PROJECT NEW VILLAGE

COMMUNITY GARDENS: 31ST CHURCH GARDEN IS SET ON ASPHALT ALONG THE BACK SIDE OF THE 31ST CHURCH PROPERTY BEHIND THEIR GYMNASIUM. IT FEATURES 7 STOCK TANKS CONVERTED INTO RAISED BEDS AND 5 LARGE TERRACOTTA POTS FOUND ON THE PROPERTY AND REPURPOSED. IT ALSO INCLUDES 2 FLOWER BEDS ALONG THE FRONTSIDE OF THE GYMNASIUM THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED WITH BLUEBERRY BUSHES. THE TERRACOTTA POTS ALSO HAVE BEEN PLANTED WITH BLUEBERRY BUSHES. IN TOTAL 15 BLUEBERRY BUSHES HAVE BEEN PLANTED IN THE GARDEN. THE RAISED BEDS WILL FEATURE A VARIETY OF SEASONAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES SELECTED BY 31ST CHURCH. 100 FT OF IRRIGATION INCLUDING AN AUTOMATIC TIMER WAS INSTALLED. CURRENTLY THE RAISED BEDS FEATURE A COVER CROP CALLED RED CLOVER WHICH IS SOIL BUILDER, ADDING NITROGEN BACK INTO THE SOIL. THE BACKSIDE OF THE GYMNASIUM SITS ALONG THE ALLEY AND IS FENCED IN. SO 2 PASSION FRUIT PLANTS WERE ADDED ALONG THE FENCE. REPLACING THE OVERGROWN BOUGAINVILLEA. ALL ORGANIC MATERIAL WAS ADDED TO THE BOTTOM OF EACH STOCK TANK AND TERRACOTTA POT TO ELIMINATE TRIPS TO LANDFILL. THE EXCESS ORGANIC WASTE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER GARDEN SITE CURRENTLY REFERRED TO AS UVAS GARDEN TO FILL SWALES THAT WILL ALLOW RAIN CAPTURE. UVAS GARDEN IS BEING DESIGNED AND INSTALLED TO BE AN OFF GRID HEALING & HABITAT GARDEN. INCLUDING A MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO MURDER VICTIMS OF FAMILIES FROM SOUTHEASTERN SAN DIEGO. THE MEMORIAL SITE FEATURES A LARGE STONE THAT WILL HAVE POLLINATOR FRIENDLY NATIVE & NON-NATIVE WILDFLOWERS. THE REST OF THE GARDEN WILL HOST A VARIETY OF NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS & CACTI ALONG WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF EDIBLE LANDSCAPE FOR PASSIVE HARVESTING. (IE MORINGA TREES, DRAGON FRUIT, SUNFLOWERS ECT). THIS WILL BE SUSTAINED THROUGH A RAIN CATCHMENT SYSTEM USING THE ROOF TOP SURFACES OF 4 STRUCTURES IN THE GARDEN. A TOOL SHED, APOTHECARY SHED, OFFICE AND SHADE STRUCTURE FOR OUTDOOR GATHERINGS. THIS WILL FLOW INTO 2 1300 GALLON RAIN TANKS. THE RAIN TANKS OVERFLOW WILL WATER A POLYCULTURE LAWN THAT ALSO ALLOWS ADDITIONAL OVERFLOW INTO EARTH WORKS KNOWN AS BASINS AND SWALES. THE BASINS AND SWALES ARE FILLED WITH ORGANIC MATERIAL THAT WILL ALLOW DEEPER WATER PENETRATION ALLOWING THE TREES PLANTED TO DEVELOP DEEP ROOTS TO MAXIMIZE CARBON SEQUESTRATION THROUGH TREE TOP CANOPIES. THE ORGANIC MATERIALS WILL ALSO ACT AS SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER HELPING TO BUILD SOIL THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN.ENCANTO VILLAGE APARTMENT GARDEN IS A SMALLER URBAN GARDEN CONSISTING OF 2 PLOTS. THE 1ST PLOT IS 1200 SQ FT WITH 8 RAISED BEDS. 2ND IS 800 SQ FT WITH 6 RAISED BEDS AND 200 SQ FT (100 SQ FT PER PLOT) OF IN GROUND FLOWER BEDS THAT ARE BEING REPURPOSED TO GROW BLACKBERRIES. 21 BLACKBERRY PLANTS WERE PLANTED IN A LARGER PLOT WITH VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY. THE APARTMENT HAS A HANDFUL OF RESIDENTS (KIDS) WHO PARTICIPATE IN A GARDEN CLUB. OUR GARDEN MANAGER HAS MET WITH THEIR ACTIVITY COORDINATOR AND ADVISED THEM TO BEGIN PREPARING FOR SPRING PLANTING. WE WERE THE CATALYST FOR GETTING THIS GARDEN STARTED BUT THEY ALREADY HAD FUNDS, RAISED BEDS, AND SOIL FROM THIS GRANT. MORSE HIGH SCHOOL, SCHOOL GARDEN IS 7600 SQ FT. IT IS CURRENTLY AN INACTIVE GARDEN. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOL'S CULINARY DEPARTMENT. IT IS BEING REDESIGNED FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS THE SCHOOL HAS COMMUNITY HUB DESIGNATION. IT WILL HAVE 9 RAISED BEDS, 4 25FT ROWS FOR IN-GROUND PLANTING. A SMALL ORCHARD OF 12-15 FRUIT TREES, BANANA CIRCLE, 2,500 GALLON RAIN TANK FOR WATER CATCHMENT, RE-VAMPED GREENHOUSE AND STORAGE SHED, HARVEST SINK/ WASH STATION, GRAPE ARBOR, AND COMPOSTING STATION. FENCES SURROUNDING THE GARDEN WILL FEATURE PASSION FRUIT, DRAGON FRUIT & NATIVE POLLINATOR PLANTS. WE HAVE 5 VOLUNTEER DAYS SCHEDULED (1 PER MONTH) THAT COINCIDE WITH THE SCHOOL'S SATURDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE. THIS ALLOWS STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RECREATION OF THE SCHOOL'S GARDEN. 2 OF THE 5 COMMUNITY WORK DAYS HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITH THE 3RD COMING THIS WEEKEND JAN 11TH. THE 2 WORKDAYS BROUGHT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH 30 VOLUNTEERS INCLUDING CURRENT STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND MEMBERS OF PROJECT NEW VILLAGE GROWERS COLLECTIVE. SOME OF THE STUDENTS HAVE SINCE JOINED THE SCHOOL'S GARDEN CLUB. DURING THE WORKDAYS WE'VE REMOVED 25-30 WEATHERED FELT BEDS THAT WERE FILLED WITH SOIL. REMOVED 10/12 TREES TO ALLOW MORE SUNLIGHT INTO THE PLANTING AREAS. THE CHOPPED DOWN TREES WILL BE USED TO FILL THE BASE OF THE 9 RAISED BEDS AND ADDED TO THE COMPOST OR SPREAD ABOUT THE GARDEN AS MULCH OVER THE CARDBOARD COLLECTED FOR SHEET MULCHING. A METHOD THAT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF CARDBOARD HEADED TO LANDFILL, THE CARDBOARD ACTS AS WEED SUPPRESSANT BECAUSE OF ITS SLOW BREAKDOWN, BUT ALSO RETURNS ORGANIC MATTER TO THE SOIL WHILE HELPING SEQUESTER CARBON.