permaculture

["Sharon Gordon" <gordonse@one.net>]

>I was serious in my checklist proposal. I don't hardly ever think in
black-n-white. "What would optimize the Pc aspects of a community garden?"
might be a better way to put it.

Some assorted aspects that I think would be wonderful to have:

Permanent site
Organic, Sustainable
Plots big enough that people could have fruit and nut trees (in the UK a
standard size plot is about 30 feet by 100 feet, so many people have trees
there)
Plots big enough for a green house and tool storage shed (frequently done in
UK and Germany)
Collect water from greenhouse/toolshed roof
Compost toilets and greywater treatment stream
Showers so people can garden on the way to work or during lunch breaks
An onsite cafe with some plots reserved for cafe food growing(one place in
Australia has this)
Water spigots for when the water from the roof is insufficient
A shop for supplies and perhaps with it underground climate controlled seed
storage facilities
A covered shelter for classes, meetings, and other events
Lots of classes from permaculture to preserving
On site canning and drying kitchen
A seed saving system and seed and plant exchange day or two
A picnic area with grills, rocket stoves, solar ovens, wood fired oven
Some plots for long term group use where trained volunteers care for and get
the use of the product from that area--some examples might be a willow
grove, a contained bamboo area, firewood, perennial herbs, fruit and nut
orchard.
Some plots with trained volunteers which serves as a nursery. These plants
could be sold to members to raise funds for the site, or each person could
sign up for a certain number of them each year such as divisions of six
perennial herbs and one nut or fruit bush/tree/cane per year.
Whole site windbreak/hedgerow with each plot holder responsible for upkeep
of a section and who may sustainably use the products from their section
Beehives, individually or for group use
Chicken tractors
Lake stocked with fish and agreed upon netting system where people can
harvest a certain amount of medium sized fish per week (it's best to leave
the largest fish to reproduce other large fish)
Composting on every plot
In walking, bicycling, or public transportation distance of gardeners home
and work
Plot space for school classes and help/encouragement for schools to create
permaculture food gardens on their own grounds
Outreach activities--food for soup kitchens, meals on wheels, courses taught
for k-12 students and community
Grow own compost/fertilizer
As much as possible for people to grow a full percentage of a complete diet
which also provides an equivalent amount of the fertilizer for that size
garden
Bird houses to attract insect eating and rodent eating birds

Sharon
gordonse@one.net