2011 Community Garden News

COMMUNITY GARDEN WRAP-UP

Winter has finally settled in and our gardening has been put to rest for another year. The Banff Trail Community Garden had a very busy summer. Starting in May, we replenished the soil in our raised beds with more peat moss and better garden loam. This resulted in a huge improvement in the size and quantity of the vegetables. Some zucchinis grew to over a foot long. We also planted 25 dwarf fruit trees that are staked in a long line along the west side of the garden. As they grow they will be trained to grow into an espalier. These trees were bought from a nursery in Manitoba, so we should have success with them overwintering here.

There were more people requesting a garden plot than we had spaces, so we improvised and made some extra ground level beds. Next spring these will be replaced with raised beds, just like the 20 that are there already. Another major project will be the building of a central pergola.

Our season ended with the 1st Annual Harvest Festival held in September. It was one of those hot days and the turnout was amazing. Hosting these community events we realize how many new families with young children are now living in our community. We had the added pleasure of having our mayor, Mr. Nenshi visit our garden site and he was most impressed with all the work that has been done. I think everyone has a picture taken with him. We are very fortunate to have some great sponsors in our community. A big Thank You goes out to Edelweiss Imports, Weeds Café, the Brentwood Co-op and Saigon Y2K Restaurant for providing some great door prizes.

We are always interested in new members in our group, whether you are a novice or experienced gardener or just want to get in with a fun group of people, you can contact us and we will let you know about our meetings. Please email your name to our Membership Director, Andrea Shaw.

Community Garden Chair
Dana Galuszka

November 2011

The Executive and Board of Directors of Banff Trail Community Association wish to acknowledge the receipt of a generous Quick Start Grant from Fido-Evergreen. The Grant will provide the means for our resident volunteers to complete our Community Garden Project in 2012. Fido-Evergreen has partnered to assist Neighbourhoods in greening their communities and promoting ecological stewardship. Building community, whilst respecting the environment, is a strong component of their mandate.

For more information about the excellent work they are engaged in, please go their web site – evergreen.ca.

July 2011

Harvest Festival
The first annual Banff Trail Harvest Festival will take place on Saturday, September 10, 2011 from Noon to 4 pm. There will be food, games and lots of activity. Mark your calendar, be sure not to miss this inaugural event. Come and see what our wonderful garden group has done.

Donation Acknowledgement
The Banff Trail Garden has received a very generous donation from ‘Dialog’ a local architectural engineering firm wanting to contribute a little bit to the local community. We thank them sincerely for their gift and will certainly put the money to good use.

May 2011

The Garden Group had its first meeting of the season at the Community Hall at 9 am on Saturday May 7. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and just as many newcomers eager to get into the garden and start planting. There was such a positive response that, not only did all 20 raised garden beds get assigned to community members, but we made extra ground level planting beds. The weather forecast predicted rain but, as we all know, you can’t always believe what you hear. The day was perfect.

This is what we did on Saturday morning:

• all growing beds (raised and ground level) were amended with fresh peat moss and good horticultural earth,
• all ground level beds were edged and trimmed, removing all the encroaching grass,
• 26 dwarf fruit trees were planted (which will grow into an espalier),
• chicken wire protective cages were built around the fruit trees to keep out the hungry rabbits,
• the surrounding grass was raked up removing all the winter debris.

This sounds like a lot of work but it took only a few hours; many hands made the work easy. Many thanks to Andrea Shaw for organizing the day, Dale and Mary Jean Jacobson for getting the fruit trees, and to everyone who came out this beautiful Saturday morning to participate in this wonderful community event.
They will reap the fruits of their labour at the end of the summer!

Garden Chair
Dana Galuszka

April 2011 Calling All Gardeners

It’s the Banff Trail Community Garden’s Spring Clean-Up

Meet us on Saturday May 7th from 9 am-12 noon at the garden behind the Banff Trail Community Hall. We will host an introduction to the community garden. We will also begin the planting of fruit trees to create an espalier and complete some general garden work to prepare us for another growing season. There are many communal spaces not yet designed or planted so if you are interested in helping with these spaces we look forward to having you join us with your creative gardening skills! We welcome your input.
Coffee and muffins will be served at 9 am sharp – so bring your mug, work gloves, your family (children are welcome), and a shovel if you have one!
Email andreashaw@telus.net for more information.

February 2011 A Little Bit of History coming to our Garden

Banff Trail Community is fortunate to have acquired a little bit of history with the purchase of some church benches from Wild Rose United Church here in Calgary. The benches are original and date back to the opening of the church in 1930. They are made of solid oak, some have a flat back and some are curved. We would like to install these benches in the park area near the hall and community garden for all to enjoy.

The benches are in very good condition, though there are a few missing leg supports.
We are inviting members of our community to give us a hand in preparing these benches for use at our hall. We are looking for people with ideas and suggestions on replacing the missing parts as well as carpentry skills.

If you would like to get involved in helping to restore these benches, please contact Banff Trail Community Association at 403 282-2234 (leave a message) or send an email.
– Dana Galuszka

January 2011 – Calling All Gardeners…

Gardeners are very funny people. The snow isn’t even off the ground and chances are, there will probably be a lot more of that white stuff to come, yet we’ve got the gardening books out and have that glazed look in our eyes…

If you think you’re one of these people, consider joining our Garden Group. In a few months spring will be upon us and once again the Banff Trail Community Garden will be a hub of activity for another growing season.

Heading into our second year of operation there is still much to do. Last year, a dedicated group of community garden gnomes worked very hard to build the 20 raised garden beds located just behind the community hall. It was a project of incredible co-operation and the best part — we had a lot of fun! The next big project will be to build a central pergola that will serve as a pleasant resting spot and meeting place. We welcome anyone who would like to help in the construction of it.

The 20 raised garden beds are available to community members (Banff Trail Community membership is required). You can have a bed for yourself or share it with a neighbour. The produce that you grow will be your own. If you would like reserve one, send your name to the contacts listed below.

Our Garden Group is happy to welcome more community members. No experience is necessary. All you need is a desire to get out into the sunshine and meet your neighbours and a willingness to plant and nurture some flowers and vegetables. You will be rewarded by the bountiful crop you harvest in the fall. If you are interested in becoming involved, send your name and email address to us. We will start our planning sessions in late April/early May.

To join in or send your questions or suggestions about the Community Garden,  click here or  here.

Previous Posts:

2010 is the year that Banff Trail Community Association built a Community Garden.

This project has been spearheaded by Mary Jean and Dale Jacobson, long time residents in Banff Trail community. Dale is the Director on the BTCA Board responsible for Parks Advisory.  Prior to the community garden project, Dale was instrumental in successfully re-creating naturalized areas featuring native plants in Canmore Park. 

Questions or suggestions about the Community Garden  Click here.

Progress Highlights so far:

October – The Harvest!
The Banff Trail Community Garden is a resounding success. The harvest is in and the happy gardeners are very pleased with their efforts. It was a hectic time in mid-May to have all 20 garden beds built, but with a group of very dedicated workers and some decent weather we were able to complete the task. A large variety of vegetables were planted: Swiss chard, beans, peas, carrots, onions, lots of potatoes, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, beets and a variety of herbs. As well as growing vegetables, the group received cherry bushes from the City of Calgary Parks department. These were planted along the east side of the garden. In a few years there will be cherries to pick. Next year’s plans include planting dwarf fruit trees along the west side of the garden, building a central pergola for people to gather around and more flower and vegetable patches. A children’s growing area will also be included. The Garden Group is always interested in more members. Stay tuned! Planning for next year’s garden will begin in early 2011.

- Dana Galuszka, Chair, Community Garden Committee

Early July 2010

You may have noticed the daily changes in the Community Garden over the last few months. Our Garden Committee is proceeding according to plan and is busy laying out new beds and filling in potential spaces. At the same time, we rushed to plant this season and test our new modules (raised beds). These durable stone pavers are proving to be quite effective. Despite the variable weather patterns, the beds seem to be quite productive. I would like to take a moment to express my thanks to all Garden members who stepped in to fill the gap when I was called in for knee surgery. Through their diligence, planning and hard work we did get a planting this season!
A special appreciation is due to our Partners – The Calgary Foundation, City Parks and Recreation and Banff Trail Community Association for their encouragement and generous support, which helped to ensure the success of our major endeavour. The project will greatly benefit all members of Banff Trail Community, as well as new residents in the future. It is a great way to build community! Finally, a special thank you to Gael Blackhall, the Calgary Horticultural Society and the Community of Gardeners for accepting us as part of their Garden Network.
We will continue to work on setting up new experimental beds, a children’s section, a school nutritional element, a meeting place within the Garden for gardeners, visitors and guests, landscaping and beautification of our Hall and greening spaces in our Community.
Please feel free to join us, visit the Garden and enjoy the constantly changing site.

Dale Jacobson
Parks Advisory, BTCA

May 2010

Everything is unfolding according to plan. We should easily meet our target date of May 24th for planting. Gay Graham, gardener and resident of Banff Trail will be assisting with the fundamentals of Urban Gardening. Home Depot will be assisting with their Environmental Team. They will assist with the actual construction and may even pre-build the frames in their premises – trimming the 2×4 lumber to the exact size for each frame. The only other tools needed will be a # 2 Robinson screwdriver, a few levels and a 9/ sixteenth wrench. We are stressing safety and simplicity, while avoiding waste.

Projected Timetable

Week of May 2 – 9 — Build frames, attach steel brackets, garden lay-out

Week of May 9 – 15 — Install patio stones

Week of May 17 – 24 — Fill raised beds with loam, peat moss and compost

Week of May 24 – June 7 — Planting!!

March 2010 - Community Garden Update – Behind the scenes:

Your Planning Commmittee is being expanded to twelve community members – three Board Members and nine from the Community at large.  We are now referred to as the "G12".  The mandate of this Committee is to finalize any outstanding arrangements with Kelly Gaulton, Parks Community Liaison and her team. Most of this is paperwork within the parameters of the "Ten Step Process" towards creating a Community Garden. This will be followed up with a Letter Of Understanding in which Banff Trail Community Association accepts responsibility for maintaining and ensuring appropriate care of the garden site.

The G12 will be meeting, over the near term, to expand on our conceptual plan for the Garden. This will be achieved with the assistance of Gael Blackhall, Calgary Horticultural Society and the city wide Community Garden Network. All plans will be displayed in the Hall for your consideration. Input from members would be most welcome. The other prime concern that will be addressed will be sources of funding, grants, partnerships and sponsorships. If your place of employment or business supports community initiatives, Please bring it to our attention.

The G12 would like to involve students from Branton J.H. in our Garden Project. We believe they can play an important role in promoting community. We are confident that students will benefit from improved nutrition, diet, and exercise. Parents could see their marks soar!

We anticipate community meetings for those who expressed an interest in the Garden Project in early April. Construction of the Garden will follow.