwater barrels, hiding the papertowels under the sink, using resusable shopping bags, growing my own herbs, a few vegetables, etc. and with my company, i've been doing tons of research into sustainable agriculture and local food sources both for my business, our community, and for our family. i've recently begun researching converting my front lawn into a garden to inspire all the lawn-mowing, lawn-watering, lawn-fertilizing folks in my town to think about converting their lawns to gardens. i'm convinced that if people could just see how gardens bring people together, teach kids where food comes from, encourage a sense of community, inspire conversations (about what to do with too much zucchini, for example), invite wildlife, and reduce our energy consumption...more people would jump on the idea of converting their lawns.
anyway, i stumbled on your site and see that you were still looking for a home for this year. we'd love it if you're interested in us! i'm at work now and can't send pictures (but will tonight). we live in 1929 classic center hall colonial. our front lawn faces south/southwest. all the other lawns on our block (and quite frankly, in our towm) are well groomed. and they are also largely uninterupted as front lawns can't have fences in our town due to local ordinances. in fact, on mondays on our block, it becomes nearly impossible to work (and nearly impossible for my son to nap) because the lawn guys go from yard to yard with their big industrial mowers and blowers and weedwackers! lol.
our lot is about 40X100 with a 40X30ish front yard. the front yard is completely visible from the street. there is lots of car traffic. also lots of foot traffic since we have sidewalks. and we are the 2nd house in from a major street called tuscan road. the lawn is completely flat except for a small slope at the front by the sidewalk. it is covered with lawn. there is 1 weeping cherry tree that is dying that should (and could) be removed. we have the perfect solar orientation. we have never used pesticides on our lawn.
we are:
super enthusiastic about the project. in fact, i don't want to keep typing because i want to get this to you. and, yet, i could type forever.
committed and willing to continue the Edible Estate prototype as long as we live in the house.
i come from pennsylvania farm country (oley, pa) and my dad's side of the family were all farmers. we had huge vegetable and flower gardens when i was a kid. and prior to this house, my husband and i owned an 1850s weekend farmhouse where we grew greens, asparagus, tomatoes, all our herbs, zucchini, rhubarb, carrtos, etc. and now that we've moved out of manhattan permanently and found the house we hope to grow old in, i'm thrilled to get my hands in the earth on a daily basis! and can't wait to teach my son the joys of gardening!
i'm not a salesperson, but i am a naturally passionate person and comfortable talking about things i believe in. between my background in advertising, my current connections with my business, the strong community, and the many many many media people (there are ALWAYS articles about maplewood in the new york times because so many writers live here), lots of people will come to know and love and be inspired by this project.
this is the perfect town for this! i can send you lots of pictures. the houses are by no means monotonous. it is not a cookie cutter town. but all the lawns pretty much look the same. and go on for block after block. and there would be tons of heated debate about this action. just take a look at the maplewoodonline.com site to see how much our town LOVES to debate.
furthermore, i'm confident that we could get a crew together for the work in record time. between friends, local health and wellness networks, yoga centers, dharma center, ethical culture society, high school, gardening club, and more that i'm probably not thinking of right now.
i could write forever but i want to get this off asap. please feel free to call me or email for more information or to chat. either way, let me know. if you're not interested now, perhaps the future?
michelle christman
DESIGN, MATERIALS AND PLANTS
The design of this regional prototype garden is rational, organized, and rectilinear in deference to the tastes of the owners. The grid also references the nearby grid of Manhattan streets. Surrounding the front yard is a steep slope; it has been planted entirely in strawberries, which will eventually spread to cover it and provide welcoming snacks to neighbors strolling past the house (as well as suspected squirrels and rabbits). Walking up the front steps from the sidewalk you will see that each side of the yard has a different function. On the left is a grid of fifteen raised beds, each 3 x 3 feet, made of recycled black plastic. Between and behind these we have laid down rolls of weed block with black cedar mulch on top. These areas function as low- maintenance paths and, behind, a place for outdoor seating; from this spot the family can enjoy the garden and even eat meals from it.
Each of the fifteen planters contains a different combination of herbs and vegetables, which include: (1) red lettuces (2) green lettuces (3) several varieties of mint (4) several varieties of basil with cantaloupes, squash, and zucchinis around the perimeter (5) eggplants surrounded by a border of alternating varieties of thyme (6) rhubarb surrounded by leafy greens (7) climbing cucumbers surrounded by chamomile and catnip (8) tomatoes surrounded marjoram and basil (9) climbing cucumbers surrounded by curry plants and sage (10) tomatoes with purple basil in the corners and a border of wooly and creeping thyme (11) an ornamental clipped standard rosemary shrub surrounded by several varieties of mint (12) lemongrass surrounded by chives and sweet corn (13) an ornamental clipped standard rosemary shrub surrounded by eggplant and a border of oregano (14) several varieties of peppers (15) bok choy with a border of oregano and marjoram.
On the right side of the garden as you approach the front door are the fruiting trees and vines. Flanking the sidewalk steps are two diminutive dwarf peach trees. You then walk through a series of three arched arbors planted with six varieties of grapes, which will eventually cover them. Aligned with these on the south side are three fruit trees: cherry, apple, and peach. Between each tree is a raspberry bush, which will eventually grow up a six-foot-tall wire tower structure. A circular tiered bed six feet in diameter is densely planted with currants, blackberries, gooseberries, and blueberries. Against the house are grape vines and two potted fig trees, which may be moved inside during especially cold weather.
SOME THOUGHTS A WEEK AFTER PLANTING
Michelle Christman (estate owner)
With all the recent buzz about going green, eating local, living more sustainably, and reducing our carbon footprint, my husband, Chris, and I have been trying to find ways to live more mindfully. The birth of our son sixteen months ago brought with it a newfound awareness of wanting to make his world a better place.
Trust me, we’re no crunchy hippies. I point this out not because there’s anything wrong with hippidom, but because most people who meet us after hearing about our Edible Estate are surprised to discover how mainstream we are. At least at first glance. I think we’re a perfect example of how it is possible to take radical action within the confines of convention and, as a result, effect dramatic change.
We’re both huge foodies and cooks. Chris was a professional chef for more than a decade (working alongside the likes of Alice Waters) before he “retired” to become a full-time composer and sound designer, and I was an amateur baker for more than a decade until I founded a fresh frozen organic baby, toddler, and kid food business. So we spend a lot of time thinking about food, reading about food, cooking food, eating food, and sharing food. I read something somewhere about the carbon footprint generated by the food we eat as being equivalent to that generated by the car we drive.
“Let’s grow all of our own herbs, vegetables, and fruits,” I said to Chris one morning before he’d had enough coffee. “And since we never use our front yard and it get tons of sun, let’s put it there.” With a little more caffeine, we quickly realized how daunting it was to take an American icon like the suburban front lawn and convert it to an edibles garden. Sure, it was our property. And yet, there’s a public dimension to the front yard that made us feel obligated to achieve something both functional and beautiful else our neighbors might not be pleased. In fact, we wanted to create something so spectacular that all the lawn-mowing, lawn-watering, lawn-fertilizing folks in our otherwise progressive town might actually think about doing the same thing.
I scoured the web for ideas about how to make this happen and found Fritz. Lucky for us, the stars aligned and our Maplewood yard was chosen to become the New York suburban garden. With just a couple of weeks of planning, the generous sponsorship of Gardener’s Supply Company, and the labor of love of more than twenty-five like-minded friends and neighbors, our useless cookie-cutter lawn became a useful and stunning Edible Estate.
It’s hard to believe that transformation occurred just a week ago. Maybe it’s because it seems like a dream; every morning I find myself waking at dawn and looking out my front window to make sure the garden’s really there. Or maybe it’s because the time I spend each day watering, pulling weeds, pruning, and getting familiar with the plants makes me slow down in a way that nothing else can. Or it could be because we’ve met more people in the last week than we’ve met in the past two years because the word is out about our radical project and everyone wants to see it for themselves. Then again, it could be because I’ve been so busy trying to learn how to become a spokesperson for this type of activism, busy reading up on gardening so I don’t let Fritz and the many people who believe in this down by failing to properly tend my garden, busy trying to make a kind of peace with my very unhappy next-door neighbor, and busy speculating about the motive behind the thievery of the Edible Estates sign (my gut tells me it wasn’t a random act of vandalism).
I guess it is all of these things combined. But mostly, I think that joy has a way of changing our perception of time. And our garden has already given us more joy than I imagined it could. Sure, we’ve probably taken on more than we know. But when we watch our son nibble leaf after leaf of cinnamon basil, toss a salad for our parents from just-picked lettuces and herbs that bring back happy childhood memories for my aging father, and brew a pot of fresh mint tea to share with our friends that stopped by unexpectedly, the work before us doesn’t seems so daunting—because the garden will continue to transform us all.
Text from EDIBLE ESTATES: ATTACK ON THE FRONT LAWN (Metropolis Books, 2nd Ed., 2010)
CREDITS
Plants and materials donated by: Gardener’s Supply Company
Plants purchased at: Dreyer Farms
Photography: Ed Morris and Curtis Hamilton, Canary Project
Videography: Andrew Freiband and Sara Grady
Thanks to: Volunteer garden workers Isaac Berkowits; Alan Carroll; Kim and Eli Collins; Katherine Coon; Emily Cooper; Joel, Melissa, Elena, and Tallulah De la Fuente; Janet and Julie Gerber; Sara Grady; Curtis Hamilton; Susanna Howe; Svetlana Kitto; Emily Lundberg; Ellie Mueller; Carissa Pelleteri; Fiona Ryan; Ben Salmon; Emily Schroeder; Hugh Snyder; Felix Sockwell; Adam Stolorow; Donna Wingate; and Jason Wood
DISCUSSION ON THE MAPLEWOOD TOWN WEBSITE
June 27th 2007 2:02:04 PM
in partnership with fritz haeg of edible estates, my husband, son, and i are going to do something really radical: convert our front lawn into a full-blown vegetable garden the weekend of july 6/7/8! (6 Colgate Road in Maplewood)
with all the buzz about eating local, going green, living sustainably, and reducing our energy consumption, we've been trying to find ways to live more mindfully. especially since the birth of our son and our newfound awareness of wanting to make his world a better place. in addition to using re-usable bags, starting a compost, and putting up a clothesline, one idea we had was to start growing more of our own produce. and since we never use our front lawn (except to mow it), the front seemed like the only space that made sense. but the idea of taking an american icon and converting it to a beautiful and functional front garden was daunting. even for me (the project queen!). so i did the thing i do best: research. i went online and found like-minded fritz. see the link to his site that explains better than i can the mission behind his project.
lucky for us, the stars aligned and our maplewood yard was chosen to become the new york suburban garden. with the support of fritz and his team, we're hoping to inspire all the lawn-mowing, lawn-watering, lawn-fertilizing folks in our town (and other towns) to think about converting their lawns to gardens. we're convinced that if people could just see how gardens bring people together, teach kids where food comes from, encourage a sense of community, inspire conversations (about what to do with too much zucchini, for example), feed friends and neighbors, invite wildlife, and reduce our energy consumption—while being totally beautiful more people would jump on the idea of converting their lawns.
so we want YOU to join us. i told fritz that we have enough cool/radical/modern-hippy/gourmet/out-of-work/artistic friends that i was SURE we could get at least 20 people together for friday's sod-turning adventure. want to help? i'll bake breakfast goodies and supply plenty of coffee and cold drinks. you supply a willing spirit, a good digging shovel (beg, borrow, or steal to get one), and a good pair of work gloves. friday is the most labor intensive day and we'll start at 8 am (while it is still cool). saturday and sunday are planting days and you're more than welcome to come then, too. the more the merrier. we really want to build a sense of community around this project.
so if you want to be part of this and carve out time friday (plus either saturday or sunday, if you want), please let me know as soon as you can by emailing me at michelle@chow-baby.com . fritz and i need to get a rough estimate in the next 24 hours so that we can coordinate deliveries with his corporate sponsor.
if you have any questions, please ask! looking forward to hearing back from y'all. and looking forward to sharing our bounty with neighbors and friends in seasons to come!
best,
michelle
jersey_boy
June 27th 2007 2:45:57 PM
quoteReport Post permalink < http://www.southorangevillage.com/vc/comments.php?DiscussionID=10356&page=1#Item_2 >
Cool! I'll be at work Friday, but have fun and good luck!
lizziecat < http://www.southorangevillage.com/vc/account.php?u=14887 >
June 27th 2007 3:00:44 PM
I have a small vegetable garden on my front lawn--have had it for years because we have no back yard to speak of. Once we even had a miniature corn field there. Nobody has ever complained about it. It used to embarrass my children when the were at the age where everything we did embarrassed them, but, hey, who cared? Since it's a large lawn, there' still lot of grass, but we grow herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and some flowers in our front lawn vegetable garden.
calliope
June 27th 2007 4:20:53 PM
mimi,
What a GREAT idea and opportunity! I applaud you and your family
I wish I could help (broken leg) I will be anxious to follow your progress---Please consider putting this in the blog section so we can all see how things develop.
What a concept!
Calli
doulamomma
June 27th 2007 5:24:22 PM
I'm there (barring births)! will be a bit after 8am - will see if I have more than one shovel (& I have a little pitch fork thing)!
good seeing y'all today
mimi
June 27th 2007 6:33:41 PM
calli, great idea and mend well! doulamomma, good seeing you today. your littlest is SO grown up! jersey boy, come by over the weekend if you get a chance. i'd love to meet you, especially since i know you're very much at the heart of this gardening section! lizziecat, very cool. if you feel comfortable, could you whisper me your address so i could do a drive-by for inspiration?
and, remember, all are welcome all weekend. pass it on!
maryann
June 27th 2007 9:28:55 PM
Mimi -- This is a fantastic idea and if Maplewood's "codes" allow it, I hope it catches on. Green lawns add little to the environment and as far as wildlife is concerned, they're green deserts.
Questions:
1. Before you convert the landscape in front of your home into a vegetable garden, have you checked with Maplewood's Building Department, Health Department or Zoning Board to see if you're actually allowed to do this ?
2. Re: dogs, cats, rabbits, deer, etc. -- Is your front yard already fenced in? If not, does Maplewood allow homeowners to extend fences beyond the front house line? (South Orange does not)
mimi
June 27th 2007 10:11:36 PM edited
thanks maryann!
to answer your questions:
i did call maplewood town hall. they put me in touch with someone in the buldings dept who said the only ordinances prohibit front yard fences.
and i'm going to try various natural repellents. garlic, essential oil repellent for cats and dogs, etc. we don't get deer in our neck of the woods. i'm sure there will be a learning curve. and i'm happy to share some of my bounty with the local wildlife. just not all of it.
we'll also be incorporating things like storm water harvesting using rain barrels for watering on dry days, all organic fertilizers, solar lights, and other fun stuff!
wendy
June 28th 2007 5:27:03 AM
mimi, you wrote in your initial post July 5, 6, and 7 but based on your days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), I think you mean July 6,7, and 8. You can still edit your OP. If we're not away, I plan to come by and help, btw. Great idea btw and I also applaud your motivation, energy and follow-through. Before you set up any rain barrel system please check with Robert Roe of the Health Department. I happened to be at a TC meeting where he was discussing this. I think he believes that rain barrels do more harm (providing nesting for mosquitoes>disease) than good.
ceciliadav569
June 28th 2007 7:52:05 AM
I have tomatoes, egg plant, basil all in the front yard mixed with my flowers. No sun in the back. Oh I even have some pumpkins growing on the side. cecilia
drcristello
June 28th 2007 8:21:21 AM
mimi,
Love the pioneering spirit and energy of you and your wonderful family! I will be there friday morning!
crazy_quilter
June 28th 2007 8:47:43 AM
in South orange, i believe, the yard must be a certain per centage grass or lawn. i am basing this on a neighbor who had to return half of his yard to grass after planting the whole thing in wild flowers. i don't know the actual code.
cbroderick
June 28th 2007 10:48:52 AM
I love this idea!
(We can barely keep up with my much smaller garden, but the peas are already delicious, and we are nearly ready for the first brocoli harvest!)
Did you have your soil tested already? We have sent samples to Rutgers ( http://njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/) , and the results definitely helped us get the soil right for what we want to grow.
Good luck, and I'll be following your progress!
dave
June 28th 2007 11:18:38 AM
If this really caught on, I wonder how bleak our neighborhoods would look in the off-seasons. Maybe you don't mean the entire front yard?
mimi
June 28th 2007 1:01:21 PM
wendy: thanks for pointing out that MAJOR oops on my part. it IS friday, sat, and sunday the 6th, 7th, and 8th! i'll edit to fix my OP since there will be NO baked goods or coffee at my place on thursday. and i will check with robert about the rain barrels. i planned on using these nontoxic mosquito repellent jammies (the name escapes me right now).
dave: great question. our current yard is actually terribly bleak in winter. a big dormant expanse of brown and a couple of leafless bushes by the house and front door. with the proper design, our new garden yard should be much more interesting in winter. by planting woody perennials like blueberry bushes and fruit trees, injecting vertical interest with raised beds or trellises, and planting edibles like cabbages and kales that last well into fall and others that start early in spring, i expect just the opposite of bleak in seasons to come.
and thanks to everyone for the ideas, questions, and kudos! keep it coming.
michelle
maryann
June 28th 2007 1:35:39 PM
Hi Mimi -- I was just looking at the Edible Estates photos of your home . There appears to be an incline from the center of your lawn down to the sidewalk. How will you avoid soil run-off? Will you be installing bolders or a retaining wall of some kind?
mimi
June 28th 2007 4:17:25 PM
maryann,
we're planning on some terracing with raised beds on the slopes. but the design isn't finalized yet.
michelle
mimi
June 28th 2007 4:26:24 PM
i have a couple questions for all you more experienced gardeners:
1. any particularly successful varieties of any veg plants, fruit trees, bushes, tubers, grapes, etc that work great in our area/soil/zone?
2. what are your biggest pest issues? rabbits, deer, grubs, etc? and have you found any particular non-toxic methods of successful control?
thanks in advance!
michelle
calliope
June 28th 2007 4:35:31 PM
Michelle,
Go to www.jerrybaker.com < http://www.jerrybaker.com > for old fashioned non-toxic gardening solutions. My grandfather thought Jerry Baker was a god.
I am so excited for you!
Calli
mimi
June 28th 2007 7:05:21 PM
calli: great tip! i'm adding his gardening book to my amazon wish list!
crazy_quilter
June 28th 2007 7:13:30 PM
my dad was a ghost writer for Jerry Baker! He wrote at least 12 of his books! AND he never got paid his fair share! they kept saying the books weren't selling even tho he would see them in the stores!!!! he had to do all the writing in jerry baker's "voice".
cats
June 28th 2007 7:52:38 PM
Try this company
http://www.gardensalive.com/default.asp?sid=18802&eid=GAtn
June 29th 2007 8:13:48 AM
I would love to do ANYTHING to reduce or eliminate the amount of this vile suburban weed known as grass in my front yard. I truly don't think I have it in me to tend a vegetable garden, but I am interested in some of the "off season" ideas of blueberry bushes and the like, which I assume would require less maintenance. Front yards are, collectively, a staggeringly vast amount of completely wasted space.
Monster
June 29th 2007 8:29:45 AM
you might try looking up the Cornucopia Society in Montclair, I've been on one of their gardening tours in Montclair and thought it was great.
My favorite yard was running amuck with all kinds of edible goodies, all natural, no pesticides or miracle grow crap.
the lady of the house even washed with organic all natural soap, collected the discarded dirty water and used it in her yard, it was really something, and she was a hoot too.
I tried googling for the society but my goggling powers must be off a bit because I couldn't find anything, but if I remember correctly it seems that the Whole Foods in Montclair sometimes has their newsletter available, we used to get it but it's been a couple of years since we renewed.
mem
June 29th 2007 9:02:32 AM
Great idea!
I think about doing this to my back yard.
Question: Will you be planting already established plants (it's late in the season to start with seed)
mimi
June 29th 2007 10:08:31 AM
wnb: i agree! and i think even going with some woody perennials like you mentioned and a couple of raised beds with things like asparagus or rhubarb can net you a TON of produce while looking lovely!
monster: i'll def check this out. sounds fantastic.
mem: yes, we will be going with established plants for those things that can't go in as seed now. we came to this project late because the previously-selected new york family backed out. i'm pretty sure one of the family members wasn't willing to forego the lawn. in some ways, i think it may make for an easier transition for our community though. since it won't look at all barren right away, and since everything should fill in mightly quick, those who may lack in the vision department will be able to see quickly the beauty of the design and the plants themselves.
in other exciting news, maplewood's own photographic genius janine memon-dietz of savinggracephotography.com will be dropping by to do what she does best: document the ephemeral beauty of our children. so spread the word that she'll be there friday for a couple of hours after 9:30 to capture the kids being kids in the dirt! i can't wait to see those pictures!
michelle
mem
June 29th 2007 10:15:51 AM
I can't imagine anyone having any problems with a garden on your front lawn. Best of luck!
I always thought these were cool:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden
mrmaplewood
June 29th 2007 11:22:58 AM
As in the above link, I remember Victory Gardens also as being a back yard phenomenon. Can not remember one in the front yard. I suggest you NOT call town hall to ask if it is OK, as there is usually a regulation against everything in these towns. If you can not put a swing set or fence in the front yard.......
mimi
June 29th 2007 1:07:17 PM
mrmaplewood,
i actually swallowed my fear (i guess i'd rather fight the devil i know vs the one i don't. lol.) and spoke with mr. mittermeier (i'm sure i'm butchering the spelling.) in town hall. in maplewood:
1. there is no ordinance about what percentage must remain conventional lawn (it is legal to convert my whole lawn if i want)
2. there is no ordinance aboutwhat i can and can't plant on my own property
3. since i'm not on a corner, there are no height restrictions regarding my plantings
4. no matter what i choose to do, my property cannot be unkempt
5. rainbarrels are indeed allowed. although, obviously, mosquitos and larvae are of concern. as previously stated, we are planning on using non-toxic methods to eliminate that issue. in fact, he mentioned that things like this are coming back.
all great news!
and, mem, while i can't imagine why it would be a problem either, i also know the idea is new (or at least new-old) and unconventional. we've gotten great support from some of our neighbors and have heard concerns or doubts from others. still, i hope that we can inspire others who want to tackle the same! i sure know it will look better than our current brown lawn that we refuse to water or fertilize.
stop by anytime next weekend and introduce yourself. i'll be the smiling crazy woman with the dirty toddler!
michelle
project37
June 29th 2007 1:26:28 PM
This sounds like a great project. Good luck!
It totally reminds me of one of my all-time favorite British comedies, The Good Life (released as Good Neighbors in the US), about a young couple that decides to become self-sufficient and turns their suburban home into a working farm, much to the bemusement of their neighbors. The cast and writing were top-notch, definitely worth a rental:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Life#Plot < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Life#Plot >
mimi
June 30th 2007 6:19:43 AM Whisper back
Hi Michelle - Can you tell me where you live? I would love to see this - my fiance and I will do this next year. Let's start a trend!
mimi
June 30th 2007 1:16:21 PM
mem:
we're at 6 colgate road, maplewood, nj. yes! let's start a trend!
hope to see you friday, saturday, or sunday!
michelle
Monster
June 30th 2007 7:41:13 PM edited
mimi,
as coincidence would have it we received not one, but two newsletters from the Cornucopia Network of New Jersey, Inc. today, and they are having a small organic garden tour in Montclair on the morning July 14.
Here is their address,
Cornucopia Network of New Jersey, Inc.
P.O. Box 1368
Montclair, NJ 07042
Phone: (973) 233-1028
If you would like on of the newsletters I can drop on of tomorrow, just let me know.
mimi
July 1st 2007 3:43:49 PM
monster, i'd love one of those newsletters. thanks! we're at 6 colgate road, just off tuscan.
Monster
July 1st 2007 8:31:25 PM
I will get it to you tomorrow, if the message board would have been up earlier I would have brought it today, guess those Brother's Ross should have stayed up later.
joan crystal
July 2nd 2007 12:50:04 PM
There was a really good article on grey water gardening in the New York Times awhile back. Check out their archives. (I believe you can access them through a link on the Maplewood Library site.) Lots of useful information.
Something's Fishy
July 2nd 2007 1:16:41 PM
This is super cool, Mimi. I remember reading an article about this project in one of the mags I read and was intrigued by the call for the next family. Alas, we decided it wouldn't quite work for the Fishy Estate (just created 400 sq ft of edible garden in the back yard and already have some non edible plantings in the front), but I'm psyched the family they ended up choosing is from SOMA. Alas, I'll be in the salt mines on Friday, but will let you know if I can stop by this weekend for the planting. I would love to.
Good luck! I hope you intend to have a garden warming party when it's done.
mem
July 2nd 2007 1:28:14 PM
Mimi - Can you post pictures please?
Thanks for the address and good luck!
Something's Fishy
July 2nd 2007 3:38:08 PM
That's sooo cool!
What a cool use of space!
(I had thought about doing that with the little strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street--just as a goof, but I'm pretty sure the deer would eat it.)
Something's Fishy
July 2nd 2007 4:36:53 PM
It's my understanding that the link provided is a site that belongs to fritz haeg of edible estates (though admittedly, I didn't realize at first that the pictures at the top of the page were related to this specific projec). It'd be great if mimi had her own personal account of the project in addition to the company's site.
mimi
July 5th 2007 9:51:06 AM
sf, that is correct. fritz and his team will offer pics, video, etc of the project on his site. but i'd love to create a site as well to inform and inspire others. i'm sure i could link it to the mol site (somehow) and to fritz's site. that might make the most sense. too bad i suck at blogging. i tried to do one for my kid and haven't posted anything since the first month! and that was 15 months ago. lol.
mimi
July 5th 2007 9:51:54 AM
btw, the fun starts tomorrow at 9 am!
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