Come to our market Tuesday afternoons from 4 to 6:30 at Niles Home for Children, 1911 E 23rd Street.
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Here is some information on our garden followed by some general information on Niles Home for Children. We would love to have some volunteer help. In addition to our current garden we are also trying to restore an additional third acre plot that was a parking lot. I hope this information helps.
Thanks
Marty Kraft 816-333-5663
Sustainability Aspects of Niles Garden
At Niles Home for Children
Organic - Niles garden, while not certified organic we try to follow the requirements for an organic garden. Organic means that we use remedies for controlling pests that are much less harmful to the environment and less harmful to the people who eat our produce. We use substances like Bacillus thuragensis which is a bacteria that eats worms that eat plants or diatomatious earth, the silica shells of ancient diatoms whose razor sharp edges slice into the insects bodies and dry them out.
No-Till Beds - It is said that a third of the world’s carbon could reside in the soil. The soil is a huge carbon sink that could hold the carbon from much of the carbon dioxide that is currently in the atmosphere causing global warming. Bynottilling we prevent the soil bacteria from eating carbon rich substances like glomalin and releasing CO2. We also add glomalin producing micorizzal fungi to the roots of plants that form associations with these fungi.
Honoring the Real Gardeners - In a handful of soil there are more organisms that there are people on earth. Through the interaction of these billions of “workers” soil is created and made healthy for plants. We must study the ecology of the soil in order to maximize the efforts of these tiny helpers. It behooves us to understand soil ecology and build and maintain healthy soil.
Nature Areas - We have a large understory area where native plants are being reintroduced so our residents, staff and visitors can see natural ecosystems in action. We also have a prairie plant area that attracts butterflies and beneficial insects including pollinators that help our garden plants reproduce.
Solar Waterfall - Although our pond is not a natural feature the attractive waterfall is powered by a solar panel atop our outdoor classroom gazebo. The panel demonstrates that power can be generated from sunlight, avoiding the use of fossil
fuels.
Watering system - Our watering system minimizes the use of water for growing food. We use a thick straw mulch that holds the moisture in the soil while creating a rich environment for our soil organisms to operate. We also use drip tape that lets water seep out under the mulch where it won’t evaporate into the air.
Food in a Food Desert - Niles Home for Children is located in what has been called a food desert. In order to find fresh and nutritious food on sale, nearby residents must travel at least two miles. You can get liquor five blocks away. A high percentage of our neighbors must rely on public transportation so it is just not practical to shop where good food is available. To that end we have been offering a Tuesday afternoon market from 4 to 7 PM on our lawn at 1911 E 23rd Street.
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