Community Food Forest |
We are working with our partners to create an educational food forest that borders the property
with edible, accessible produce trees, a walking path and informative signage.
with edible, accessible produce trees, a walking path and informative signage.
Before
August 30, 2015 - Land cleared with help from Novo Nordisk
October 17th, 2015 - Plantings begin with volunteers from the community and the California Conservation Corp.
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On October 17, 2015, community volunteers teamed up with the California Conservation Corps to begin planting low-water fruit trees around the perimeter of Farm Lab. The trees and necessary supplies were purchased with funds provided by generous donations from Novo Nordisk and Seeds of Change. The educational food forest will beautify the eastern side of Quail Gardens Dr. and provide a walking path with informative signage about water conservation and peri-urban agriculture while growing food for local food pantries, visitors, and residents.
Food For Those in Need The food forest also aims to give to those in need. The idea is to give the community the chance to pick, at no cost, from fruit trees, vegetables and berry plants lining the western edge of the Farm Lab property at 441 Quail Gardens Drive. That way, residents have easy access to fresh produce. Excess produce will be donated to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church food pantry and the Community Resource Center in downtown Encinitas. Tree Selection We have selected commonly found low water-trees that you could plant at home but found special and rare varieties for this grove, including black and green coastal olives, loquat, a couple of pineapple guava varieties, a locally bred fig called strawberry jam and pink and yellow pomegranates. Planting Trees in a Drought? Even in a drought, planting young trees is beneficial and can save water. Trees help to reduce soil erosion, stabilize soils, and significantly reduce storm water runoff. They shade landscapes and structures to help minimize water and energy use. They provide clean air and cooler temperatures – all while supplying nutritious food. The Food Forest demonstrates removing turf, using drip irrigation and incorporating fruit trees in the landscape is actually quite practical. Organic Certification The trees planted in the Food Forest will be organically grown and is part of the plan submitted for organic certification. Feedback? If you have any questions or feedback about the Food Forest at Farm Lab, please contact us. |
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Find out more about the Encinitas Community Garden here: www.encinitascommunitygarden.org |