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New Leadership Team at Ahwatukee Community Garden

10/31/2022

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Hello from Betina!

Warmest greetings, friends of the Garden!
 
Just wanted to give you a quick update after all the commotion of these past few weeks.
 
THANKS
First, let me start by saying how grateful we all are to Linda for her past leadership and keeping the Garden going throughout all these years. It takes a lot of commitment and we’re grateful to Linda and to ALL who’ve dedicated time and effort over the years. Thanks, too, for her trust in those of us who will take over here on out, doing our best to move the Garden forward so that it is the oasis and inspiring community and learning space we envision.
 
PLANS/VISION
To date we’ve had a Zoom meeting and an in-person meeting at the Garden. There’s been much excitement and energy flowing and we hope to keep this momentum going, because it will certainly take some effort to put all our plans in motion. Our first aim is to have all roles defined and filled, with redundancies wherever possible, to lighten the load for everyone involved and assure continuity.
 
Our ultimate goal is for everyone to experience the satisfaction of meaningful contribution, to learn and be inspired to incorporate what we learn at the Garden into our daily lives. All who come to the Garden will know what’s planned for each week, can grab the proper tools they need, can get any guidance they might need, and would eventually see the fruits of their labor. We hope everyone will bring their family and friends to become part of our Garden community.
 
There is MUCH to do to get back on track – in the dirt and at the keyboard, on the phone, with ideas and, most importantly, our follow-through. With some effort, resourcefulness, and a lot of p..a..t..i..e..n..c..e, lessons that we can take directly from nature, we will together create the Garden that our community will be eager to visit and join in.
 
FUTURE MEETINGS/GARDEN DATES
Scheduling in-person meetings is always a challenge. Our first in-person session took place on a Wednesday morning. We want to have future in-person meetings immediately following our gardening dates -- we would already be gathered and our creative juices would be flowing. We invite you to join up, as a lead or participant, on any of the number of committees we’ve identified.
 
As of now, here are the ACGP top leads:
administrative/finance                                  Betina Frisone
planning and development                         Anicka Martin
garden                                                                  Om Vadhwa
fundraising campaign 2022                           Linda Rominger (master gardener)
 
THANKS to all who’ve already stepped up to take on committees and tasks! We’ll continue to work on defining committees and tasks and set up a program/schedule for all to consider where they’d be most interested in helping out. Please keep in mind, these roles are fluid. We hope to see everyone have an opportunity to share their current skills, but to also have the opportunity to grow as our interests evolve… as the Garden goes… and grows. More to come on this, but if anything below strikes your interest, or if you think of anything, please let us know by replying to this email.
 
Examples: hospitality, irrigation control, maintenance and repairs, pest control, weeding, educational program, composting program, children’s garden program, ________________, ________________
 
Thanks for reading this far… and apologies for the length of this message. I’m just SO excited to see everyone on board to see our Garden flourish!! You can expect to hear from Anicka, with all sorts of plans and calls to action.
 
In addition to featuring Garden matters, we’d also like to get to know each other, so we’ll also feature our people – who we are, what we can share, what we hope to learn, and how we plan to use it. Any journalists or enthusiasts in the house? LOL
 
Looking forward to getting to know you and working with everyone.
 
See you at the Garden!
 
Betina

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Annual Fundraiser

11/14/2021

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What has Ahwatukee Community Garden done for our community in the last 10 years?

The Ahwatukee Community Garden has given its participants a place to grow as friends and as gardeners.  People come and go and come back after long absences. The most important thing that has grown here has been the community connections.
The garden has been in existence for nearly 10 years.  In that time several areas have been developed. These include:

*a demonstration garden area with two communal raised beds, each 4' by 30'

*3 keyhole gardens based on a design for drought areas
*a native plant/ pollinator garden designed for children
*an urban orchard for fruit trees that are adapted to our region

*an herb spiral
*a contemplative area for people that is designed for pollinators like hummingbirds, monarchs butterflies and other creatures.


The keyholes are accessible to wheelchair- bound and elderly. 
Eight separate Eagle Scout Projects have assisted in building many of these features.

We  have also: 
Provided supplemental greens to the local food bank. 

Provided  gardening advice in a column in the free neighborhood paper, at a table at the neighborhood Farmers’ Market and at seasonal presentations at our local branch library. weekly hands-on work sessions for gardeners of all ages, directed by University of Arizona Master Gardeners.

Promoted seed saving and sharing by maintaining The Rio Salado Seed Shed Library and conducting Seed Exchanges at the Ironwood Library.

Assisted the development of garden projects at the Pecos Senior Center, The Garden of ‘Eatin,  a local preschool, and Colina Elementary School.

Given support to fellow gardeners resulting in 5 members completing the University of Arizona Extension Master Gardener program.

Held garden tours and workshops for children, aged 2-14, and adults.

Established a Little Free Library in our Children’s Garden.  This was recently restocked and moved to a more easily accessed site , while still being housed in the Children’s Garden. 

In the spring of 2018, we were able to erect and finish the garden shed. Funds from the 2016 and 2017 Seed Money campaigns,designs by ACGP (Ahwatukee Community Garden Project) gardeners, the building expertise of staff at the Ahwatukee Board of Management along with brawn from Mason Flowers and his Boy Scout troop all went to making this a proud moment for all involved.

In 2019,  our designs  for a small contemplative, wildflower filled seating area that  connected the other gardens became a reality thanks to Seed Money funds and MacKenzie and his scout troop.

It is so satisfying to report each year the successes that Seed Money helped us accomplish.   We are in a rebuilding phase for the coming days.

In 2021 we erected a screened hoop house to help control rodents and birds. We put up an owl house to assist in rodent control.  In 2021 we began redoing our irrigation and will finish that project this year.



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Cooler Weather in the Garden

11/14/2021

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Please join us at the Ahwatukee Community Garden on Sundays from 8:00 - 9:00.  Please see the Map page for directions. Newcomers are welcome.  Help plant and weed and take home some garden produce! Here is what we're planting this month:
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September in the Garden

9/18/2020

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Hi Friends,
​
Slightly cooler days bring hope that our gardens will start to thrive again after this most brutal summer. 

Hugs to all who are dealing with loss right now. Special thoughts for you, and for those who have moved to Oregon and other areas affected by wildfires.

We are gardening on Sundays at 7 a.m. for the rest of this month.  
In October we'll switch to 8 a.m.
 
You'll find a September planting guide below.

 If you want to watch a wonderful movie with lots of inspiration and hope for gardens , one of our gardeners reminded me of The Biggest Little Farm. You may have to rent it , but it is worth watching.

The next Zoom meeting is September 22th
at 7 P.M.  A little early this month because of a conflict
with the first presidential debate on the final Tuesday of the month.

Happy Gardening,

Linda
Ahwatukee Community Garden Project Coordinator

Linda Rominger is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Garden Meeting
Time: Sep 22, 2020 07:00 PM Arizona

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/77672868926?pwd=aXUzWk8zK2IrR3JYVEFhcjlTejhqQT09

Meeting ID: 776 7286 8926
Passcode: AKSfW2







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Community Garden Happenings

12/1/2019

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The herb spiral garden is thriving with lavender, basil, sage, rosemary, and spearmint.
The roselles are ripening on the Jamaican Hibiscus which make Red Zinger Tea.
We have hoops and netting to keep out the animals.
Jo harvests some mustard greens in one of our three keyhole gardens.
Debbie, Jo, Om, and Linda tending the keyholes.
​Large loofahs planted in spring are still growing. They take 110 days to become a dried loofah which most people think originate in the ocean!
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    Ahwatukee Community Garden Beauty

    I started coming to the Sunday gardening group in the fall of 2013. I've learned a lot and have forged new friendships with other earth lovers.  Master Gardeners Linda and Bob have so much knowledge they freely give the rest of us! Bill and I became Master Gardeners as well in 2014 ~ Kelly Athena
    Website and photos by Kelly Athena ("Cactus Kelly")

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