Community Garden of Ideas

8/21/2019 Community Garden of Ideas

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(1) One-Sentence Summary:

The “Community Garden of Ideas” living edible art

exhibit combines a raised garden bed, a

conceptually-related photographic display,

numerous public participatory opportunities, andinnovative outreach extensions as the public is

inspired to “plant” their ideas for what they want to

see grow in our city or in their lives, from art to

artichokes, tolerance to tomatilloes.

(2) Proposed by:Pattie

Baker

xxxx

xxxxxxxx

[email protected]

(3) 250-Word Description:

The Community Garden of Ideas would consist of the

following components:

1. A 6’ x 9’ garden bed bordered by reclaimed construction-debris cinderblocks and filled

with Atlanta urban farm soil. This garden contains locally grown herbs and vegetablesgrown in soil with composted waste from Atlanta Zoo herbivores, green waste from food

vendors within the historic Sweet Auburn Market, green waste from Whole Foods locations

throughout the Southeast, and organic fertilizer representing Georgia's agricultural heritage.

2. A reclaimed window displayed with photographic collages in each pane representing

what can be grown both actually and metaphorically (photo at right is a 33% scale model).

The collages would be printed locally on a weather-tolerant material

and adhered with a product proven to withstand the varied conditions

of our summer-into-fall climate. The window would be painted

creatively, mounted on wooden posts,and installed firmly in the ground in or

near the garden bed.

3.A sign below the window that asks

the open-ended question, “What would

you like to grow?” Individuals would

PATTIE BAKER/ART ON THE BELTLINE SUBMISSION

mailto:[email protected]





follow the lead of a few flags (like those used to mark utilities) already “planted” and would

write their idea on a flag and “plant it” within the linear exhibit space.

4. An edible linear hedgerow, representing every mile of the

Atlanta BeltLine. 22 blueberry bushes would be planted at

3-foot intervals (11 on each side of the box) at several public participation events during the time period of the art exhibit,

led by a local fruit tree expert and environmental educator.

5. Innovative public outreach. Additional public outreach tools

would include a QR code right on the exhibit through which

passersby can access additional information about urban

growing on a dedicated page of my non-commercial blog,

FoodShed Planet, where I already have year-at-a-glance advice for

new Atlanta gardeners and a whole series dedicated to how to grow for those in need. What’s

more, I would plant portable demonstration gardens in the panniers of my Food Bike and wouldengage with those interested during my frequent Eastside Trail bike rides.

(2) List of Materials and Installation

Guidelines, including a Step-by-Step Process

for Installation:

(See List of Materials in Budget section that follows.)

Installation Guidelines:

A Community Garden of Ideas would require a space

that is close to a trail access point for ease of materials

delivery and removal. It needs a location that is free of

industrial toxins in the soil and any kind of toxic runoff

during rainfalls. It requires direct exposure of at least six

hours of sunlight most days. It needs only an inch of

water a week, which will be provided by nature and by hand-held watering cans. This is a great

way to casually engage the public as kids (of all ages) love to water.

Step-by-Step Process for Installation

August 10-20:

1. The space for the Community Garden of Ideas, 74' long parallel to the Eastside trail and 8'

deep, is marked off.

2. 30 cinderblocks are carried in and arranged in a large rectangle.




3. 22 stakes are placed at 3-foot intervals, 11 in each direction from the cinderblock rectangle.

4. The window, already painted and mounted with the photographic collages, is secured to the

wooden posts on site and then firmly installed in the ground.

5. The cinderblock rectangle is filled with 9 cubic yards of organic planting mix, 6 cubic yards ofcompost, and 45 pounds of organic fertilizer.

6. 50 flags are placed in two empty holes in the cinderblock rectangle. (They would be replaced

as needed--the budget covers 750 of them.) Markers are placed there as well.

August 21-September 15:

The public is casually invited to help plant this living, edible art exhibit, with appropriate herbs

and vegetables as summer shifts to fall.

Throughout October:

The 22 blueberry bushes, each representing a mile of the Atlanta BeltLine, will be planted during

several public participatory events.

In Late November:

At the end of the Art on the BeltLine temporary exhibit time period, the raised bed and window

would be dismantled and its plants and soil would be simply returned to nature. Depending on

the material used and its remaining quality at the end of the art exhibit period, the artwork could

be given to a local non-profit organization that works with refugees-of-war to create wallets and

bags out of old billboards. The cinderblocks could be donated to a school or community

garden. The 22 blueberry bushes could remain as a permanent edible art exhibit, the harvests of

which would be free and publicly-accessible. It is my hope that Trees Atlanta would care for this

linear blueberry hedgerow as part of its care of Atlanta BeltLine vegetation in general. If this is

not desirable, the blueberry bushes could be dug up and donated to local school gardens, which

would be nice, too.




(5) Detailed Budget for Fabrication and Installation, including Artist's Fee:

Materials: Cost:

salvaged window $100

wood, posts, nails, concrete, stakes $150construction $200

cinder blocks for raised beds $50

soil, compost, fertilizer, herbs, veggies $750

printed photos $350

22 blueberry bushes and planting $400

markers $100

flags $300

paint $50

adhesive $50

contingency/incidentals $150transport gas $50

SUB-TOTAL $2700

+ 20% artist fee $540

TOTAL $3240




(6) Sketch Showing Scale, Dimensions, and Elevation of

the Proposed Work




(7) Five Images of Previous Work or Related Projects of Recent Artworks

What: The Dunwoody Community Garden

When: Established in August 2009

Where: Dunwoody, GA when it was the newest city in the United States

Why: To create a space for the growing of food, health, and community

How: 60-bed garden was established within 6 weeks of first concept by a small group of

dedicated volunteers; food was donated to local food pantry 6 weeks after that (20% of garden is

dedicated to this purpose). Garden, now almost 5 years old and significantly expanded, is the

largest in metro Atlanta and has donated many tons to those in need, served as a community

connector for all ages, preserved and improved greenspace, and showcased the art of nature.




What: The Fugees Academy starter garden

When: Established in February 2012

Where: Clarkston, GA, the most diverse square mile in the U.S.

Why: To provide a space for learning about growing food and cultural connections, and to

prepare for a larger community garden effort at the first school for refugee children in the United

States

How: Money was raised in just days through social media, and the garden was installed on one

day by volunteers and the students themselves.




What: Garden of Eatin’ at Malachi’s Storehouse Food Pantry

When: Established in September 2010

Where: St. Patrick’s Church in Dunwoody, GA

Why: This garden provides a positive way for those in need to be necessary and independent as

they help plant and care for it and harvest themselves for their families. Much sharing of

memories, recipes, and hope occurs among a culturally-diverse and ever-changing population.

How: Money was raised in just days via social media. The garden started as five raised beds,

which were installed in just hours, and has grown substantially over time.




What: The Peachtree Middle School Pop-Up Garden

When: Established in February 2012

Where: A back field in Brook Run Park in Dunwoody, GA

Why: A nearby middle school had no school garden, and a PE coach wanted his health class to

have hands-on learning opportunities in a garden.

How: Volunteers, the coach, and the students built new garden beds and established an 80’

urban farm row over a series of weekly class visits, the food from which was harvested by the

kids and donated to the local food pantry. They discovered how to make compost, harvest water,

plant seeds, hold chickens, build bamboo tomato cages, and mostly, do real work to grow real

food that makes a real difference.




What: My home garden, featured in my book and on my blog

When: Established following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

Where: My front, side, and back yards in Dunwoody, GA

Why: To take some control in an uncertain world, to provide healthy food for my daughters, toplant a seed that might make a difference, to work with nature to create something beautiful

How: Inch by inch, row by row!




(8) Biographical Information

Pattie Baker is a published author, journalist, photographer, and artist inspired by all aspects of

sustainability in our changing world. Featured in an article about passion people in O: The

Oprah Magazine (November 2010 issue), she has created, written about, and photographed

numerous living edible exhibits for diverse audiences to engage in “food-for-thought” hands-onexperiences. These have included metro-Atlanta’s largest community garden and largest on-site

food pantry garden; an innovative middle-school pop-up garden, a prototype garden for students

at the only school for refugee children in the United States; and a significant home garden that

served as the foundation for a book titled Food for My Daughters: what one mom did when the

towers fell (and what you can do, too). She publishes www.foodshedplanet.com and can be seen

riding her bike frequently on the Atlanta BeltLine and around Atlanta, often with a camera. Her

current street photography project is titled Around Atlanta in 180 Days.

To everyone at the Atlanta BeltLine--Thank you for your kind consideration, and for all youdo.

Learning as I grow,

Pattie


http://www.aroundatlantain180days.blogspot.com/

http://www.aroundatlantain180days.blogspot.com/

http://www.foodshedplanet.com/

http://www.foodshedplanet.com/

Community Garden of Ideas

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