2009 Second Place Prize Winner - $1000
Homewood Heights Community Garden
2601 Sol Wilson
Austin, TX 78702

Contact Person: Amber Burks-Cole
ambermburkscole@gmail.com
http://homewoodheightsgarden.blogspot.com/

The Homewood Heights Community Garden was established last year on a 5,000 square-foot lot that had been used as a dump for construction debris for many years. The first step in the process was clearing the lot of mattresses, concrete, asphalt and assorted trash. Today, there are 13 rows of vegetable plots and a community gathering space in the front of the garden.

The plants received from the Nature Hills Nursery Green America Award will be used primarily to beautify the community space in the front of the garden. This space is used as a gathering spot for garden planning and neighborhood planning meetings. This area is also used as an informal gathering space during and after working in the garden.

East Austin is a neighborhood that has been neglected for the past 50 years. Parts of the neighborhood are low-income housing and housing projects. Neighborhood residents have already found that Homewood Heights Community Garden is a magnet for kids looking for something to do. According to Amber Burks, “We are able to work together on something productive and fulfilling, then send the kids home to their families with a bag full of fresh produce to share. Our goal is to continue to make this an attractive and inviting place for all of our neighbors to enjoy.”

The Homewood Heights Community garden is now in full swing. Planning and obtaining materials for planting the Spring/Summer vegetable crop are underway. All of the labor and a large portion of the cost associated with maintaining the garden comes from the neighbors involved in the effort of sustaining this local food source. Assistance has also been received from the Sustainable Food Center in Austin.

Homewood Heights Community Garden Project Details

Update on 6/15/2009
Homewood Heights Community Garden is a neighborhood project in Austin, Texas. Our garden began with the vision of one neighbor. He decided to take an old abandoned lot that had been used as a site for dumping construction debris and was covered with brambly weeds, rocks, and dead and fallen trees and turn it into a garden for our community. Through a partnership with Austin’s Sustainable Food Center, we were able to navigate through the proper city channels and secure the land for our use. Once we had permission to use the land, the neighborhood began working on turning this neglected lot into a fertile piece of land to grow vegetables. Many weekends were spent in the hot Texas summer sun cutting down trees, pulling out bushes and weeds, and picking countless rocks out of the dusty soil.

After turning in a truckload of compost, we staked out 11 rows and planted our first crops in August of 2009. As a group of novice gardeners, we have combed books and internet sites to help us figure out the best crops to grow, planting dates and conditions, and pest control. We are using all organic compost, fertilizer, and pest control products and are working towards becoming a sustainable source of food for our community. Through trial and error, we ended up with a fantastic crop of winter vegetables. Our summer garden is thriving and we are all looking forward to a summer filled with squash, tomatoes, corn, eggplant, okra, cucumbers, beans and more to share with our garden volunteers and our community.

Our next step is transforming our community gathering space into a Certified Wildlife Habitat. We are excited about using the plants from Nature Hills Nursery to beautify the front portion of our garden and our community. As a Wildlife Habitat we will be creating and maintaining spaces, using plant materials from Nature Hills Nursery, that provide food, shelter, water and a place for frogs, butterflies, birds, and others to raise their young. This garden will naturally be extended to provide a place for teaching, gathering, and growing as a neighborhood. We will put in plants that provide a source of food and shelter for wildlife, while maintaining our commitment to water conservation and sustainable growing practices.

Our garden has given us a place to gather, get to know our neighbors, and grow as a community. It has provided us with a common focus and an opportunity to improve the quality of life for our neighbors while providing a local and organic source of healthy, fresh, and tasty vegetables. Extending this effort into our community space and providing an attractive environment for wildlife is an exciting next step.

Project Photos of Homewood Heights Community Garden
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