Converting the Riverside Alleys to Community Gardens

[JaxNole]

For those of you who don't know, sections of Riverside have alleys whose primary uses were to allow service vehicles to pick up trash and to provide access to properties inaccessible from the main streets. The alleys have become overgrown (impassable at some points) and pose a safety issue.

We have formed a new volunteer group, Riverside Community Gardens, that will showcase different methods to clean up the alleys and transform them into sustainable, community gardens.

Whether you live in Riverside, Springfield, or Oceanway, come check us out and let us know where to plug you in.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Riverside-Community-Gardens/314672398646392

[JaxNole]

One of the first phases of the project, prep and design, involves creating our own nutrient-rich soil.

We are looking for the following:

• free manure (preferably from animals not fed corn, treated with antibiotics/hormones, or exposed to GMO feed)
• tree branches/logs that still contain bark
• leaves, grass and other organic yard waste

.
Also helpful would be plastic tarps or other materials to cover the "pre-soil" to maintain the requisite high temperature for conversion.

So, if you've got a ton of poo that you'd like to deliver to Riverside, step right up!

[JaxNole]

We are searching for a few good volunteers with a green thumb to possibly adopt an alley block using a specific, urban gardening approach. We already have permaculture and square foot gardening plans. The volunteers would ideally be interested in supporting our education initiatives to create sustainable, community gardens.

We are also in need of crop "wish lists" to plant not just for those in Riverside Avondale, but also to donate to nonprofits supported by Shopping for Charity: Jacksonville. Seed kits will be important to have on hand once our new DIY soil is ready after the last frost in the spring.

[avs]

Many seed companies, including Seeds of Change and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, will donate heirloom seeds to non-profits.  If you are umbrella-ing under RAP see if you can get seeds through them...

Amanda Searle

[JaxNole]

Many seed companies, including Seeds of Change and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, will donate heirloom seeds to non-profits.  If you are umbrella-ing under RAP see if you can get seeds through them...

Amanda Searle

Thanks, Amanda!

We will pursue those options. We already have seeds from various neighbors, so the additional seeds will help introduce a greater number of varieties.

We are also in the process of submitting for a grant bid for other startup supplies. Of course, you can't beat $Free.99, but grants will be more than sufficient.

[JaxNole]

We are planning alley cleanups and will need as many volunteers as possible. On our group page, toward the bottom, is a video of the majority of the alleyways. We need to clean these up first if we want to stand a chance at converting 1/10 of each into gardens.

There are 5 alleys separating east-west streets that span four blocks.

If you are interested in participating or even donating materials (contractor bags, rakes, trucks), please PM me or visit our page and indicate your interest.

[JaxNole]

We are planning alley cleanups and will need as many volunteers as possible. On our group page, toward the bottom, is a video of the majority of the alleyways. We need to clean these up first if we want to stand a chance at converting 1/10 of each into gardens.

There are 5 alleys separating east-west streets that span four blocks.

If you are interested in participating or even donating materials (contractor bags, rakes, trucks), please PM me or visit our page and indicate your interest.

what a great project, JaxNole!  Do you have any graphics or photos?

Why, Stephen, yes, I do. I hope we can obtain the City's buy-in to convert them into gardens since the alleys are public property.

Here is a driveby of just over half the alleyways that my little Toyota survived: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100317114187672

Here is a sample garden plan based loosely on Square Foot Gardening: http://gardenplanner.kgi.org/garden-plan.aspx?p=322114

This is a picture of the Dellwood-Myra alley entrance, from Stockton, facing east:

[tayana42]

Manure is available free at the Jacksonville Zoo; you must transport it.  Usually one brings a pick up truck and the zoo personnel use a front-end loader to load you up.  Don't know if it meets all your requirements.

[JaxNole]

Cleanup alert: The Gilmore-Ernest alley on the 2300 block will begin a traditional cleanup just after sunrise or when I return with yard bags from Homo Depot.

Stop by to help out and get dirty or if you have yard bags or tools (rakes would be great) that we can borrow, that would also be helpful.

We can separate the organic matter from the rest and use as composting materials. Reuse nature's "waste"!

Text/call me if you're interested: 904.638.2680.

[Dog Walker]

Aren't those alleys pretty shady to be good gardens?  How are you going to allow access to the ATT and Comcast and JEA trucks that service the utilities that run down the alleys?

[Adam W]

I take it they aren't being used for trash collection anymore, huh? Back in the 90s when I lived on Forbes, our alleyway was used for trash collection - but I suppose a lot probably has changes since that time.

I'm torn on the notion of turning them into gardens. On the one hand, I think it's a pretty cool idea, especially if they are overgrown and not being maintained or used. On the other hand, I'd almost rather they be returned to their former 'glory' as functioning alleyways.

It's an interesting project, nevertheless.

[MEGATRON]

Aren't those alleys pretty shady to be good gardens?  How are you going to allow access to the ATT and Comcast and JEA trucks that service the utilities that run down the alleys?

Yeah, these are good questions.

[JaxNole]

Aren't those alleys pretty shady to be good gardens?  How are you going to allow access to the ATT and Comcast and JEA trucks that service the utilities that run down the alleys?

Thanks for the valid questions.

The alleys are shady only in places where there is overhang from taller plants/trees. There's a lot of different varieties we can plant that would require just a minimum amount of sun. One approach would be to plant those that require the most sun at the eastern end of each block alley entrance.

As for service vehicles, the majority of the alleys are approximately 10 feet wide. Allowing 8 feet for service vehicles and assuming the alleys have been cleaned up, that leaves 2 feet. Two techniques, square foot gardening and vertical gardening, would be suitable for this space. In attempting to drive through all the alleys numerous times since 2005 and most recently 10 times since November (it's that exciting), clearing debris and overgrowth would make the project feasible.

The first picture is the alley entrance on the 2300 block of Gilmore-Ernest, just east of Stockton.
The second picture is after one hour of cleanup. I drove my vehicle for the first time ever past two properties since they've been impassable since I've lived here.

Thanks again for the questions. Please keep them coming.

[JaxNole]

I take it they aren't being used for trash collection anymore, huh? Back in the 90s when I lived on Forbes, our alleyway was used for trash collection - but I suppose a lot probably has changes since that time.

I'm torn on the notion of turning them into gardens. On the one hand, I think it's a pretty cool idea, especially if they are overgrown and not being maintained or used. On the other hand, I'd almost rather they be returned to their former 'glory' as functioning alleyways.

It's an interesting project, nevertheless.

What I've witnessed now is that trash will be placed at the entrances of the alleys. I think the City stopped collecting trash in the Riverside alleys at least one year ago.

The alleys can be used both for vehicle travel and gardens. We don't have enough room to garden in rows, but there are techniques that can achieve abundance both in harvest volume and variety while maintaining enough clearance for vehicles.

In addition to growing our gardens without harmful pesticides and GMO-laden manure, we can use the surplus for organizations like The Clara White Mission and Sulzbacher Center. Cleared alleys can provide green space for pedestrians/joggers and cyclists.

We can even engage educational institutions like FSCJ, UNF, JU and even local schools like Central Riverside to teach them about the journey of one seed turning into something delicious and more nutritious than what is shipped 2,000 miles across the country. If they have community service requirements, the sweat equity will definitely help them reach their goals.

If you don't mind me asking, what are your reasons for not wanting to convert them?

[Adam W]

I take it they aren't being used for trash collection anymore, huh? Back in the 90s when I lived on Forbes, our alleyway was used for trash collection - but I suppose a lot probably has changes since that time.

I'm torn on the notion of turning them into gardens. On the one hand, I think it's a pretty cool idea, especially if they are overgrown and not being maintained or used. On the other hand, I'd almost rather they be returned to their former 'glory' as functioning alleyways.

It's an interesting project, nevertheless.

What I've witnessed now is that trash will be placed at the entrances of the alleys. I think the City stopped collecting trash in the Riverside alleys at least one year ago.

The alleys can be used both for vehicle travel and gardens. We don't have enough room to garden in rows, but there are techniques that can achieve abundance both in harvest volume and variety while maintaining enough clearance for vehicles.

In addition to growing our gardens without harmful pesticides and GMO-laden manure, we can use the surplus for organizations like The Clara White Mission and Sulzbacher Center. Cleared alleys can provide green space for pedestrians/joggers and cyclists.

We can even engage educational institutions like FSCJ, UNF, JU and even local schools like Central Riverside to teach them about the journey of one seed turning into something delicious and more nutritious than what is shipped 2,000 miles across the country. If they have community service requirements, the sweat equity will definitely help them reach their goals.

If you don't mind me asking, what are your reasons for not wanting to convert them?

Based on what you're saying, I don't see a reason why not... if I understand you correctly, there will still be room to use the alleyways, right?

I generally liked the off-street parking aspect of the alleys (we had parking behind our building and had to use the alleyway) and I think that is one of the nicer features of that style of neighborhood - smaller yards with parking behind the buildings, served by alleys. I realize, though, that not everyone apparently uses them (and not all apartments or houses are designed that way in the neighborhood).

However, if it makes the neighborhood nicer, I have no complaint. I think it seems like an interesting idea. I definitely like the idea of something being done to them - so many of them seem to have fallen into disrepair.