MTG: 3-30-10 Urban Roots Guest

Hi Lake Neighbors...

Really nice meeting yesterday -- it was fun to be there. Our neighbors are all such great people. ANYWAY...our next meeting will be on a Sunday
(every meeting always now at 6:30pm) potluck at 1704 3rd Ave RIGHT across the street from Lucky's and RIGHT next to Walgreens on the corner
of E. 17th Street). That will be on April 18th.

Onto what we talked about...

We had a great guest (thank you Betsy!) -- his name is Jonathan Gomwalk with Urban Roots, which is an organization that is helping to get the community
set up with their own sources of fresh, organic produce in a way that is easily sustainable and requires little space. He presented their
garden boxes (which are called Earthboxes) there are classes, or you can contact him directly. The info follows the end of this letter and I have
also attached page 1 and 2 of their course outline FYI. The boxes are watered one time a week, the water is kept on the bottom of the box and
is wicked in to the plants as they need. No yard is needed and they are high producing. We an order the boxes from them at cost ($45 for the
box only -- instead of the $60 or 70 that may be in stores. The other things you will require most likely will add up to $30 --- they will set you up
for a service fee in addition to that). Jon is also a Lake Neighbor.

We have succeeded in broadening our work as a neighborhood group by breaking our actions down into 3 categories (these 3 categories address safety
and improvement on direct levels and also on causal levels). A description of these categories and the people signed on to these are at the end of this
email FYI. The team lead's present at this meeting that had news to report were the following...

Besty & Skye (Events): started group discussion about how to go forward with our Earth Day project for the abandoned house/garage on E. 17th
and an email will follow soon to the larger group with details. Keep your calendar marked for 4/18 which is the day we are planning to do something
together there -- this is the same day as our next meeting. ALSO...we have an outdoor movie coming up the end of April -- we need ideas about
the movie to show! Email them in!

The Engineering (formerly called tech) team reported their progress/planning around installing the new antenna/repeater in the new location for
Lakenet...stay tuned.

Garden update (by compost queen Skye) just one point to mention this week which is that anyone wanting to contribute compost there, just email
her (yogaskya@gmail.com) or Betsy (betsy.tyler@gmail.com) for access and any of your food scraps are greatly appreciated.

Dave K reported on his great motivation to muralize one particular apartment building and he will be reaching out to Matlena (who is also on the
Neighborhood Improvement via Arts category for Lake Neighbors). It was noted that once this is done it can be an example to show to other buildings
in the neighborhood who may be interested in beautifying the area and deterring tagging.

Brittney added into the Outreach group.
Raymond is in the Healing the Cause category
Jon has also joined into the Healing the Cause category -- most especially because we are reaching out to youth from Oakland High and their involvement with Urban ROOTS
would be a powerful fit.

There was also a mention that if we look into tax breaks form the city for a Parkway plan that it may facilitate something finally coming into that space again...? We have someone who would be willing to help pursue this if the city is open to that. We need to check in with Pat Kernighan and also with the iliketheparkway's Peter Prado about this thought, too.

OKAY...Thank you everybody -- see you all at the next meeting and out in the neighborhood a lot.

Much Friendship,
Sasha

HERE IS THE LETTER DESCRIBING WHAT Urban ROOTS DOES...


From an email we got from Jonathan Gomwalk with Urban ROOTS (their name may be changing soon)

> Subject: Grow Your Own and Eat Better
> Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:34:04 -0800

>Here is a class schedule for Urban ROOTS classes on how to use and grow your own EarthBox. It's a one-time course lasting only three hours. Hope you can make it, and please feel free to pass on the information. Thank you.

> With the rising costs of foods and the amount of toxins found in our vegetables and fruits, you might consider joining
> the worldwide Grow Your Own (GYO) Movement. Yes, spring has sprung and the time is ripe for growing those
> delicious summer vegetables - even if you live in an apartment and don't know the difference between potting mix
> and soil. You can grow your own for pennies in comparison to buying organics at the supermarket.
>
> The simplest method of growing organic foods - even if you don't have access to dirt and a yard - is the EarthBox,
> AND attending our 3-hour workshop to learn everything you'll need to get started right away. EarthBoxes are known
> as "self-watering" planters because of its own reservoir. As a result, it conserves more than 60 to 80 percent of the
> water as traditional in-ground farming. The boxes are a 1990s invention by farmers in Florida who were concerned by
> the amount of water and contaminants used in their crops. (I've had my boxes for seven years and the same potting
> mix for three seasons and they're still in great shape!)
>
> This patented system has found homes in Africa, Latin America and major cities across the globe because it:
> 1. Conserves large amounts of water
> 2. Retains a clean, organic growing environment
> 3. Requires no preparation of the soil (since you only have to place the planter on top) and
> 4. Produces as much as 50 percent more yield than conventional methods - all in a box measuring 30" long x 14"
> wide and 12" high or less than three cubic feet.
>
> Because it is fully enclosed, you can place it on any level surface. For the most part, the only maintenance you'll need
> to do is watering and harvesting your bounty. Even fertilization is done just once: when you plant because the
> nutrition is kept within the box.
>
> So if you're tired of paying more money on your grocery bills and want to take control of what goes into your foods,
> then sign up for our Urban ROOTS workshop. The last Thursday evening session takes place on April 1 from 6pm to
> 9pm. The first of several Saturday classes will start on April 3 from noon to 3pm. Both workshops will take place at
> the Oakland Housing Authority Community Room on the 2nd floor at 935 Union Street (corner of 10th St.) in West
> Oakland. (Future workshops will take place at another location to be named later.)
>
> The workshop fee is still only $10 and goes to support our social enterprise working to bring more organic micro-
> farms to low income Oakland communities. To reserve your seat, please call: 510.655.1304 and leave your name,
> number of people attending and date you'd like to attend.