Rochester Mission Group Rocks!

We would like to extend great gratitude to the Rochester Mission Group from Rochester, New York which included hard-working volunteers from Webster, Greece & Ogden Baptist Churches. Just look at what they helped us to accomplish  at our 4819 Dauphine Street Community Orchard in just TWO DAYS!!

Donated ginger was planted along the perimeter French drain which they dug & filled with broken brick pieces unearthed from the soil.  The French drain will redirect runoff into the soon-to-be-built rain garden.  Along with general debris & trash removal, the first entrance pathway was created using broken brick, cement, & recycled roofing slate.  

Holes were dug & measured & nine fruit trees were planted, watered, & mulched.  Neighbors will be able to enjoy the harvest from 2 Satsumas, 2 Ruby Red Grapefruit, 2 Blood Orange, 2 Meyers Lemon, & 1 Persian Lime!  Dreams do come true.   

The efforts of many continue to bear fruit as countless volunteers generously keep coming to help us rebuild & grow our community.

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Our Dream Is Becoming A RealityDouble Entry to Plants Galorehttp://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/fruits_nuts/Louisiana+Home+Citrus+Production.htm

Double Entry to Plants Galore

Thanks to a generous donation of a truckload of plants by Mr. Harold Applewhite of Harold's Indoor & Outdoor Plants (at Press & St Claude) http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/harolds-indoor-outdoor-plants/Content?oid=1672363, our blight beautification project at 4819 Dauphine Street has received a major enhancement! We've planted camelias at the entrance, red tipped photinias along the future pathway and we've outlined the space for a rain garden.  A nod to the historical streetface has been given by the creation of a dual entry to the garden reminiscent of the original 4817-19 Dauphine Street double shotgun that existed on this lot.   Additional beds for the fruits trees have been staked and double dug http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPeAvYrfKkU in an effort to improve the aeration of the soil and to facilitate root penetration.  Our dream for a community orchard continues to unfold :)                                                       

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Our Dream Is Becoming A Reality

Our Dream Is Becoming A Reality

Our Dreams of an Orchard Project at 4819 Dauphine Street is coming true.  Acquisition, design, implementation, & resource foraging continues to be driven & accomplished with great enthusiasm by CSED staff Kathy Muse, Vincent Fedeli, Charles Reddick, & John Taylor aided by significant input & assistance from surrounding neighbors.  This blight beautification effort was made possible through Louis Lauricella's donation of this vacant lot to the CSED. We are grateful to Mr. Lauricella & to Stephanie Bruno who acted as liason.

Check out our recent progress.  Before the bobcat work began, trees cleared from the overgrown lot were chipped to provide mulch. Excellent bobcat services were provided by Troy Moore who lives right around the corner! He was assisted by CSED staff members Vincent & Kathy.  The never-ending debris was unearthed, a neighbor's damaged fence was removed along with a very tough & extensive poison ivy vine (ouch!), and a neighbor's clothesline pole was righted for future use:

Community members stopped by to help out:

Wood chips were relocated, grass was removed, soil was graded with a slight downward slope to the left for drainage into a future french drain.  Troy surveys his work thus far:

River sand was delivered, dumped & graded to cap the lead soil where the planter boxes will be built.  Two trailer loads of debris were hauled away. Kudos to neighbor & friend Troy Moore for a job well done!

 

CSED Hosts Green Corps Students for Training in Radiant Barrier Installation

The CSED hosted Green Corps students last week for training in radiant barrier installation at Mr. Sidney Butler's house. Mr. Butler became the 142nd Lower 9th Ward property owner to save energy & increase his comfort by having radiant barrier installed in his attic by the CSED. http://www.sustainthenine.org/programs/built-environment/radiant-barriers-weatherization    LA Green Corps is a youth & adult training program working to preserve both our environment & architectural integrity in the Greater New Orleans area.  Over 400 students have graduated from their programs.  http://www.lagreencorps.org/

Become a Part of the "Radiant Nine"

If you are a property owner in the Lower 9th Ward, you too can become part of the "Radiant Nine." 

A radiant barrier can be installed at any time, before or after your house is renovated and occupied.  All you need is a roof in good condition.

You can sign up online http://www.sustainthenine.org/programs/built-environment/radiant-barriers-weatherization  or

Call Kathy Muse at 939-9028 or 324-9955 for more information.  You can also come by the CSED office at 5130 Chartres Street, New Orleans LA 70117, Tuesday through Saturday 10am - 4pm.

Sustain the Nine!  River to Bayou

Lower 9th Ward "Views"

Food Security for All! Hundreds Come Shop at Grocery Store For-A-Day.

A little snapshot of the good times we had on Saturday. Thanks to all who came out, and we hope to continue to have your support as we move forward. The vision of the Lower Ninth Ward Food Access Coalition is availability of fresh, quality food that is convenient and affordable to everyone in the Lower Ninth Ward.

- -Number of people who attended = approximately 300

- Number of community organizations participating = 20

- Number of volunteers = 50+

- Amount of food distributed = A LOT

- Funds raised = over $2700

- Pulling off the first grocery store in the Lower 9th Ward in DECADES (and the first pop-up grocery store EVER), inspiring hope and motivation in our community, and getting the media and our elected officials on board = PRICELESS

Submitted by Jenga Mwendo, CSED Food Security Coordinator

http://www.abc26.com/news/newswithatwist/wgno-pop-up-grocery-store-provides-temporary-relief-to-residents-of-the-lower-9th-ward-20121017,0,3438773.story

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/lower_9th_ward_residents_annou.html#cmpid=nwsltrhead

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2012/10/12/lower-ninth-ward-to-get-grocery-store-for-a-day

http://wwno.org/post/grocery-store-day

http://www.nola.com/nolavie/index.ssf/2012/10/makin_groceries_in_the_lower_n.html#incart_flyout_living

CNN Looks at the Lower 9th Ward As a "Food Desert" (VIDEO)

With our Grocery Store For-A-Day event happening tomorrow (10-5, All Souls Church, 5500 St. Claude), we thought it's worth showing this terrific CNN news story from 2010. Take a look!

"Fresh food is hard to find in neighborhoods five years after Katrina." CNN's David Mattingly talks with the Lower 9's Jenga Mwendo - and discovers just how far you have to walk to buy groceries.

LSU AgCenter Master Gardener Program Certificate

Congratulations to Kathy Muse, CSED Program Coordinator, who recently received a certificate from LSU AgCenter for successfully completing the required hours of classroom and field instruction in their Master Gardener Program! Topics in this course of instruction included palms & cyads, botany & plant propagation, basic entomology & plant pathology, weed science, soils, pesticides & the environment, vegetable, herb & organic gardening, home fruit & nut production, lawn care, ornamental horticulture, diagnostic keys to urban plant problems, and pest detection. The Master Gardener Handbook which is a research-based resource for this class is available at the CSED office for use by the community.

To learn more about the LSU AgCenter Master Gardener Program visit www.lsuagcenter.com

Lower 9th Ward "Views"