PEAT Peaks Environmental Action Team

Update (March 10, 2010): Springtime is coming! We've held a few meetings for the gardeners and are preparing workday dates for digging postholes, amending the soil, and putting up the fence. Many of us are about ready to start seeds, too.

Justin and Jenny constructed a set of compost bins near the garden site. They used new-ish wooden pallets donated by Whole Foods in Portland, along with landscape fabric, chicken wire and straw from Jenny.

Update (January 14, 2010): We've mulched the site, with thanks to everyone involved, and purchased fencing materials to put up when the ground thaws in springtime. Here are the pictures of the fencing materials (metal post is repersentative; there's a pile of new posts buried under the snow).

Update (November 12, 2009): One more Compost Nation day is coming up! Saturday, November 21 at 10 a.m. at Trott-Littlejohn Park. We managed to complete mulching half the site the last time, but need to finish the job before putting the site to bed for the winter.

Update (November 1, 2009): We are holding another Compost Nation day on Saturday  November 7 at 10 a.m. at Trott-Littlejohn Park. This time we are going to spread mulch and cardboard with help from Island Services.

Update (October 5, 2009): Compost Nation happens Saturday October 17 at 10 a.m. at Trott-Littlejohn Park. We will be coordinating a massive composting effort and need all the help we can get from future gardeners and other kind folk! The plan is to cover the garden site, a quarter acre, with wood chips -- and then build a "compost row" on one end, 4 feet high, 6 or 8 feet wide and as long as it can get. Volunteers can gather seaweed, spread cardboard and old cotton towel/rugs/sheets, and/or help rake the woodchips across the whole plot.

Update (September 9, 2009): The first fall planning meeting was hel on Wednesday September 16, at 6:30 p.m., at Jubal Kessler's house. We discussed the plans for the inaugural spring planting next year, and what needs to be done between now and then -- including putting up fencing, and spreading compost materials for the winter.

Update (August 7, 2009): The garden has received a $1,000 grant from Peaks Island Fund! The monies will go toward building materials and construction costs. We are very pleased to receive such support!

Update (June 19, 2009): PEAT has received a $1,000 grant from the Island Institute's Four-Season Island Agriculture Fund! The funds will go toward fencing and other capital infrastructure to get the community garden started. We thank the Island Institute for helping to get us established.

Update (June 15, 2009): On Wednesday June 10, the Peaks Island Council has unanimously approved a resolution supporting the garden. The City of Portland's arborist, Jeff Tarling, was present and lent his encouragement for the garden's establishment within Trott-Littlejohn Park. Jeff also confirmed the availability of a 500-gallon steel water tank for use in irrigating the Garden.

On Saturday morning, June 13, members of the garden effort met at Trott-Littlejohn to survey and mark boundaries, and discuss fencing, landscaping, and soil amendment options. The garden site is now in the upper part of T-J Park and closer to the entrance.

Update (May 22, 2009): An updated garden plan has been posted below, as well as a revised "About the Garden" section. Garden organizers are also in the process of filling out grant applications to fund initial materials such as fencing.

Update (May 7, 2009): The Garden has taken a giant step toward becoming a reality! The City of Portland has granted permission to use a portion of the Trott-Littlejohn land for the Garden. Pending approval from the Peaks Island Council, the garden will move forward with drafting a land-lease agreement with the city.

About The Garden

The idea for a community garden started with Justin Palmer, now a PEAT member, who had already done considerable work to recruit gardeners, establish contacts and locate a suitable piece of public land when he came to us with the outline of a scheme to provide favorable space for island residents with insufficient land or light to grow vegetables, and for school children to garden as part of a community effort that augments their curriculum. It is PEAT's goal that the Community Garden will function independently, but with the support and oversight of our organization.

The Community Garden proposes not only to provide felicitous garden space for a limited number of islanders, but to serve as a demonstration garden for all islanders and visitors interested in small scale organic gardening practices which rely as much as possible on locally available materials such as leaves, manure, seaweed, recycled paper and even coffee grounds from area businesses. Several waist-high beds will allow for people who can’t bend over easily, or even someone in a wheelchair, to continue gardening. A children’s plot will be a place for kids to learn basic gardening skills and, more importantly, an arena for intergenerational collaboration and recreation.

Admittedly, this is only a small step toward the ultimate goal of long term sustainability but we hope that by modeling the skills needed to raise inexpensive and healthy vegetables, we can erase the necessity for some small fraction of the costly boat trips to purchase food that might very well be produced right here on Peaks.

Current Status

As of June 15, 2009, we have little hope of fully established garden plots for the summer of 2009. There are ten plots of roughly 9 by 15 feet (size is not final yet), with four reserved so far. An additional two areas have been reserved for schoolchildren and for the Senior Fellowship. As soon as possible, we need to install a fence in order to make a deer barrier for the garden and to lessen the threat of deer ticks to the gardeners. Our long-term plan includes a garden shed and some sort of picnic/work table to be added next year. The main focus for this summer is modest: fencing, soil amendment and on-site composting, which mostly involves collecting and layering massive amounts of free materials such as leaves and seaweed. After this initial push, we foresee that each plot holder will move forward independently with planning, planting and whatever expenditures they deem necessary.

The Location

Trott-Littlejohn Park is situated near the center of the island, just across from the transfer station, at the corner of Upper A and Florida streets.

Location of T-L Park

Sunny view of Trott-Littlejohn

Entrance to Park

The Garden Plan

The garden will consist of ten plots, plus three waist-high beds for gardeners who have difficulty bending.  A sturdy fence around the perimeter will deter pets, deer and other varmints. Front and back gates will allow easy access in to the garden and out to the wooded area behind it. A roll-back section of fencing on one side will allow trucks or other machinery to enter.   A large water tank will be placed nearby for irrigation. A small garden shed is planned for next year.

Ideas for the future include a picnic area with tables and shade and a bulletin board for garden rules, and announcements.

Below is the current garden plan:

Current Garden Location

Funding

• The Institute for Human Centered Design has agreed to underwrite the cost of designing and building accessible raised beds.
• We are in the process of applying for grants from gardening and community-centric organizations. Funds would go toward building the fence, shed and gates.
• We will solicit ideas from island artists for an appropriate and appealing main entrance gateway and signboard.

Questions?

For more information, please contact us at info at greenerpeaks dot org.