Paying for Plots
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Our annual plot fees are due in March, which is when our year begins.

Sometimes it is hard to connect with the garden coordinator to pay for plots at our community garden (Kalachandji’s Community Garden). I try to be at the garden on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but many times I have other obligations.

Why not pay […]

Garden Wish List
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* A small greenhouse
Very helpful for starting plants in spring and fall. Materials = $300.

* A work area
A counter & sink for cleaning veggies, potting seeds, etc. Materials = $150.

* Some table-height garden beds for handicapped people
One grade-school class has a plot in the garden, and there is a student in a wheelchair who cannot […]

Soil Energy
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Modern agricultural science considers soil in terms of chemicals. A better way to see the soil is in terms of energy. Energy flows between the earth’s two poles.

The various mineral compounds in the soil allow this energy to flow in different amounts. If you get too much mineralization you can have […]

High Brix Gardening
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Very few people even know about high brix gardening, what to speak of understanding the processes to achieve it. 

1) Get the soil tested – the Weak Acid test. (Don’t use County Extension Offices  as they generally use the Strong Acid test.) Get the microbial levels tested also (called a formazan test.)

2) Have the consultant that did […]

Community Gardens & Dallas City Hall – again!
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What a crazy city we live in:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2010-03-25/news/when-it-comes-to-community-gardens-city-hall-and-its-crazy-procedures-are-like-agent-orange

Community Garden Finances
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Below are the finances for Kalachandji’s Community Garden for January – March.

Overall we’re doing pretty well. However, the income includes funds from all plots that have been reserved, whether the plot holder has paid or not. So when you look at the balance sheet you can see the total amount that we still have to collect from everyone, and you […]

Preparing to Plant – part 2
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I know many of you are anxious to get started, so let’s recap what needs to be done.

To put it simply, the raised beds need to be created.

1) This means tilling up the area around each bed and tilling in some peat. We have a good tiller, courtesy of Rupanuga.

2) Place the 4×20 frame (which is two […]

Preparing to Plant
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The developing community garden has practically been a mud pit with the rains this past week. Yesterday I was there, getting my shoes muddy, and grew about two inches in the process. I also gained weight, which if you know me personally is a good thing…

Community Garden Rules
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We would like to share the rules of the Garden. Most of this was taken from the American Community Garden Association and we also added a little of our own flavor. It is one page long.

The idea is that each plot user should read and sign so that there are no misunderstandings down the road. We can pass […]

Soil needs more organic matter
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In January we tilled the soil, tilled in 6 inches of leaves, and added soft rock phosphate and other nutrients to balance the soil. We have not tilled or dug in the garden since then.

Until the last few days, that is.

The clay soil simply has not broken up enough. We’re going to have to add a LOT more […]

Gardening Seminar
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Thank you to everyone who came to the meeting/seminar!
I know some were not able to attend. Everyone watched a video on Square Foot Gardening, practiced the spacing methods in several small boxes of sand, and learned how to use a refractometer by testi…

Making the Raised Beds
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Dear gardeners,

I just realized I have not been emailing all the articles for a while, I’ve been putting them on the blog. And I’ve not been putting all the updates on the blog! There is WAY too much to do….

We bought used 2x8x12 lumber from Dynomite Demolition on Highway 175. They have a lot of […]

Organic and High Brix
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Organic gardening is focused on the inputs – what you put into the soil and on the plants – with the expectation of better nutrition as a result. High brix gardening is focused directly on the end result – the nutrition levels – and providing specific inputs necessary to obtain this. The methodologies are therefore […]

Community Garden – soil test results
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In the community garden, we are providing nutrients in specific amounts to replenish those nutrients lacking in unamended Dallas soil. We are following a high brix program. Based on the soil test, the foremost need is phosphorus. We are putting in 280 pounds of soft rock phosphate, which meets organic requirements.

There are a few other amendments being added but […]

Using Wood for Raised Beds
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“Don’t use treated wood in your veggie garden!”

How many times have you heard this?

CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) wood has been off the market for seven years now, so there is no need to discuss that. The newer wood (ACQ) has copper and an ammonium compound, so the primary concern is the copper. The type available in the south […]

Community Garden Update
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Our community garden is now open to anyone who wants a plot.

The last soil amendment – soft rock phosphate – is being shipped from Arkansas. The trucking company was delayed due to weather and it will not be here until Wednesday February 17.

If it doesn’t rain in the next few days we’ll spread it on Wednesday […]

Visit to New Talavan!
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Two weeks ago Kunti and I visited New Talavan for the very first time. It is a rural community about one hour northeast from New Orleans, in Mississippi.

We had a great time! Devotees were nice, Deities were nice, and I finally met a good online acquaintance, Adi Karta prabhu. He is moving to New Talavan from Alachua, and his mobile […]

Community Garden – reserve now!
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Dear fellow gardeners,
We are continuing to make progress in setting up the community garden.
There are still some open plots that have not been reserved. Please contact any member of the Community Garden Planning Team to reserve one by phone, email, o…

Response from second senator on S-425
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Below is the response I got from our other senator regarding the email I sent:

Dear Mrs. van Nus:

Thank you for contacting me regarding food safety. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

The United States’ food safety policy is rooted in sound science and is supervised by both the Food and Drug […]

Response from senator on S425
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I got the response below from one of our senators on the emails I sent on S425 :

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Food Safety and Tracking Improvement Act. I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Food Safety and Tracking Improvement Act, which would establish a nationwide traceability system monitored […]