North Texas Vegetable Gardeners Forum
North Texas Information => City of Dallas => Dallas => WHERE-- Local Information - Stores, Clubs, Markets, Gardens, and Resources => East Dallas => Topic started by: Brian Gallimore on September 15, 2011, 11:51:58 AM
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Shalagram made the following comment on the blog post (http://northtexasvegetablegardeners.com/blog/2011/09/13/call-for-community-gardens-that-need-volunteers/) asking about volunteers in community gardens:
We can accommodate a number of volunteers if I know when people will be coming.
Our community garden (www.facebook.com/kalachandji.garden) is at 1018 Graham Ave, Dallas, TX 75223 which is just down the road toward I-30 from Promise of Peace where the second class was held. It’s about three blocks northwest of the intersection of I-30 and Garland Road, and is right across the street from Kalachandji’s Restaurant, which is a very popular vegetarian restaurant.
We have a few people who have vacated plots recently. The plots are 4×10 raised beds and most have drip irrigation already installed. Volunteers would be doing exactly what community gardeners do: weed and clean up the plot as needed, amend the soil as needed (I’ll give guidance on this), plan their layout, and plant fall and winter veggies either from seed or from transplants or both. If they like, they could even maintain the plots and harvest if they don’t live too far away.
How is this volunteering? Well, I have to weed and clean up abandoned plots and prepare them for the next plot owner, so believe me, this is definitely a big help.
I can also teach volunteers about the native Dallas soil. It’s officially called “Houston Black” – the state soil – and unofficially called Black Gumbo and worse. I can teach how to successfully and easily grow veggies in this soil, for much less money than the SFG method of buying soil, etc. That’s what we have in the garden, we did not buy any soil – and we had good success our very first season (2010). BUT you have to know how to deal with it, and all the local talk show gardening gurus don’t tell you what I’ll tell you. They say it takes buying various amendments (which they often sell) and putting in tons of compost, and it takes a few years.
Check out our 2010 pictures on Facebook if you don’t believe me. :)
I can also teach volunteers how to use a refractometer to test the quality of your fruits and veggies – including what you buy. This is an indispensable tool for those who want to grow high quality foods and who care about what they eat. You can put lots of organic matter in the soil but that is not a guarantee of better quality in the end. First you need to have an objective and easy method to test the final quality – and that’s what a refractometer does, along with a brix chart. You can just imagine the possibilities.
And of course there are the usual community garden things – we got overrun with bermuda grass over the hot summer, and there is some other general cleanup to do as well, including spreading mulch in the pathways, etc. We’re a small garden – far smaller than Promise of Peace – but we maximized our growing space. I’d love to put in a picnic table, and a sandbox and play area for kids – but that’s too much to expect right now. :)
And if anyone gets hungry the number one vegetarian restaurant in the metroplex is right across the street.
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more info from Shalagram:
Kalachandjis Community Garden
1018 Graham Ave, Dallas TX 75223
Contact: Shalagram
shalagramdas@hotmail.com
214-335-1832
I may publish particular work days, but I need to get someone to back me up first. I
cannot be there for a few hours tomorrow and on Saturday morning, and I'm out of town
on Saturday the 24th. I'll know more by Sunday.
Actually I think you could publish that we'll have workdays on Sunday, and if they
want to volunteer other times they should call me first. I can also take people on
some weekdays and weekday evenings if they confirm beforehand.
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I've eaten here one time, and highly recommend it!
"Welcome to Kalachandji's, Dallas' longest serving vegetarian restaurant. For 30 years we have been providing DFW diners with a taste of India's vast and ancient vegetarian tradition. We practice the timeless Ayurvedic art of cooking for the body, mind and spirit, and all our dishes are prepared with the best ingredients available. Thus our mission at Kalachandji’s is to provide vegetarian cuisine that delights the palate, promotes good health, makes the mind peaceful and elevates the consciousness. Although our tradition is lacto-vegetarian, we are committed to serving the vegan community and clearly indicate the items on our menu that contain dairy products."
Kalachandji's
5430 Gurley Avenue
Dallas, TX 75223
(214) 821-1048
kalachandjis.com