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Throop Learning Garden

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Throop Memorial Church  •  300 South Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena

Throop Learning Garden is an example of how we can transform our environment through community. We worked together to found a garden based on permaculture principles. We began with Bermuda grass and hardpan clay. We now enjoy a garden that includes a raised bed food garden, a fruit tree food forest, a drought tolerant native garden, demonstrations of water harvesting techniques, soil building, uses for “urbanite” and other recyclables, and comfortable places to congregate. We also host a wealth of birds and beneficial insects, including praying mantises, many moths, and butterflies.
Garden work days are most Sunday mornings from 8:30 to 10:30.

~ 2013 Pasadena Green City Award for Urban Nature ~


Notes from the Garden

9/10/2013

 

August has been a month of surprises.

We were excited that our plants were producing so much, and were laden with nearly ripe fruit. We were truly baffled when, expecting huge harvests of apples, cucumbers, and tomatoes, we arrived at the garden to find our plants stripped bare. Could it be animal marauders? Some mysterious wasting? Or human scavengers who cleaned us out?
 
We investigated the clues. We quickly ruled out animals, as there was no scat, footprints, or breakage of limbs or vines associated with animal pillage. We saw no signs of wasting or dropped fruit. We decided that humans had perpetrated the harvest, as our outside buckets disappeared along with the produce.
 
This precipitated a long conversation about the nature of the garden. Some were outraged that someone would take everything. Others were fine with it, as long as the people were hungry and would use the food. Still others were anxious to ensure that produce would be shared in the future.

This precipitated a long conversation about the nature of the garden. Some were outraged that someone would take everything. Others were fine with it, as long as the people were hungry and would use the food. Still others were anxious to ensure that produce would be shared in the future.

The reality is that the Throop Learning Garden is an urban garden situated at a busy intersection with an active bus stop. We assumed from the beginning that people from the street would pick the produce from the garden. In fact, we encouraged the neighbors to come and pick. What took us by surprise was the absolute stripping of the harvest, so that nothing was left for us or others.  But does this mean our labors have been for naught? Or is this a sign of success, that food is going to the hungry who need it? We may never know for sure.  But our work continues, as does the conversation.
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Since then, a sign has been posted, asking that people pick only a little, leaving food for others. So far, it seems to be working.
 
The other big surprise was the utter delight we shared at the August 24th Hypertufa Workshop with Jim Bledsoe. We enjoyed a good turnout.

Jim gave a great presentation about working with hypertufa. We explored mixtures and different types of molding techniques. All the participants went home with several portable projects, besides experiencing the construction of two large earth molded projects. We ended with a shared potluck lunch that allowed everybody a chance for conversation and to get to know each other better.

— January Nordman


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    Garden Co-Managers

    January Nordman
    Michael Kelley

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