SoA Green

WHAT YEAR IS IT

2011-11-02T18:41:00.000-04:00

Rafael: Is SoA Green responsible for all of the plants around the School of Art?
me: yes.
Rafael: I came back from somewhere this summer and it was like Jumanji had taken over the building.

Justin harvesting cosmos seeds

2011-07-13T18:29:00.000-04:00

Sunflower

2011-07-07T15:51:00.001-04:00

Our first submitted photo!!
Thanks to Libby, here is a photo of one of the monster sunflowers.

"Where the hell are you guys?"

2011-07-07T15:49:00.000-04:00

I know, I know. I'm sorry! We're around, I swear.

Garden updates:

Ben has planted pumpkins, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and basil in the pallet planters (except for the pumpkins which need a crazy amount of space).
We have corn this year!
Since we saved all of the sunflower seeds from last season, we have A TON of sunflowers growing along the stairs next to the School of Art. Monster sunflowers.
The AgriArt's herb garden is still going strong with plenty of rosemary, thyme, lavender, and oregano. I think there is one overgrown Swiss chard plant if anyone wants to nosh. It might be verging on the bitter side, just saying.

2011-04-27T00:22:00.001-04:00

Dear SoA Greeners,

It's been too long, really. Justin and I have both been crazy busy with school and artsy things so I hope you haven't stopped reading in a fit of anger at our lack of blogging.

Just a few plant-related things I want to share with you:

Someone made metal bull sculpture and they are letting us (hey, they said it on Facebook so it has to be true) that we can turn it into a giant Chia pet.
Our lettuce reseeded itself. Summer salads!
Justin planted plenty of wildflowers around the walls of the School of Art. I can't wait to see them blossom and bring splashes of color to the gray exterior.
We have also planted lots of spinach. We like spinach.
Ben has planted carrots (or potatoes? Some vegetable.) in our pallet planters. I am immensely glad that he didn't wait for us to plant something. We're both so busy that we would have planted late in the season again and would have harvested only two or three tiny pumpkins. Whoops.

More to come soon!

We enjoy toys in our garden.

Justin discussing gardening things with Valdy

2011-03-02T21:59:00.001-05:00

Via Urban Greenery.

Planters necklaces, whaaaat?

2011-02-02T12:02:00.000-05:00

Colleen Jordan via Laughing Squid

You spin me right round, baby. Right round like a record, baby.

2010-11-14T20:17:00.000-05:00

Dear SoA folk,

November 15 (Hey, that's tomorrow!) is America Recycles Day. Please remember this as you throw away your bottle of energy drink (You know, the one that's $2.25 in the downstairs vending machine) or any of the overpriced and sugar filled drinks from the Jazzman's Cafe. Tell all of your friends (but in the totally chill "I'm not a crazy environmentalist, I promise" kind of way).

Refillable water bottle drinkers, we love you.

yours,
SoA Green

America Recycles Day

Not sure what's recyclable and where to recycle it near you? Check this out

Loving this plant table

2010-11-07T19:20:00.002-05:00

photo via A Cup of Jo

Meet me in the garden

2010-10-19T15:01:00.003-04:00

GMU's Organic Garden and the Cooking Club (I didn't even know there was a cooking club!) had their autumn harvest party in the SoA Green garden! There was an all vegetarian (ok ok, someone made jerk chicken) spread which included vegetable sandwiches, fried green beans, pumpkin pie, and ambrosia salad. I discovered that people are much more likely to ask you questions if you stand on the other side of the food table. Tell you about this function? Sure! Can you start eating? I'm not sure since this isn't my event, but go ahead!

Fun with SoA Green!

2010-10-10T16:46:00.001-04:00

2010-10-07T23:44:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Mark Cooley's AgriArt class and their amazing organic coffee!
The garden looks amazing, guys!

2010-10-01T14:06:00.000-04:00

Some em-effer stole one of our two watermelons.
I'm willing to believe it was a hungry squirrel but if it was some jasshole college kid...

SoA Green Meeting Notes, Sept. 16th, 2010

2010-09-22T22:49:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone! In case you missed our first meeting, here are some things that we discussed!

People present: Justin, Vina, Ashley, Rachel Newdorf, Brian Dang

Possible Meeting Change: Should we stagger meeting times throughout the semester so that everyone has a chance to come? (i.e. hold some in the morning, some in the afternoon, some at night?)

Contacts:

-Follow up email with guy from Lynne Constantine.

-Continue to work with Suzanne DeSaix and Brian Dang in AgriArt.

Ongoing Projects to be Completed:

-Building steps on side by wheel chair ramp (ask Shana for guidance).

-Talking to Kelly in sculpture about making us a big wooden planter.

-Finally making our portable indoor herb garden.

-Asking Ben about finding/making more hose keys.

-Garden signs. (VINA!!!!!!)

-Shade garden in SoA nook where chairs and table are.

-Make legs for compost tumbler.

-Recycling old fliers to make SoA Green signs.

Proposed Future Projects:

-Sean Watkins' vertical wall integrated with Max MSP.

-Having garbage cans around the building for organic waste that can then be composted.

-Collaborating with Floating Lab on "garden camero."

-Elevator performance piece.

-Collaborating with Tom Ashcraft's "class in the woods."

-GMU transportation (?)

-Sculpture BBQ's with SoA Green!!! (And having vegetarian friendly food.)

-PARKing Day (for next year). http://parkingday.org/ (Using GMU day passes).

-SoA Green holiday decorations.

-Vina's shoe garden project.

-SoA Green string gardens.

-SoA Green Thanksgiving, proposed date Wednesday, November 25th. (Or earlier, depending.)

-Recycling old student work. (Instead of just throwing it all in a big dumpster.)

Things we need:

-More 2x4 to finish last pallet planter.

-SoA Green website

Dates of Events Coming Up:

!!!Farmer's Market Picnic Every Wednesday!!!

October 9, 2010 - AgriArt's field trip to Polyface Farms

October 10, 2010 - 10/10/10 global initiative, http://www.350.org/

October 10, 2010 - "One Day on Earth" filming, http://www.onedayonearth.org/

October 16, 2010 - Danielle Wyman's Permaculture Workshop @ GMU Organic Garden, 10am - 4pm.

October 17, 2010 - Harvest Party, in collaboration with SoA Green, GMU Organic Garden and GMU Gardener's Association, 4pm - 8pm @ the SoA Garden.

Collaborations with AgriArt:

-AgriArt Film Festival

It's always fun times here at SoA Green!

2010-09-18T09:31:00.000-04:00

photo by Rachel Newdorf

The first photo from the first picnic of Fall 2010

2010-09-08T14:08:00.002-04:00

How will we cut the bottles?

2010-09-05T12:59:00.002-04:00

via urban greenery

Welcome to Fall 2010!

2010-08-31T21:32:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone!

Y'all are back and so are we! A big welcome back to everyone for another semester and a big general welcome to everyone new to the SoA and to the Mason campus!

We have some exciting news!

First and foremost, our first official SoA Green meeting will be on Thursday September 9th at 7:30pm! We will meet in the garden downstairs outside the sculpture studio! Come and discuss ideas for the upcoming year!

Also, we now have a Twitter account, so please come and follow us @SoA_Green!

Things are getting rolling, exciting times are upon us!

2010-08-31T01:19:00.000-04:00

from pet project to legit organization

the fornicating grasshoppers

love for mutant sunflowers

Dude . . .

2010-08-06T22:31:00.002-04:00

I totally just found the solution for all my planting problems!

If we can't plant in the ground we can-

2010-07-25T19:40:00.000-04:00

via Urban Greenery

Oh so bitter . . .

2010-07-15T13:29:00.001-04:00

So, here we are, planting away, and I am thinking to myself, "gee, I want this lettuce to get really big and juicy, so I'm gonna let it grow and grow and grow all summer long!" And then I picked off a leaf to taste it. Yeah, lettuce fail. The leaf was so bitter it was like chewing on a piece of extra potent endive.

After a little research, I heard that if you harvest the lettuce, wash it and then refrigerate it for a day or two, the bitterness will go away. True I wonder? Anyone have any experience or suggestions? As you can see, we have a whole bunch, so I'd love to save it if I can. Let us know if you have any ideas!

If I had a green roof . . .

2010-07-13T19:11:00.001-04:00

If I had a green roof, this is EXACTLY what I would do with it!

I found the inspiration for my studio.

2010-07-07T17:45:00.000-04:00

Yes ma'am, may I have another? Full story here.

The story behind cosmetics.

2010-07-07T17:41:00.002-04:00

2010-07-05T12:33:00.000-04:00

SoA Green hopes you had a wonderful Fourth of July.

We have a lot of pallets. We could have made this flag.

photo via DCist

2010-07-03T22:53:00.000-04:00

Ah, well. We can dream, can't we?

via Oh Joy!

wall of (probably faux) flowers. hotness.

2010-07-03T22:50:00.000-04:00

via Front Projects

Love!

2010-06-29T18:10:00.003-04:00

I love this picture! I want spider plants like that!

Beautiful

2010-06-21T12:20:00.000-04:00

photo via flickr

Green furniture!? We can do this.

2010-06-20T13:54:00.000-04:00

What if we greened a chair and put it in the JC plaza with a sign about SoA Green? Oh, man. That's exciting. We need grass seeds. A lot of grass seeds.

Like.

2010-06-20T13:44:00.002-04:00

Vegetated roofs, or green roofs, provide several benefits for buildings and their surroundings. They can absorb as much as 80% of rainfall, helping to reduce stress on stormwater systems. They help reduce urban temperatures (the “heat island effect“). And, they protect roof membranes from the sun’s UV rays and the greatest temperature swings, such that roof membrane life is extended as much as double that of an unprotected membrane.

via Urban Greenery

I want one!

2010-06-17T11:36:00.001-04:00

Can I has one? Pretty please? Some of those walls over at the SoA are looking a little bare . . .

Via Urban Greens.

Justin knows.

2010-06-13T00:08:00.002-04:00

2010-06-08T11:07:00.000-04:00

I found this in front of the water hose last night. Is it ours? Is it a gift?! We love free planters!!

Clay and soil looking like peanut butter and chocolate. I'm just sayin'.

2010-06-06T01:31:00.002-04:00

New planting area!

2010-06-05T02:59:00.000-04:00

Floral warfare

2010-06-04T02:17:00.000-04:00

Throw and Grow: Flower Grenades Help Spread the Love

SoA Green on May 25

2010-06-02T14:34:00.000-04:00

Updates from that day:
+ Chipotle dishes make for great planters
+ Yellow leaves = too much water
+ We have stupid animals that ate some of our lettuce but ignored two large planters as well as some strawberries. Maybe they were tired of salad.

Green and Organic

2010-05-25T19:37:00.000-04:00

Today, Justin and I met with Danielle of GMU’s Organic Garden. She took a look-see around SoA Green and gave us great input/ideas on what to do next. Like us, Danielle is a “learn as you grow” gardener so it looks like our gardening skillz will be growing (pun!) together though she’s more advanced than we are at this stage. We were able to see her amazing garden (the one we tried to find last month but ended up getting lost and then eating away our sorrows at Southside) and discuss potential joining of forces, grants, free mulch and horse manure, and possible gardening areas around the SoA. The powers-that-be of GMU have plans for the sculpture yard so we can’t plant there just yet. We will, however, soon start digging around the ramp/stair area on the east side of the building. If anyone likes tilling dirt and shoveling, please do not hesitate to come forward. No, really, I’m serious. Anyone?

2010-05-24T11:21:00.001-04:00

Sorry for not posting in awhile! I doubt anyone noticed but I have hope.

SoA Green's first planting picnic potluck was fun. There was more eating than planting. I salvaged some kind of wooden bin from the old sculpture building. Hello, new lettuce planter! Justin planted all of the lettuce. You have no idea how much we had. He's just so good to SoA Green. Please give him a round of applause the next time you pass him in the halls.

We also have a new compost bin and will welcome any kitchen scraps you want to throw our way.

I'm on my way to the garden. I don't have a set plan of what I'll do when I get there but it's a garden; there's always plenty to do.

photos from last week:

Pity we didn't see these before

2010-05-18T23:19:00.000-04:00

someday they'll make biodegradable picnicware more affordable.

Delivery Truck Crashes Into Hirshhorn Museum

2010-05-17T09:49:00.000-04:00

and this is what happened to the flower pots!

full story here

DIY Green Instructables!

2010-05-15T15:31:00.002-04:00

Have you ever thought that you want to do all these green things, but just don't know how? Well, here come Instructables to save the day!

Wanna make a soda bottle garden?! Well just go here!

Wanna build an indoor LED greenhouse?! Well just go here!

Wanna make your own acidic fertilizer?! Well just go here!

Need ideas for an indoor garden?! Well just go here!

Wanna build planters out of old floppy disks?! Well just go here!

Wanna know how to grow an apple tree from a seed?! Well just go here!

Wanna know how to grow some quick cucumbers?! Well just go here!

And the question we've all been asking: Wanna know how to build your own wind turbine?! Finally, the answer!

I want one.

2010-05-15T14:03:00.000-04:00

Full story and more images on TreeHugger.

Hay Gurl!

2010-05-15T13:58:00.000-04:00

Got some remnants from bad fashion choices? Turn them into planters! Full story on TreeHugger.

Planting Picnic Potluck Party!

2010-05-14T13:02:00.002-04:00

Hey all!

You know how I tend to post happy-go-lucky picnic/garden photos and you say things like "Hey! How come I wasn't invited?" Well, here's your chance! SoA Green would love for you to join us in some planting and eating fun in the sculpture yard.

Please bring something tasty to share or garden supplies (plants! dirt! pots! tools!). We could also use: picnic blankets, frisbees and other games, bug repellent, eating utensils, your first born child.

Not a green thumb? No problem! You can help build pallet planters.

In the event of rain (Wednesday's forecast calls for 30% chance of rain), we can move the eating party inside.

Side note, does anyone have an ice cream maker we can use?

Thanks and we hope to see you there!

Love this!

2010-05-14T10:42:00.000-04:00

via Urban Greenery

String gardens!

2010-05-11T20:55:00.000-04:00

via string gardens

Rooftop gardens! Check it out!

2010-05-11T02:57:00.000-04:00

the roof garden!

Anyone handy with some electricianal skills?

2010-05-08T16:29:00.001-04:00

Hybrid solar panel (photovoltaic and thermal) - More DIY How To Projects

And I love the "Instructables" blog. In case you couldn't tell.

Making yourself feel better:

2010-05-08T16:27:00.002-04:00

I will admit I have an addiction. At least I know what to do when I have to get disposable cups.

Coffee Cup Bird Feeder/Water - More DIY How To Projects

Don't be jealous of our planters . . .

2010-05-08T16:11:00.000-04:00

. . . just make your own!

The Ultimate Garden - More DIY How To Projects

http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Ultimate-Garden/

SoA Green gets a visitor! Dirt poor no mo'! Bionic lettuce!

2010-05-07T12:22:00.000-04:00

2010-05-04T23:31:00.003-04:00

People keep taking our pallets. Kindly desist.These are not free-for-all pallets but planters that haven't been made yet. Thank you.

Donate to the National Wildlife Federation for wildlife effected by the oil spill.

2010-04-30T22:05:00.004-04:00

Want to help? Go here to donate to the clean-up efforts involving wildlife in the Gulf.

Ben DOES have that bin of mismatched shoes...

2010-04-30T13:12:00.001-04:00

found on Another One Bites the Crust

Oh, man. If only.

2010-04-28T21:54:00.000-04:00

mobile garden containers

38 degrees? Whoa, I thought it was springtime.

2010-04-28T21:01:00.000-04:00

It's been quite chilly these past few nights. I've been checking on the plants every morning to make sure they're ok. There's no imminent chance of frost (I hope) and plants are tough little buggers so...

here's hoping.

“Don't you go dying on me!”

Rooftop farming booms in New York

2010-04-28T20:06:00.000-04:00

“From Manhattan to Brooklyn, whether on rooftops, backyards or in any of the city's 600 community gardens, urban farming is a growing phenomenon.

The movement is helped along by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who seeks to turn the city into a sustainable development champion. Through "PlaNYC 2030," a program he launched on Earth Day 2007, people who install "green roofs" can get a tax break.

At Randall's Island, in New York's East River, the city's Parks and Recreation Department is currently testing 16 different types of vegetation that could be placed on the roofs of schools, hospitals or other public buildings.

"These are patches of succulent vegetation, like sedum, which protect the roofs, (and) isolate the buildings from the heat because the UV (ultra-violet) sun is not hitting," said senior project manager John Robilotti.
The rooftop vegetation also helps maintain a steady temperature inside and captures storm water, which would otherwise run off into the street.”

full article from The Age

Throw seeds, not bombs.

2010-04-27T20:46:00.002-04:00

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/seed-bomb-vending-machine-greenaid.php

Get off the grass!

2010-04-24T14:44:00.002-04:00

or Justin will spray you with the garden hose!

A movable garden

2010-04-24T14:41:00.002-04:00

After having a nice little picnic (photos soon!), we moved the garden in preparation of the upcoming sculpture yard construction. If you think lugging about a bunch of garden supplies, not to mention some planters and worktables, over a giant seesaw is easy — you are sorely mistaken.

Lunchin' while we plantin'

2010-04-23T17:11:00.001-04:00

more photos soon

If this dog can recycle, you can too!

2010-04-22T22:53:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Stephanie T. for sharing!

2010-04-22T14:28:00.001-04:00

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/

2010-04-22T13:41:00.002-04:00

happy earth day!

2010-04-22T09:09:00.006-04:00

Justin and I will be celebrating this glorious day at 5 pm with a ceremonial tribal dance complete with tambourines and primal screaming. Please bring your patchouli-scented/wheat-wearing selves and join us in some Mother Earth-loving fun.

Just kidding.

Please take this day, like any other, to be more aware of your actions towards the earth.

For starters:

1. Turn off the lights if you leave the room.

2. Please please please recycle your soda bottles and your plastic salad containers. There are so many recycle bins around the SoA. Use them! This will save us the trouble of doing it ourselves and any angry grumbling that may occur.

3. Drink from the water fountains!

For much more tips: http://www.greenissexy.org/tips/

Dirty Donations

2010-04-21T23:52:00.002-04:00

Dear Prospective Donator,

Do you have anything you would like to donate to the greening of the School of Art?

+ Garden supplies? We can always use a few good hoes.
+ Are you a black thumb? Bring us your plants and we'll grow them for you!
+ Kicky overalls and wide-brimmed straw hats?
+ Your time? We welcome those who don't mind getting down and dirty.
+ We are dirt poor so we'll even take any topsoil and mulch you have lying around your house. Ironically, dirt is not cheap.

Thanks so much!

Your gardeners-in-crime,
Justin and Vina

2010-04-21T23:26:00.002-04:00

Hey Everyone!

Anyone have any links for us? Send us a comment or a message and we'll put it up!

Free pumpkin seedlings to good home

2010-04-21T12:44:00.000-04:00

We bit off more than we could chew. There are now two full trays of pumpkin seedlings (that are going to vine soon) and no place to plant them yet.

Please swing by and take some home.

You know you want to! Homemade pumpkin pie and soup!

Yesterday's salad container into tomorrow's salad planter

2010-04-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

If you ever see us rooting around the garbage or recycle bins, we are searching for things to upcycle for the garden. Growing lettuce in salad containers? Genius!

Building the pallet planters

2010-04-21T12:29:00.000-04:00

Look at that toolbelt hotness.

Listen to that mint

2010-04-21T12:05:00.000-04:00

This is leftover packing material from an ipod dock/radio that my sister bought a few weeks ago. I used it as a planter for mint. It was awesome despite falling apart after a few waterings. It would probably work fine if planted directly into dirt.

We should get these.

2010-04-21T11:58:00.000-04:00

soil cutlery! | http://www.rachev.info/

Turning track lighting into planters

2010-04-21T11:54:00.000-04:00

Starting the garden

2010-04-21T11:37:00.004-04:00

We liberated this shelving unit from the sculpture studio at the old Fine Arts Building. It was quite a task moving it from building to building via two dollies and hope. It's great for housing various garden utensils and seedling trays. Ideally, we could take it inside for some indoor herb garden action but I don't know how that would fare with watering and drainage.