加州州立大学洪堡分校工程专业的学生与社区团体合作，在加利福尼亚州尤里卡的 Abuelita 示范花园设计、建造和种植一个在地面上种植土豆的系统。该结构使用从当地企业和合作伙伴采购和/或捐赠的材料，试图鼓励社区通过种植自己的食物来变得更加自给自足。该团队为社区成员举办了一个后续研讨会，其中包括永久性结构的微型复制品，表明即使空间有限，也可以在家里独立生产食物。
内容
背景
2018 年春季学期，加州州立大学洪堡分校工程 305 适当技术班的学生在加利福尼亚州尤里卡实施了垂直食品种植业务。该项目与洪堡合作组织和红杉社区行动机构合作，旨在增加社区获得当地健康食品的机会。这些当地组织的使命宣言与我们作为活跃社区成员所持有的价值观相一致。
With these organizations, the team decided to address the food access barriers that many face in our community. The project provides an opportunity for those who do not have access to affordable food and do not have the yard space to grow produce in the earth to remedy the disconnectedness of our urban food complex.
Problem Statement
The objective of this project is to increase community access to local, organically grown food. The vertical garden has the opportunity to reduce the pressing need for fresh produce in the area as well as encourage self-provisioning and limiting dependence on industrialized agriculture. The project consists of two components. The first is a 4'x2'x2.5' potato tower built at Abuelita's Garden in Eureka, to contribute to the food production that is donated amongst recovery centers and shelters in the community. The second portion of the project is to imitate the same design but make them 2'x2'x2.5' and portable. The construction of these were during a community workshop to provide direct access to fresh foods and show that food can be grown in small spaces and temporary living situations or even on a budget.
Project Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will be used to assess the success of the potato tower located at Abuelita's Garden in Eureka, California as well as the structures designed for the workshop. These criteria were selected based on the goals identified by the students and approved by the partnering organizations, Cooperation Humboldt and Redwood Coast Action Authority (RCAA). The scale (1-10) represents the importance level of meeting the constraint of each listed criteria. Although many efforts were made to source reclaimed, recycled, or salvaged components, we found the quality relevant to lifespan expectation, cost effectiveness and availability of such materials to be extremely limiting.
| Criteria | Constraints | Weight (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| Building Materials | More than 75% of the materials are upcycled or salvaged sourced | 10 |
| Seasonal Production for permanent tower | More than 100 pounds of potatoes | 5 |
| Seasonal Production for workshop towers | More than 35 pounds of potatoes | 5 |
| Maintenance | Less than 2 hours per month | 8 |
| Environmental Justice | Seeds and/or plant starters are locally sourced | 7 |
| Public Accessibility | Accessible 24 hours a day | 10 |
| Distribution | More than 80% of produce goes to service organizations | 9 |
Literature Review
The students consulted outside experts and researched prevalant topics in order to assess which construction materials would be appropriate for Eureka, CA and final usage of the structure. The following provides brief summaries or key pieces of information from each topic that the students took into consideration when deciding the most effective and long-lasting materials to optimize potato growth in Eureka.
WOOD
The Vegetable Gardener's Book of Building Projects is a valuable resource containing designs and instructions for a variety of wooden structures to be used in a garden. Designs are provided for planters, raised beds, storage for tools and harvesting apparatus. Several of the projects would be good candidates for upcycled materials.[1]
- Redwood
- Redwood is moderately lightweight, strong, stiff and hard. "The wood is easy to work, generally straight grained, and shrinks and swells comparatively little. Heartwood from second growth trees generally has low to moderate decay resistance."[2]
- Redwood has a natural resistance to insects, rot and moisture. Because it is a softwood, it is easy to work with and has a smooth appearance.[3]
- Cedar
- Lumber of Cedar is accessible and affordable. Cedar is resistant to termites and other insects as well as holding a resistance to rot and water damage.
- Juniper
- Juniper lumber is resistant to decay, and fungal and termite attacks. Due to these features, Juniper is long lasting and environmentally friendly.[4]
- Moisture control of wood
- "Moisture control is necessary to avoid moisture-related problems with building energy performance, building maintenance and durability, and human comfort and health. Moisture degradation is the largest factor limiting the useful life of buildings and can be visible or invisible. Invisible degradation includes the degradation of thermal resistance of building materials and the decrease in strength and stiffness of some materials. Visible degradation may be in the form of (a) mold and mildew, (b) decay of wood-based materials, (c) spalling caused by freeze-thaw cycles, (d) hydration of plastic materials, (e) corrosion of metals, (f) damage caused by expansion of materials from moisture, and (g) decline of visual appearance. High moisture levels can lead to mold spores in the air."[5]
- Moisture Control Strategies
- "Strategies to control moisture accumulation fall into two general categories: (1) minimize moisture entry into the building envelope and (2) remove moisture from the building envelope. It is not possible to prevent moisture migration completely; therefore, construction should include drainage, ventilation, and removal by capillary suction, or other provisions to carry away unwanted water."[6]
- Structure Failures
- "Structural failures caused by decay of wood are rare but have occured. Decay generally requires a wood moisture content equal to or greater than fiber saturation."[7]
METAL
- Nickel Silver
- A fairly easy to work with metal but in order to hamer and chase it it first needs to be annealed and then slowly cooled.
- Aluminum-copper
- Tough and resistant to chemical action but overall not very strong.
- Aluminum-silicon
- It is majorly aluminum and about 13% silicon. It is strong and tough with a good resistance to chemical attack.
- Iron
- It is the cheapest of all metals and most commonly used. If warmed to high temperatures it can be bent, stretched and shaped.
- Tin
- It is a silver-white metal, a little harder than lead. It is not very strong but it is ductile and pliable. It has a low melting point so it is often used as a soldering agent.[8]
CLIMATE
"According to the Holdridge life zones system of bioclimatic classification Eureka, California is situated in or near the cool temperate moist forest biome." With it's "warm mediterranean/ dry-summer subtropical climate"[9]Eureka gets an average of 3.35 inches of rain a month with most of it coming from the winter months.[10]The temperature ranges an average 51 degrees fahrenheit. Although the area gets what seems to be little to no sun it is actually sunny 48.3% of daylight hours the rest of daylight hours are either cloudy, with shade or low sun intensity. On average the midday sun over the horizon is 49.6 degrees fahrenheit.[11]
PLANTS and SOIL
Humgardens.com is a locally driven online resource for gardeners along the north coast. Providing access to weather information, webcams, and gardening information ranging from lawn care and rose maintenance to vegetable gardening. The site includes information on soil health and plant food, as well as a detailed calendar depicting how to care for different types of plants, what to expect for rainfall, and the varying sun angles for the area.[12]
Fruits of the Humboldt Bay is a locally developed guide to growing successful fruit plants in Humboldt's unique climate. The guide is a compilation of "collective wisdom" from several contributors including local farmers, professional orchardists, and indigenous wildcrafters. The intention of this guide is to provide a collection of local ecological knowledge so that we can produce nutritious foods in abundance and experience for sharing amongst the community.[13]
Soil[14]
- "Soil health is the capacity of soil to function as a vital living system, within ecosystem and land-use boundaries, to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health. Anthropogenic reductions in soil health, and of individual components of soil quality, are a pressing ecological concern."
- "Soil health is worth quantifying because soils and their biota provide ecosystems functions that benefit humans. These ecosystem services can be of considerable value[15] and include soil functions of storing and releasing water, decomposing plant and animal residues, transforming and recycling nutrients, sequestering and detoxifying organic toxicants, and promoting plant health by suppressing plant-pathogenic microbes and phytophagous fauna."
DRIP IRRIGATION
- Advantages
- Reduces runoff
- Water savings since less is evaporated
- Fertilizers can be injected into the irrigation
- Limits weed growth because of limited soil surface is wetted
- Low water application rates improve water penetration on problem soils
- Disadvantages
- Wildlife can easily damage pipelines
- Emitter clogging- can be hard to detect before crop damage occurs.
- “在某些地区，过量的盐分会积聚在土壤表面和湿润土壤的边缘。雨水可能会将有害量的表面盐分渗入根部区域；在下雨期间应继续滴灌，以防止出现此问题。” [16]
- DIY塑料瓶慢滴系统
原型制作
以下是团队提出的第一个想法和设计原型。
[选项 A]：如果我们要在现有结构对面制作一个额外的 L 形托盘结构，则此潜在设计代表总体布局。新的 L 形托盘的高度和尺寸与其他托盘大致相同。托盘旁边的高“Solo”盒子代表一个垂直温室，使用再生窗户（4-8 个，取决于宽度），并由再生木材支撑。
[选项 B]：该设计采用类似的结构，但在中心添加了一个菱形垂直花园。较高的“Solo”盒子与现有托盘的方向相匹配，将成为一个垂直温室。附加的盒子是另一组托盘，将反映现有的 L 形状。中间的盒子是中心的花盆。
[选项 C]：这是永久结构最终的设计。尺寸确实更改为 4' x 2' x 2.5'。学生们在永久结构的两侧安装了铰接板，以方便收获过程。车间塔楼的设计相同，只是尺寸较小，为 2' x 2'x 2.5'。小塔楼仅正面有两扇铰链门。所有的土豆塔都有小木闩来固定铰接板。
总体设计提供了选项A的暂定放置结构。
总体设计提供了选项B的暂定放置结构。
选项 C 的草图。
建造
Abuelita 示范花园的马铃薯塔是在埋在地下的 2x2 上建造的。工作室将在每个塔上包括一个胶合板“地板”，以便它可以移动，或在非土壤表面（例如庭院）上生长。该项目选择了雪松，因为它具有耐腐性和使用寿命，是花园床的标准木材。红木也是一个同样好的选择，但价格要贵得多。
在清理出足够大的空间用于设计后，我们测量并规划了角落，为四个 2x2 挖洞。团队检查了该地点是否水平，以防止我们的地上花园从现有斜坡上滑动或移动。一旦角柱被掩埋并填满孔洞，团队就用切好的木板模拟盒子，以测试收割的高度和可达性。
查看盒子的真实高度是降低设计整体高度的决定性因素。由于身高三四英尺，研究小组认为，幼苗的生长会被遮挡太多的阳光。此外，4'x4'x4'马铃薯塔内的土壤体积会产生巨大的压力，使其难以管理。
最低层的木板就位后，团队就可以将它们调平并开始将它们固定到柱子上。
对于折叠板条，团队测量了侧面以匹配结构柱，并进行切割，以便当旋转闩锁打开时，只有板的中间部分会移动。安装铰链并预先钻孔每个木闩后，团队将它们安装起来并测试我们的设计。为了完成盒子的制作，为了用户的安全，粘在板上的任何螺钉的尖点都被磨掉了:)
拇指
拇指
拇指
时间线
以下是垂直花园项目和研讨会的完成时间表。
| 任务 | 完成日期（预计） | 完成日期（实际） |
|---|---|---|
| 原型演示 | 3月4日/3月11日 | 3月4日/3月11日 |
| 比较潜在（可用）材料的成本/设计 | 三月中旬 | 3月19日 |
| 采购材料 | 四月初 | 4 月 10 日至 13 日 |
| 构建结构 | 四月中旬 | 4 月 14 日至 15 日 |
| 植物园/工作坊 | 四月中旬 | 5月5日 |
| Appropedia 页面的最终更新 | 5月1日 | 5月8日 |
| 最终项目报告到期 | 5月1日 | 5月1日 |
| 最后的演讲 | 5月8日 | 5月8日 |
预算
下表为工程材料的实际成本。幸运的是，洪堡合作社提供了 300 美元的慷慨预算。尽管我们做出了许多努力来采购回收/回收/打捞的组件，但我们发现此类材料的质量、成本效益和可用性极其有限。
| 材料 | 来源 | 成本（美元） | 总计（美元） |
|---|---|---|---|
| 土壤 | 北海岸园艺供应 | 捐赠的 | 0.00 |
| 马铃薯开始 | RCAA | 捐赠的 | 0.00 |
| 硬件 | 王牌五金 | 66.52 | 66.52 |
| 硬件 | 废料 | 5.45 | 5.45 |
| 木材/木材 | 转售木材产品 | 173.52 | 173.52 |
| 总成本 | 245.49 美元 | ||
手术
脚步：
- 将最低的 6 英寸填满土壤，开始种植马铃薯
- 转动木闩锁以打开下拉板条。检查是否有适当的阳光照射
- 如果暴露有限，可以移除顶部的两块板以增加可用的阳光
- 每天给植物浇水
- 随着藤蔓生长，继续覆盖（“山丘”）它们，将叶子和茎留在地面上
- 土豆会从植物埋藏的部分发芽，一定要盖住它们
- 收获时，打开尽可能低的板条，伸手挖出土豆
- 收获后，可将土壤更换至山顶
- 下一次收获，打开下一个最高的板条并从该级别收获，依此类推
结论
讨论
学生们最初的想法是仅实施一个可以种植各种农产品的垂直花园结构。该设计是在评估了社区的需求和 Abuelita 花园的可用空间后演变的。RAA 当前的设计和结构将能够为捐赠给社区的产品做出贡献。洪堡合作工作室提供了一个空间，社区人们可以在这里学习如何种植自己的土豆并组装土豆塔套件。
当地组织和研讨会与会者都在评估调查中提供了一些反馈。RCAA 对 Abuelita 花园的永久结构以及周围的木片景观感到满意，但建议我们调整一些门闩以方便旋转。
至于研讨会，根据我们的调查，我们的参与者种植食物的经验几乎无处不在。对于大多数参与者来说，空间并不是自己种植食物的限制因素。他们中的大多数人在我们的研讨会之前从未听说过马铃薯塔/盒子，并且很可能重新创建并与其他人分享这个项目。
双方都收到了有关木材质量的积极反馈。研讨会参加者喜欢这些结构可以在未来几年使用。
得到教训
讨论在这个项目中学到的经验教训以及下次你会采取哪些不同的做法。
- 沟通是关键
- 更快地使用校园/朋友/老师的资源
- 如果需要的话，可以咨询一百遍
- 尽早为客户制定目标和标准。
下一步
施工完成后，马铃薯塔需要用土壤填满第一块木板，开始种植马铃薯并浇水。此时，所有折叠板条应保持打开状态，以增加阳光照射。当马铃薯藤开始生长时，需要堆起土壤/稻草来支撑它们，并根据需要关闭板条以固定在生长介质中。土豆将开始在地表下生长，一定要盖住它们，以便它们成熟。暴露的土豆可能会保持绿色。不要吃青土豆！
收获
打开最低的板条，伸手进去挖土豆！下次收获时，从下一个最高的板条上获取，依此类推。
故障排除
下表用于对我们预计可能出现的小问题进行故障排除。
| 问题 | 建议 |
|---|---|
| 板条无法打开/关闭 | 检查所有转动闭合闩锁 |
| 没有足够的阳光到达马铃薯开始 | 拆卸花盆顶部的两块或三块板条直至需要为止 |
| 土豆缺水 | 安装“缓释汽水瓶浇水系统” |
团队
2018 年春季学期成立的适应性极强的垂直食品团队由 3 名热衷于环境和人类福利以及食品正义的工程专业学生组成。
跟进（2018年9月）
当我们2018年9月13日参观农场时，马铃薯塔没有生产任何东西。米特拉是唯一负责照顾农场的带薪工作人员，她说她出城大约一个月了，在那段时间没有人照顾农场。她认为可能有问题，并提出了一些可能的问题，例如水太多、土壤不足或养分耗尽。马铃薯塔只有一项维护（稻草/耕地/水）。研讨会为零。滴灌系统没有发生。它仍然 24/7 向公众开放。
图 1：俯视图
图 2：侧面视图
图 3：近距离视图
参考文献
- ^ 艾尔、凯文和辛迪·利特菲尔德。蔬菜园丁建筑项目手册：高架床、冷架、堆肥箱、花盆、植物支架、棚架、收割和储存辅助设备。层楼酒吧，2010
- ^ 木材手册：木材作为工程材料。美国农业部，林业产品实验室，林务局，1974 年
- ^ 乔恩, 萨姆. “建造高架花园床的最佳木材和木材。” 有机课程，2018 年 2 月 1 日，www.organiclesson.com/the-3-best-woods-for-building-raised-garden-beds/
- ^ 同上。
- ^ 木材手册：木材作为工程材料。美国农业部，林业产品实验室，林务局，1974 年
- ^ 同上。
- ^ 同上。
- ^ 卡尔·埃里克·格兰斯特罗姆. 用金属创造。范·诺斯特兰德·莱因霍尔德，1968
- ^ “加利福尼亚州尤里卡气候和温度。” 尤里卡, 加利福尼亚州 气候 尤里卡, 加利福尼亚州 温度 尤里卡, 加利福尼亚州 天气平均值。http://www.eureka.climatemps.com/
- ^ “美国加利福尼亚州尤里卡的气候和天气平均值。” Timeanddate.com。https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/usa/eureka/climate
- ^ “美国加利福尼亚州尤里卡的阳光和日照时间。” 美国加利福尼亚州尤里卡的阳光和日照时间 阳光、云彩和昼长。http://www.eureka.climatemps.com/sunlight.php
- ^ “北加州沿海的园艺。” 北加州沿海地区的园艺。http://humgardens.com/
- ^ 阿姆斯特朗，肖恩，编辑。洪堡湾的果实。第 13 版。加利福尼亚州阿克塔
- ^ 约翰·W·多兰和迈克尔·R·蔡司。“土壤健康和可持续性：管理土壤质量的生物成分。” 应用土壤生态学15，没有。1（2000 年 8 月）：3-11。号码：10.1016/s0929-1393(00)00067-6
- ^ R. Costanza、R. d'Arge、R. de Groot、S.Farber、M. Grasso、B. Hannon、K. Limburg、S.Naeem、RV O'Neill、J. Paruelo、RG Raskin、P。萨顿，M.范登贝尔特。世界生态系统服务和自然资本的价值。《自然》，387 (1997)，第 253-259 页
- ↑ 农场灌溉系统的设计和操作。美国农业工程师学会，1983