Hello fellow Permaculturists!
It’s mid-July and the plants in the Southside Permaculture Park are thriving. It’s been awhile since a post has been added to our website, so let’s go over some updates for the garden!
This week sees the start of an exciting new construction project: the Herb Spiral. This spiral garden bed, made of black locust logs stuck vertically into the ground, creates different micro-climates that suit a variety of herbs and plants. Looking forward, we will be planting an assortment of herbs such as cilantro, sage, lavender, basil, chives, oregano, thyme, and rosemary!
Following completion of the Herb Spiral will be the construction of a Log Pathway. It will lead from the Summit Street sidewalk into the garden and be made of black locust logs as well. If you ever see us outside working on these projects in the coming weeks, come say hello!
In other park-related news, this summer we have been emphasizing community engagement. On August 3, please join us in the park for a Pop-up Swap Shop, where you can get rid of old clothes and find something different to spruce up your wardrobe — for free! We will also be giving away food that was grown in our garden and at the MLK community garden. Food items ready to be harvested include a variety of herbs, different types of kale, radishes, garlic, turkish rocket, sorrel, lettuce, celery, green onion, and cabbage. So, come on out to the park for a good time and good food!
We would also like to advertise a great opportunity to be involved in 2 different research projects. The 1st project’s goal is to assess demand in the Southside for more green spaces, like the Southside Permaculture Park, and collect information about how people in the area view community gardening. Project participants will receive a $20 gift card! If you’re interested, kindly email ees221@lehigh.edu to schedule interview times, and spread the word! The 2nd project’s contact is mea221@lehigh.edu.
Stay tuned for more blog posts to come for the remainder of the summer, and stay cool!