Green Noble Reading and Action Group

This study group is considering the momentum that is growing in the neighborhood around "green" initiatives. There are long established community Gardens and newer ones. There's a Pocket Pollinator project with 10 neighbors on one street. Some vacant lots are being used for gardening by our refugee population. Talk is going on about "green" housing projects. the Noble Gardeners' Market will open in 2020 from August 1 - September 19. This group is looking at both specific issues as well as big picture topics to learn how the Noble neighborhoods can develop a new green identity.
Click Here to join the Green Noble Facebook Group
2020

Sunday, April 19, 3:00pm, Noble Library
Meeting is canceled. Join the Green Noble Facebook group for details on virtual meetings.

Special note: Due to the Easter holiday, our next Noble Library meeting will be on April 19--not our regular second Sunday--at 3 PM.
Our book for April will be No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture by Bryan O'Hara. Based on the reviews I've seen, this will be a book from which we can all--from the least experienced to the most-- take something that we can apply right away. Steve Sanders, our energetic librarian, says multiple copies of this new book will be available through the Noble Library. Here are some impressive blurbs:
"This is the best practical manual for vegetable growers that I am aware of."
– Dan Kittredge, founder and executive director, Bionutrient Food Association; Eco-Ag Conference speaker
"This book is a grower's dream, filled with crisp and invaluable details and clear-eyed explanations and guidance that connect 'how-to' with 'why.' O'Hara's innovative and pioneering methods amply demonstrate the power – and profitability – of prioritizing soil health and thriftiness alongside keen and insightful observations of field conditions. Simply put, you need this book at your fingertips if you want to successfully grow no-till vegetables."
– Anne Biklé, coauthor of The Hidden Half of Nature
"An inspiring guide to merging traditional and modern practices for successful small-scale vegetable farming based on rebuilding soil life. Having seen the incredible soil at Bryan O'Hara's farm, I can attest that it speaks for itself."
– David R. Montgomery, author of Growing a Revolution
"This humble soil genius understands the true art and science of vegetable farming"
– Ray Archuleta, farmer; founder, Soil Health Academy


Sunday, March 8, 3:00pm, Noble Library
If you want to participate in our March 8 shiitake log inoculation exercise (see below for details), please let me know quickly.  I’m thinking of limiting the class to 10, but may schedule a second class if interest is high.​​

More on shiitakes:
Shiitake (note the double “i”) mushrooms grow on logs, most often oak.  In Japanese the word “shiitake” means “mushroom that grows on oak.”  We’ll use both sweet gum (a tree trimming gift from the Hoffmans) and oak (from Orange) at our March inoculation session.  I’ll provide the spawn, wax and special drills.)
We’ll 1) drill holes with our special 10,000 RPM drills that come with just the right-sized short drill bit, 2) pound in plugs of spawn and saw dust and 3) seal them in to retain moisture with a special wax.  Here’s a video that shows a slower version of what we’ll do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKBdnf3RB6E.  (Our drills will be much faster!)
We’ll charge each participant $10 to cover spawn and log transport costs.  In return you’ll get one shiitake log to take home.  Over the next 4-5 years you will be able to harvest about $50 worth of shiitakes---all much, much tastier than the mass-produced ones you can get at Whole Foods.
Please let me know soon if you plan to participate. 

Sunday, February 9, 3:00pm, Noble Library
​1.      We’ve become more active on Facebook. Please join the Green Noble private group and our discussions.
2.      We’re meeting now on 2nd  Sundays at 3 at the Noble Library.  (1st Sundays hit too many holidays).
3.      We’re showing Dirt: The Movie at our 2/9 meeting.  Here’s the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8_dN5YWnyc
4.      If you want to participate in our March 8 shiitake log inoculation exercise (see below for details), please let me know quickly.  I’m thinking of limiting the class to 10, but may schedule a second class if interest is high.


​January - Sunday, Jan. 5, 3:00pm, Noble Library

Reading/viewing for Nature-based Restoration vs. Gentrification
Two basic thoughts behind this topic: 1. Although rising real estate prices are more than welcome for most residents, exploding prices and half-million-dollar condos that drive modest income residents out of a neighborhood can be destructive of community. 2. The time to think about gentrification is before it happens. 
The reading of articles and viewing of videos that Pat Faye and I have come up with are intended to stimulate a discussion:
1.  A neighborhood in Pittsburgh:
https://civileats.com/2019/12/06/pittsburgh-grows-urban-gardens-in-the-fight-against-gentrification/
2.  Neighborhood schools in Boulder:
https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2019/12/13/nature-based-education/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=YTW_20191213&utm_content=YTW_20191213+CID_78ace948b3f6089a895caeb7cfbc9795&utm_source=CM
3.  East Akron (Executive Summary only): (Click here for document)
4.  Louisville:  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/ambitious-louisville-study-seeks-to-understand-impact-of-trees-on-our-health
5.  Baltimore:  More schools and nature. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-this-baltimore-charter-school-puts-kids-in-charge-of-their-futures
6.  What is Gentrification: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkJcqVSSBZY
​

January, February, March overview

Nature-based Restoration vs. Gentrification. Sunday Jan. 5 3 PM. Noble Library. Several short online videos and articles appropriate for quick consumption over and just after the holidays.  See below for details.
Dirt: the Movie (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8_dN5YWnyc). )  Some Sunday in February.  (Meeting the first Sunday of the month conflicts with three 1st-of-the-month holidays.  At our next meeting let’s set a more regular time that everyone can anticipate.)
Shiitake Log Inoculation. March. (location and exact date to be announced). Many of you have expressed interest in growing your own shiitake mushrooms (The only double “i” word I know of!).  I’ve located two sources of the right kind of just-cut logs, and March is the best time to inoculate. There will undoubtedly be a small charge $10?) for spawn, etc.  More information to come.

Pocket Pollinator
​Garden Project 

Picture
Our neighborhood gardeners are an active group! This year's project is establishing pocket gardens with sustainability and low maintenance in mind. The pilot project will be planted at homes along Langton Road. Click here to read about their efforts in the Heights Observer. Learn more about IOBY, In Our Back Yard, a multi-city effort to infuse life into neighborhoods by clicking here.