Garden Crusader

This year, Gardener’s Supply will award more than $15,000 in cash and gardening gear to individuals across the country who are using gardening to make a difference in their communities. You can meet our 2009 winners (shown above) and learn more about their work at www.gardeners.com	To learn more about the awards and how to nominate a gardener, visit www.gardeners.com and search on crusader. You can also call 1-888-239-1553 or e-mail us at crusader@gardeners.com. Application Deadline: June 1, 2010

Planter Box Building

If you were lucky enough to get a fruit tree from our fruit tree give away this event is perfect for you.

Location: Wrigley Garden
Date/Time: March 6th @ 10am
What: Wooden Box Building for Orchard

Here is a message from our gardener Stephen:

We have assorted fruit trees in the garden for our orchard in motion, for proper root growth in the transition period they need to be potted into larger containers. We have acquired many 24 inch wooden tree boxes that need reassembly to transplant the fruit trees into.
So come ready with gardening clothes and gloves to build boxes for the garden's future harvest! Anyone who needs a box for their own personal trees a $5.00 donation will be the accepted for each box.

Thank You Connected Corridor!

Since opening this summer, The Wrigley Garden has fed 40 plus families from its raised garden beds on the site of two former drug houses. The subject of a recent LA Times article celebrating the positive effects of gardening on the community, the Wrigley Garden is a two-year project located on land owned by the City of Long Beach. Supporters include The Long Beach Neighborhood Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation, Wrigley is Going Green, The Long Beach Community Foundation, Connected Corridors, 6^th and 7^th District Council Office, and Parks Recreation and Marine.

Our mission is to create a positive environment for the youth and their families through gardening, sustainability practices, nutrition and exercise. This urban garden serves not only the Henderson Avenue residents but also neighbors along the LA River corridor. In addition to creating a garden that puts food on the tables of families, our vision is for this garden to serve as a demonstration garden for the gardenʼs future site. We are currently

working with district seven as well as the cityʼs Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine to develop a one-acre site in Wrigley Heights.

In the short amount of time that the garden has been in operation, we have already seen a huge change in the neighborhood. Henderson Avenue is heavily impacted by gang activity and crime. With the presence of the garden, there is less crime, and a burgeoning sense of community, with neighbors looking out for their common goals and needs. We are also a fresh set of eyes looking at a neglected neighborhood. Per our request, the Long Beach Police Department has also stepped up their patrols of the area, which is a deterrent for the drug trafficking that often takes place on this block. This project, with the help from the Connected Corridor and the connections we have made through the grant process, will make a difference in the lives of the Henderson Avenue residents, and could be a model for the city of Long Beach. We hope our project will become an inspiration for other communities throughout Long Beach. The Wrigley Garden is thriving, and has become an innovative and cost-effective model for what residents can do when we work together.

On behalf of Rachael and myself I would like to say thank you to Carina and all the good people at Connected Corridor. We look forward to all the good things to come in Phase IIII and throughout Long Beach. Thank you!

Plant Sale This Saturday!

Plant Sale at The Wrigley Garden Nov. 7

Fall is planting time in southern California, so get growing at the Wrigley Garden plant sale on Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 to noon at the beautiful double-lot garden at 1950 and 1960 Henderson Avenue in Long Beach. Choose from great vegetables, seeds, herbs and gorgeous ornamental plants. Take a break with bake-sale items like pumpkin bread and apple muffins. All proceeds benefit the Wrigley Garden, a community garden.

Choose from broccoli, cauliflower, beets and other cool-winter crops. Considered by many to be the best time to garden, fall offers freedom from heat and pests and the possibility of some much-needed rain for natural, no-cost irrigation.

If you’ve been hesitating about starting a garden of your own, here’s your opportunity. In addition to good-for-you vibrant taste and unparalleled convenience, home gardens serve up money-saving opportunities. Why buy your Thanksgiving broccoli, parsley and sage from the store when you can harvest it from your garden? Experienced gardeners will be on hand to answer any questions.

In addition to the vegetables, seeds and herbs, you’ll find unusual and beautiful ornamentals at unbeatable prices. The show-stopping bromeliads, for example, will draw rave reviews from anyone who visits your home.

Since opening this summer, The Wrigley Garden has fed about 40 families from its raised garden beds on the site of two former drug houses. The subject of a recent LA Times article celebrating the positive effects of gardening on the community, The Wrigley Garden is a two-year project located on land owned by the City of Long Beach. Supporters include The Long Beach Neighborhood Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation, Wrigley is Going Green, The Long Beach Community Foundation, Connected Corridors and the 6th District Council Office. All proceeds from the sale will be used to benefit the garden.

For more information, contact Wrigley Garden Director Sasha Kanno at 562-230-7207.

More Thank You's...This Time The Bake Sale Ladies!

There are so many more people we need to thank. Today I would like to thank my bake sale ladies. Between Terry, Jenny and Shoshanah we had enough baked goods to keep the crowd happy. I didn't get to sample the zucchini or banana bread but the poppy seed and blueberry muffins were amazing. Thank you ladies!


Thank you Nelson for taking all the beautiful pictures. It is very much appreciated.

Thank You Everybody!

Thank you all so much for Saturday. The turnout was amazing, we sold plots, plants, ate baked goods, and made new friends. We raised enough money to pay for our insurance and have a little pocket change left over for that first water bill.

If you were unable to come out, enjoy the pictures and see what you missed...




Opening day!
Rachael setting up shop...
Lots of action at the sign in table. Thank you to Commander Billy Quach, he made a generous donation to sponsor a family. If you are interested in following his footsteps please let us know. Sponsoring a garden plot helps us deter the costs of the lower income farmers.
Thanks to one of our farmers, Stephen he made beautiful bromeliads for our plant sale. They were the first items to sell out.
Don Miller & Sons Plumbing Supply donated all of our irrigation materials. Please call Kim or Nicol, support local business...
Irrigation arrived!
ready set...

go!

Big Day Tomorrow

Thank you all for your phone calls and emails. I hope to meet all of you face-to-face tomorrow. See you at the garden at 9am!

Wrigley Garden- Everything Long Beach Article

Our first work day was featured on everythinglongbeach.com. Please post a comment and subscribe to this site, it hosts lots of wonderful information.

Wrigley Community Garden takes root on Henderson Avenue

Posted July 14, 2009 · Leave a Comment |

A fresh new community garden spanning two city lots now blossoms at the site of a former drug house. Wrigley is Going Green (WiGG) and Council member Dee Andrews have secured the use of 1950-1960 Henderson Avenue for use as a temporary space for the Wrigley Community Garden.

Volunteers turned out last Saturday to prep the land and get ready for the first season of gardeners. Thanks to mulch from the Long Beach Mulch-a-Lot program and the group of hard working residents, the empty land was transformed into 39 ready-to-plant plots.

The Wrigley Garden is a two-year project designed to positively change the lives of local residents by helping them grow their own food. Available to all Long Beach residents, it’s first come, first served with a sliding scale starting at only $20 per year for Henderson Avenue residents.

The Wrigley Community Garden will officially open with a ribbon cutting ceremony and Plant Sale Saturday, July 18 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the garden 1950 & 1960 Henderson Avenue. The sale and celebration will feature plants, plots and baked goods, with proceeds going towards the installation of an irrigation system for the garden. Donations will also be accepted.

Anyone interested in a plot should contact Sasha Kanno, Director of the Wrigley Garden, by email at sasha@wrigleygarden.org. There are 20 plots left. For more information visit the Wrigley Community Garden online at wrigleygarden.org

Later this summer, Long Beach Organic will collaborate with the Long Beach RDA to put another community garden on Pacifc Avenue. Look for more information about the Wrigley Village Community Garden coming soon on EverythingLongBeach.com.

Plant Sale, July 18th

Hello Gardeners-

Hope you all had a nice and cool weekend. Thanks to all that came out and worked hard in the blazing sun, it was a great first day in the garden. We ended up with a total of 39 plots plus we have a little room to grow if we need to.

Next item up is the ribbon cutting and plant sale. Some of you had mentioned you had items to donate for this event. Please let me know if you have anything for us to sell and we will pick it up this week. Or if you would like to bring it on Saturday please plan on being there at 8:30 am. The sale is running from 9 to 11.

We will be selling plants, plots, baked goods and anything else we can get our hands on. All proceeds are going to paying for our irrigation system. If you do not have anything to donate or sell we can also use help in manning the booth. If neither if these things sounds appealing to you we would also take your tax deductible donations.

If any of you would like a plot but have not signed up please do so. We have 20 available and I have a feeling they will soon be gone. The available numbers are listed on a previous post.

Thanks for all the support-

Happy Growing!
Sasha Kanno
Director, Wrigley Garden
562.230.7207
sasha@wrigleygarden.org
http://wrigleygarden.org