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Central Pa. Garden Girls plant seeds of success

WEST YORK, Pa. (AP) — She’s saving up for her first dump truck.

“I want to have pink dump trucks all over York County,” said Valerie Mace, owner of Garden Girls of PA in West York.

She will use the trucks to haul soil, mulch and more to a growing number of landscaping jobs throughout the region.

In its third year, the company employs about 20 women, who range in age from 21 to 36. Three of them handle most of day-to-day operations, and the other 17 assist or volunteer with landscaping work, Mace said.

The women build retaining walls, mulch, garden and do other landscaping work during the warmer months, and in the winter they plow snow.

Mace said she’s still not making much, but the company has made progress.

“I started the business with $1,500 from my income tax return and bought a beat-up F-150. It broke down every week, but we made it work,” she said.

But it was a turning point for the 31-year-old mother of three boys.

“I worked in the bar industry and got tired of being pushed around by men and looked down on by women. I was in a place in my life I just didn’t like,” Mace said.

Her passion: She thought about what she loved to do and went back to her roots — literally.

Planting gardens and being outside are a passion for the young woman who grew up on a 101-acre farm in Hanover.

“I started mowing on the side, and the business grew from there,” Mace said.

Garden Girls has often been hired by older women in the area who are no longer physically able to plant their gardens and pull weeds, she said.

Mace dreams of being able to earn enough money to help those women and other seniors in the area.

She also wants to open a Garden Girls daycare.

“My girls and I are all moms, and we’ve all had trouble finding sitters or have had trouble paying them. We know what that’s like. It would be nice to have a facility where kids could go and plant their own garden and make lunches from that garden,” Mace said.

For the kids: She came a step closer to that dream when she and her co-workers purchased a van, which is used for taking the kids on field trips.

“That’s what I want — to make sure the kids are having a good life, even if I have to work through most of it,” Mace said.

She and her team work 10-hour days, five days a week, and she also works as a bartender at a local golf course.

“It’s amazing. It’s hard. I would love for Garden Girls to be my primary job, my only job. As of now, I’m working all weekend, every weekend. You do what you have to do to grow a business,” she said.

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Online:

http://bit.ly/1pRaeOL

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_25864312/west-yorks-garden-girls-plant-seeds-success

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Information from: The York Dispatch, http://www.yorkdispatch.com

Melinda Myers’ tips for fruitful container gardens

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Published May 31, 2014 at 11:26 a.m.

Picture yourself harvesting a few fresh strawberries for your cereal in the morning or perhaps picking a few apples from your own backyard tree to cook up into a pie. It is possible, even if you only have a garden on a balcony or small lot. And even if you have plenty of space, you will still appreciate the fun and convenience of reaching out the backdoor and harvesting some homegrown fruit.

Strawberries are excellent container plants. Grow everbearing or day neutral varieties, so you will be harvesting strawberries throughout the growing season. A self-watering hanging basket (like this one from gardeners.com) will also reduce your workload and increase success.

Or perhaps dress things up a bit more with a decorative container. The haystack hanging baskets have the beauty of the coco fiber lined planters but require only half the watering. The AquaSav liner is a combination of coir and recycled plastic designed to conserve moisture. This means better results with less watering.

But don’t stop there. Add some dwarf fruit trees to your patio plantings. A dwarf apple, peach or pear will provide beautiful spring flowers, nice foliage for the summer and fruit for you to enjoy.

If you choose this route, select self-fertile varieties, those that only require one plant to produce fruit, if space is limited. Grow your dwarf trees in large weather-proof pots with drainage. Those in cold climates will need to provide some winter protection, but the first harvest will make that extra bit of work well worth the effort.

Or try your green thumb at growing lemons, limes and other citrus in a container. The fragrant flowers and glossy green leaves are a beautiful prelude to the tasty fruit. Even cold weather gardeners can put their green thumb to the test by growing a Meyer lemon, Kaffir lime or other citrus in a container. Just move the potted plant indoors for the winter and back outdoors next season once the danger of frost has passed.

Don’t forget the blueberries that are high in antioxidants and flavor as well. These nutritious beauties require moist well-drained acidic soil – something most gardeners do not have. This makes growing them in containers, where you control the soil, a good option.

Blueberries provide seasonal interest with their nodding white bell-shaped flowers in spring, colorful fruit in summer and yellow, orange or red color in fall. Though only one plant is needed to bear fruit, keep in mind that your harvest will more than double if you grow two.

So survey your patio, deck, balcony or garden for space to add a container or two of fruiting plants that are sure to add beauty and flavor to your garden – and to your meals – this season.

Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including “Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening” and “The Midwest Gardener’s Handbook.” She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment segments. Myers is also a columnist and contributing editor for Birds Blooms magazine. Myers’ web site, melindamyers.com, offers gardening videos and tips.

2014 Toyota Highlander Limited review notes

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The 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited receives an EPA-estimated 20 mpg combined fuel economy.

The recent redesign of the 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited is rather solid.

Inside the 2014 Highlander Limited, the new infotainment setup is easy to use and the climate controls are simple to understand and operate.

The 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6.

The 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited comes in at a base price of $44,450 with our tester topping off at $46,156.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Following the Corolla, Toyota has another very solid core vehicle redesign on its hands with the Highlander. Exciting it isn’t, but everything a premium three-row crossover shopper could want is available, particularly in this Limited with Platinum Package edition.

Let’s talk interior, since the outside is typically inoffensive — you’ll neither love it nor hate it, thus removing a potential purchase objection by default. Where my previous Highlander experience was one of nasty plastics, this Limited is a lovely place in which to spend time. An expansive open shelf runs 2/3 the length of the dash in one of those simple yet ridiculously useful ideas no one else uses — it’s perfect for cell phones, wallets and other items occupants might want to stow yet have easy access to.

In the rear, folding and sliding second-row seats offer tons of legroom when the third row isn’t needed (90 percent of the time) yet allows you to customize the interior space for the needs of various occupants. An easy seat-side slider permits third-row inmates to easily tip and slide the second row for ingress/egress, and once they’re reclined a bit those rear seats are reasonably comfortable and spacious for the occasional use they’re likely to see.

On the open road the Highlander is, in a word, unobtrusive. Everything is just a little better than the segment average — it’s quieter, feels slightly faster and handles bumps and curves with just a bit more confidence. Those who know me know I’m not prone to waxing eloquent about the merits of Toyota transportation appliances, but the Highlander’s utter competence is remarkable in its completeness. It’s like the world’s best accountant — it’ll never make the opposite sex swoon, but you can count on it absolutely in every situation.

Yes, our tester was expensive but it was also about as loaded as one could option a 2015 Toyota Highlander — realistic transaction prices for a nice one will likely parallel those of the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Hyundai Santa Fe in the high $30K range, and the Highlander is arguably better than any of them.

The 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited is a solid core vehicle redesign for the Toyota lineup.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I was pleasantly surprised by this 2015 Toyota Highlander — this is a hell of an improvement and way less boring than the outgoing Highlander. No, it’s not cheap, but is illustrative of the length and expense people might go to so they don’t drive a minivan.

The exterior looks a lot better being far more handsome and angular. On the inside there is better build quality and interesting shapes plus more soft-touch materials on the dash and armrests and such. I really like the little shelf running the width of the dash, which is handy for storing small stuff. All the controls are perfectly logical to use and feel like decent quality — it took about a minute to figure out the functions. That’s nice for a change.

It’s unremarkable to drive (that’s why I mention the minivan above), though is almost Lexus-quiet on the road and feels quite a bit more solid/robust than the outgoing model. The body motions also feel a lot better controlled than I remember in previous Highlanders.

In sum, it’s not thrilling — it’s about as inoffensive as these things get. Plus it’s less Sienna-like and as I said, quite a bit less dull. And no doubt it’d last a long time.

The 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited comes in at a base price of $44,450 with our tester topping off at $46,156.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: “Didn’t realize you took home a minivan last night,” my roommate told me as he was getting ready to take off for the day. He wasn’t trying to be snarky — he simply didn’t realize that the 2015 Toyota Highlander is totally, definitely an SUV and not a minivan.

Or do most Highlander buyers not realize that their three-row people-hauler is a minivan, not an SUV? I’m not sure. The Highlander isn’t too sure, either. Its unibody construction meant it was always more Sienna than FJ Cruiser. Yet its styling was decidedly trucklike, at least when it was introduced in 2000.

Now in its third iteration, the Highlander — whatever it is — has settled down to become a handsome vehicle. Its interior coddles like a nice van: Quiet, functional, not too much hard plastic. Exterior sculpting is more butch from nose to tail, though, and driving position is somewhat more upright.

Driving is an un-taxing experience, with the smooth V6 punching well above its stated 248 lb-ft of torque. It never sounds particularly stressed; perhaps Toyota has figured out how to perfectly dial in its eight-speed gearbox.

The Highlander isn’t going to see rock-crawling duty any time soon, and there are no silly “sport lines” in this loaded model’s build sheet. But it’ll handle whatever suburban task you hand it, whether that’s carting people, groceries or landscaping supplies.

If you’ve absolutely loved what we’ve had to say about our long-term Mercedes-Benz GL350 Bluetec tester, but can’t or won’t stomach the $81,705 as-tested price, this Toyota Highlander Limited with Platinum Package is a possible compromise. You won’t get that massive Tristar on the grille or the premium-feeling interior, and the Toyota’s not quite as big inside (though you don’t lose as much cargo capacity as its substantially shorter wheelbase would suggest).

But you will enjoy a smooth powertrain, a shape that is not unpleasant to the eye and three-row functionality without the stigma of minivan ownership.

The 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: I went on the launch of this car in California, and found it adequate in every area, but excelling in none. It’s an average SUV for someone who wants good view of their surroundings, decent mileage and relative comfort, along with some family and storage space.

The third-generation Highlander got a redesign, which adds a little bit of flair into an otherwise tame blueprint. The big front intake makes it look a little more aggressive, and the fog lights on the Limited trim set the look off well. In back, it’s very similar to the last generation. I will admit that the profile view looks sharp. The side sheetmetal looks muscular and the window shape adds to the sleekness.

Power is fine from the V6. It’s better if you keep it in sport mode. The eight-speed transmission is basically smooth, and fuel mileage seems acceptable for this class of vehicle.

Inside, the seats are comfy — taking a page out of the Lexus book — and you really do get a good view of the road. The new infotainment setup is easy to use and the climate controls are simple to understand. I like the cord pass through in the dash for phone chargers and the panoramic sunroof, too.

This particular SUV is still a little too plain for me, but it’s a fine vehicle in all other respects. Would I buy it? No. I still like the Ford Explorer better, and if I was thinking cheaper and smaller, the Mazda CX-5.

2014 Toyota Highlander Limited with Platinum Package

Base Price: $44,450

As-Tested Price: $46,156

Drivetrain: 3.5-liter V6; AWD, eight-speed automatic

Output: 270 hp @ 6,200 rpm, 248 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,508 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 18/24/20 mpg

AW Observed Fuel Economy: 17.5 mpg

Options: Tow hitch with wiring harness ($699); remote engine start ($499); glass breakage sensor ($299); body side mounting ($209)

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Filed Under:
- Toyota
- Highlander
- Luxury

Rainwater harvesting ‘soaking in’ as way to conserve Texas’ water resources

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Texas AM AgriLife provides leadership in statewide projects, education

COLLEGE STATION — After a long dry period, many parts of the state have finally received some badly needed rain, and those with rainwater harvesting systems have been reaping the rewards of this belated gift from Mother Nature, said Texas AM AgriLife water resources experts.

“Rainwater harvesting is a time-tested and effective means of water conservation and irrigation,” said Billy Kniffen, retired Texas AM AgriLife Extension Service statewide water resource specialist and past director of the American Rainwater Catchment Association. “And with drought affecting much of Texas, interest in rainwater harvesting from industry, various levels of government and homeowners is increasing. People in general are becoming more receptive to implementing these practices.”

The rainwater harvesting system at the Menard Public Library irrigates many plots of native plants and includes a rain garden area. A 2,500 gallon galvanized tank collects water from the library’s roof. (Texas AM AgriLife Extension Service photo by Justin Mechell)

As a long-time AgriLife Extension agent and water resource specialist, Kniffen has been involved in the planning, design and/or implementation of dozens of large- and small-scale rainwater catchment systems for offices, schools, community centers, libraries, hospitals and other facilities throughout Texas. Several of his many projects have been in his home county of Menard, with one notable example being the Menard Public Library.

Kniffen, along with Texas Master Gardener and Texas Master Naturalist volunteers, helped install a 2,500-gallon galvanized tank, along with drip irrigation and a rain garden to capture water runoff.

“One inch of rainwater dripping from a 1,500-square-foot roof can easily catch 600 gallons of water,” Kniffen noted. “At the library, the metal rainwater harvesting tank collects rainwater from two downspouts, and the water is used to irrigate more than 50 plots of native plants common to the region. Runoff goes into a shallow, flat bottom pond that would catch a two-inch rainfall event and have it infiltrated into the soil within 24 hours. Rainfall over that amount would overflow into an irrigation ditch.”

Another section of the library captured water using a “storm chamber” that stores and gradually releases water into the surrounding landscape.

“For years, AgriLife Extension and Texas AM AgriLife Research personnel have been involved with rainwater harvesting projects, demonstrations and education throughout the state,” said John Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, College Station.

This 5,000-gallon rainwater harvesting tank at the education building of the World Birding Center in Edinburg provides irrigation for flowering plants and shrubs that attract a variety of birds, dragonflies, butterflies and more. (Photo courtesy of Marisa Rodriguez)

In Edinburg, Smith and the AgriLife Extension horticulturist for Hidalgo County, Barbara Storz, worked with World Birding Center manager Marisa Rodriguez on a rainwater harvesting system at the facility’s education center.

“I designed the catchment system and the center employees installed it,” Smith said. “It has a 5,000 gallon tank and a 3,000 gallon tank to capture water from the center’s roof surface.”

Smith said the rainwater harvested at the center is used for irrigating a large variety of native flowering plants and shrubs that help attract and support birds, butterflies, dragonflies and other creatures of interest to nature fanciers.

Storz said in addition to providing water for the plants, the rainwater harvesting system is used as an educational tool to teach about the need to preserve and conserve water resources.

“Furthermore, here in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, nature tourism is a major economic sector and facilities like this create interest and attract more people to the area, which helps our economy,” she said.

Another Texas AM AgriLife effort geared toward educating people about water conservation is the WaterSense home at the Texas AM AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas. The home, completed in March of last year in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 and the City of Dallas Water Utilities, received a 2013 Texas Rain Catcher Award from the Texas Water Development Board.

“The Texas AM AgriLife Research and Extension Center is to be commended for implementing new technology that promotes rainwater harvesting and the benefits of water conservation,” said board member Kathleen Jackson.

This facility is the first of its kind in North Texas to receive certification as a renovation project and the first WaterSense home to have a rainwater harvesting system as one of its water-saving features, said Clint Wolfe, AgriLife Research urban water programs manager for the center. The system provides an efficient alternative source of irrigation by using captured rainwater for landscaping.

He said the rainwater harvesting system for the WaterSense home consists of a 1,000-gallon polyethylene tank with a first flush diverter and fill tube. The tank provides water to seven drip irrigation zones and two spray zones outfitted with a one-horsepower self-priming pump.

Dotty Woodson, AgriLife Extension program specialist in water resources in Dallas, explains the rainwater harvesting system at the WaterSense Labeled Home to professionals at the recent Turfgrass, Landscaping and Irrigation event. (Texas AM AgriLife photo)

“The home’s garden area consists of low-water-use native and adaptive plants, so the landscape has been designed to be sustained solely by supplemental irrigation from captured rainwater,” Wolfe said. “The WaterSense Labeled Home has provided an exceptional opportunity for people who visit the center to learn about rainwater harvesting and many other indoor and outdoor methods of conserving water.”

An example multi-family dwelling on the Dallas center grounds next to the home is equipped with a 1,500-gallon tank for landscape irrigation, along with individual 35-gallon rainwater barrels in small, enclosed backyard patio areas.

Lawn irrigation accounts for a major part of water use in urban areas, so the center is also investigating rainwater harvesting efficiency related to this specific application.

The center has four free-standing rainwater harvesting test sheds each with a roof surface area of 150 square feet and an associated turfgrass area of 225 square feet. Three of the sheds collect rainwater into three 55-gallon barrels, which provide irrigation for the lawn. A fourth shed is also equipped with three barrels, but these are filled with city water, not rainwater, for test control purposes.

“The purpose of these sheds is to provide a scaled-down version of the surface area of the roof of a typical urban home in Dallas and other metropolitan areas and the typical area of lawn,” said Dr. Fouad Jaber, a specialist at the center with a joint AgriLife Extension and AgriLife Research appointment. We are investigating the efficacy of rainwater harvesting in conjunction with storm water runoff and pollution.”

The water from the barrels is used to irrigate the turfgrass lawn by different irrigation scheduling methods, including soil moisture-based, evapotranspiration-based, and timed irrigation of the type used by the typical homeowner.

“This provides us with important data on how much water is needed, as well as the runoff reduction and water quality benefits of rainwater harvesting systems,” Jaber said.

In severely drought-stricken Wichita Falls, AgriLife Extension water resource specialist Drew Gholson took the lead in planning, designing and installing a startup rainwater harvesting project at an area high school.

“I was approached last year by the agricultural science teacher at Iowa Park High School to design and install a rainwater harvesting system to help them with their horticulture class and their greenhouse water needs during this time of drought,” Gholson said.

Gholson said he took measurements and “did the math,” calculating that the building the system would be affixed to was 200 feet by 120 feet and even if rainfall was collected from only one side of the building it would amount to 7,200 gallons collected for every inch of rainfall.

“That got their attention,” he said. “This part of Texas has been especially hard hit by drought and the idea of being able to collect and use that much water when needed was very appealing to them. We worked through how much they could collect and store, and the Iowa Park ISD school board approved an amount to install the system – PVC pipe, tanks, a pump and other components. They already had gutters in place, so we worked with those.”

Gholson and his father installed the initial system on a Saturday, ensuring correct placement of conveyance pipes and splitting rainfall collection distribution into two downspouts so the gutters didn’t have to support too much weight.

“Since that day, they have doubled the storage and collection area to 12,000 gallons and there is a line connecting the rainwater storage system to greenhouse. Now the students will be able to use rainwater for their plants when they come back in the fall.”

Gholson said while every system is different, he hopes more people throughout the state will see such systems and they will spark ideas for designing and installing their own.

The AgriLife Extension office in Kaufman County office has plastic containment tanks covered by wooden slats. The large unit holds 3,000 gallons and the two small barrels each hold 55 gallons. (Texas AM AgriLife Extension Service photo by Justin Mechell)

“Of course, we practice what we preach when it comes to the Texas AM University System,” Smith said. “In addition to some large rainwater capture systems on the Texas AM campus in College Station, we have them at several of our AgriLife Extension county offices and at other system facilities.”

He said AgriLife Extension facilities with rainwater harvesting systems include agency county offices in Atascosa, Brazos, Colorado, Comal, Culberson, Denton, Fort Bend, Fayette, Grandbury, Hays, Hidalgo, Menard, Montgomery and Taylor counties.

“One of our biggest statewide efforts is educating people on the use of rainwater systems and giving them hands-on demonstrations of how to construct their own basic home rainwater harvesting system,” Smith said “Of course, we also have more advanced programs for those who wish to take on larger rainwater harvesting projects.”

Smith said AgriLife Extension personnel, as well as trained Master Gardeners and Master Naturalist volunteers, provide instruction in rainwater harvesting education and hands-on demonstrations.

Educational outreach and hands-on demonstrations on how to construct rainwater harvesting systems, such as this basic home rainwater system do-it-yourself workshop, are a large part of Texas AM AgriLife efforts toward greater statewide water conservation. (Texas AM AgriLife Extension Service photo)

“We have rainwater harvesting demonstration programs in various counties throughout the year,” he said. “Over the years, we estimate that tens of thousands of people statewide have attended one or more of these programs, receiving instruction on how to build and maintain rainwater harvesting systems. While most of these are smaller workshops of 50 or less, we also participate in water conservation-oriented events that draw upwards of a thousand people.”

Smith said publications on rainwater harvesting by Texas AM System experts are available for a cost at the Texas AM AgriLife Extension Bookstore website, http://agrilifebookstore.org. Enter the word “rainwater” into thesearch field on the home page.

One of the most popular publications, “Rainwater Harvesting: System Planning,” has recently been translated and is now also available in Spanish,” Smith said.

Additional information on rainwater harvesting, events and training can be found at http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu. Texas residents wanting to know about a rainwater harvesting program in their area may also contact the AgriLife Extension office in their county.

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Other rainwater harvesting projects in which Texas AM AgriLife has been involved include these locations:

8th Avenue Post Office, Fort Worth

Alpine Public Library, Alpine

Aspermont USDA Service Center, Aspermont

Brazoria Environmental Education Station, Angleton

City of Denton Clear Creek Nature Center, Denton

Culberson County Courthouse, Van Horn

Kaufman County Xeric Garden, Forney

Kemp City Park, Kemp

Kerr Wildlife Management Area, Hunt

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin

Los Indios Family Learning Center, Los Indios

Luling Foundation, Luling

McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis

Myers Park Rain Garden, McKinney

Ozona Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center, Ozona

Prairie Paws Adoption Center, Grand Prairie

River Bend Nature Center, Wichita Falls

Samaritan House, Fort Worth

San Juan Park, San Juan

Scurry-Russer High School, Scurry Texas

South Campus Garden Learning Center Rain Garden, Kaufman

Texas 4-H Conference Center, Brownwood

Tolar Elementary School, Tolar

Tom Green County 4-H Building, San Angelo

Victoria County Master Gardener Association, Victoria

Wall Elementary School, Wall

Ward County 4-H Building, Monahans

Multnomah County looks to sell vacant Wapato Jail

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN 6) — Multnomah County officials are renewing an aggressive effort to sell a jail in North Portland’s Rivergate area that has sat vacant since it was built.

Built at a cost of $58 million, the Wapato Jail has never housed a single inmate since it was completed in 2004, according to city commissioners. Voters approved the bonds to pay for the jail, but no money was ever secured to run the 525-bed facility.

The Wapato Jail remains empty, June 3, 2014 (KOIN 6 News)

County officials said the falling crime rate made the jail unnecessary.

“We need to either sell it [or] lease it and get it on the tax rolls, so our vulnerable populations will be able to use those resources,” said Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith.

According to county officials, $300,000 a year is spent on just maintaining the Wapato Jail. The money covers utilities, landscaping and preventing the pipes from freezing in the winter.

Now, the county has issued a request for information to hear ideas about what to do with the vacant prison.

“I actually had the somewhat whimsical title of Wapato Facilities Commander although I outnumbered the inmate population – one to nothing,” said former Multnomah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Bruce McCain.

McCain called Wapato Jail the county’s biggest albatross and said he wonders if the massive facility – built as a jail – can effectively be used for anything else.

“I’m not sure anybody would want to buy it and own it,” said McCain. “The one use – the possible use that I’ve actually promoted – is a one-stop multiple service homeless shelter.”

However, Union Gospel Mission’s Executive Director Bill Russell said he doesn’t think that idea is feasible.

“I don’t think it’s feasible. It’s too far away from the city. It’s way up in an industrial area. There’s no public transportation. There’s no way to access, and the cost is pretty high,” said Russell.

County officials said the property is assessed at about $40 million.

Hospital auxiliary to dedicate serenity garden

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On June 6, the culmination of the Auxiliary of Springfield Hospital Center’s planning, fertilizing and planting during the last year-and-a-half will finally be realized.

The garden, located in the central courtyard of the Hitchman Building at the Springfield Hospital Center, has been totally overhauled and will be dedicated as the Serenity Garden. The state has provided a bronze dedication plaque that will forever commemorate the garden’s creation. Gaye Grimes, president of the Auxiliary, said it will be a closed ceremony open to staff and volunteer service members only.

Paula Langmead, CEO of the Springfield Hospital Center, said she noticed many hospitals she had visited across the nation had designated an area that was designed to instill feelings of peace and tranquility to patients and their families. Langmead decided to incorporate this idea, known as sensory modulation, into the Springfield Hospital Center, and said she couldn’t think of a better location than the Hitchman Building.

“The building was ideal because it was built in a circular design so this is an area that is central and the area is conducive to a garden,” Langmead said.

According to The Permanente Journal, a peer-reviewed medical journal, utilizing sensory modulation approaches and tools means the need for seclusion and restraint, which are far more coercive methods of treatment intervention, are reduced.

Grimes said sensory modulation guidelines were used when designing the garden, from the colors of the flowers to the construction, transportation and installation of a water feature. The garden occupies a total of 2,080 square feet, while the fountain is 9 feet by 11 feet and constructed from solid basalt. The purpose of the Serenity Garden is to calm patients, to limit violent outbursts and the resulting injuries to both staff and themselves, she said.

“When we designed it, we tried to keep in mind what was calming, and comforting and serene,” Grimes said. “It’s quiet and all you hear is the waterfall.”

The Auxiliary hired Sun Nurseries, a landscaping service located in Woodbine, which planned the layout of the garden based on the Auxiliary’s specifications and requests and provided a list of flower options and their blooming patterns. Grimes and the other Auxiliary members decided no matter the season, the garden would be able to fulfill its purpose.

“We designed it so there wouldn’t be just one burst of color and then nothing else,” Grimes said. “All through the year, there will be something colorful.”

The Auxiliary has spent almost $50,000 on the garden, the bulk of that being the water feature. In order to raise the funds needed, the Auxiliary has held yard sales, selling items that have been donated to the Springfield Hospital Center or to the Auxiliary directly, monetary donations and they receive commission from the soda and snack machines located throughout the hospital center. Grimes also said that in the four years she has been president, this is by far the largest project the Auxiliary has ever undertaken.

“[The Auxiliary’s] goal is to augment what the state can do for the patients,” Grimes said. “Anything the state cannot provide, we pick up.”

Ellen Dix, vice president of the Auxiliary, said because the Auxiliary is a volunteer-based service, all money raised is given back to the residents of the hospital center in many ways.

Dix added that by thinking of better methods for meeting the patient’s needs, the Auxiliary is also bettering their lives and the lives of their families. Truly, the name of the garden says it all.

“As patients go by or stop to take a look, hopefully the gardens will provide a sense of calm,” Dix said.

Garden activists call on City of Kelowna to work community plots into …

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With growth of the community garden program running wild, the society behind the Central Okanagan’s 15 garden sites wants councils to lean on developers to build plots into new housing.

“I think the city owes it to the public to encourage developers to do this,” said Sandy James, Central Okanagan Community Gardens coordinator. “It’s a beautiful space that they can provide for the residents in that building and, by doing that, those people will meet each other in their garden and they will become a stronger building and get to know each other. This is not just about growing a tomato and having a yummy tomato. It’s the social connections.”

James has worked with the COCG since 2003 and takes charge of building new garden sites. The non-profit organizaiton now has more than 350 plots between Oyama and West Kelowna, but there are more than 200 people in the City of Kelowna alone waiting for a place to plant the fruits, veggies and flowers.

“Back in 2010, when I built Sutton Glen (in Glenmore), that’s when it really took off. That one was over-subscribed from the outset,” said James, noting people saw how well it was run, how little it costs to have a plot and demand skyrocketed.

Calls for more gardens follow development COCG has noticed.

“They’re building so many condos and apartments, but there’s no place for people to garden,” said Ruth Mellor, COCG president, noting its a key form of recreation for a large portion of the population.

Mellor is personally in charge of the gardens on Barlee Road and says there was only one apartment building in the vicinity when it was built eight years ago; today it is surrounded by condos and townhouses.

“It seems like when someone is building a multi-family development they really are going to have to plan for gardens,” she said.

Consultants have suggested the City of Kelowna incorporate planning policies that hone in on urban agriculture, Mellor said, and she cannot see why developers could not be given a break, zoning variances or development cost charge reductions, in exchange for planned community gardens.

COCG is tallying up all the developments that have put in garden spaces, who built them, whose in charge of them and how much people pay to garden in the privately-run spaces in order to prove the extent of demand.

“There’s this feeling like: Who would take care of garden plots? Or that the gardens might be unsightly,” she said. “But it would actually, probably, cost buildings a lot less to have the tenants caring for their garden plots than it costs for landscaping.”

With people downsizing from houses to condos, gardening offers a way to meet and connect with a neighbourhood, Mellor pointed out.

“So much of it is beyond the actual garden,” she said.

Luke Stack agrees. A Kelowna city councillor and the founder and executive director of Society of Hope, he’s built community gardens into many of the social housing projects he runs and says he prefers a carrot versus a stick approach.

“If somebody has a little bit of a wait list, it isn’t such a bad thing because it encourages people to look after the existing plots well,” he said.

He has encouraged the COCG to look beyond the city and even beyond government for grants to find other forms of support to make the program more sustainable, and says he isn’t fond of the idea of dictating gardens into bylaws or development guidelines.

With this said, Stack says he would gladly encourage developers and non-profits to build gardens in, if it’s an option the developer selects independently.

“No one has forced the Society of Hope to build in a community garden,” he said. “We do it because we can see the benefit of it. We’re using our existing land, but in my opinion, using it more wisely. We’re using it to create more food and to create a community environment. For me, it’s like whether I planted a bunch of trees and plants or a community garden—it doesn’t cost me anymore either way.”

His gardens have become meeting places where residents share a coffee and one resident is even farming enough potatoes to share them with his whole building—a win, win in his view.

James said she believes the generation just starting to garden is more socially conscious and understands that urban agriculture offers a better alternative to cheap organic produce from Costco, which is produced off the backs of cheap labour. She believes demand will only continue to grow.

Plotline behind gardens:

there are over 350 community garden plots in the Central Okanagan
some 200+ individuals are wait-listed for gardens
a plot costs $20 plus a $5 key deposit to access a shed full of tools on each site
gardeners are paying for the insurance costs of running the plots and supplies
water is covered by the municipalities (at low agricultural watering rates), the three churches where located on church property, one well for the private land plot in Oyama, and the Oyama Community Centre
the society accesses grant dollars from municipal governments throughout the Central Okanagan, in-kind donations from businesses, the Central Okanagan Foundation and Interior Health Authority

Startups hope to address Phoenix’s problems

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One business wants to teach kids how to skate after school.

One plans to connect donated goods to socially conscious shoppers.

And another wants to help people find water-bottle refill stations to reduce reliance on plastic bottles.

The three will compete against several other startups Thursday, June 5, for a chance to win $5,000 to further their efforts. It’s all part of Seed Spot, a Phoenix-based non-profit incubator for social entrepreneurs, aspiring business leaders committed to solving societal problems.

“We really believe that entrepreneurs can solve major societal problems,” said Courtney Klein, co-founder and CEO of Seed Spot. “We believe if we read about it in the headlines, we can solve it through the innovation of entrepreneurs.”

The local entrepreneurs will pitch their solutions to some of Phoenix’s societal problems at Seed Spot’s Demo Day from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St.

The fledgling business owners will share their business plans with more than 700 people. The audience will vote via text for their favorite venture.

Demo Day is the culmination of Seed Spot’s four-month, full-time program, which has secured more than $1 million in capital and created more than 60 jobs in the Valley since launching. Klein said Seed Spot social entrepreneurs will be leaders in Phoenix’s future economic development.

“We have everything from entrepreneurs that developed an app to better diagnose epilepsy to a landscaping company that’s developing pretty specific garden-planning tools using their app,” she said.

Seed Spot launched in 2012 and provides startups with office space, a curriculum, mentors, financial modeling, media exposure and other capital opportunities to those wanting to launch businesses that benefit humanity. More than 100 people apply each cycle for anywhere from 10 to 15 slots.

Seed Spot was founded in part because finding success in social entrepreneurship can be difficult in Phoenix, Klein said.

“Sometimes it takes a while to sell a product or raise initial investment capital,” she said. “It can take anywhere from several months to a few years depending on the sophistication of the business, the capital that’s required or how hard it is to enter that market.”

Seed Spot businesses emphasize health, education, energy, environment, human rights, civic engagement and community impact.

“We support both for-profit and non-profit startups but we exclusively focus on social entrepreneurs. It has to be a product that’s improving peoples lives,” Klein said.

Phoenix leaders and entrepreneurs have worked hard to develop a startup culture for several years. Organizations like Seed Spot, CoHoots and JumpStart Phoenix have popped up in the last several years in central and downtown Phoenix to encourage entrepreneurship.

While not the Bay Area, the mecca of startups, Klein said Phoenix’s startup culture is not going unnoticed.

“We’ve actually won some prestigious awards and honors and rank quite high for entrepreneurial capacity, so people are paying attention,” she said.

Demo Day details

Reserve your free ticket for the June 5 Demo Day at ssdemoday.spashthat.com.

Want to Help West Virginia Honeybees? Here Are Five Gardening Tips

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While Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is relatively uncommon in West Virginia, bees and pollinators are still threatened in the region and all across the country. About a third of all of our foods (and beverages) come from crops pollinated by these insects. There’s growing concern that pesticides and certain farming practices are at the heart of the crisis, so more and more gardeners are stepping up to support pollinators in their own yards and fields.

Emilie and Bill Johnson of Morgantown are Master Gardeners, meaning they’ve been trained and either volunteer or teach horticulture through a national Master Gardener program. They have become passionate, quite accidentally, about supporting pollinators. Here are five tips to help you do the same:

1. Pollinators come in many shapes and sizes.

What started as a desire to encourage more butterfly visits became an interest in encouraging visits from all sorts of pollinators including honey bees and native bees, dragonflies, mayflies, and even humming birds and bats.

“We love the beautiful garden, too,” Bill said, “so it’s not just about gardening for insects. It’s about gardening for people as well!”

Bill also points out that a butterfly is only an adult butterfly for a small portion of its total lifespan, and many early incarnations of butterflies require very specific plants.

The Johnsons grow milkweed for Monarch Butterfly larvae, for example. Monarchs are the big black, orange, and white migratory butterflies in grave danger of disappearing because of loss of habitat and other factors.

2. Keep it wild—or as wild as you can handle.

In fact, the Johnsons grow a variety of milkweeds as well as other native and wild plants because, apparently, bugs love the native stuff.

“Find a part of your garden that you can let go wild, or as wild as you can stand it and put native plants in or plants that people might think of as weeds,” Bill said. He cautions others about introducing plants that might be (or become) invasive.

3. Don’t keep a lawn, keep a “clipped meadow.”

While the Johnsons won’t claim coining the phrase, “clipped meadow,” it gets to the point. From about 20 feet away, you might be able to discern some clover or a dandy lion in the yard, maybe. Johnson shrugs when he says he’s given up a monoculture-grass lawn.

“Clover is a legume and legumes are the only plant family that I know of that actually fixes nitrogen out of the air and puts the nitrogen into the soil. So there’s a synergy between the clover and the grass. Why put chemical nitrogen on your lawn when you can have clover do the job,” Bill said.

The Johnsons admit that they aren’t organic gardeners. But they, like many, are worried about pesticide use. According to a recent study by Harvard’s School of Public Health, pesticides are at the heart of colony collapse disorder (CCD). And the Environmental Protection Agency indicates that there is data to implicate one of the most commonly used pesticides, called neonicotinoids. The agency reports that residues from the pesticide, “can accumulate in pollen and nectar of treated plants and may represent a potential exposure to pollinators.”

4. Pollinate your own food.

Thirty percent of our food effusively depends on honeybees alone. The value of their pollination services is often measured by farmers and economists in billions of dollars. And the Johnson’s have come to learn that they, too, can take advantage of this free service to grow their own apples, blueberries, raspberries, and lots of herbs, too. The Johnsons report that pollinators love herbs like thyme, lavender and basil.

5. Anyone can do it.

Emilie said, as more and more information is being circulated on the subject of pollinators and gardening, Farmers Markets are a good place to get educated. And you don’t need a green thumb to grow some pollinator-friendly foods and plants.

“Anybody can help,” she said. “Anybody can plant a few things. Everyone can get in on this. It’s a fun thing, especially for kids! Kids love bugs!”

From a community garden, to a box of herbs on your deck or in a window box, Emilie said, the pollinators will find you.

Pesky pests taking over your garden? Tips for saving your crops

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No place for a garden bed? No time or energy to work up the soil? Buy bagged potting soil and grow right in the bag! You don’t even have to buy the pots. It’s cheap, easy, and can be done on any sunny spot, patio, balcony, or porch.

Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and all of their many relatives attract tiny, hopping, black beetles called flea beetles that chew millions of tiny holes in the leaves. Young seedlings of radishes, turnips, mustard greens and kale can be destroyed before they even get started if these pests aren’t controlled. Find out what you can do to save your crops.

Spring asparagus season is almost over but it is still important to control asparagus beetles that can reduce next year’s harvest.

You can head to the Milwaukee County UW-Extension Horticulture page for more gardening information.