THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Thursday, May 20, 1971
FOOD EXPERIMENT
'U' establishes organic garden
-~-
JDIES A
in the
Friday Saturday
May
r 21O 22e~
208 W. Huron
By BETH OBERFELDER
Organic gardening - produc-
ing food w i t h o u t synthetic
chemicals such as pesticides,
artificial fertilizers and preser-
atives-received a boost at the
University recently with the es-
tablishment of the Organic
Community Garden on North
Campus.
The new garden, located at
Beale St. and Glacier Way, may
provide the leadership for re-
sparch and experimentation in
developing practical new ways
of living, according to John
Remsburg, a former botany-na-
tural resources graduate student
who manages the project.
The land for the Organic
Community Garden was donated
by the University. Funding has
come from the University's In-
stitute for Environmental Qual-
ity, and is co-sponsored by the
Ann Arbor Ecology Center.
Remsburg is at the garden
daily to direct the day's activi-
ties, welcomes newcomers and
guides the growth of the gar-
den. Over 200 people of various
backgrounds have already come
to work, and Remsburg says all
types will be needed-to do re-
search, plant and work with the
soil, and study all that goes on
in the garden.
Remsburg plans to make col-
lections of all that is in the
garden. An insect collection of
all specimens found there will
enable the growers to know if
a particular insect is beneficial,
or harmful, and then learn
i
how to encourage or discourage
it-without the use of poisons.
There are "natural insecti-
cides" that may be resorted to
if need be, Remsburg says. Com-
panion planting may also help
guard against plant-eaters, and
birds that eat insects can be
attracted to the garden.
Remsburg also plans to take
pictures of -all the birds that
enter the garden, "Just so peo-
ple can learn." Weed specimens
will be collected as well. In ad-
dition, he plans to get together
a collection of recipes, while us-
ing the garden as a focal point.
The storage cellar which re-
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u
. ',
;
.
4
)IF z
t
Miss J's new flame is a
separates -group of flame-stitch
polyester knit. . .the one that's
packable, washable and
fun-loving. Blue-multicolor.
Skirt and pant, 5-13 sizes.
Tops, sizes S-M-L.
A. U-neck top, $12. Pull-on
skirt with crocheted edge, $10.
B. V-neck top, $14. Pull-on
shortcut with crocheted edge, $8.
mains on the property from a
past estate, presents an oppor-
tunity to experiment in keeping
goods over the winter. Rems-
burg plans to line the cellar with
trays and sand to store a per-
centage of the garden's prouce.
The rest of the garden's yield
will be given to all the people
who have helped in some way-
includin g the University's
grounds crew and garbage-truck
drivers.
There is a lot of physical work
to be done, says Remsburg. First,
a compost, or natural fertilizer
must be produced. Composting,
or returning humus to the soil
is unlike the methods of chemi-
cal fertilization w h i c h unbal-
ances the soil's supply of nu-
trients. Rather than working
against the soil, Remburg ex-
plains, by composting and re-
turning humus to the soil man
cooperates with nature.
A compost is a mixture of
rough weeds, cropwastes, high
nitrogen manure and a little soil.
Organic and biodegradable gar-
bage may also be used. This
mixture will heat up to 150 de-
grees in a few days or weeks as
a result of the multiplication of
bacteria and funi.
The gardeners at the "Com-
munity" have also spent much
time spreading mulch on the
soil. Mulch is a layer of mate-
rial, preferably organic, that is
placed on soil surface to con-
serve moisture, hold down weeds,
guard plants against extreme
weather extremes and ultimate-
ly improve soil structure and
fertility as the mulch itself de-
composes and becomes part of
the soil.
Originally, the group at the
North Campus farm planned to
reap and thresh the entire gar-
den by hand. But after one
week of hand-work, Remsburg
says they realized that it would
take until August merely to pre-
pare the land for planting. Then
they decided to use power tools,
"at least for this summer."
The ichigan Daiy, edited and man-
aged by students at the University of
ichigan News phone: 74-e552. Second
lass pstage paid at Ann Arbor, Mih-
lgan, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor,
Bichigan 48104. Pubished daily Tues-
day through Sunday morning Univer-
sity year. Subscription rates: $10 by
carrier, $10 by mall.
Summer Session published Tuesday
through Saturday morning. Subscrip-
tion rates: $5 by carried, $5 by mail.
Robert Redford
-con on the lam
Marion Brando
-good-guy sheriff
Jane Fonda
-the con's wife
E.G. Marshall
-corrupt banker
James Fox
-son, friend, lover
in Arthur Penn's
THE CHASE
Next Tuesday
May 25-7:00 & 9:30 p.m.
auditorium a, angell hall
the ann arbor film cooperative
4
I1
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