Food Not Lawns Cleveland

May Food Not Lawns Meet-Up joins national 350.org Home and Garden Challenge

2011-05-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

Food Not Lawns, Cleveland will be doing our front yard transformation ( removing sod, creating swales and holding ponds for water retention, planting native and food plants, adding benches for neighborly visits) in conjunction with Transition U.S. and 350 Home and Garden Challenge the week-end of May 14 and 15 (note: our event is on the 15th from 2:00 -after potluck).
Our event is officially registered and will be documented as part of this national movement.
Please see 350 Home and Garden Challenge, 350.org or Transition U.S. for more information, and please plan on coming out to learn, lend support, be in community and help the earth.

May Food Not Lawns Meet-Up

2011-04-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air and there is already lots of activity in the garden. The garlic, peas and spinach are coming along well, kale from last year is pickable, lettuces, onions, carrots and cabbage are up. The red raspberries have a new bed, layered with compost and manure (they should like that). It's hard to believe we got so much done in between rain storms.
The May meet-up, which will be at our Cleveland Hts. home is important, defining and looks to be very interesting. The theme is :The Whys and Hows of Yard Transformation from Four Perspectives: Bioretention, Permaculture, Creation of Native Habitat and Food Production.
The front downspout has been disconnected and sod may be taken up from defined areas by the meet-up. Our speakers will address design issues, what worked and what didn't, native plants and the creation of habitat for wildlife, keeping water on the property, creating edible landscape, permaculture principles in action and how they came to the decision to transform their yards.
This is really what Food Not Lawns is about and what I hope will be the kickoff to many yard transformations in the area.
Please join us on may 15th from 2-5ish p.m. At Mari's home. Please r.s.v.p. for directions.

A Change in the Line-Up

2011-04-06T09:56:00.001-07:00

Hello All,

Because there is so much going on in April and we don't want to compete with Earthfest or Easter holidays, the "Whys and Hows of Lawn Transformation: Four Perspectives" meeting will be held on May 15th, 2011. Same time (approx. 2-5 p.m.) same place (my Cleveland Hts. home/yard).

Rather than skip a meet-up altogether, I offer this for the date (April 17) as set. We currently have direct seeded crops under a hoop house that was inexpensive and easy to make. By the meet-up date, we will have a small straw bale greenhouse set up for seedlings started indoors and as a cold frame for cold tolerant plants.

There are still lots of seeds from the January swap looking for homes. Some could/should be started now. Bring any seeds you'd like to swap or just come and get some. I also have kale seedlings from last fall that need thinning.

As to our yard transformation: We are in the process of observing how water flows from redirected downspouts and may have begun mapping/and layout for the rain garden/habitat. We will save discussion of native plants until the May meeting.
Peas,

Please rsvp if you plan on coming out.
Mari

Please join Yahoo group as well

2011-04-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

This blog isn't used as much as the yahoo group. That may change, In the meantime, please consider joining foodnotlawnscleveland@yahoogroups.com

April Food Not Lawns Meet-up

2011-04-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

The next meet up is scheduled for April 17, 2011 (approx. 2-5 p.m.) and will focus on the whys and hows of yard transformation from four perspectives: Permaculture, Bioretension (rain water conservation), Food Production and Creation of Wildlife Habitat. Each of these areas is inherently connected and relative to each other.
Overarching design principles and aesthetics guide transforming space towards each of these ends.

Unless otherwise noted, we will be meeting at the Cleveland Hts. home of Mari and Denis (please r.s.v.p. for address and directions) whose front yard is in the design phase of rain garden/habitat creation. We will have among us those who have transformed their yards, those knowledgeable in design and plant culture, bioretention and more.

This is what Food Not Lawns, Cleveland is about and what is hoped to be a kick-off for many more transformations.

Looking forward,
Mari

Welcome to Food Not Lawns Cleveland

2011-02-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

Hello and thank you to all who came to the first Food Not Lawns meet-up and event.
It was great to meet everyone (I think there were about 25 or so of us!) learn a little about each other, and share our thoughts and ideas about what we might do as a group.
We have a wealth of experience and passion among us and I'm really excited to see in what ways we can support each other in our ambitions and projects.
We decided to meet the last Sunday of the month, at the same time of 2:00 -5:00 p.m. (though I can imagine being more flexible about that when the weather warms and we incorporate potlucks into the agenda).
Our next meeting will be Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011. Thanks to Laura for taking down topics of interest and for helping to define the focus for next time: where we are in the gardening year, planning, seed-starting, (what to plant and when) maybe soil prep. We seemed to outgrow the Levey room, so we'll be on the lookout for another location to be announced.
There are lots of seeds left. I'll bring them along. As part of the discussion of "what to plant, when" maybe we can get an idea of who is planting what for a future plant swap.
If you aren't familiar with Heather C. Flores' work, I hope you have a chance to check out the website I hope and her book. CH library does have a copy.
Looking forward to our next meeting.
Stay warm,
Mari