The Underground Blog - Denver Urban Gardens

Learn to Compost!

Denver Urban Gardens — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:41:57 +0000

With the growing season creeping up on us, now is the perfect time to learn the basics of composting! Join Denver Urban Gardens, in partnership with Denver Recycles, for free classes in composting several times a month from April through October. All public compost classes are hosted at the compost demonstration site at our Gove Community Garden, located at 13th and Colorado in Denver.

Each compost class is a two-hour, hands-on workshop in the basics of backyard composting. Worm Workshops are special classes that cover vermicomposting (perfect for apartment dwellers!) techniques. Build-A-Pile Workshops are special classes in which participants help to build an entire compost pile, and receive hands-on experience in incorporating different materials into a compost pile, chopping ingredients, watering, and turning the pile.

All workshops will be open for registration one month before each class date. You can find a list of class dates here.

Questions? Contact us here or call us at 303.292.9900!

Volunteers Needed: Earth Day Events

Denver Urban Gardens — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:51:07 +0000

Earth Day is rapidly approaching and we need some wonderful volunteers to represent Denver Urban Gardens at various locations! You will be responsible for general Denver Urban Gardens outreach, including answering basic questions, signing people up for the volunteer and newsletter list and operating the DUG booth. You will be provided with DUG tabling materials and a cheat sheet for basic questions, and if any unanswerable question arises, you can send them to the DUG staff via phone or email. These events are a valuable opportunity to inform the public of DUG's programs and services, as well as how to become involved with Denver Urban Gardens. Times, dates and locations are as follows:

April 18th from 10:00am-2:00pm at CU Boulder Student Union
April 21st from 12:00pm-3:00pm at Tamarac Whole Foods Market at 400 East Hampden Avenue in Denver
April 21st from 11:00am-1:00pm at Sunflower Market at 2880 South Colorado Boulevard
April 22nd from 1:30pm-4:00pm at Glendale Whole Foods Market at 870 South Colorado Boulevard in Glendale

Please contact Lauren if you're interested!

Free Seeds and Transplants: Volunteers Needed

Denver Urban Gardens — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:06:52 +0000

It's only January, but we are already gearing up for the 2012 growing season! This time every year, Denver Urban Gardens distributes applications for our Free Seeds and Transplants Program to community centers, schools, churches, and senior centers throughout Metro Denver. In early February, we will collect nearly 2,000 applications from those same centers, and enter the information into a database so that we can order vegetable seeds and transplants to be delivered for spring planting.

We are seeking volunteers to assist with data entry for this program! For each data-entry shift listed below, we can take up to five volunteers.

Wednesday, February 8th, 9:00am - 12:30pm (Shift is full.)
Wednesday, February 8th, 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Thursday, February 9th, 9:00am - 12:30pm
Thursday, February 9th, 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Monday, February 13th, 9:00am - 12:30pm (Shift is full.)
Monday, February 13th, 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Tuesday, February 14th, 9:00am - 12:30pm (Shift is full.)

Volunteers interested in this opportunity should be comfortable using Microsoft Excel, and not mind repetitive data entry tasks (though you are welcome to bring your headphones for Pandora, internet radio and/or your own mp3 player). Because we will be signing up exactly as many volunteers as we have spare computers, we ask that you only sign up for this opportunity if you are absolutely sure you can make it. To sign up, please email us at dirt@dug.org and let us know which shift you would prefer. We will confirm within two business days.

To learn more about the Free Seeds and Transplants Program, click here.

What happens in the winter time?

Denver Urban Gardens — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:12:42 +0000

A DeLaney volunteer puts freshly planted garlic to bed for the winter. Here at DUG, our staff are constantly being asked about what we do in the winter time. It's a fair question, especially on days like today, when the sky is grey and the ground is covered in snow! The truth is, things never really slow down. During the growing season we are busy partnering with residents to build new community gardens; helping community members find gardens to join; supporting school garden clubs, youth farmers' markets, and other youth programs; growing tons of veggies at our community farm; supporting garden leadership; distributing free seeds and transplants to communities in need; teaching weekly compost classes; and scores of other activities geared at empowering communities and creating local access to fresh, healthy food.

This time of year, our biggest task is evaluating, improving, and preparing programs for next year. We are also busy planning new community gardens, creating and updating resources, making field plans for our community farm, and facilitating our ongoing education and outreach programs.

So even though it's chilly outside and the gardens are all buttoned up for the year, we have a ton of options for you to keep growing and learning:

Our Master Composter and Master Community Gardener training programs are both accepting applicants right now! Both programs take place over several weeks in the spring, and provide valuable information and outlets for giving back to the community.

Our ongoing Helping Kids Get Healthy Workshop Series trains youth educators in faciliting DUG's School Garden and Nutrition Curriculum. The next workshop is in January. Stay tuned for details!

Speaking of youth curriculum, it's all here, online, for free! DUG's School Garden and Nutrition Curriculum has been recently updated to reflect new health standards.

Can't get enough of school gardens? We just released the first edition of our brand new school garden newsletter, The Educational Carrot. Click here to view the first issue. Click here to subscribe.

Looking to volunteer or intern with Denver Urban Gardens? Click here to join our general volunteer list, which keeps you posted on volunteer opportunities with all DUG programs. Click here to be notified of upcoming internship opportunities.

The deadline to apply for our Free Seeds and Transplants program is on February 1st, 2012. Click here to receive a reminder to pick up your application in January.

Thinking about starting a community garden? Check out the first installment of our new webinar series, created in partnership with LiveWell Colorado.

We recently reformatted our website, and added a new section to highlight our exciting research with the Colorado School of Public Health. This is also where you'll find our documentary, A Garden in Every Neighborhood.

Gardeners: how are you spending your free time, now that your garden is put to bed? Tell us in the comments!

Celebrate Harvest and Art at Rosedale!

Denver Urban Gardens — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:41:11 +0000

Rosedale Community Garden's Annual Harvest and Art Show Sale: October 1st
On Saturday, October 1st from 9:00am until noon, community gardeners at DUG's Rosedale Community Garden will be selling vegetables, corn stalks, straw bales, canned goods, and baked goods. For the first time ever, they will be combining their annual harvest celebration with an art show and sale. If you are an artist and would like to enter a piece, or if you would like more details about this event, please contact volunteer garden leader Carol Garcia at 720.941.8960 or carolgarcia505@gmail.com. Rosedale Community Garden is located at Sherman and Iliff in Denver (entrance is on Logan).

Rosedale Community Garden

Spencer Garrett Park is ready to plant!

Denver Urban Gardens — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:10:19 +0000

The new Spencer Garrett Park Community Garden is built, open, and ready for planting! Do you live or work near E 17th Avenue and Joliet in Avenue in Aurora? Want a garden plot? Contact the Denver Urban Gardens office at 303.292.9900 or dirt@dug.org. Thanks so much to the City of Aurora for their partnership in making this beautiful new community garden a reality.

Here is the brand new garden as a blank slate, ready for a cover crop:

This Friday from 1:00 - 3:00pm, there will be a work day at this garden, with cover crop seed available for new community gardeners. Contact us for details!

Whole Foods Market 5% Day for DUG

Denver Urban Gardens — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:21:16 +0000

On Wednesday, September 14th, 5% of total sales from four Whole Foods Market locations will be donated to Denver Urban Gardens, and our partners at Slow Food Denver and Sprout City Farms. This proceeds of this incredibly generous fundraiser will support our collective work in building school-based community gardens, and providing hands-on education in nutrition and gardening at Denver Public Schools. The four participating locations are:

Whole Foods Market Capitol Hill
Whole Foods Market Cherry Creek
Whole Foods Market Colorado Boulevard
Whole Foods Market Tamarac

Whole Foods Market has long supported our efforts to bring healthy eating and gardening to our community schools. This community support day is your chance to join Whole Foods Market and Denver Urban Gardens in supporting school-based community gardens. Do your grocery shopping at a participating Whole Foods Market on Wednesday, September 14th, and help us raise money for school gardens!

Summer Celebration at the Peace Community Garden

Denver Urban Gardens — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:25:15 +0000

Join neighbors and friends for an evening in the Troy Chavez Memorial Peace Garden, celebrating community gardening and healthy eating. Enjoy fresh picked garden veggies prepared by local chefs while learning the best ways to successfully harvest the bounty of the season. Take advantage of this free event in a beautiful community space to enjoy good company, good food, and the pleasure of a perfect Colorado summer evening.

When: Tuesday, August 30 at 6:30pm

Where: Troy Chavez Memorial Peace Garden, 3825 Shoshone Street

Fairmont School Community Garden on the News

Denver Urban Gardens — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:26:44 +0000

Channel 2 recently higlighted the DUG community garden at Fairmont Elementary School in the Baker Neighborhood! The Fairmont School Community Garden is home to a Youth Farmers' Market, and is gardened by teachers, students, volunteers, as well as members of the surrouding community.

For more information about Denver Urban Gardens' youth education programs, please click here. For information about our Youth Farmers' Market Program, please click here.

Colorado Fall Home Show

Denver Urban Gardens — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:17:31 +0000

Our friends and longtime supporters at the Colorado Home and Garden Show are hosting the Colorado Fall Home Show September 9th - September 11th at the Colorado Convention Center. More than 300 exhibitors will help you explore the advantages of sustainable living while discovering the latest products to create an energy efficient home.

Click here for coupon for $2 off admission. Join them and get inspired!

Art in the Garden

Denver Urban Gardens — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:40:49 +0000

Art Farm is happening on Saturday, September 10th, from 3:00 - 7:00pm at the West Washington Park Community Garden at 201 Grant Street in Denver.

Join us for the fifth annual Art Farm, and enjoy an evening of local art and music at the West Washington Park Community Garden. Wine, beer, and hors d'ouevres generously donated by our partners will be provided.

Blue Chair Community Garden Party

Denver Urban Gardens — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:09:14 +0000

Denver Urban Gardens' Blue Chair Community Garden is hosting a party on August 12th, from 5:00 - 8:00pm. Blue Chair is located at 1416 Dayton Street in Aurora, near the Aurora Arts District. Join the gardeners for food, fresh veggies, and lemonade, making garden corsages, and exploring the art shed.

Super Ditch Hopes to Save Farms and Cities

Denver Urban Gardens — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:56:22 +0000

In the Arkansas Valley of Colorado farmers are trying to find ways to kept their water and farmland while still providing water to cities. Throughout the valley farmers have been selling their water rights to cities and cashing out. However, this puts the other farmers at risk for shortages in the future as cities grow and demand more water. So, farmers are now banding together to collectively lease a portion of the Arkansas Valley’s water, rather than have it slowly bought up, which effectively destroys farming in the valley. A little bit like a CSA, all the farmers would take on some of the sacrifice- every few years leaving a few fields dry to rotate the water among the city and farmers. This would also rotate the profits from the water around the farmers, not only those who sell their rights.

The Super Ditch (not an actual ditch but rather the collective water of the farmers) plan isn’t a perfect project though, with many city managers wondering why they would lease the water when they could outright buy the rights for future use. However, the first leasing has already gone through with the Pikes Peak Water Authority. Even those areas willing to purchase the water (specifically Aurora and PPWA) are in conflict over how the water agreements can be made and if closer towns have greater rights to the water, rather than cities like Aurora.

To learn more about Super Ditch, take a look at these articles:

http://www.waterinfo.org/node/3950

http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/super-ditch-at-center-of-debate/article_ab058139-0f41-5520-8e95-5ef09e6296a2.html

http://www.cpr.org/article/Thirsty_Cities_Dry_Farms_pt_2__Super_Ditch

Meet DUG at the Fair!

Denver Urban Gardens — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 21:23:52 +0000

Join Denver Urban Gardens at the first ever Denver County Fair! The Fair is located at the National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St.Come out July 28th - 31st to experience first-hand a hip, urban take on the tradition of County Fairs- an opportunity to mingle with your neighbors and friends while sharing the best that Denver has to offer of local food, competitions, entertainment, arts, crafts, businesses, and more.

DUG will have a booth set up in the Backyard Farm & Garden Pavilion. We'll be demonstrating gardening techniques, backyard composting, and will have activities for kids throughout the four-day event. When buying tickets online, check "Denver Urban Gardens" when asked "How did you hear about this event?" and DUG will get a portion of the proceeds!

Want to enter your veggies or compost into a competition?! Learn more and register by clicking here.

Learn more details about the Fair and all of the exciting events and exhibits here.

Festival at the DBG Community Garden

Denver Urban Gardens — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:42:48 +0000

Join gardeners at our Denver Botanic Gardens Community Garden on July 30th for a festival that will include gardening demos and a potluck!