Daily Acts' Community Garden at Cavanagh Recreation Center
Over the course of a single weekend, Daily Acts conducted a hands-on educational workshop to teach people how to transform their "thirsty turf" into a thriving, food-producing, insect-attracting, permaculture food forest. The workshop was taught by local permaculture designers and ecological landscapers. Over 150 citizens and community leaders participated and at the end of the weekend 14 people committed to transforming their lawn using the taught techniques. The project will save over 60,000 gallons of Petaluma city water a year with a significant reduction in landscape maintenance while providing educational opportunities and food from the plantings to be distributed to those in need by a partnering organization.
The garden boasts rainwater harvesting including bioswales, and will eventually include rainwater storage tanks. There are over a dozen fruit trees on-site including apples, plums, fig, and citrus. Habitat plants include yarrow, jerusalem sage, and much much more. Potential for ongoing education classes and tours to educate local residents about the process of creating this type of community garden and benefits of the plants included in the design. Stop on by anytime and check it out: taste the nectar from jerusalem sage, observe the rainwater-collecting bioswales full after a recent rain, and watch this garden mature over time.
For more information, watch the youtube video about the Cavanagh Center Transformation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS_8uGAjJVE
