Sharing a Common Vision at Aveson

Every Spring Common Vision's Fruit Tree Tour travels the length of California in the world's largest veggie-oil powered caravan planting thousands of fruit trees at urban schools from San Diego to Sacramento. Common Vision's 25 Earth educators teach students through a daylong program that includes tree planting, West African agricultural drumming and earth-conscious hip-hop. Over 10,000 students benefit from Fruit Tree Tour each year. An average of twenty trees are planted at each school including pear, peach, fig, avocado, guava, apricot, nectarine, citrus and apple.

Aveson's day was Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Through performance, story telling and hands on workshops the unique program introduced key concepts of health, ecology, and interconnectedness. The Fruit Tree Tour helps Aveson educators integrate sustainability into school curricula and landscapes.

Fruit Tree Facts:

* Only 11% of California's school aged children eat the recommended 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

* One healthy apple or pear tree can produce 1,000 pounds of fruit a year.

* 80% of the students participating in Fruit Tree Tour are part of the free or reduced school lunch program.

* Urban trees reduce city noise and glare, reduce storm water runoff, improve air quality and can reduce the temperatures of “urban heat islands” by 5 degrees or more.

* By using vegetable oil as fuel, the Fruit Tree Tour Fleet has saved over 6,000 gallons of petroleum.


Common Vision's mission is to cultivate ecological awareness and respect for the Earth while generating social and environmental change towards sustainable ways of life. They integrate concepts of ecology with the traditions, music and art of cultures that live or have lived in harmony with the Earth. Common Vision is a solution-focused nonprofit organization. Since its inception in 1999, Common Vision has hosted educational workshops and tours about permaculture, biofuels, community, art, culture, and ecology.

www.commonvision.org

Garden Update Part II

TODAY:

Ninth graders sported safety goggles and gloves while they connected a grid of irrigation pipes with plumbing glue. Thanks to Matt Baer for laying the foundation for our watering system!

A host of kinder, first and second graders sampled fresh parsley and red chard from our two thriving raised beds - plantings courtesy of team member Chris Wrasse - before digging in with hands, shovels and weeding instruments to uproot a host of weeds. Every child - without exception - begged for more time to work! Elizabeth Jebef will return next week, during recess, to allow emerging green thumbs to weed and dig in the dirt during playtime.


COMING UP:

In March, Phil will be working with ninth graders to construct a split rail fence and entryway which will separate the playground from the orchard and garden space - a safety requirement.

Full speed ahead!

Garden Update

Common Vision will be pulling into Aveson the first week of March to help us dedicate several fruit trees to our campus orchard. See www.commonvision.org for more details regarding their vision and interactive school curriculum.

The garden irrigation project is well underway thanks to Phil and a group of dedicated parents. Many thanks.

The upper "garden" - or the raised area above the garden designated by a concrete wall - has been designed to host a lovely array of drought tolerant and mostly native plants designed to repeat in a simple pattern the length of the garden, courtesy of landscape visionary Caroline Andres.

Weather permitting. Tomorrow, for K-2's Advisory Friday, children will visit the garden in rotating groups of five to help weed new groundlings that have cropped up with the season's showers.

Our budget. The garden was fortunate to be included in the list of early recipients for the CDE grant which provided our initiative with $5,000 in August.
Sadly, due to recent budget cuts, outstanding grants may not be distributed. In anticipation of next year, we are seeking volunteer grant writers.

Bringing the garden home... The City of Pasadena will be selling the Garden Gourmet Compost Bin this weekend in Victory Park at half it's retail value. If you've been dreaming of a home compost but haven't taken the plunge, this Saturday's sale is a good opportunity.

Garden Team Meeting - 10 January 2008

Our small gathering last Thursday focused on the much needed implementation of the garden's irrigation system and the garden's curriculum.

Third grade parent Matt is collaborating with Plant Manger Phill to outline next steps for bringing water to our expectant raised beds.

After exploring infinite intersections of science, math and art that could be introduced to our students through the garden, we agreed to "keep it simple" and adapt Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard & Ecoliteracy Programs as we get started - largely focusing on growing, journaling and cooking in the garden and Aveson kitchen.

To learn more about these tried and true programs click here: Edible Schoolyard and the Center for Ecoliteracy

Our long term vision includes a designated Garden Teacher or Manger to collaborate with our Aveson Teaching Team to integrate California standards into our learning garden, coordinate parent and community volunteers, pursue funding and guide our students' outdoor learning experience.

TO DO NOW:

We need volunteers interested in donating time or resources to erect our shaded learning arbor and lay down hardware cloth in our remaining beds, if you are interested please telephone Elizabeth - 626.824.3726!

Homegrown Revolution

PATH TO FREEDOM 'HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION™' FILM SHORT
featured @

SUSTAINABLE LA @ Farmlab/Under Spring
Curated by Echo Park Film Center
Saturday, December 8 @ 7 pm
FREE EVENT! EVERYONE WELCOME!
Evening begins with a potluck dinner so please bring food to share.
Approximate Program Times:
Sustainable LA Shorts: 8:30
More info: www.farmlab.org


Sustainable LA is a celebration of Angelinos engaged in the green revolution. The one-hour program consists of short films on a variety of topics including urban gardening, environmental awareness and community activism. In keeping with the grassroots nature of many of these organizations, emphasis is on issues awareness, practical information exchange and hands-on participation.

Many Thanks

Thanks again to first grade parents Chris & Tina who generously donated the garden's first truckload of rich soil and mulch!

All Hands Work Day 1 December 2007

Today's groundbreaking workday rewarded months of patience and several hours of sweat equity this afternoon courtesy of dedicated Aveson students and parents.

15 Orcaboard raised beds were assembled by adults and children alike - literally in a snap! Hay bales were arranged in a learning circle and most remarkably, the entire upper terrace was weeded with great discipline to reveal several rosemary plants and a blank canvas for our future drought tolerant, native plantings.

Giant lizards, curious ivy roots and metal treasures were uncovered.

Next week we will be laying down plastic to prevent the regrowth of weeds until the native design is complete. We still need to level and weed part of the lower garden space and we are also collecting newspapers to serve as the second layer of our beds - in between the hardware cloth and the soil/mulch mix. So bring in your used dailies in the coming week.

Thank you to all of the families who donated their Saturday morning and afternoon to help realize Aveson's vision of a dynamic learning garden for our K-12th graders.

Full speed ahead!

La Ofrendra at L.A.'s Farm Lab

From La Ofrenda cooridinator Olivia Chumaceo:

"In every culture that exists in the world, people acknowledge and memorialize their dead. While some cultures are very private and don’t even speak the deceased’s name ever again, in the Indigenous culture of Mesoamerica it was and is observed in a manner that celebrates life.

"For the second year now Farmlab will honor the ancestors by transforming the Under Spring area into a celebration of life, with hundreds of marigolds, candles, music, art, the beauty reflected in our cultural diversity. We designate this time as the day of La Ofrenda, which translates to The Offering. In collaboration with the, 50/500 Indigenous Elders, the Chinese youth dance ensemble, the Andean song and dance troupe from Bolivia, the Tongva people with their Ancestor Pole ceremony, the Japanese sacred flute music and many other groups from the surrounding, Farmlab invites you to partake of this heartfelt and magical Ofrenda day."

You are welcome to set up your own offering here at UnderSpring. Farmlab will gift you with marigolds, candles and a space for your offering. Please contact us with plenty of lead time. Or, come to the event at sunrise Friday, November 2 to participate with the Tonvga people as they honor with their Ancestoral Pole ceremony at the Yangna village site commonly known as the California State Historic Park. Otherwise join us for a full evening of La Ofrenda, on Saturday, November 3 from 7:30 p.m. to midnight in the Under Spring area."

Photos from the 2006 La Ofrenda. Farmlab Photos by Sarah McCabe.

Alice Waters Comes to Town

Alice Waters - of Chez Panisse and Edible Schoolyard fame - will be speaking at All Saints Church on Thursday, October 25 on The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution. So that we may all enjoy Alice's visit, the action team will not meet this Thursday.

The free event begins at 7pm; doors open at 6pm. Call Vromans for more information: 626.449.5320.

Buckets and Trowels and Water Bottles, Oh My!

The Besser Family has kindly donated a wonderful assortment of trowels, water bottles - for spritzing seedlings - and buckets for our K-2 gardeners!

Thank you Besser Family for your generous donation.

Team Meeting 18 October

With our Orcaboard order underway and the rest of our CDE funds earmarked for soil, hardware cloth, irrigation, hay bales and the Common Vision Fruit Tree Tour, we spent last night discussing the source of future funds to spur our growth.

In anticipation of the upcoming holiday season, we will be offering garden shares or garden bonds as holiday gifts. Each share will go towards the realization of our outdoor classroom. Share purchases will be commemorated with a card for the gift recipient - a perfect way to share the spirit of Aveson with Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles and friends.

We also identified the 18th of November - Sunday afternoon - as our first all hands work day. On the 18th we will assemble the Orcaboard raised beds, lay the hardware cloth, transfer the soil, place hay bales, arrange the compost station and weed the upper terrace. Bring a picnic lunch! Water, and cold cider will be provided.

We will make school wide announcements regarding both the shares and the volunteer day by the end of October.

In the meantime we welcome your comments and suggestions.

Cast Your Vote!

Dear Gardening Team,

We have reached a stall with our raised beds and need your vote to move forward.

Please cast your ballot via email by Friday October 12th. To archive our decision making process for Aveson students and community members, responses will be posted as comments under the entry "Cast Your Vote" on www.avesongrows.blogspot.com.

After much research and discussion the Team has identified the following materials for use in the construction of our raised beds – both choices recommended by Organic Gardening. Please identify your material choice via email.

Thank you in advance for your input.

CHOICE A)
Construction Heart Redwood - Rot resistant hardwood; natural material; degrades over time – supplementing the soil and returning to the earth; aesthetically pleasing; harvest results in long term impact on forest ecosystem; lack of demand has made FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified redwood unavailable; next day delivery; $2950 + hardware.

CHOICE B)
Orcaboard – inert thermal-form plastic made from recycled milk jugs. 50 year product guarantee; used in public and commercial settings; can be recycled at the end of its useful life; no known leaching; fits together with tongue and groove design; not as aesthetically pleasing; fossil fuel inputs required for manufacture; identified as Most Environmentally Preferable among plastic lumber products by the Healthy Building Network; 99% post consumer recycled content - baking powder and a coloring agent are added; delivered in 2-3 weeks; $3674.00

For more information about our decision making process we offer you the following resources:

Organic Gardening Review of Raised Bed Materials
The Healthy Building Network Review of Plastic Lumber
Orcaboard
Forest Stewardship Council

Guest Speaker Thursday 4 October

Thursday's Garden Action Team Meeting is happy to host Australian Permaculturalist Steve Burns.

Steve will discuss the principles of permaculture and offer imaginative suggestions for integrating the principles in our garden design and curriculum.

Join us from 6:00-7:00pm outside the Flex Room/ Library.

Our Baskets are Growing!

The Jebef Family has donated two Free Trade Bolga Baskets for our K-2 project teachers.

These baskets will hold magnifying glasses, field guides and a wonderful collection of gardening books - courtesy of Rooh - for our emerging K-2 gardeners.

If you would like to contribute to the baskets, we are still in need of the following tools:

20 - 10x magnifying glasses
20 - regular sized hand trowels (hand shovels)
10 - fingernail brushes
2 - white 5 gallon buckets
4 - spray water bottles

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm.

Action Team Meeting Thusday 27 September

The Gardening Action Team Meeting will meet on Thursday 27 September from 6:00-7:00 pm outside the Flex Room/ Library adjacent to our intended garden space.

Books from Rooh!

Rooh has generously purchased the following titles for our K-2 class gardening baskets. Thank you Rooh!

Progress Report - Team Meeting 18 September

A dedicated group of gardening parents assembled to define next steps for Aveson's learning garden. Keep reading for a front row seat at tonight's meeting...

The Garden Team's current priorities are defined, in order:

A) Purchase and assemble raised beds.

B) Install irrigation.

C) Coordinate delivery of soil and compost.

D) Start seeds in classrooms.

E) Supply garden baskets to all K-2 teachers.

F) Supply 5 gallon composting buckets to all 3-5 teachers

G) Confirm cost associated with Common Vision Tree Fruit Tour and submit or postpone application.


A) Raised Beds
After much research and discussion, Orcaboard's Raised Garden Bed Kit was selected as a healthy alternative to not-so-sustainable redwood, toxic treated wood, and pricey Trex.

Orcaboard is made from recycled plastic milk containers and is designed to snap together for easy, child-friendly assembly. The product comes with a 50 year warranty and is recommended by Organic Gardening.

From the website www.orcaboard.com
Orcaboard™ Raised Bed Garden Kits are maintenance-free, non-toxic, guaranteed for 50 years, and look great. The tongue and groove boards are pre-cut and pre-notched for easy assembly. Elizabeth will coordinate the delivery of the beds.

B) Irrigation
Phil, our esteemed Plant Manager, is building a materials list based on MG Jill's design. Matt will use Phil's list to source and price the project.

Phil will install irrigation once beds are assembled and placed.

C) Soil & Compost
Chris is donating a load of mulch and will coordinate the delivery of soil from our Sunland resource. He will also oversee the harmonious mixing of compost and soil for transfer to the beds.

D) Seeds
Carol is developing Aveson's First Annual Seed Drive - the first gardening event of the season. Students will collect and start seeds in their classrooms for later transfer to the garden. MG Jill has donated nearly $300 in delicious seed packs from Renee's Garden.

E) K-2
The Gardening Team would like to outfit each K-2 teacher with an extra large Gardening Basket containing the following:

10 Hand Trowels - adult sized
20 Magnifying Glasses (10x magnification)
5 Fingernail brushes
2 Laminated Guides to Insects
Age Appropriate Gardening Books
visit www.acornnaturalists.com/ educational supplies.
We warmly invite Aveson's parent community to donate basket items. Please contact Elizabeth to coordinate.

F) 3-5
3-5 classrooms will be outfitted with 5 gallon plastic buckets to be used for compost collection on select composting days.

G)Common Vision
If the costs associated with hosting Common Vision during their upcoming Fruit Tree Tour are within our means, Beth will complete and submit our application.

NEXT
In our next phase of development, we would like to outfit the 6-7th grade classrooms with worm bins and material related to companion planting. Think three sisters. Or nasturtium loves citrus.

For upper grades, we would like to engage them in mycorestoration using burlap or plastic bag mushroom farms and the design and construction of a green house.

PREDICTED ALLOCATION of FUNDS

3000 Raised beds
300 Weed Mesh
350 Soil
350 Gazebo

FLOTSAM & JETSAM

Bulb Fundraiser

Connect with Chris's friend, longtime Crenshaw High School gardening teacher, Adonaja to discuss curriculum.

Establish a gardening library.

Engage Master Gardeners in volunteer teaching rotation.

Check out www.ipm.ucdavis.edu for 6-9 curriculum ideas.

School Garden Weekly

Courtesy of MG Jill, a link to the School Garden Weekly weblog for
students, educators, parents and volunteers authored by fellow Master Gardener, George Pessin.

www.schoolgardenweekly.com

George Pessin is a Master Gardener in Los Angeles County specializing in school gardens. Currently George is working with three schools: Hollygrove Child and Family Services, West Hollywood Elementary School, and Vista del Mar Child and Family Services.

Raised Beds Update

Action team member Carol has kindly volunteered her husband Steve and his compound mitre saw for the construction of our beds!

Our aim is to construct beds in the coming week.

Team Meeting Tuesday 18 September

The Garden Team will meet on Tuesday evening in the library from 6-7 pm.