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- ..,. r 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 Job ors