GARDEN GOBBLEDYGOOK

Tom, 

Because of delays in reviving the Ford School garden, I said to Dr. Latham: It looks like there will be no garden this year. She agreed. It is not too late to plant. In fact, the first garden was completed in July and a crop was harvested in September. 

I asked Dr. Latham if I could retrieve our supplies to start the Cook St. Park garden. She insisted that I show receipts for these items and asked me if Dr. Crane or the School Dept. had paid for them. I said that we either paid for or received as donations everything in the garden. She insisted that I have receipts. Tools, wheelbarrows, shovels, hoses are ours, not yours. I have no receipts.   

I need these items this coming week during our clean-up of Cook St. garden this Saturday.. 

In addition, I question some of the items listed by Mike Donovan: 

1. That compost bins attract rats: The bins were supplied by Mass. DEP. They have never attracted rats because there are no food scraps in them. They are there to show the children how nature has re-cycled organic matter for millions of years. To remove the bins is not a code issue and would be a mistake. 

2. The need of the sink to be connected to the sewer: The sink is there to wash vegetables – agreeing with the new garden rules - and to clean items with soap and water. It's use is the same washing a car in one's driveway. Is a hook-up to sewer required for car washing? 

3. Tripping hazards: After the worst winter in memory, there may be boards in the walkways. In six years, as you mentioned, none of the hundreds of kids, senior citizens or teachers tripped on anything. 

4. Board of Appeals approvals for the greenhouses: Mike had previously indicated that structures need to be 5' from the building, which they are. If the Board of Appeals needs to approve the aquaponics greenhouse, take it to them.  Aquaponics is an excellent way to teach science. The new greenhouse was built to grow plants for sale to families and defer garden costs. It can be removed while you get approval for it at the Board of Appeals. 

5. Boxes hanging on the wrought iron fence: The fence has not and will not be damaged by boxes of soil, flowers and vegetables. If you are concerned about the fence, repair the exerior of the wall that supports it. 

6. Presence of inflamables. What are they? We stored several cans of paint and bottles of hydroponic materials. Is this what Mike means by inflamables? 

We spent six years donating thousands of hours and dollars to create an award-winning garden that inspired hundreds of children, staff and families.. While you recognize what we have done by expanding gardening to other schools, we have been treated as an 'enemy of the State.' 

Is this a humane way to treat a friend of the children of the Ford School? Had you included us in a cooperative discussion of your concerns, we could have worked them out. 

The humane landlord walks a tenant through their apartment saying: "You plugged up the sink," rather than changing the locks and keeping the tenant from their property. 

After retrieving what belongs to and is needed by us, I am willing to work with the school garden committee. Hundreds of plants are germinating in my home. I will donate them to the garden if and when we can work out these problems to a friendly, not a punitive, conclusion. 

Again, I would like to retrieve hoses, tools and wheelbarrows for the Cook St. garden. Is that possible by the end of this week? 

David Gass, Director 

Highlands Coalition