Social Gardening Project

 

Summary:

 

The Mobile Gardening Project will facilitate social interaction through communal care of a 4’x4’ garden on wheels.  The base of the box will be a recycled pallet which was no longer in use in the Che garden.  The sides will be built up to support the platform the planter boxes will sit on.  The sides of the garden will be hinged so both sides can be used as a desk, or folded inwards to facilitate a table in the middle for group interactions.  The box will contain mini planter boxes with seedlings before hand and rolled out to high traffic areas around campus. Netting will protect plants from humans and other animals, and buckets for watering. Instructions will be provided regarding the plants care, explaining when and how any individual can water the plants.

 

 

The garden will be relocated every week to observe interaction across various locations on campus. Bulletin board for calendar of events at the garden as well as where the garden will be going to through out the quarter. We would also have a guest book to encourage student musings and public communications.

 

 

 

Intended effect of intervention:

 

 

Gardens have long been places of sanctuary for humans and animals alike.  Whether it be a food, flowers or rock garden, they all have a natural aspect to them that allows one to become closer to nature and to appreciate it through hands on interaction with such a place.  By having a hand in the actual development of the mobile garden, one feels a sense of belonging to the community of fellow growers and personal attachment to the wellbeing of the habitat. A place where communal interaction as well as participation is encouraged; we are creating a platform for social gathering, and appreciation of nature and community.

 

The many positive impacts have been discussed above, with the only negative being the potential for vandalism or theft. This project affects everyone, from the people who put in the time to water the plants to those who simply stop to smell flowers. We hope that when people are personally involved with creating the landscape rather than have it be the gardener’s job, the pleasant feeling from the responsibility and care for these plants will propagate to other aspects of student’s lives.

 

 

 

Goals:

- Increase interaction and common bonds among students.

- Demonstrate to students the ease of cooperative care for plant life.

- To increase awarenes of environmental issues.

- Give students something to do between classes.

- Grow food! 

 

 

 

Current Questions/Brainstorming: In the development of our garden we will be keeping many things in mind. 

• What type of garden?
  •  Edibles
    • Vegetable garden
    • Herb garden
  • Ornamentals
  • Trees
• Where will we situate such a garden on campus? 
  • Locations:
    • "Hippie Hill" behind Old Students Center (Muir College)
    • Sungod Lawn (Muir College)
    • Camp Snoopy (Sixth College)
    • Library Walk (Price Center)
    • Revelle Quad (Revelle College)
    • Warren Quad (Warren College)
• The affects of placing the garden in different areas at different times of the day. 
• We also need to consider what types of seating will be available for members of the garden community.
  • Use benches from the Bench Project
  • Attaching benches to the side of the garden (Can we hinge on benches that would swing down when needed?)
  • Bringing along natural tree stumps? 
    • How will we carry the stumps/ Make Portable?
      • We are manly men! <flexes muscles> 'Nough said ;)
• Sketches from top view? (How many types of plants possible)
  • hundreds of seedlings
  • 10-20 small plants
  • 1-2 small trees
• Independent sketches of a moving base?
  • No moving base, caster wheels attached directly to base.
• How do we get supplies to the campus?
  • Buy from Home Depot, deliver to Che Cafe by car 
• Where do we store garden/materials while in building phase as well as when complete.
  • At the garden behind Che Cafe
• How are we going to document the social changes?  (Camera Tower, "Guestbook at Garden", Visitor Counter)
  • Guest Book
  • Personal Observation
  • Photographs
  • Video (if possible)

 

 

Supplies/Costs:

 

Supply	Size	Use		Cost	Qty	Total	Purchase At
2"x4" - 4' lengths of wood	8' lengths	Garden Walls		$    3.00	8	$   24.00	Home Depot
Cheese Cloth	4' x 4'	Cover Bottom of box		$        -	1	$        -	Che Garden
Casters (Wheels for moving)		Moving Platform		$   20.00	1	$   20.00	Home Depot
Netting	4' x 4'	Protect from Animals		$    5.00	1	$    5.00	Home Depot
Laminated Info Cards		Give Info		$    2.00	1	$    2.00	Lakeshore
Laminated Garden Rules Chart		Give Info		$    2.00	1	$    2.00	Lakeshore
Last Watered Date Sign		Give Watering Date		$    5.00	1	$    5.00
Whiteboard For Event Posting		Info		$    2.00	1	$    2.00	Lakeshore
Soil				free		free	Che Garden
Seeds				free		free	Che Garden
Hammer				$    5.00	1	$    5.00	Home Depot
Saw				$    5.00	1	$    5.00	Home Depot
Total						$  70.00	per garden

 

 

Schedule(Temp):

 

May 6, 2007 – Buy supplies, build mobile garden behind Che café.

May 8 – Make posters and signs, have them laminated.

May 10 – Collect buckets for watering, and misc. supplies (Guest book, pens, etc.)

May 12 – Add dirt and plants to the garden.

May 14 – Set up at location of Social Intervention, observe interaction until June 8.

June 1 – Hold Mobile Concert at the Mobile Garden

 

 

Pictures of Locations:

 

 

 

(Hippy Hill Behind Old Student Center)

 

 

Students Involved:

Natan Mallinger:  Senior, major/minor: Cognitive Science/Environmental Systems|

Ricky Aubrey: Senior, Management Science Sixth College