The Habitat Studio in Philadelphia

This is the Habitat Studio in Philadelphia at The Schuykill Center (for Environmental Education)or SCEE. This was earlier in the year before our summer of torrential rains and the North east
Potato / Tomato Blight.

This particular habitat studio was sponsored by the center and curated by Amy Lipton of ecoartspace NY for the show "DOWN TO EARTH" , Artists Create Edible Landscapes. This was the precursor to our getting involved with Tim and Devin at Common Grounds CSA at Stonykill NY (near Beacon) .

Behind it it was what we referred to as the Cabana , which was a covered outdoor area which we could use for classes and prepping plants , seed trays or as a prep area for out door cooking .

One Pick up , One habitat Studio

The Basic elements fit on to the back of my Tacoma p/u Truck . I've made a couple of bed attachments to "float " larger sections on and can attach by screwing down with Stimson framing hard ware . This allows quite a bit of mobility and cuts down on hand hauling. The pick up truck is the ultimate wheel barrow . I am patiently waiting for the Tacoma to have a turbo diesel model so I can use bio diesel fuel. That or they go hybrid ??

The Basic Structure

Here you can see the floor attached to frame , with the 4 corner "columns " or posts with the 71 "
Rails attached horizontally ( 1 by 4 s) ...green elements in photo above, running left to right at 32" on center. The ends are framed out to produce an opening 48 by 82 high ,with a header box frame.

Habitat Studios 2009

I thought it might be good to recap on how the habitat studios work this year.

In New Paltz we gained Village Board approval to put them at various sites in the village.There were limited zoning issues as they are classed as temporary structures. We recommended a 2 by 6 crib frame that was affixed to the ground with rebar or lag bolts , depending on field conditions.

Here Ryan Cronin and I attach the 2 by 4 floor frame to the 2by 6 crib frame which was partially dug in and levelled , then pinned to the ground with re-bar.

MAKING THAT CHOICE

I was just visiting Tim and Devin , the farmers at the Common Ground CSA at Stonykill near Beacon yesterday to see how things were going. Many of you may have seen the NY Times article recently "You say Tomato , I say Agricultural Disaster ".

They with countless other organic farmers have seen the loss of their Tomato crop due to the blight helped along by the wet un typical Summer weather we've been having. It appears the fungus is also a threat to their potatoes , and is the same fungal disease that caused the Potato Famine in Ireland in the mid 19th Century.

Where a field of tomatoes or another crop has to be ripped out and destroyed as their is NO organic solution to the disease you suddenly see the reality of making a choice to grow or buy organic produce . It 's been a veritable topic of conversation as to the unseasonal amount of rain there has been and how for many they've had a great summer as they work outside and the temperatures and humidity have been lower. BUT if you were also wanting a good local organic salad with some fresh tomatoes ,.... you'll be having to pay more for them now . Or they are not available when you go to pick up your share at the local CSA .

On the other hand the Greens , the kales and similar plants have been loving the alternate weather this summer. So you adapt ,..... but these are the hard choices when you opt for a less toxic form of produce . And most organic farmers know this , and that's part of the realities of a principled decision to grow with out the array of pesticides, fungicides and petro fertilizers .

Unfortunately the blight wasn't helped by the effects of the large agro-business entities who compounded the situation by allowing thousands of tomato plants on to the market which were contaminated back in April. The usual box stores , that require excessive numbers to ensure low prices every day , had a part to play in this frustrating situation.

Despite this underminded blow to their efforts ,Tim and Devin have continued to work hard on ensuring that other crops made the farm stand. When I was there chatting in the field Tim , Kim and Devin were digging up some handsome carrots . And in a creative outburst this past weekend they've managed to bring some vibrant color to the various structures around the yard

There was the most brightly painted Hen house in the field I have ever seen . So despite the realities and consequences of a crop lost , the team at Common Ground found that something sunny can come in a different form. The reality of art and agri-Culture was met in this wonderful creative act. I shall be finding more time to continue working on the habitat studio there,inspired by this healing activity , this week.

I think there is a wonderful lesson here and also a strong argument of how different worlds can impact each other , the one detrimentally the other rejuvenative , healing some times in the face of adversity . These are the choices we make , and how we make sense and learn from them not always coming with a price tag ,.... these are invaluable .

I 'm off to Philadelphia tomorrow to see how the gardens grow there . We will be putting more material up on the habitat studio and accessing the conditions of the various lots planted .
Talk soon , SD

BEFORE SUMMER ENDS

Well I'm having one of those days where I really feel I ought to be outside enjoying a day of hot sun sans rain showers . On the other hand there's all this other stuff that needs to be dealt with inside. So I am going to recommend , as much to myself as to you all out there in blogos-sphere to go out and enjoy the day and the SUN !!

Man , there are a ton of things going on today in the Valley . Garrison Art Center is having a craftcome tag sale 9 to 5 , Beacon is having a Foodie thing on behalf of BCC (Beacon Community Center ) called a Taste oF Beacon , hosted by the Piggy Bank. New Paltz is having its THIRD ART LOOP Saturday . Rosendale is have their continuing PUPPET SLAM at the Black bird Theater., this afternoon. And you need only drive around in your NEW high mpg vehicle you've just bought with the CLUNKER turn in programme , to see a dozen more events this weekend .

And for those bargain shoppers there are a number of TAG sales occurring withthe fine weather.

What is it now ? Two weeks before SCHOOL starts ? Labor Day is the weekend of the 6th .?

So before you all get semi-mental about the end of another summer , not that it really got started, get off the couch and go DO something . And why am I digressing on this tack of doing something ? Well , having these various projects around the place and having many a friend in another part of the valley or Hudson Valley Region , it amazes me how little folks know about what is going on , area to area . And , yes I am starting a sentence with this word , and how hard it is to find out about what is happening UNLESS you're in that small town or area .

And honestly I am not that interested in the local garage sales or fish bakes than the cultural events that occur with out due attention, most weekends up and down the Region , Lower Mid
or Central and in the nose bleed zone of Albany .PS Hudson turned around at just before what is the Albany area so officially I 'm stopping there too .Just FYI .

So over the next few weeks I 'm going to be chatting with alot of folks OUT THERE as to how to get to know what's going on and whose doing what , which art center is holding a this/that sale and what ( if any thing ) artists , poets , writers and other creative souls are thinking about .Even
discussing currently . Despite the economy folks up and down the valley almost beyond Albany are getting and doing creative things ! No matter if they can't sell those creations , they are still doing their thing !

Well I 've got to get going because one of my son's chickens has flown the coop and in case you're all wondering if my chickens have left their roosts , or words to that effect , NO ...just having some summer time fun . BUT I am serious as to improving the art dialog or encouraging it as I seem not always to be that serious in my method . So tune in or drop me a line or two at :
habitatforartists@gmail.com

Love to hear about the proverbial chickens , but don't bother to tell me about the clambakes!
Thanks SD

36 MAIN STREET New Paltz NY

This is how the habitat studio looked like earlier this year .

Fifteen students from SUNY Art Dept. with instructor Todd Sargood , installed 60 panels on the outside of the studio. Many of these are now at other habitat studio locations .

AYESHA IBRAHIM will be here from August 15 th onwards.

MOLLY RAUSCH ends Saturday 8/15 with her LOST & FOUND BOOTH