BIKE RACK? June 15, 2010

Let’s add bicycle racks to our park! We have raised enough money! Whatta ya say???

EARTH DAY @ WEST END PARK April 28, 2010

We involved children in the community in cleaning and planting in the park. We planted 4 blueberry bushes, a flowering pear tree and created boxes for the children’s garden! Volunteers cleaned and re-mulched the playground! We created 2 benches by the basketball court!

Planters...

We added bird houses!

MAKE A RAIN BARREL! April 15, 2010

Join us this weekend at our 2nd Annual Earth Day Celebration (starts at 9am) and you can make your own rain barrel for only $40!

The City of Atlanta will be providing workshop & materials.

When: This Saturday, April 17

Time: 11am

Cost: $40

*Pre-registration required: Call Jamila 404-693-1742

2nd Annual West End Earth Day Celebration! April 5, 2010

The Friends of the West End Park will be hosting our wonderful 2nd Annual Earth Day Celebration!

THIS WEEKEND!!! 2nd ANNUAL EARTH DAY CELEBRATION at WEST END PARK!!!

• Participate in ‘Edible Landscaping’ project!
• Make your very own rain barrel for only $40! Pre-register by contacting Jamila: 404-693-1742
• Children activities include creating garden art, face-painting &  plantings
• Build new benches for the park
• Plant new trees
• Mulch existing trees
• Clean playground mulch and overall park!

WISH LIST:
-Fruit or Flowering trees
-Gardening Soil
-Playground mulch

Starts @ 10am! Don’t miss it!
West End Park (Oak/Lucille)

I’d like to get involved, how can I help?

• Cash donations can help buy much needed supplies!
• If you’re knowledgeable in areas of  reusing, gardening, water harvesting, children’s environmental education and art…consider facilitating a workshop for others. Email: yomara@9to5.org!
• Donate a tree: we’d like fruit trees but a spring blooming flower tree would bring much needed color to the park. You can even make an art plaque to label your tree!
• Volunteer: We’ll need volunteers for set-up, during the event & clean-up. Please consider picking up a shift even if it’s just 45 minutes! We need you!

For more information, to give a donation or sign-up for a volunteer shift contact:

• Jamila Norman: jamilanorman@yahoo.com
• Yomara Velez: yomaravelez@yahoo.com

This event can be a wonderful community event but we need you to get involved!

Friends of West End Park attend Park Pride Conference

Park Pride Conference

Friends of the West End Park represent! I only had a chance to take Cici's picture before my camera's battery ran out. Jamila, Sally, Chin and I were also there to represent for our park.

Walking through the park… March 29, 2010

Imagining how beautiful it would be to fix this wall...

Yes-she agrees! "We need to fix this...rufff-rufff!"

THANKS FOR OUR NEW TREES!!!

New trees in the park…

West side of Park

North side of park

Facing South

Facing North

Take Action: Don’t Cut Park’s Budget! March 2, 2010

1. Email Mayor Reed at mayorreed@atlantaga.gov, subject line “Please Don’t Cut Parks!”
2. Copy the below letter and paste it into your email
3. Click Send
4. (optional) TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

For more information: http://www.parkpride.org/get-involved/advocacy

SAMPLE LETTER (copy and paste)…

GROW POTATOES IN GARBAGE CAN February 2, 2010

This month as I prepare my garden for early spring crops, I’m REALLY interested in learning to grow potatoes. I’m  hoping to start soon since they’re a cold weather crop. We’ll see if I can make it before it gets too warm. As part of my plan, I’ll be researching different ways to grow potatoes and I’ll share what I find. This is what I know so far, you can set potato on window sill and it will sprout. You cut the sprout with enough potato and plant it. This comes from a brief conversation this past weekend with Farmer Deb. Let’s see what else I learn for now I leave you with this…

‘GROW POTATOES IN GARBAGE CAN’ INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Turn your garbage can upside down and drill several holes in the bottom of the can. Add a few around the outside wall, 3 to 6 inches up from the bottom. It’s really important to have good drainage or your potatoes will rot in a hurry.

STEP 2: Dump about 2/3rds of your bag of potting soil in the can. Mix in 1 cup of your fertilizer and set aside.

STEP 3: For your seed potatoes, small ones can be planted whole. The larger potatoes should be cut up into pieces with no less then 3 “eyes” per piece (“eyes” being those brown dimples that the roots will grow out of). Let your potatoes dry out on the cut side before you plant them

STEP 4: Once your cut potatoes have cured, plant them in your can 5 inches apart and cover with the remaining soil. You’ll only need 4 starts to a can. Set the can in an area that receives 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight.

STEP 5: Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist but not soggy during the growing season. Don’t let the soil dry out or you’ll end up with misshaped potatoes. On the hot summer days, your potato garbage can might even need to be watered daily (you might move the can to a slightly shadier location on the hottest days).

STEP 6: As the plants start to grow in the can, mound up compost around plant stems keeping the leaves uncovered. They grow a little more, add some more compost. You’ll be able to fill up the entire can with compost by the end of the growing season. Keep it watered.

STEP 7: As the plants start to grow in the can, mound up compost around plant stems keeping the leaves uncovered. They grow a little more, add some more compost. You’ll be able to fill up the entire can with compost by the end of the growing season. Keep it watered.

SOURCE: EHOW By GreenGardenChic

STARTING YOUR SPRING GARDEN… January 29, 2010

Starting Your Spring Garden
FROM Truly Living Well (www.trulylivingwell.com)

A local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) managed by Mr. K. Rashid Nuri…

Mr. K. Rashid Nuri Now is the time to plan and build an organic spring garden at your home. What is the first step? Determine the best place for your garden. The garden should be located in an area that is fully exposed to the sun. You will pay more attention to your garden the nearer it is to the house. Make sure that water is readily available. The single most important factor in creating a successful garden is soil preparation. I call it dirt making. Get the soil right.  If you create good healthy soil, the plants which grow in that soil will also be healthy. Healthy plants are disease resistant. Begin soil preparation by gently turning the soil. If this is the first time the land is being used to grow food, a tiller may prove helpful. Too much tillage destroys soil structure. Subsequent soil preparation can be done with a spade or garden fork. After opening the soil add copious amounts of organic material such as compost, leaf mold, well rotted sawdust or decomposed animal manure. You can make your own compost or purchase it from most garden supply stores. Compost is the key to successful gardening. Compost added to gardens improves soil structure, texture, aeration, and water retention. When mixed with compost, clay soils are lightened, and sandy soils retain water better. Mixing compost with soil also contributes to erosion control, soil fertility, proper pH balance, and healthy root development in plants. Make beds in the garden that are separated by walkways. You do not want to walk in the area that you plant with vegetables. Walking on a vegetable bed compacts the soil and retards plant growth. Utilize the garden space wisely. Select crops you will eat and enjoy. You must like what you plant or the garden space and the food will both be wasted. Decide what you want to plant and where you will plant it. Know what you will plant after the spring season crop is finished. Southern exposure has the most light. Tall crops should be planted on the north and west side of the garden to prevent shading of smaller plants.