The Center for Sustainable Living

Greenvale Park Garden Applications Available for 2012 Season

Administrator — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:52:16 +0000

Dreaming of growing green things in spring’s warming soil? It’s time to plan ahead for summer gardening!

Greenvale Park Community Garden is now making applications available for the 2012 gardening season. A limited number of 10 x 10’ and 10 x 20’ plots will be available. Gardeners can plant what they choose and will be responsible for weeding, watering, harvesting and otherwise maintaining their plots throughout the growing season. All gardeners at the community garden will use organic gardening methods, and experienced gardeners will be available to help newer gardeners learn the necessary skills. In addition to gardening in their own plots, gardeners will participate on work teams to share tasks like maintaining the compost, mowing and trimming grassy areas, and tending the Sharing Plot. All the produce from the Sharing Plot is donated to the Northfield Food Shelf.

Applications will be accepted beginning February 6. Application forms (in English and Spanish) can be picked up now at Greenvale Park School, Northfield CAC, and Northfield Schools Community Services Division. They can also be downloaded in pdf form from the website of the Center for Sustainable Living, www.centerforsustainableliving.org (see the l or from the Northfield Public Schools website, www.nfld.k12.mn.us

Once applications are approved, gardeners will pay a gardening fee of $25 for the year ($15 for half-plots) to help cover costs of water and other garden expenses. Financial assistance will be available for those who are unable to pay the full amount. If you have further questions about the garden please call Northfield Community Gardeners at 612-804-5628. Northfield Community Gardeners would also like to hear from and offer assistance to people who are interested in starting community gardens in other locations in Northfield.

Greenvale Park Community Garden is a joint project of the Northfield Community Gardeners and the Northfield Public Schools Community Services Division, and Greenvale Park Elementary School.

Click for 2012 Application
Huerta aplicacion

Greenvale Park Community Garden Celebrates Five Years

Administrator — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 19:46:33 +0000

The fifth season of the Greenvale Park Community Garden ended last week as a group of gardener volunteers did the end-of-season tasks to prepare for the site for winter. This year, the garden served about 35 families who rent either 10×10 or 10×20 foot plots. There is also a perennial plot with strawberries, raspberries, asparagus and other permanent plantings is available for gardeners to share. Countless others benefit through the garden’s sharing plot which provides fresh produce to the Northfield Community Action Center each week during the growing season. Other groups had plots this year as well: a Kindergarten and third-grade class from Greenvale Park Elementary School and Community Services youth gardening class called “Dirt to Dinner.”

Application forms for Summer 2012 (in English and Spanish) will be available in early January 2012 at Greenvale Park School, Northfield Community Action Center, and Northfield Schools Community Services Division. They can also be downloaded from the Northfield Center for Sustainable Living website. Applications will be accepted beginning in February.

For more information about Greenvale Park Community Garden, contact Sarah Dennett at 612-804-5628 or hansmuessig@charter.net.

Greenvale Park Community Garden is a joint project of the Northfield Community Gardeners and the Northfield Public Schools Community Services Division.

Think Summer! Apply for Garden Plots Now

Sheryl — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 19:48:42 +0000

What better antidote for the icy winds of winter than dreaming of growing green things in spring’s warming fertile soil. Though winter has us in its grip, it’s time to plan ahead for summer gardening!

Greenvale Park Community Garden is now making applications available for the 2011 gardening season. A limited number of 10 x 10’ and 10 x 20’ plots will be available. Gardeners can plant what they choose and will be responsible for weeding, watering, harvesting and otherwise maintaining their plots throughout the growing season. All gardeners at the community garden will use organic gardening methods, and experienced gardeners will be available to help newer gardeners learn the necessary skills. In addition to gardening in their own plots, gardeners will participate on work teams to share tasks like maintaining the compost, mowing and trimming grassy areas, and tending the Sharing Plot. All the produce from the Sharing Plot is donated to the Northfield Food Shelf.
Applications will be accepted beginning February 1. Application forms (in English and Spanish) can be picked up beginning January 5 at Greenvale Park School, Northfield CAC, and Northfield Schools Community Services Division. They can also be downloaded in pdf form from the website here.
Once applications are approved, gardeners will pay a gardening fee of $25 for the year ($15 for half-plots) to help cover costs of water and other garden expenses. Financial assistance will be available for those who are unable to pay the full amount. If you have further questions about the garden please call Northfield Community Gardeners at . Northfield Community Gardeners would also like to hear from and offer assistance to people who are interested in starting community gardens in other locations in Northfield .
Greenvale Park Community Garden is a joint project of the Northfield Community Gardeners and the Northfield Public Schools Community Services Division.

Let’s Create More Community Gardens!

Sheryl — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:05:36 +0000

The Greenvale Park Community Garden is still accepting applications for 2010 garden space, (see the posting below for details, and to download the application form).
But since the Greenvale garden always has more applicants than available space, and since there are plenty of folks who would like to garden on the east side or south side of town, it’s time to find some new space for community gardens in Northfield! Throughout the past year, the Northfield Community Gardeners have worked with city staff and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to draft a process that community groups can use to request space for community gardens on city land (both park and non-park land owned by the city).
We’ve worked hard to create a fair process that will allow for public input and also create a set of clear steps toward creating new community garden space on appropriate city land. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board approved this process at its November meeting, and now the process must go before the City Council for approval.
We understand that the subject is on the agenda for the Council’s work session on March 9. So now is a GREAT time for city council members to hear from their constituents who support creating more community gardens in Northfield! If you would like to see more community gardens developed in town, including gardens on city land, please send an e-mail or make a phone call to your city council person to let them know! Even if you are sure your council representative would be supportive of this issue, make that call … it’s one thing for a council member to say “I support this issue” and an even more powerful thing to add “and I received 15 e-mails from citizens in support.” You can find contact information for your city council person on this page on the City of Northfield website.
The full text of the proposed process is attached below, so those who are interested can read it. My apologies for the pdf conversion-weirdness in the title. I’ll try to get that fixed in the somewhat near future.
Garden Development Process

Greenvale Park Community Garden Plots Available for 2010

Administrator — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:04:53 +0000

Gardening is more popular than ever these days, as people look for ways to trim their budgets, eat healthier and more locally, get more exercise, and care for the earth as well. Gardening can help with all these things, and if you are gardening in a community garden, you can make new friends as well.

Greenvale Park Community Garden is now making applications available for the 2010 gardening season. A limited number of 10 x 10’ and 10 x 20’ plots will be available. Gardeners can plant what they choose and will be responsible for weeding, watering, harvesting and otherwise maintaining their plots throughout the growing season. All gardeners at the community garden will use organic gardening methods, and experienced gardeners will be available to help newer gardeners learn the necessary skills. In addition to gardening in their own plots, gardeners will participate on work teams to share tasks like maintaining the compost, mowing and trimming grassy areas, and tending the Sharing Plot. All the produce from the Sharing Plot is donated to the Northfield Food Shelf.
Applications will be accepted beginning February 1. Application forms can also be downloaded in pdf from the link below.

Once applications are approved, gardeners will pay a gardening fee of $25 for the year ($15 for half-plots) to help cover costs of water and other garden expenses. Financial assistance will be available for those who are unable to pay the full amount. If you have further questions about the garden please call Northfield Community Gardeners at. Northfield Community Gardeners would also like to hear from and offer assistance to people who are interested in starting community gardens in other locations in Northfield .

Greenvale Park Community Garden is a joint project of the Northfield Community Gardeners and the Northfield Public Schools Community Services Division.

Transition Northfield is official!

Administrator — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:19:47 +0000

On November 3, Transition Northfield became an official Transition Initiative! We are honored to be the first official Initiative in Minnesota, the 46th in the United States, and 235th in the World.

See the new Transition Northfield web site for more information.

Transition Town training coming to Northfield!

Paul — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:33:05 +0000

Our Transition Northfield group is hosting a Transition Town training class right here in Northfield on June 13 and 14! It will be led by trainers Becky and Bill Wilson of Midwest Permaculture. For more information and the registration form, see our Transition Northfield page.

Community Garden Plots available for 2009

Sheryl — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:58:40 +0000

It’s plenty cold and snowy out . . . but in spite of the wintry weather its time to think ahead to springtime! Soon seedlings will be sprouting and dandelions blooming. Now’s the time to apply for a garden plot at the Greenvale Park Community Garden.

Garden plots are 10 feet by 20 feet (with a 10’x10’ half-plot option also available.) If you get a plot, you can plant what you choose and you will be responsible for weeding, watering, harvesting and otherwise maintaining your plot throughout the growing season. The produce of the plot will be yours to eat, share, and use as you choose. All gardeners at the community garden will use organic gardening methods, and experienced gardeners will be available to help newer gardeners learn the necessary skills.

Community Gardens are just as much about growing community as growing food! Learning from your gardening neighbors is part of the joy of it . . . share recipes, gardening tips, or figure out together what’s that bug that’s eating your beans. In addition to gardening in their own plots, gardeners will participate on work teams to share tasks like maintaining the compost, mowing and trimming grassy areas, and working the Sharing Plot. All the produce from the Sharing Plot is donated to the Northfield Food Shelf.

Applications will be accepted beginning February 2. Applications (in English and Spanish) can be picked up at Northfield Public Library, Greenvale Park School, Northfield CAC, and Northfield Schools Community Services Division. They can also be downloaded in pdf form from the links below.

Completed applications should be mailed to Northfield Community Gardeners, or they may be dropped off at the Greenvale Park School office or the Community Services Division at the NCRC. Once applications are approved, gardeners will pay a gardening fee of $25 for the year ($15 for half-plots) to help cover costs of water and other garden expenses. Financial assistance will be available through the CAC for those who are unable to pay the full amount. If you have further questions about the garden please call. Habla Espanol? Llame al 507-663-0662.

http://www.latinoenterprisecenter.org/

Amy — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:49:51 +0000

A quick update on the Northfield Area Latino Farmers and our Poultry CSA Operation.

- As always, visiting our weblog www.latinoenterprisecenter.org gives you more information and pictures about different projects we are working on.

- We have assembled a group to launch the MN Latino Farmers Cooperative, we will be incorporating this new enterprise in the coming weeks.

- The Northfield Area Poultry CSA will become the first producer associated with the cooperative.

- The cooperative will then assemble a statewide support infrastructure to produce and market Latino farmer products in cooperation with farmers in other communities.

- Our Northfield poultry operation is running its second pick-up day tomorrow Friday the 27^th, so far we have produced over 2200 lbs of chicken and have birds growing for an estimated total of 5,000 lbs , every other week we get a new batch in, so we will have 9 more batches before the season is over for another total of around 9,000 lb of finished birds. Though this may have any significance in the poultry industry, it has a great meaning to the folks who are growing this enterprise.

- One of the poultry growers is now also tending 2 acres of vegetables, we expect him to move into farming full time probably for the 2009 season if we can assemble the marketing and support systems to keep his operation growing.

- This week, we received our Minnesota Department of Agriculture food handlers license, if you know of a friend who owns a restaurant and is interested in serving naturally grown free range chicken, please help us spread the word. The number to call is below.

- We have certified a delivery unit which consists of a trailer and two freezers, with capacity for 2 more freezers for regional delivery.

- If you want to visit our place tomorrow, purchase a bird or two to try or simply want to come and visit the operation, our pick-up days are also a sort of open house. The address is 4597 315^th street west, Northfield, MN and we will be open for new customers and visitors from 1 to 5 pm.

- Our pick-up days are Fridays every other week with the last one on October 31^st

Thank you for all of your support.

Reginaldo.

Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin

Director

Latino Enterprise Center

207 Third Street W.

Northfield, MN 55057

www.latinoenterprisecenter.org

Tel: 952 201 8852

a Program of Main Street Project

www.mainstreetproject.org

Welcome our intern, Ryan!

Administrator — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:18:33 +0000

We wanted to formally introduce you all to Ryan Doyle. Ryan will be a senior at St. Olaf College in the fall. He will be an intern with the Center for Sustainable Living this summer as part of St. Olaf College’s “Leaders for Social Change” program. Now before you think he’s going to be busy filing away papers in an office or “just getting his feet wet” in a non-profit organization, we’ve gone about his internship in.. well.. quite a different way.

From now until August 1, Ryan will be taking on projects completely of his choosing related to his passions for sustainability, public policy, ways to “make things easier” for folks to live sustainably, and also spending valuable “unstructured time” in nature! You could call it a “self-designed sustainability camp” of sorts. All of his research and projects will go forward with him on his path of leadership, and he will share it all through his own blog and through our organization.

Apart from his activities on sustainability, he is joining eight other students this summer, living in a St. Olaf honor house in a community. These nine students will be preparing meals together, reflecting on their experiences, and will have the opportunity to engage in retreats and leadership programming throughout the summer.

All of us with the CSL have recognized for some time now that many of us lead busy lives full of “tasks” that have little to do with our passions, or the interaction with nature - much less finding ways to live a more sustainable life. And, in much the same spirit as the former Village School (which the Center for Sustainable Living had a hand in helping with visioning and bylaws for this former charter school), Ryan will be guided to form his own learning and research plan, engaging in projects and activities of his choosing.

His experiences and findings can be an invitation to others on how a person might take a journey into exploring the issues they care about. Stay tuned as we’ll journey with him!

You can check out Ryan’s Blog from time to time to see what he’s up to! We’ve added a link to it on our sidebar as well. Enjoy!