Sunday, May 6, 2012

We've Got Compost!


Thank you so much to everyone that showed up to the work day on Saturday!  It's the effort put in by the gardeners that keeps Elati Garden the beautiful space that it has become.  For those who weren't able to make it, we look forward to seeing you at the May alternative work day on Sunday, May 20.

As soon as the dump truck brimming with rich compost found its way to the garden, everyone dug in and made quick work of distributing it.  The perimeter, herb gardens, and raised beds all got their share, along with everyone's plot who was interested.

In other news, be sure to check out our new home on Facebook.  We're making the move to a new page to make it a bit easier to share photos, posts, stories, links, and more!  The new page can be found at www.facebook.com/ElatiGarden.  Be sure to stop by and click "Like"!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

August Elati Garden First Friday Art Fair + Bake Sale PreView!

Come on down to the garden this coming First Friday August 5th for the next Elati Garden First Friday Art Fair + Bake Sale. The wonderfully designed flier by Vanessa Coates.


Ricky Rodriguez will be back with his Guitar!


And Max's Lunch truck is joining for the first time as our food vendor, he'll be serving up some Elati Garden Ratatoulle!

See ya there for a summers night to remember...

Click on Facebook invite for more details
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1458912877162.61345.1363617715#!/event.php?eid=154112197998682









Wednesday, August 3, 2011

July 's Elati Garden First Friday Art Fair + Bake Sale ReCap


Below is a photographic recap of July's Elait garden Art Fiar + Bake Sale. All images by Shauna Intelisano www.shaunaintelisano.com

The bake sale run by our miniature gardeners was a success!!


Shannon Ochsner's concept of fluid in acrylics

Shauna Intelisano's documentary photography www.shaunaintelisano.com

Chef D serving up some Elati Garden Tacos

A Chicago visitor arrives straight from DIA

Our new Cuban addition to the Garden helps Shauna

The garden Spread

Clint Woods nature and scenic photography

Josh Lapree's found object mobiles

Bob Coates Mona Lisa Grids www.monalisagrid.com

Friday, July 1, 2011

Elati Garden Arts and Crafts Fair


Extend your First Friday Art Walk on Santa Fe a few blocks east to the Elati Garden Arts and Crafts Fair and Bake Sale. Enjoy meandering through this urban oasis from 5-10 pm and enjoy food from Chef D and the artwork of Bob Coates, Shauna Intelisano, Adam LePree, Danielle Mattison Owen, Shannon Ochsner, JoHanna Weber and Clinton Woods.

The Elati Garden is located at 840 Elati Street, a few block stroll east of Santa Fe.

Proceeds benefit the Elati Garden which is in need of new hoses, tools and walkways.

We hope you'll stop by this fun family event and say hello.




Friday, May 27, 2011

Cream of Sorrel Soup

With an abundance of sorrel in the community herb plot, it puts one in the mind for the classic spring soup. There's nothing light about it, but we have it from good sources that this is a delicious recipe. Brought to you by the New York Times.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Elati Garden WOrk Day Saturday May 14th...

Elati Garden Work Day Tomorrow Saturday May 14th 9-2pm.

A few housekeeping notes...

IMPORTANT REVIEW of the Elati Garden Agreement you signed
*Watering before 10am and after 6pm is not a request it is a rule
*All dogs must be on a leash at all times

WORK DAY PREVIEW
*Center Planters & Herb Garden committees, please come prepared to plant. You can bring seeds and/or starters
*Back Brigade and/or Irrigation committees, we have a water leak we need to tackle
*Lawn committee, Shauna has re-seeded the lawn and needs help watering
*There will be a list of committees there so you can familiarize themselves with the committee(s) you signed up for. Committee details below in previous post
*We will be collecting donations at the work days so if you have spare change or a few dollars to bring it will be greatly appreciated. Monies collected will be used towards our needs list OR please bring things on needs list: 1)Paint for the tool box 2)Paint brush or roller to paint with 3)Hose couplings with off/on toggles 4)Hose repair kit

Snacks to share at the work day are always appreciated!

We look forward to seeing y'all...

Thank you,

Happy gardening!
Elati Garden Steering Committee
Vanessa, Lola & Shauna
Look for us on Facebook too!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Elati Garden Commitees 2011


Elati Garden Committees


Shauna is the Steering Committee contact for the following teams:

~Lawn and Chrysanthemums as well as Garbage Can Emptying
this team waters the flowers along the front fence that borders Elati Street. The beds on both sides of the fence need to be watered and weeded. The lawn inside the garden by the toolbox will be reseeded in May and will need regular watering throughout the summer. I will send an email to this committee when the garden is re-seeded and ask for watering help. It is crucial that the grass seeds stay wet for the first10 days after it is spread. Lastly, please check the garbage can every time you go to the garden. If it is half-full, empty it. It is much heavier to carry to the alley and dump in the dumpster when full.

Gretchen K.
Jim M.
Theresa C.
Shauna I.
Gabe

~Communications Committee
This group is responsible for helping make the Elati Garden blog and Facebook page informative and interesting as well as maintaining the garden bulletin and signage. Our social networking sites can be used to post upcoming Elati Garden events, workday reminders, recipes, images, and link the community to the garden. For example, Deb will be posting recipes on the blog and then posting a link to the blog on facebook each time she adds a recipe. Make sure the signage is up and readable: front gate, back gate and compost. If the signs are damaged or fall down please fix them. It is important to maintain the gate signage because it educates the community about the garden and asks those who enter to be respectful by staying out of individual plots, not taking from the gardens (stealing) and encourages neighbors to enjoy produce from our donation baskets. This team also oversees the 3 compost signs that Lola made at the start of the season. On the bulletin board you can post a plot map, info on water conservation, upcoming classes and events and other information pertinent to the garden. This committee would be most productive if each person takes on one or two tasks from the list. If you are interested in blogging please email Shauna for log in info.

Shauna I.
Vanessa C.
Eric P.
Leigh Ann D.
Deb W.
Adam L.

Vanessa is the Steering Committee contact for the following teams:

~Weeding, Watering, Deadheading of Common Areas
This includes the pathways, entryways, and strips on the inside and outside of the east and west fences. While each gardener is responsible for the care of the perennial beds adjacent to their garden plot, this committee takes care of the edges of the garden that do not border gardens such as the front perimeter bordering Elati Street (both inside and outside the gate). The committee also provides oversight for the entire perimeter managing watering and weeding. If you find an area that is being neglected please let Shauna, Lola or Vanessa know. We suggest Erik & Monte are excellent resources (because it was their design and hard work that brought these beds to life), to identify perennials at all stages of growth as well as educate re: best composting and watering practices.

Erik P.
Monty L.
Kenneth R.
Maryann B.
Vanessa C.
Steve C.
Deb W.

~Grapes and Raspberry Hedge
Prune, water, cultivate and put to bed. This team also prunes, cultivates and harvests the grapes. Please harvest all grapes and raspberries at end of season and use or donate.

Maryann B.
Amy K.
Kim W.
Carolina
Sue R.
Lola
Monte

~Center Seating/Flower Beds Planting, Watering, Weeding
& Shade Trees/ Watering/Pruning/Cultivating
This committee is responsible for keeping the four center planters bursting with plants! To do so, each committee member can either purchase plants, have them donated or plant flower seeds. This is the centerpiece of our garden so we need to stay committed to making it beautiful, lush and inviting. This group is also responsible for keeping the center beds watered, weeded and deadheaded. Please make it a habit to check the center beds when you go to the garden to see if they need water or weeding. Because there are several people on this committee we encourage you to use the water meter in the toolbox to see if the beds need water. If it does need water please water thoroughly. This committee also needs to keep an eye out for the lilac bush, the big apple tree in the front and the 3 apple trees in the back. All the trees in the garden need a slow 20 minute spray watering once a month on cool months and every other week on hot and dry months around the of the branch parimeter (the width of the branch spread where all the main water sucking rootlets are) .. Folks in the group should divide up the trees for each to take care of one or two trees and set a ground spray to water while they come to work in their plots keeping with the tree watering schedule.

Vanessa C.
Sue R.
Monty L.
Kim W.
Theresa P.
Derek

Lola is the Steering Committee contact for the following teams:

~Compost Maintenance
These committee members love worms, digging in the dirt, and fiddling with the whole life cycle and recyle process. They are responsible to organize for general compost bin maintenance, produce compost using clean compost practices, and provide garden community education for general garden water conservation practices.
(1). Cleaning out or cutting up "too big" items and pulling out trash items into the alley trash bins,
(2). Watering (damp sponge-like but not drippy or soaking)
(3). Turning once a week,
(4). Cleaning up spillage & keeping the whole area clean.
(5). Making decisions about readiness to use fresh made compost, rest, adjusting quality of material, or starting a new. Decisions on when to move signs, start a bin or rest a bin are made in collaboration (contact the committee leaders and one or two other members when making these decisions an ongoing learning experience).
(6). Education: encourage educational contacts on how make the compost process work as well as how to effectively use the compost for water retention and soil health. Encourage gardeners to add coffee grounds in our compost or straight to their plot.

Lola H.
Laurance L.
Kim W.
Ayana
Adam

~Community Herb Garden
This group makes being a chef so much fun. The committee members are delightfully and creatively responsible for planting, watering and weeding the herb garden that is available for everyone's use. This committee might encourage other gardeners to donate herbs for this plot.
(1) Plant and care for herbs amending and prepping the soil. Consider signs to identify herbs,
(2). Bulletin board posting for herb wish lists and notifying the community when herbs are ready for harvest.
(3). Responsible to control and divide large perennial herbs for best product and size.
(4). Use good soil preparation, composting, water retention and organic practices all during the season.
(5). Share herbs that are divided with the Elati garden community or market to help the general garden cash flow.
(6). This committee is responsible to prep herb bed at the end of season: harvest and use or donate, dig in compost, water deeply, use leaves to cover open ground.

Eric P
Leigh Ann D.
Shawnee A.
Theresa P.
Lola H.
Sue R.
Steve
Derrick

~Tools and Irrigation Supplies & Carpentry and Masonry
This is a committee of fixers and organizers and mechanics who like to make things work and dislike clutter. This committee is responsible for the tools and hard ware of the garden.
(1) .They are responsible for the tool inventory. Marking for discard any broken or unfixable tools. Discarding broken ones that the gardeners do not want.
(2). Keeping the tool box clean and safe: Adding a hook on the lid so it doesn't slam shut. Painting the tool box. Posting on the bulletin board any rules about the tool care and cleaning the garden community should follow.
(3). They might create a wish list and post on the garden board for needed items encouraging and spearheading attaining items through garage sales, donations.
(4). The committee might organize pods of gardeners around each hose station to find hoses, purchase new or replace watering wands and brass faucit hardware or add hoses as needed. Committee members will usually do the actual work on installing hardware.
(5). The committee is responsible to periodically inspect benches, throw out broken chairs, repair broken wheelbarrows, etc (minimum once a month).
The garden has a small fund to replace some items and can reimburse on a case by case basis. If you have any questions ask Lola H.

Josh LePree
Kim W.
Monty Lambie
Leigh Ann D.
Adam