Author: digman

Hunger is a national problem, but it is predisposed to a solution within the community. It cuts across geographical and cultural lines, affecting senior citizens, infants, schoolchildren, unemployed, underemployed and homeless everywhere. Estimates vary, but the possibility of as many as 35 million people worrying every day about where they will get their next meal are not excessive.

The members of the Garden Writers Association of America (GWAA) decided to address the problem of hunger in the North America. Alerted to the extent and pervasiveness of this problem by board member, Jeff Lowenfels, this 1600 member organization of professional garden communicators accepted the challenge to urge home gardeners to help feed America’s hungry. Jeff reasoned that, “GWAA communicators reach over 70 million gardeners in North America-it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the impact we could have on the hunger problem”.

Vegetable gardens produce an enormous amount of food. Anyone who has ever grown zucchini squash can testify to the abundance. Imagine the amount of food that could be produced if every gardener purposely planted more than he or she needed? If each gardener planted one extra row and donated the harvest to a local food bank, gardeners could make an enormous difference. GWAA imagined that, and the result was a commitment to galvanize gardening readers and viewers to grow and donate food. This campaign would be called Plant A Row for the Hungry, or PAR, for short. GWAA director, Jacqui Heriteau created the first PAR program including brochures and distribution. She continues to lead PAR as National Program Director. Her enthusiasm is contagious as she encourages and organizes individuals or groups to start local PAR campaigns.

The Plant A Row Campaign
Conceived at the outset as people-based, not institutional or bureaucratic, the success of PAR depends on the good will, time and energy of thousands of gardeners and gardening groups. It began with garden communicators, supported by their editors, radio and TV stations and employers alerting the public to the hunger problem in their region and explaining how they can help. They encouraged the planting of an extra row of vegetables through their newspaper columns, on their radio or TV shows, in garden club newsletters, church bulletins and public appearances-at every opportunity.

Corporate support for PAR campaigns was not long in coming. Soil amendment producer Fafard, Inc. of Anderson SC, contributes Plant A Row garden row markers for distribution to participating gardeners to promote the campaign. Many companies and publishers are supporting the effort by routinely putting the Plant A Row logo on their packaging and catalogs to create high visibility for the program. Nurseries and garden centers participate by offering Plant A Row brochures and row markers at check-out counters.

With experience and Jacqui Heriteau’s leadership, the program has grown. City-wide projects from Milwaukee to San Jose and state-wide projects in Missouri and South Carolina and others are underway. More and more groups such as schools and church congregations are participating. And, along the way garden writers have developed even more creative ways to spread the word.

An Amazing Success Story
Joan Jackson, garden columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, pioneered the PAR program among her readership and her California community set a fast pace early. With the support of her newspaper, she devoted many of her columns to describing the program and encouraging gardeners to sign a pledge to grow and contribute fresh produce. She published the addresses of collection sites, publicized the agencies that used the food and tallied the weight of the food contributions over the season. She printed the names of the donors and made appearances at garden related events.

The response was overwhelming. By September of the first year of her campaign readers had donated nearly 34,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables to area hunger relief agencies. Not one to rest on her laurels, Joan set about the following year to exceed that amount of fresh vegetables donated and each year she has. Her secret is to never let up. She says, “Mention Plant A Row at every opportunity.”

Making a difference
Over the years the Plant A Row effort has become increasingly successful nationwide at promoting and enlisting participation by gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Newsletters, word of mouth, a wonderful video hosted by Jim Wilson (former Executive Director of the National Garden Bureau, former president of GWAA and spokesman for PAR) have further stimulated public awareness and enthusiasm.

After four year’s, the donated food can be measured in tons. Non-gardeners have jumped on the bandwagon. They volunteer as drivers, serve at collection sites and weigh and pack the collected produce. They organize local programs and work with the media.

In 1999 several new sponsors have joined to expand the campaign. The National Garden Bureau has donated funds to continue the program and assisted with a international publicity program.

Lending its name and resources as a sponsor, Home & Garden Television (HGTV) brings media coverage since it is one of the nations fastest growing cable networks with over 51 million viewers. HGTV is committed to this ground-breaking public service campaign to feed the hungry. The Scotts Company promotes PAR on every box of Miracle-Gro fertilizer and Fafard, Inc promotes PAR on millions of soil amendment bags.

The Future
A Million for the Millennium is the now the goal. A million pounds of fresh vegetables grown in gardens and donated to food pantries to feed the hungry is an attainable goal. Spurred by the understanding that government efforts to restructure welfare is leaving many people without food stamps and that food pantries will be hard pressed to meet the increased need, garden writers are redoubling their efforts to encourage gardeners to Plant a Row for the Hungry.

Want to help?
To learn more about Plant A Row or GWAA:

• Visit the Plant A Row page on the GWAA website at www.gwaa.org

• For general information, a media kit or brochure call

TOLL FREE 1-877-GWAA-PAR or E-mail at PAR@GWAA.org

For a brochure, “Starting your own PAR Campaign” Contact Jacqui Heriteau, GWAA National Program Director of Plant A Row by Phone 860-824-0794; Fax 860-825-1018 or E-mail jacquiheriteau@msn.com. For membership information in GWAA, contact phone 703-257-1032, FAX 703-257-0213 or E-Mail membership@gwaa.org

To donate food:

• Call Foodchain, the national food rescue network 1-800-845-3008 for a local contact. Or Second

Harvest 1-800-771-2302 Ext. 121, Dan Michel.

• Contact local ministeriums, diocesan offices, United Way, Salvation Army or the local telephone book for agencies that serve the hungry.

To learn more about the National Garden BureauVisit the website at www.ngb.org

When planning your garden, have you considered what type of fertilizers you will use? Why not consider making compost for your garden?

Compost is decaying organic matter that has reached a stage in its disintegration at which it is an ideal food for plants. It is the mixing of organic matter that is high in carbon, such as dried leaves, with material that is high in nitrogen, such as fresh grass clippings. This combination leads to a population explosion of microorganisms and promotes rapid decomposition. The end result is high-quality humus, the most beneficial part of the soil.

Nutrition for your body, provided by your vegetable garden, is directly related to the nutrients in the soil that are available to the plants. Compost is the best fertilizer you can have for providing nutrients for your plant life. It creates a rich healthy soil in which plants can thrive and microbial life can multiply rapidly.

Compost is important because:

Waste materials are disposed in an efficient and sanitary manner.

These materials produce humus, the best fertilizer and soil additive.

Heat produced by the fermentation process composting, eliminates odors, weed seeds and diseases.

Successful compost depends on a mixture of materials containing both carbon and nitrogen. The following are examples of some of these materials:

Carbon: dried leaves and weeds, sawdust, straw, dried garden waste;

Nitrogen: greed weeds, grass clippings, garbage, fresh garden wastes, poultry or animal manures (don’t use dog or cat droppings).

If not enough nitrogen is present, the critical temperature will not be attained. The pile will just sit there for one or two years before breaking down.

Adequate amounts of moisture and oxygen are also necessary. A compost heap normally reaches a temperature of about 160 degrees F. The temperature remains high until decomposition is complete. Turning the pile introduces air and speeds up the decomposition process.

Two types of breakdown occur in a compost heap: aerobic and anaerobic.

Aerobic (oxygen is present) breakdown requires frequent turning, does not smell or breed flies, and has an abundance of activity by microorganisms. This method can take as little as two weeks, but most aerobic methods take around three months.

Anaerobic (oxygen isn’t present) breakdown is a slower process with no turning. It sometimes has an offensive odor and has little microorganism activity. The pile may or may not be layered, and is left for six months to two years with not further attention. To help keep the odor down peat moss can be used between layers or the pile can be sealed by covering it with black plastic.

There are many “schools” of compost-making each zealously advocating its ideal method and “recipe”. They all boil down to three different types: Sheet-composting, Trench-composting and Composting in bins or piles.

Sheet-composting – two or three inches of materials (manure, leaves, rotted sawdust, weeds, kitchen wastes) placed on top of the soil, then mixed with the soil and left to decompose.
Trench composting – materials are buried in a trench 15 inches deep and 9 to 18 inches wide. Leaves and kitchen scraps are layered with 2 inches of manure on top, if available then covered with soil and left to decompose for one season.
Composting in bins or piles – a well formed pile is constructed by alternating layers of materials high in carbon and nitrogen, plus a thin layer of soil, creating a 5 feet wide and 5 feet high pile. The bin or pile can be a long as desired. An easy way for me to remember the layering of the different materials is to think of it as a “garden lasagna”.
Wet – kitchen scraps (l – 6 inches)

Dry – straw, dried bean/pea vines, stalks, leaves (3 – 6 inches)

Green – grass, weeds, finished crops from the garden ( l – 6 inches)

Brown – manure, compost, soil (l – 2 inches)

A simplified version of composting for the city dweller or for use during the cold winter months, is to use a perforated 20 gallon trash can. A layer of leaves is placed on the bottom with alternating layers until the can is filled. Peat moss can be used between layers if there is an odor. By spring, the material will be semi-composted and can be incorporated into the soil.

Both urban and rural landscapes have potential for maintaining a favorable habitat for songbirds, rabbits, squirrels, quail and other wildlife. Attracting wildlife can have many benefits for the homeowner beyond esthetics because many birds help reduce the insect pests that attack flowers, lawns, gardens and people.

There are many human-made devices for attracting birds but there is a natural way to encourage them while beautifying landscapes. Planting shrubs, trees, vines, and other plants that serve various needs of birds provides them with a more natural place to live and a chance for humans to observe them in a natural habitat. Birds regularly feed on berries, and their favorite berries are usually bright and decorative. Their needs for shelter are met by hedges and other dense shrubbery that can fit handsomely in the urban landscape. Trees will provide sites for nesting and perching as well as offering shade to the homeowner. A water feature can provide both water for birds and a recreational area for the whole family.

Birds like variety so bear this in mind when you blend the plants attractive to birds into the conservation planned landscape of both your yard and grounds. Plan a rich intermingling of species, sizes, and shapes of plants. Lay out your plantings in varied patterns. Give birds a wide choice for their various activities from the crowns of tall trees all the way down to the low seed heads in flowerbeds and lawns.

There are any number of options as to hardwoods and conifers, vines, shrubs, and trees, grasses, flowers, and even weeds to create a landscape conservation design that will bring birds outside of windows. If the area is small, you’ll have to depend mostly on single specimen plants. But if you have extensive grounds you can use hedges, clumps, feeding strips, and other massed plantings. If you have a wooded area, a small clearing lends variety to the landscape for birds.

By studying the plants already present along with your general plan for landscaping, you can bring in a diversity of plant forms, food producers, and shelter plants that would otherwise be missing. Many common shade trees and landscape shrubs, for example, yield little food for birds. Here you may work in autumn olive, honeysuckle, or other good fruit-bearing shrubs. Yards and grounds that have only leaf-shedding trees and shrubs are improved by adding junipers, cedars, yews, and other evergreens that provide shelter to birds in winter.

Visual contact with the birds is desirable. Put the plants where they can be observed from a window, patio, or terrace. Choose those plants reported to have high bird use for best results. Careful attention to the periods of bloom and availability of choice foods makes it possible to have a succession of floral displays and bird foods throughout the year.

Here is a list of a few of the possibilities for plant material in a conservation planting. Bristly locust, Robinia fertilis, Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina, Smooth sumac, Rhus glabra, Black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia European black alder, Alnus glutinosa, Rubyredosier dogwood, Cornus stolonifera, Bayberry, Myrica pensylvanica, Eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana, Tatarian honeysuckle, Lonicera tatarica, American cranberry bush, Viburnum trilobum, American holly, Rex opaca, Roselow sargent crabapple, Malus sargendi, Winterberry, Ilex verticillata, Elderberry, Sambucus canadensis.

Bryan Butler is the Extension Educator, Carroll County, Maryland Cooperative Extension, University of Maryland