Member Resource Packet
Welcome to CGRN! Congratulations! Your garden is now a member of the Community Greening Resource Network (CGRN, pronounced “see green”)! You are a member of CGRN for 2010; your garden must renew its membership each calendar year. This packet contains information about the network and will help you utilize all of the resources available to you. Along with this packet you will find a membership card to be shown at various CGRN events; CGRN stickers to be stuck wherever appropriate (additional stickers may be purchased for $1 a set); and the current CGRN calendar to remind you of all of the great events coming up. Your membership and the included information is for everyone involved in your garden. It is your responsibility to forward the calendars to your garden members and make sure at least one person from your garden comes to the Give-Away Days. Please read through all of this information slowly and carefully and don’t hesitate to call, email, or stop by with any questions. Happy Gardening! Sarah Ritter CGRN assistant coordinator www.parksandpeople.org/programs_great_parks_greening_CGRN.html community.greening@parksandpeople.org 410-448-5663 x128
grow.
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The Parks & People Foundation and University of MD Extension are the founding partners of CGRN and Parks & People is the primary sponsor with the support of many partner organizations around Baltimore City.
Your Membership
Private/ Family Gardens
Community Gardens
School Gardens
Advocates
You have either joined the network as an Advocate, a Private/Family Garden, a Community Garden, or School Garden. The membership options are outlined below. More details are given about the member benefits throughout the packet.
small share
normal share
large share
Subscription to CGRN newsletters & access to member map/directory Discounts on workshops Ability to participate in all events listed on the ‘What’s Coming Up This Year’ page Receive plants and plant materials at Give-Away Days Can borrow tools from community tool banks Receives an annual Site Share at their garden Qualifies for extended benefits (including a 20% discount on Pro-Line power tool rentals) Receives an additional ‘School Resources Packet’ for professional development & curriculum assistance
advocate – Anyone interested in community gardening, not requesting material resources. private/family gardens – Gardens maintained by a single family on their home property. community gardens – Gardens maintained by and open to community members. school gardens – Gardens located on school property and used for academic purposes.
What’s Coming Up This Year This is CGRN’s second year, and together we can make the resource network grow in years to come. For that to happen, the following events are taking place this year: the “see green” newsletter: Will come out quarterly in January, April, July, and October. This is for everyone in your garden. If you have articles you want to write, topics you want covered, recipes or comments to share, or want to advertise a garden event or share your tools with other members, then let the CGRN Coordinator know! workshops: Check your calendars for workshops and events going on throughout the year! Some workshops are developed by our partners and others directly by CGRN; the CGRN workshops are indicated on the calendar and are FREE for members and $5 for the general public. Invite as many mem¬bers of your community you think would be interested and would benefit from the topic! Everyone who comes will have the opportunity to join CGRN.
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give-away days: With seeds, plants, and plant materials take place four times per year. Watch for announcements about specific times and locations. Advocates may volunteer at the event to receive a small share of plants afterwards. volunteer work days: In community or school gardens occur on the last Saturday of each month, March through October, 10am-12pm. Contact the CGRN Coordinator if your garden wants to host a work day. Fill out the volunteer form in this packet if you are interested in participating in workdays at other gardens. Work days are open to the public. focus groups: A resource network only works because gardeners like you are involved! Periodically throughout the year we will hold regional focus groups to get together with other gardeners in the area, share some food, provide feedback on how the network is working, and discuss how to make it even better. Everyone’s voice is important, and all members are invited! You’ll receive more details as time gets closer.
strategic planning meeting: To assess the year, celebrate our accomplishments, relax after a busy growing season, and plan for next year, we’ll hold a strategic plan¬ning meeting for all those involved in the network. This will probably be held on a weekday evening, pot-luck style, near the end of the year. grand prize: Why should you and your garden members be involved and come to workshops, focus groups, and con¬tribute to the newsletter? If not for the connections you make, skills you learn, and food you grow, then come for the grand prize awarded at the strategic planning meeting at the end of the year! Could be a day of technical assistance for a big garden project, scholarships to relevant classes or regional conferences, or something else of value!
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Online Resources at www.bigtent.com/groups/cgrn, only cgrn members have access to the following online resources: cgrn shared calendar The Shared Calendar is kept up-to-date with all CGRN events. Make sure to share these opportunities with anyone who may be interested. forums and discussion boards This online resource is for members to connect, share concerns and successes, compare techniques, and much more. Members may also post any pictures of their gardens they wish to share under the ‘photos’ tab.
member maps & online directory map: Under the ‘Forms’ tab in the group, download the “CGRN Member Map and Directory.” This map shows the location and contact information of all CGRN participants throughout Baltimore. Only CGRN members can view this information. Use the map to find other members in your area, to connect and collaborate! 6
online cgrn materials: Also under the ‘Forms’ tab, download membership applications, CGRN brochures and much more! how to join: You will receive an email invitation from Big Tent to join the group shortly after you receive your membership packet. Click the emailed link and create an account by choosing a password and providing your name and email address. You can then choose how you prefer to be updated about this group. If for some reason you do not receive this email invitation, you can request another invitation at the public page www.bigtent.com/ groups/cgrn. Make sure to bookmark this page so you can check it frequently!
Your CGRN Site where is it? how does it work? CGRN Sites are focal points for material distribution, tool banks, workshops, focus groups and other greening activities.
there are four cgrn sites this year:
1. The Parks & People Foundation: 800 Wyman Park Dr, 21211
2. Herring Run Watershed Association: 3545 Belair Road, 21213, between Herring Run and Clifton Park
3. Reservoir Hill Improvement Council: 2001 Park Ave, 21217.
4. Riverside Park: near 1800 Covington St, 21230
Your CGRN Site, where you will typically go to check out tools, pick up your plant materials during give-away days, and join your focus group, is the one closest to your garden. You can find your closest Site on the map to the right. Don’t be discouraged if there isn’t a CGRN Site close to you this year! As more gardens become members, we can establish new CGRN Sites.
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Give Away Days
Four times a year, CGRN hosts a seed/plant give-away day where Private/Family, Community, and School Gardens can pick up plants and plant materials for their gardens. Each give-away day will be a little different. There will be scheduled times for someone (or a few people) from each CGRN garden to: 1. Pick up your share of plant materials, which might include vegetable, herb, and flower seeds; seedlings; bulbs; perennial flowers; trees; compost; and mulch.
2. Gather relevant information and ask questions.
3. Participate in a seed exchange. Make sure you bring your left-over or collected seeds for the seed exchange. Advocate Members who volunteer at the Give-Away Days will receive a share of plant materials in return. More information, including the number of volunteers needed, will be sent prior to each Give-Away Day. If no one from your garden can attend, contact the CGRN Coordinator and we can make arrangements. As the time gets closer, you will receive more details regarding where and when the give-away days will be held and what plant materials will be distributed. *Remember to bring your CGRN membership card for easy sign-in. 8
Community Tool Bank and Pro-Line Rentals As part of your CGRNmembership, CGRN gardens receive access to CommunityTool Banks. We have four Community Tool Banks this year! The hand tools are for gardening use in CGRN gardens only. Tools must be returned within one week. Not every garden needs to protect and maintain tools that may only be used twice a year. Let’s share what we have!
1. Please call each location to arrange pick up and drop off times.
2. Bring your CGRN Garden Membership card when checking out tools; you will then fill out a liability waiver.
3. Tools must be clean and working upon return.
4. You are responsible for replacing tools that are missing or broken due to improper use. 5. Each site has different check-out days; call ahead to set a time to pick up your tools. reservoir hill: Christiana Usenza 410-225-7547, cusenza@reservoirhill.net 2001 Park Ave., 21217. herring run: Ashley Traut 410-254-1577 x103, atraut@herringrun.org 3545 Belair Rd., 21213. riverside park: Jackson Fisher 443-831-4592, jkf42@yahoo.com, 1800 Covington St., 21230. Open Mon and Thurs 5-7pm, Sat 8am-12pm. parks & people: Sarah Ritter 410-448-5663 x128, sarah.ritter @parksandpeople.org 800 Wyman Park Dr., Suite 010, 21211. Open on Fridays.
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Community Tool Bank and Pro-Line Rentals Typical tool bank inventory includes: ■ shovels
(flat & pointed) ■ rakes (metal & leaf) ■ hoes ■ hand trowels ■ pruners ■ loppers ■ clippers ■ wheelbarrows ■ watering cans ■ buckets ■ post hole diggers ■ hammers ■ wrenches ■ measuring tapes ■ screwdrivers ■ string ■ stakes ■ gloves ■ sprayers ■ fencing material ■ manual push mowers ■ hand cultivators ■ manure forks
pro-line rentals (community & school gardens only): As the Community Tool Banks are not stocked with power tools (such as lawn mowers, tillers, and ditch diggers) we have arranged tool rental discounts. Pro-Line Rentals has agreed to offer CGRN garden members a 20% discount on all rentals. You will need your CGRN membership card to rent equipment and the name and information of the main contact person on your CGRN garden application. Use the contact information on the CGRN map and directory to coordinate with other gardens to share the cost and use of machinery. Contact info for Pro-Line: (410) 358-7700, 7:30am– 5pm Mon–Sat, or prolinerentals@juno. com. Pro-Line is located at 6318 Reisterstown Road, 21215.
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Site Shares At the end of your membership application, you signed a Site Share agreement and indicated whether or not you would be willing to complete a Site Share at another garden. All Community and School Gardens are required to receive a Site Share every year, but all members are encouraged to participate. Here are a few frequently asked questions about Site Shares.
what is a site share? Once a year, another CGRN member will be assigned to your garden and will schedule a time to visit with you in order to fill out a survey about your garden. Site Shares typically take about an hour. why do we perform site shares? Site Shares allow us to understand what is going on at each garden in order to best provide you materials and support and track gardening efforts across the City. Site Shares are also a great way for different members to meet each other and share their experiences! who participates in site shares? Site Shares are only conducted at Community and School Gardens. However any CGRN member is welcome to attend a training session and be assigned to a garden to conduct a Site Share. how does the process work? Members who have signed up to conduct Site Shares will attend one bi-annual training session to review the survey. The trainees will then contact their assigned garden to perform the Site Share. The survey will be returned to the CGRN coordinator for evaluating the program. it’s not too late to become a trainee, contact us to be included in the next training session! 11
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Resources for Community Greeners Document originally developed by Mariam Avins for CPHA.
City Government
Organizations to Know
adopt-a-lot program: For information the afro’s clean block campaign is an annual program and competition to enabout getting permission to create gardens on city-owned property, contact Bill courage residents to beautify Baltimore through cleaning and greening projects. Beatty, 410-396-3800. Contact the AFRO at 410-554-8243. alley gating and greening: Baltimore baltimore green space is a land trust City has provided the legal tools for for community gardens and other comneighbors to come together and where munity-managed open spaces throughpossible to gate and create quiet green out the City. If you want your green space in their shared alleyways. To space to stay green forever, give a call: apply, call 410-396-4283. http://www. 443-695-7504, www.baltimoregreenbaltimorecity.gov/government/dpw/alspace.org. leyGating.php. You may also contact Community Greens (see below) for help civic works’ “Community Lot” team to navigate the process. of Americorps young adults works with baltimore city information: 410-396- community groups in the planning and installation of ornamental and other 3100. Baltimore City’s operators will connect you to the right city department. gardens. Call 410-366-8533 to see if your group and site qualify. Civic Works cleaner greener baltimore’s pitch-in also has a perennial flower give-away to program may be able to help. Shovels, community gardeners a couple times per rakes, and brooms are available to boryear. Visit www.civicworks.com. row and trash pick-up can be arranged. community greens advocates for alley Sometimes the program can provide light grading of sites. For special projects gating and greening. For more info on such as greening a vacant lot you should how to develop block projects, contact 410-925-0166, greens@ashoka.org. talk to the office: 443-984-3961. www. cleanergreenerbaltimore.org. community law center provides legal counsel to community organizations. 410Contact the community outreach 366-0922, or www.communitylaw.org. assistant at the office of your local city council president. www.baltimorecitycouncil.com
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Resources for Community Greeners Organizations to Know citizens planning and housing association can provide one-on-one assistance with many community problems. If you want to change something in your neighborhood but you just don’t know how, CPHA can help. 410-539-1369x102, www.cphabaltimore.org. fruit tree planting foundation provides support, resources, and guidance for those interested in planting fruit trees and spearheads a variety of planting programs. www.ftpf.org, 831-621-8096. irvine nature center is a non-profit environmental education organization that works with city schools to install native plantings and gardens. www.ExploreNature.org, 443-738-9222. miss utility marks underground utilities call before you dig so you don’t damage gas and other utility lines. In Baltimore there can be a charge. 1-800-257-7777.
Neighborhood Design Center provides landscape and architectural planning. 410-233-9686, www.ndc-md.org. parks & people foundation provides technical assistance for community greening projects from gardens to street trees and publishes the Guide to Greening Neighborhoods. Their twice-yearly small grants program has benefited hundreds of greening projects throughout Baltimore. 410-448-5663, www.parksandpeople.org.
maryland extension service and the Watershed associations, including hermaster gardeners can provide techniring run watershed association cal assistance for community gardens (www.herringrun.org, 410-254-1577) and and beautification projects. They can jones falls watershed association also help with plant selection, and often (www.jonesfalls.org, 410-366-3036) with volunteers. The Home and Garden work to restore the communities in their Info Center website is www.hgic.umd.edu watersheds by involving citizens in outand the phone number is 1-800-342door projects and educational activities. 2507. To get in touch with the Master Gardeners program: 410-856-1857x121. Your neighborhood or community organization is a good place to find active neighbors and local resources. 14
Resources for Community Greeners money fundraise: sell hot dogs, hold a flea market. Try local businesses – it’s their neighborhood, too! Your community organization may have additional fundraising ideas. baltimore office of promotion and arts coordinates a grants program for community events. 410-752-8632, www.bop.org, www.promotionandarts.com/index. cfm?page=grants. baltimore community foundation provides grants of up to $10,000. 410-3324171, grants@bcf.org, www.bcf.org/ourgrants. chesapeake bay trust funds grants of up to $5,000 for projects that focus on native plants and water quality improvements. 410-974-2941, www.cbt.org. Or search for “Chesapeake Bay Trust Mini Grants” on the internet. If you live in a “healthy neighborhood,” your project may be eligible for small grants. To learn more, including which community organization to work with, visit www.healthyneighborhoods.org or call 410-332-0387x148. parks & people foundation has twice-yearly greening grants, of up to $1,000 and $5,000. See above and www.parksandpeople.org/programs_great_grants.html.
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Resources for Community Greeners Stuff compost you can buy from local vendors, including Meyers Seed (410342-4224), Mill Valley Garden Center (410-889-6842, mill-valley.net), and Hollins Organic (410-828-0320, www. hollinsorganic.com). The University of Maryland dairy farm in Clarksville (4240 Folly Quarter Rd, 21042) will donate but you will need a truck, contact Albert at 410 531 2918.
wood chips: Baltimore City’s Horticulture Division may be able to provide leaf mold and wood chips. Calling in the winter is best so that you can avoid the busy spring and fall seasons. 410-3960180x0780. Community Tree Experts will donate wood chips if they have them. Call 410-298-3897.
More Stuff plants and trees: Civic Works, Parks & People, and Herring Run have plant sales throughout the year. You can also ask for donations and/or apply for local grants. MD Department of Natural Resources has trees to donate though you have to pay shipping, call Terry Gal¬loway at 410-260-8510. Trees in parks, on the sidewalks and in the medians are all cared for by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation & Parks’ For¬estry Division. To report a problem with a tree, call 311. To request a tree for your street, contact Brian Henry, 410-396-6100
soil you can buy from local seed and hardware stores, including Meyers Seed Company of Baltimore (410-342-4224, 600 S Caroline St), Green Fields Nurs¬ery Landscaping (410-323-3444, www.greenfieldsnursery.com), and Hollins Organic (410-828-0210, www.hollin¬sorganic.com). Potts and Callahan will sometimes donate, call Tim Dunnigan at 410.576.6773, from 2-3pm during the week; he will need to know location, cubic yards, and date of delivery. Quality varies.
second chance (1645 Warner St, 21230) has fencing, heavy duty outdoor planters, and outdoor art like sculptures sod can come from local vendors, includ- and birdbaths. They also often have ing Central Sod Farms of MD (800bricks, pavers, & lumber. 410-385-1101, 866-1387, www.centralsod.com), Collins www.secondchanceinc.org. Wharf Sod Farm (410-334-6676, www. cwsod.com), and Kimberthy Turf (800232-8292, www.treesnturf.com). the loading dock (2 North Kresson Street, 21224) sells salvaged surplus building materials that are otherwise headed for landfills. You may be able to find lumber or fencing materials. 410558-3625, www.loadingdock.org.
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Wish List CGRN is accepting donations of new or gently used tools, equipment, and plant materials. These materials will be available for use and distributed to community gardens. By supporting the valuable services that CGRN provides to our city through in-kind or financial donations, volunteers, publicity, or administrative assistance, you or your organization can receive ad space, acknowledgment of tax deductions, opportunities for increased business, and a heightened sense of involvement in the community. Your participation in CGRN is very appreciated and you will be making a direct, positive impact on the health and viability of our city. hand tools for CGRN Community Tool Banks (including but not limited to: shovels, rakes, hoes, hand trowels, pruners, loppers, clippers, wheelbarrows, watering cans, buckets, post hole diggers, stake drivers) tool repair materials (such as shovel handles, nails, screws, hammers, wrenches, tape, screwdrivers, sharpening files) gardening items (including but not limited to: string, stakes, tomato cages, gloves, hoses, sprayers, fencing material, manual push mowers, storage containers) plant materialsfor the give-away days accepted year round (including but not limited to: vegetable, flower, and herb seeds; onion sets and potatoes; vegetable seedlings; compost; annual and perennial flowers; bulbs, garlic, trees, berry canes, and bushes) We also accept nursery pots, seedling plug trays and flats, partially used bags of compost, potting soil, and mulch lawn mowers – push, electric, or gas-powered cameras to record garden development – digital or disposable clipboards white boards to record calendar updates in the Tool Banks water and snacks for workshops, tours, and spring/summer celebrations newsletter paper and printing access money for space rental
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Volunteer Come learn, volunteer, and have a good time outside in a community garden! Volunteer Work Days occur on the last Saturday of every month March – October, 10am-12pm. Open to every one of all ages. All tools, materials, and refreshments provided. interested in volunteering in community gardens in 2010? please mail or email the following information to: Sarah Ritter Parks & People Foundation 800 Wyman Park Drive, Suite 010 Baltimore, MD 21211 community.greening@parksandpeople.org 1. Name: ..................................................................... Phone number: .......................................... 2. Email/Mailing Address: ............................................................................................................ 3. Why are you interested in volunteering? ......................................................................... 4. Which dates are you available? (Circle all that apply) March 27th July 31st
April 24th
May 29th June 26th
August 28th
Sept. 25th Oct. 30th
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TO:
Parks & People Foundation 800 Wyman Park Drive, Suite 010 Baltimore, MD 21211