Come join us this Saturday, 2 – 3:30 pm, for a workshop on how to prep your garden for fall & winter, led by Carol Herwig, a long-time Petworth area landscaper and arborist.
It’ll be at under the covered pavilion of DC’s newly jumpstarted Tool Library, in the Twin Oaks Community Garden, 1380 Taylor ST NW, and we’re hoping to show off some of our many garden tools (and more) and how to best use them for your fall garden projects.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
GNDC,
Years ago, I had been dismayed to hear Takoma Park’s Tool Library had closed – as I thought it was such a cool thing, even though I had never actually been (typical me). So why am I so excited now to hear of a tool library in DC? Because I have come to realize as I am renovating my house, how many tools I need – once. Sure, I occasionally borrow one through a neighbor, including via the Buy Nothing Facebook group (try it!); other times I despaired over spending money to buy one.
Turns out, I don’t have to for a LOT of things. DC’s Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has a previously little known tool library with a great variety of things. Need to borrow a keyhole saw? How about a paper shredder? Hedge trimmers, shovels, soil-testing kits, a ladder, wheelbarrows, some camping equipment(!), power-washers, solar ovens, gardening books, or other? Check them out this spring – literally.
The tool library is called DPR’s Garden Tool Share, but consists of more than garden tools. Hard hats, for instance. Just in case.
Green Neighbors DC folks have been helping Joshua Singer, of DC’s DPR and District Urban Gardeners, sort and inventory the tools and clean the area in preparation for the spring opening (date to be announced). And we are about to put the full list online in a tool library platform. [Done. You can now find out how to join and look at the tools via http://www.greenneighborsdc.org/projects. You can also contact Josh at joshua.singer@dc.gov or greenneighborsdc@gmail.com to inquire about what we have and how to sign up.]
DPR’s Garden Tool Share is located at Twin Oaks Community Garden, which is owned by DPR, at 14th and Taylor, NW.
We’re also seeking volunteers to help staff the library. Contact us at greenneighborsdc@gmail.com if interested in helping out – we’ve offered to help DPR coordinate volunteers.
Finally, if interested, here’s an article about how tool libraries help bring communities together, reduce consumption, and build resilience for a neighborhood. This article is why GNDC started researching tool libraries and now is helping out. https://climatesteps.org/2020/09/03/a-tool-library-is-a-seed/.
Just in time for your spring planting, come learn gardening techniques from master gardener and arborist Carol Herwig. Carol will share her insight about ecologically beneficial plants and how to create the garden you want.
Monday, April 9, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Third floor of the Murrell Building, above Slim’s Diner, 4200 9th Street NW
(This is not the door to Slim’s, it is a door around the corner on 9th Street.)
Carol launched Gardens and Pots, a Washington DC tree and landscape company in December 2011, and is a consultant to the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Neighborhood Tree Planting Program. She has also consulted with the Southwest Business Improvement District and the Rock Creek Conservancy. Carol is a former employee and current volunteer with Casey Trees, and organizes large-scale tree planting projects.
Snacks and seeds for all! Free raffle for a special garden prize!
Sponsored by Green Neighbors DC.
For more information: greenneighborsdc@gmail.com or 202-215-2000.
Green Neighbors meeting notes – 3/19/18
Attendees: Annette, David, Lisa, Catherine
Planning for Gardening workshop with Carol Herwig
Carol’s event will be on Monday, April 2 from 7pm to 8:30pm. It will be a workshop on in-ground gardening. Carol is planning to do a talk, possibly using a PowerPoint. She is not planning to do a hands-on demonstration. The location is TBA.
We will do outreach to listserves and Petworth News, and will distribute flyers.
At the event we will hand out a packet of seeds to each attendee. We are going to put together a free raffle for a garden-oriented prize.
Ideas for the future
Create/Find, make available online, and then take cards to restaurants encouraging them not to give straws to customers.
Revisit the CCAN Carbon Rebate campaign to see if we want to support it, and if we want to have an event about it.
Next meeting
The date of our next meeting is Monday, April 16. Location TBA.
In the current political climate a lot of events, particularly protests, come up at the last minute and will not make it onto our monthly calendar. To stay up to date with last-minute events, visit our page “Political Action for the Climate!” and sign up for one or more of the email alerts listed there.
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 6:00 PM – Sierra Club DC chapter Environmental Justice Committee Meeting, Sierra Club Office, 50 F St. NW, Eighth Floor, http://dc.sierraclub.org/.
Wednesday, February 8, 12-1:30 pm
Seminar: Environmental Priorities of Congress and the New Administration
What does the outcome of the 2016 elections mean for federal environmental policy? Hear from two distinguished DC-based journalists as they address this issue and more. Sponsored by the International Environmental and Resource Law Committee Climate Change Adaptation at the DC Bar Conference Center, the event is open to the public with a registration fee of $10-15. Information and registration can be found here: http://dcgreenscene.com/events/environmental-priorities-of-congress-and-the-new-administration/
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 7:00 PM – Sierra Club DC chapter Smart Growth Committee Meeting, Sierra Club Office, 50 F St. NW, Eighth Floor, http://dc.sierraclub.org/.
Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 1:00pm – WEBINAR: Food Waste & Recovery Work Group (FWRWG) Quarterly Meeting
Save-the-date & Register for the next CFN Food Waste & Recovery Work Group Quarterly Meeting. https://zoom.us/meeting/register/c91c17ee253b6efe4ac87b605f06faf5.
Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30 PM – Sierra Club DC chapter Zero Waste Committee Meeting, Sierra Club Office, 50 F St. NW, Eighth Floor, http://dc.sierraclub.org/.
Saturday, February 11 & 26, 9:00 am – Dumbarton Oaks Park Volunteer Day
Remove invasive plants and contribute to the ongoing restoration of Dumbarton Oaks Park. Join in pulling, clipping, and sawing the invasive plants! Meet at the top of Lovers’ Lane, approximately 3060 R Street NW at 9am. Gloves, tools, training, water and snacks to be provided! RSVP to amandashull@dopark.org.
Sunday afternoon, February 12, 2017, 1:15 PM to 3:45 PM, Climate First! will hold its 4th Annual Meeting at the Tenleytown Library in Washington, D.C. Enjoy home-cooked food and camaraderie around the climate issue as Dr. Dan Richter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby and others share their thoughts regarding the current science, the activist movement, as well as manageable solutions to the crisis. DETAILS: 4450 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, D.C.; Tenleytown-AU Metro Station (Red line) is nearby.
Please note: while neighborhood parking is possible, don’t count on library parking.
Misc.: Please RSVP for this interesting event using the link below. Bring a dish to share if you can. If you have any questions, please contact Ted at tconwell@climatefirst.us, or (301) 589-7598 (c).
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****Monday, February 13, 6:30-8:00 pm – Green Neighbors meeting, Petworth Library, 4200 Kansas Ave. NW, downstairs in the conference room
We will be finalizing plans for our next action steps.
Saturday, February 18, 2017 from 9am-4pm – Rooting DC
Wilson High School – 3950 Chesapeake St NW, Washington, DC
Rooting DC is a FREE, all-day gardening forum that aims to provide education about urban food production and consumption, to cultivate health and preserve the environment. The program includes dozens of interactive workshops, cooking and food preservation demonstrations, and panel discussions focusing on youth gardening, nutrition, sustainable growing techniques, and healthy food access.
http://rootingdc.org/
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 6:30 PM – Sierra Club DC chapter Clean Energy Committee Meeting, Sierra Club Office, 50 F St. NW, Eighth Floor, http://dc.sierraclub.org/.
Wednesday, Feb 22, 2017 2:00 pm – WEBINAR: Successful Buffer Restoration: Initial Establishment Methods and Post-Planting Care
Participants will learn proven successful methods for establishing riparian forest buffers at a landscape scale and the critical post-planting care details needed for success.
http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/successful-buffer-restoration
Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 2:00 PM – WEBINAR: Introduction to Plant Identification
The goal of this webinar is to provide participants with a basic understanding of plant ecology and a framework for determining the identity of plants. Participants will learn about the major groups of plants, traits that they should be looking for to distinguish plant groups, when to look for distinguishing traits, how to collect and preserve plant specimens, resources available to determine plant identification, operation of a simple plant key, and limits on the precision of plant identification.
http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/introduction-to-plant-identification
March 2, 3 & 4 – Green Roof Professional Training in DC
Presented by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), North America’s green roof and wall industry association. http://www.greenroofs.org/
March 4, 2017 9:00 am-3:00 pm – Tree Planting Workshop sponsored by Casey Trees, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016.
Classes
DPR Spring Urban Gardener Certificate Course
Monday, February 13th – Wednesday April 1st.
DC Parks and Recreation (DPR) is offering a free Urban Gardening Certificate Program. This course will cover a variety of topics about urban gardening in District from garden design, organic management, critter proof composting, cooking what you grow, food justice and many more. After the completion of this course each participant will receive a certificate and the knowledge and experience to create and manage a large variety of urban gardening projects. This course is seven weeks long, comprised of 16 2-hour classes and field trips total, all taught by experience urban garden teachers who are currently creating and managing the Districts leading urban agriculture projects. This is a chance to learn urban gardening from DC’s leading urban gardeners. ***Must take all 16 classes***
Every
Mondays – Deanwood Rec – 1350 49th St NE – 6:30-8:30pm
Wednesdays – Raymond Rec – 3725 10th St NW – 6:30-8:30pm
2 Sat classes – K St Farm & Twin Oaks Community Garden – 10-12pm
Registration is Now Open Neighborhood Farm Initiative’s Kitchen Garden Education Program
February – December 2017
This is a comprehensive program for new and aspiring urban gardeners offering training and experience in growing a wide variety of food crops over an extended growing season. The program operates in partnership with the Mamie D Lee Community Garden at Fort Totten. We encourage small group participation; families, partners and friends can share a plot in the program. Participants receive a 100-square foot garden plot and all the tools, supplies & materials they need for a year of growing, including instructions and individualized support. Students will spend additional time the garden, weekly, at their own convenience, and gain experience growing a wide variety of food crops. Committed students will take home abundant harvest from their personal garden plot. Classes are on Saturday Mornings, monthly or semi-monthly, from February to November (see schedule online: http://neighborhoodfarminitiative.org/adult-garden-education/)
Program cost is $600; scholarships are available.
greenneighborsdc.org 