Hello Gardeners and Supporters of The Cullowhee Community Garden. Well, we hit the ground running, and have completed a whole bunch of the preliminary work to get the garden up and running. All documents and forms have been created, the land has been cleared (twice!), the soil has been turned (and is Beautiful! Loamy Goodness and Rich!), and we have seeded out a cover crop blend consisting of annual grains, clover, winter pea, and others. However, we have hit a bit of a slowdown because the State has yet to release our funds. So, we are unable to make any purchases of necessary materials and equipment. Unless, that is, we rise up as a community, and come together to make this happen. Towards that end, I am going to post here a short-list of tools and equipment that we feel are necessary to getting started. If we can raise funds on our own to get started, we will be able to make the State money go farther, and maybe purchase items that had to be removed from the initial budget requests, like a greenhouse.

All donations made to The Cullowhee Community Garden are tax deductable, and will be greatly appreciated by the community. To reduce our future costs and expenditures, and in keeping with our intent to make the garden as sustainable as possible, all tools and equipment will be of the highest quality and construction. We could save initial money by purchasing poorly constructed tools made in far away lands. But, through my experience with other gardens, they tend to break and are difficult to use, making for an unpleasant experience gardening. On the flip side, well-made tools are a treat to use, and last a long, long time. Therefore you only need to buy the tool once. I have sourced out some really well-made tools, hand forged and of heirloom quality. You can find them at

http://www.gardentoolcompany.com/brands/DeWit-Garden-Tools.html?gclid=CLzX3_vWrbICFVOQ7QodGk4APg

The Garden Tool Company also has well made tools from other suppliers, all handcrafted and easy to use. This is an example of the type of tools and equipment that we will be using at The Cullowhee Community Garden.

Following, you will find a list of the tools that will get us started in the garden. We are also looking for donations of materials like hardwood mulch; straw mulch; organic fertilizers; fish and algae based fertilizers; wire fencing materials; split rail fencing materials; and any other gardening supplies that can help us get started.

If we come together as a community to raise these required funds and materials, then we may still be able to divide up the plots for adoption in time to get in a fall garden. So, please consider a tax-deductable donation to The Cullowhee Community Garden and help this worthwhile project to grow and thrive. We are hoping to raise approximately $3,000.00

Please make checks out to: The Jackson County Department of Public Health, and put Cullowhee Community Garden in the info line. 

Donation checks may be mailed to: Adam Bigelow 284 Keener St. Sylva, NC 28779

Thank you for considering a donation to help kick off The Cullowhee Community Garden

ITEM	QTY.	JUSTIFICATION
Straw	20	bales of straw for each garden
Fish/kelp Emulsion fertilizer	1	to provide plants with nutrients
Organic fertilizer	2	to provide plants with nutrients
Leaf Rake	2	to move leaves and grass clippings
Hard Rake	2	to move soil and gravel
Scuffle Hoe	2	to remove weeds
Hoe	2	to remove weeds
Digging Fork	2	for tilling soil and digging weeds
Pitch Fork	2	for moving mulch, turning compost, etc.
Scale	1	to weigh produce for donation
Flat shovel	2	to move soil and gravel
Round shovel	2	for digging in soil, compost, etc.
root jack	1	for removing exotic invasive plant species
hand pruner	2	for pruning trees
Pruning saws	2	for pruning trees
loper	2	for pruning trees
hand trowel	3	for digging in soil, compost, etc.
hand cultivator	3	for tilling soil and digging weeds
gloves s, m, l, xl	1	for use by volunteers and gardeners
manual weedwhacker	2	to control weeds
Wheelbarrows	2	to haul materials
Garden Hose	2	for irrigation
watering cans	5	for irrigation
garden shears	2	to remove weeds