Garden = 38ft X 100ft. Total Area = 3,800 sq ft. Grow Area = ~2,000 sq ft.
- Brown = veggie/fruit growing vegetables
- Grey = unusable garden space
- Yellow = building structures
- Green = trees/bushes
Location: 5026 NE 9th Ave
Land/Water Sharer: Latricia Tillman
2013 Garden Manager: Reid Smith
Apprentices: Charlie Foster, Elsa Hume, Jamie Melton
In 2012 – The first full year as a UFC garden – Chicken Wing
Garden served as the youth education garden of the Urban Farm Collective.
Located in Portland’s King Neighborhood on NE 9th and Alberta, the garden gets
its name from the smell coming from the market next door). It is also
conveniently located across the street from the weekly UFC Market. While at the
market, come check out what is going on at Chicken Wing!
In 2013, Chicken Wing will continue to be a place for
learning about gardening as we provide Chenopods, Cucurbits, and cooking herbs
for the collective. We aim to work with the local community to provide
education about vegetable and herb gardening, sustainability, permaculture,
alternative markets, and food justice.
Chicken Wing was generously donated to the UFC in November
of 2011 by Latricia Tillman. She is also the water sharer for the garden.
2013 Crops
Chenopods: Chard, Beets (red), Spinach, Quinoa
Cucurbits: Cucumbers
Herbs: Cilantro, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano,
Mints, Chives, Dill, Lavender, Parsley, Myoga Ginger, Garlic, Chamomile
Additional: Sunchokes, Arugula, Rhubarb, Tomato, Beans,
Strawberries, Grapes, Sunflower, Comfrey, Borage, Asparagus
2013 Garden Plan
- Chard w/ bush beans
- Basil w/ tomatoes, chamomile, myoga ginger
- Beets w/ arugula
- Spinach w/ beans, peas, garlic
- Cucumber w/ dill, nasturtium, beets
- other crops (or maybe just more space for Chenopods and herbs)
- Complete cob bench (started at the 2012 Village Building Convergence)
- Heavily compost and add organic matter to beds. According to PSU’s 2012 Capstone class – which did soil tests at all UFC gardens – Chicken Wing is low (the lowest of the UFC gardens) for the amount of organic matter in the soil. The soil is also nitrogen and boron deficient. Adding as much organic matter and compost to the soil should solve all our soil needs. Chicken Wing tested well for all other essential growing minerals!
- Establish Perrenial Fruits and Veggies
- Asparagus, Rhubarb, Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Sunchokes
- Seeds will mostly come from UFC for the year. The UFC currently has arugula, oregano, sweet basil, cilantro, beets, chard, spinach, bush bean, pole bean, cucumbers and quinoa seeds available. I will only try and locate some more herb and perennial vegetables from other urban portland farms.
- Chamomile Tea – we will try and grow enough to dry and have a bunch of fresh chamomile tea for everyone. Fresh Chamomile flowers are so much tastier than the store-bought ones!
Teaching Style and Apprenticeship
I can talk gardens all day, but the best way to learn to
grow plants is to actually grow them. My method of teaching is very “in the
moment”. I talk about exactly why I am doing, whatever it is that I am doing in
the garden at the time. This often leads to questions and a discussion that
stretches far beyond our daily activity. Combining a real-world experience with
meaningful conversation is critical to comprehending and appreciating the art
of growing food.
There is no “right” way to garden. Every garden, each year,
and with every seed, is different and therefore each problem in the garden is
unique and should be thought about outside the box. The solutions to unique
problems are through original solutions. By working together and combining our
skill sets, we can create a functional network that promotes all of life’s
various processes, all-the-while becoming better tenders of our garden, our
community, and our earth.
Because learning is only achieved through the collaboration
between garden manager and apprentice, I invite my 2013 apprentices – and
anyone who joins me in the garden this year – to tell me what they’d like to
know and how I can best assist their learning process in the garden.
Community Outreach
Chicken Wing is open for anyone wanting to come help and
learn about growing veggies and herbs, composting, permaculture gardening
principles, and more. The garden is open during work parties, which are posted
on the UFC calendar. We will also post a calendar of work parties for each
month at the garden sign. Our garden sign will also include volunteer
information, UFC information, and opportunities to get involved with the
collective.
I would love an apprentice who is excited to network with
the surrounding neighborhood. Let them know what we are doing and how they can
get involved. Networking and promotion is not my strong-suit, but I’d love to
do more this year.
Planned 2013 Budget
Compost – two yards – $50 / $00 – If the truck works, I can
pickup elephant poop from the zoo for free on Wednesdays during the workday for
free. Won’t need compost if I can do this for a couple weeks.
Woodchips – two/four yards – $50 / $00 -hopefully can get
some for free delivered.
Seeds – $10 / $00 – may have to buy a bag or two but may be
able to find everything I need from within the UFC network.
Total is from 0 – $100 depending on how much I can get for
free.
Garden Wish List
Compost
Woodchips needed ASAP
Perennial fruits/veggies – blueberries, raspberries,
asparagus, artichoke, rhubarb…
Herbs (I am happy to remove or thin ones in your yard to
transplant at ChickenWing)
