Euclid Memorial Park Community Garden

Hello everyone – MPCG gardeners, supporters, family and friends.

As many of you know, the City of Euclid has told us the MPCG land will be needed for the new jail construction beginning in June. Mayor Cervenik has assured us at a meeting on May 7 that the city will do what they can to help us move the garden. The MPCG Leadership Team has submitted a working plan for the move and our master gardeners, Linda Dole, Laura Elersich and I have completed the new layout.

Our new home will be across Milton between the tennis and volley ball courts. This is much bigger than we currently have. The city will be helping us with the ground preparation, water connection, garden soil move, and other heavy work. That’s good because we have 200+ yards of garden soil in 40 beds, 50 yards of compost, a 10 x 10 shed, 6 compost bins, several raised bed frames, flower beds, fruiting shrubs, 2 handicap beds and our sign. We have to move the soil in the current beds to the new beds because the cost to replace that quality (we have been improving it for three years) would be prohibitive. All to be put in place by June 1 in an area that is just grass right now. Not so easy to do, for sure!

Each gardener will be responsible for moving their own garden including the raised beds. Plantings can be dug up and put in a container until ready to be replanted. The garlic can be eaten now or stored for next fall. The Leadership Team will help you as best we can. Please let me know if you are staying with us as a gardener (some will not be able to handle all the added work, I know). If you have ideas for improving our new garden let me know that also. Now is the time to speak out.

Individual gardeners and the leadership team will, of course, be doing a lot of the moving ourselves. But at some point we will need the help of volunteers – our friends, supporters and people from the community. We will be scheduling weekend work dates based on the progress of the city. We will be asking volunteers to help us lay mulch on paths, move raised beds, plantings, and other needs. We will send out a call for help when we get the dates set. If you cannot work, you can help with a donation. We will have a lot of expenses coming up. If you would like to make a donation, please call me at 216-374-7499 to discuss taxable and non-taxable donation options.

We are saddened to lose our beautiful garden but are determined to do it again – bigger and better! I am very confident that after we are moved in we are going to have an awesome growing season in 2013.

Thank you for your support and we’ll see you at the gardens!

Lori Zupancic
Garden Leader
memorialparkcommunitygarden@yahoo.com

Euclid Memorial Park Community Garden

Contact information:
Lori Zupancic – Garden Leader: 216 374-7499 or
Laura Elersich – Assistant Garden Leader: 440 954-2340 or email at memorialparkcommunitygarden@yahoo.com

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Vision
A shared sense of community for those who live in our urban environment; through the common interest and desire to produce organic, sustainable foods in a community garden setting.

Mission
To provideEuclidresidents of all ages and abilities a space in which they can produce nutritious food for themselves and their community, in harmony with nature.

Goals

Grow sustainable, organic produce.
Provide nutritious food to ourselves & local residents.
Teach the value of growing organically and the relationship of agriculture to our environment.
Teach others to love, understand and respect nature.
Provide a restful, peaceful space for all to enjoy.

MPCG is part of the OSUE Urban Agriculture Program and a member of the Cuyahoga County Health Departments “Creating Healthy Communities Initiative”.