by Leah Rhyne
As the harsh winter retreats and the first signs of spring emerge, so too is Earth Matter emerging with plans for a new garden. Soil Start Demo Garden will be a triangular plot on the Buttermilk Channel side of Governors Island (GI), across from “The Oval” in the new park. In our new garden we (farm apprentices) will use a “lasagna style” compost technique, spreading our finished compost over fresh layers of food scraps, leaves, wood shavings, burlap and corrugated cardboard. We will mound an 18” layer of these new materials over the top of wood chips on the existing soil. This lasagna style soil start will decompose, creating a medium teeming with microbial life. Our new Compost Learning Center location, separated from the garden by 2 “Brick Village” buildings, will host our composting operations, 2 friendly goats, 2 rabbits, 50 egg laying hens, the cocoon room (worms), and a (micro) greens house.
This mini greenhouse is an exciting new on site structure. It has enabled us to the pilot the production of micro greens, the seedlings of plants that have developed a set of their first true leaves. Not only do micro-greens add intense flavor and a pop of color to your meal, but analysis has also shown many types of micro-greens to be higher in nutrient density than their mature counterparts.
Growing micro-greens is easy and well suited for windowsill and balcony gardens, which is good news for apartment dwelling New Yorkers. Seeds only need to be covered with a moist towel or a very light dusting of soil in order to germinate and only a couple of inches of soil or compost to support them. Time from planting seeds to harvesting greens, simply snipping above the stem, usually takes 10-14 days. After greens are washed, dried and properly packaged, they can be stored for up to a week. The accessibility of growing this crop provides an opportunity for individuals to take their nutrition into their own hands, provide healthy meals for loved ones, and feel the sense of satisfaction that comes with growing your own food.
During the summer season, the mini-green house will be used as a sort of mobile home for a dozen chickens out to meet and greet GI visitors more frequently.
When the summer season begins May 24th, visitors can come to the new Earth Matter Soil Start Demo Garden to experience and learn more about all of our farming techniques and experiment with them at home. We hope you fall in love with micro-greens. Email us for our May 25th workshop “Make Your Own Vertical Micro-Green Planter” activity using recycled 2 liter soda bottles. Or join us for a micro-green giveback lunch as thanks for participating on one of our Friday volunteer days, 9-2pm.