The Quest for Soil in the City

a garden forming in the neighbourhood

There is a community garden in the back field.  But I am unsure how it got there. Or how you would get to participate, perhaps a simple sign could indicate the makers and growers.  Contact info.  Where do they get their water from?  And do they share tools and seeds.  I can tell, with my designers eye, that there is room for more boxes.

But where do you get the soil from?  I know there are people responsible for dirt, somewhere.  And if you can haul the dirt yourself, it's far less money.

Then there is the question of wood for the raised beds.  They shouldn't be made of pressure treated wood.  New wood could suffice, but salvaged wood would be best.

Note:  as I side note, you can't see very clearly in this photo, but there is a row of trees just behind the sidewalk.  Last fall, I watched as they were mysteriously planted by a group of people.  Later, when I got closer I noticed that they all had tags on them, indicating that they were apple trees.   Amazing!  Then on the fence even further back, I have noticed that grapes have been planted every few feet for the length of the alley.  Who is up to such delight?

On Our Way, West Broadway

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gathering feet

urban feather

Choi Ho led a lovely and entertaining Jane’s Walk through the dense urban neighbourhood of West Broadway, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, this past weekend, complete with a zine hinting at the various sites throughout the one block route.   

We were escorted through quips and sites so well, that through our big smiles, we hardly knew that we were learning.  It was incredible taking a walk with friends and new friends, engaging, and discussing neighbourhood issues.  I even learned where to fire the pottery I was making at home, half a block away.

History and scale, and those who live around me, are all just a little more understood.