Our Simple Garden Plan

Infrastructure

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Autism-Safe Grow Boxes
We will utilize the concepts of Blake Whisenant’s patented EarthBox plant growing system with his permission. Our use of this design with autism-safe materials will isolate our food’s nutrient supply and grow a strong garden with optimal convenience. Thus, our garden will be reliably safe and easy to maintain.

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Autism-Safe Grow Box Specifications:*

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Measurements
14.75 In. Wide
37.5 In. Long
22.325 In. Tall

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Volumes
Soil = 4.83 cubic feet (36.15 gals)
Water = 2.42 cubic feet (18.08 gals)
Total = 7.02 cubic feet (52.57 gals)

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Filled with water and soil, each box will weigh approximately 150 lbs.

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*These specifications may be modified, but are relatively convenient for local supplies.

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Materials
Our autism-safe version of Whisenant’s EarthBox will be made of a Cedar wood structure (which does not require chemical treatment to repel water and so naturally prevents corrosion), stainless steel screws and tubing, and fish-safe EPDM rubber lining for the water reservoir. EPDM is available in many types for many uses. We need to be sure to purchase EPDM from fish pond suppliers to ensure that our EPDM rubber is not treated with chemicals and is guaranteed “safe for fish“. Many such EPDM products are also guaranteed non-degradable for approximately thirty years. There may be a more cost effective materials solution to be discovered, however there is much evidence available to suggest that the materials selected will be safe for a long time, and certainly safe within a several year period. The industrial applications of these materials in particular, offer strong collective experience that they are highly non-degradable in all weather and environments and are non-obstructive to organic systems and processes. With all this stated; a practical “safe-lifetime” for our version of the boxes has been established at ten years, as well as a schedule of routine inspections. These conclusions are subject to change as our research continues.

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Also encompassed within materials for growing is the consideration for soil, beneficial minerals, aid plants, compost starter and reputable seeds. More details concerning all materials to be used will be provided in a future report.

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Composting Site
There are many varieties of composting techniques. We will maximize the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of our garden by implementing a composting site. Unlike conventional composting systems, ours will preferably be made from a material other than plastic. Composting is a simple process. We would do well to ensure the isolation of our nutrient supply from free radicals by using a closed composting system as opposed to an open air ditch. A closed composting system should prevent opportunistic vandals as well as unintentional pollution. There are many composting products on the market. It may be possible to find one which is made of autism safe metals. We plan to build a Cedar box with holes for ventilation and a cover with hinges.

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Irrigation
A simple rubber hose will do for the short term. Irrigation presents a different relationship with water than reservoirs, as the water does not necessarily need to remain in contact with the material in use for long periods of time, if designed right. At this point irrigation is not a priority or a major safety concern. One day, Pinnacle may appreciate the ease of watering which a professional or well designed irrigation system can offer. As leaking channels and stale (slow or non-moving) sections can present specific irrigation problems, it would be best to use a professional to install such an irrigation system that can stand the test of time.

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Water Supply
Our county’s water is rather high in chlorine. It will be important to understand (if possible) the effects which our specific levels of chlorine tend to have on food plants. With this in mind, it may be vital to routinely test the water supply to account for any changes. Ideally, a reverse osmosis system would treat the entire water supply for the garden. We should investigate all alternative water treatment options in the event that an abundance of chlorine has been reported to accumulate in, or affect the nutrition of food. Also ideal, catching water from the school’s roof run-off would potentially save a lot of expense in the long run. The gutter system may be retrofitted to channel water into a cistern. Conventional cisterns are made of plastic which presents a similar challenge to that of our composting decisions. Two viable alternatives to our application of catching and storing water, is an underground fish-safe EPDM reservoir or a cistern made from an autism-safe metal such as stainless steel or brass. Considering Pinnacle exists within a highly populated area, and not too far from a major road and interstate, it would be wise to insist on filtering and/or treating any “caught” roof water in light of the particular concerns of autism.

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Weather and Pest Proofing
We live in a temperamental climate which sometimes is faced with hurricane force winds. We will have to consider the location of the garden in maximizing its natural weather proofing. In considering the location we should think about sunlight supply (different plants require different amounts of light, most average six hours per day), as well as wind protection. Some sort of atmospheric structure would be ideal in that it would limit excess water and help protect a large investment of crops from wind damage. One idea is a green house structure. While the autism-safe grow box isolates the plants nutrient supply, a green house can help isolate the atmosphere from weather (especially frost) and atmospheric free radicals. A more affordable solution may be a convertible atmosphere consisting of cedar (or other strong wood) posts with hardware which could provide attachment for tarps. Such a structure could be made to assemble easily when bad weather is expected and stand partly idle in fair weather. Such a design would solve the problems of excess water and violent winds, but not free radicals or frost.

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Pest proofing for insects and small animals can be achieved with appropriate aid plants and a moderate fence. A sky net may be implemented if birds are a concern. Pest proofing for vandals should be considered as well. Perhaps the simplest way to deter such behavior would be a sign that displays the mission statement and asks for courtesy. If the investment is significant enough, inexpensive cameras or more secure fencing may need to be considered. We should remember and voice to the community at large that it is not the garden we wish to protect so much as the safety of the food.

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Maintenances

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It will be essential to water this system only periodically (probably once a week would be a good routine, though it may only be half empty or so). At the beginning of the season, seeds are placed within the soil, and compost or organic fertilizer is placed on the top most layer of the soil along with some inorganic salts and minerals (dolomite, a calcium magnesium carbonate is recommended by Whisenant). The grow boxes would do well to contain earthworms and snails which can naturally move these beneficial compounds into the soil and eventually to the plants, which will convert them to organic minerals, enzymes and vitamin cofactors. The boxes are designed to wick water up through a channel of soil so that if a box sits for a week or so prior to planting a seed, the seed will germinate on its own without the use of any separate germinating and transplanting methods.

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For best results, the plants should not be pruned during their growing cycle. Some branches may get tangled and die, but chances are that those branches are not competitive and would produce lesser foods. Though it may feel necessary to weed these plants at times, this too should be discouraged. The design of the boxes will prevent most weeds from accessing the plot and hence overtaking a box’s more than sufficient supplies. As we are not growing for aesthetics, it is important to consider our garden as an ecosystem. Weeds grow because they have found a niche. This is the way of nature and will ultimately result in most cases, in a more nutritious food product. I advise against weeding altogether, unless it is clear that weeds are stinting the yield of food itself. In the first few seasons, it would be wise to run variable and control boxes, because even though a crop plant in a bed of weeds may look smaller than a crop plant in a relatively empty bed, mostly the food yield will be identical. There is much evidence to suggest that a vegetable in particular, from a bed full of weeds, will contain higher levels of beneficial nutrients due to its symbiotic relationship with other plants. Of course, it is very difficult to prove this idea conclusively. Letting weeds grow in a variable box and comparing the food yield to that of a control box will provide evidence to skeptics that there is no reason to weed. Producing a food product comparable to that of traditional gardens without the time investment of weeding and without toxic chemicals is the ultimate goal.

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The harvesting process will be standard. After several seasons we may begin to rotate crops according to known plant chemical relationships to maximize nutrition. Vegetables will grow healthier in a plot once used for legumes for example. There are many such relationships because as plants grow naturally, they release specific molecules back into the soil. After several such rotations, we may anticipate much higher yields as well as obviously richer soil. Rotating the plants may involve some work for certain species, such as bushes, with tangles of roots. For other plants, such as root vegetables, it will be a part of the harvest. When we harvest, we should allow some food to remain on the vine or in the soil. This is the natural way and will help provide a more easily sustainable environment for the plants. The boxes are designed to be big enough so that co-beneficial crops can be grown together to utilize their symbiosis sooner than a count of seasons.

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The last note of maintenance entails inspection. A routine of scheduled inspection of plants for diseases and specific species of weeds can be added to the volunteer tasks with supporting instructions. We do not want, for example, poison ivy to grow in our boxes. In response to disease, in may not be necessary to do anything. Routine inspections, a careful log, and access to expert advice and resources will always be beneficial. Sometimes, however, disease occurs and when keeping an organic commitment there may be little that can be done besides constructing a temporary quarantine and sacrificing a box of yield for one season.

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Also, routine inspections of the grow boxes should be carried out seasonally; specifically an inspection of the stainless steel components. Though the steel I have selected is from a marine application, parts of the metal will be submerged in water most of the time with no light. We may find it necessary to remove and clean these tubes seasonally, to prevent more degradation than would otherwise occur. Regular inspections of all boxes over the course of the initial seasons will help to standardize a timetable for future inspections. Lastly, it is paramount to adhere to a definitively safe “lifetime” for these boxes. Though not inexpensive, until we know more about the manner in which these materials degrade, we should expect them to be somewhat disposable. Jared Brooks has carefully selected materials that should last the average grower a lifetime or longer. With our specific concern for autism, if further investigation into specific material degradation proves inconclusive, we must commit to replace the boxes every ten years - just to be safe. Expired boxes can still be reused for non-food plants.