Cold Frames for the Filbert Street Garden

Today I helped out with the build and installation of two coldframes* at the Filbert St. Community Garden (FSCG). Sadly my students were not able to help out today, because they are in their GED prep classes at CCYD on Fridays.

Dave Dallas, a teacher at the Curtis Bay Elementary/Middle School, Jason Reed, lead gardener at the FSCG, Katie Dix of Parks and People, and a slew of volunteers from Parks and People and Curtis Bay Elementary all helped make todays Garden Day a success!

Below are a couple of the Curtis Bay Elm./Middle students fastening a cold frame into place. They were the last two of about 12 kids who helped to reassemble the coldframes that Jason, Dallas and I had constructed in the Building Trades Program Office.


*cold frames are "mini-green houses" that gardeners place over their plots to lengthen the growing season into some of the cold months. Ours were designed to be broken down and stored prior to the warmer months.  

Sorry for the grainiess of some of the photos.

  

Ahh! Delicious!

Renovating Building Trades Bathroom

Here you can see Building Trades students renovating the bathroom at the office. The previous bathroom had numerous "issues" which we are working together to rectify. The project should be finished before December.

 

917 Stoll St.: Sidewalk Install in Collaboration with Habitat for Humanity

This sidewalk was installed outside of 917 Stoll St.: our first rehab. in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake.  Between the Habitat staff, volunteers, private contractors and the Building Trades Program (BTP) all tasks were assigned to the best suited party.

Near the end up to seven youth attended BTP and received an hourly wage thanks to the Ready-by-21 initiative hosted by the Family League of Baltimore City. The initiative lasted from mid-Oct of 2010 - June of 2011. Due to it's success we were asked to add a summer session which ended in August.

BTP students helped:

• complete framing
• remove debris
• install various forms of insulation and airseal with expanding foam
• with much of the priming and first coat of paint
• install doors
• install trim 
• grade and existing soil before adding and seeding new top soil in the front yard

Building Trades T-shirt

Experimantal Green Roof Platform Build and Installation: Spr-Summer 2010

The students and I were enlisted by greenroof scientist, Olyssa Starry of University of Maryland College Park to construct experimental green roof platforms. After the platforms were constructed we all brought them to the UM campus. There the students  readied the site, constructed understructures for the platforms, and installed them. 

Now full of plants, green roof media, and sensors they are helping Olyssa and her associates determine

 to what degree green roofs impact runoff. Read more about the experiment at: 
http://urbansod.blogspot.com

Gravity Fed Irrigation System @ the Filbert St. Garden: Winter 2011

Here the students, Jason Reed ( lead gardener @ Filbert St.) and I designed and installed a prototype gravity fed irrigation system. We will be installing a water catchment system to capture rain to fill the rain barrels. Currently a hose can be coupled below the in let valve to fill the barrels. The outlet will also be connected to a timer, such that Filbert St. gardeners can enjoy the benefit of, at least a few, self watering plots!

The Building Trades Program participants learned basic deck building skills, such as how to refer to engineer lumber sizing charts to ensure that the structures can support the various loads that weigh on them.

Check out the photo of Jason inspecting the water pressure! 

Mini Gravity-fed Irrigation: Spring 2011

Here a student is constructing a simple gravity-fed irrigation consisting of a food grade barrel elevated one foot off of the ground and tapped with a hose bib.

The pressure that drives the water form the barrel is equal to about 1 pound of pressure. Though it's not as efficient a watering source as a household hose bib it helps the Filbert Street gardeners tend to their plots without hooking up to the hydrant.

Green Roofed Shed Construction @ Filbert St. Garden: Summer 2010

For almost two years now the Building Trades Program has been collaborating with the Filbert Street Community Garden here in Curtis Bay, Baltimore. 

This was our first collaboration.

Prior to the actual shed build the students learned about the "house envelope": how contemporary construction methods contend with the elements. They also learned about runoff and how green roofs are a useful tool to help lessen it's effects.

Here are just a few pictures of the students learning to use re-purposed doors as shed siding and recycled doors as...well, doors.

The Building Trades Program: What We Do

The Chesapeake Center for Youth Development (CCYD) is located in Brooklyn @
301 East Patapsco Ave. Baltimore, MD 21225
www.ccyd.org


Here at the Building Trades Program we teach youth a hands-on survey course in the building trades; including plumbing, electrical, painting, landscape maintenance, and carpentry. The main trade focus being carpentry.

The bulk of our work is focused in the Brooklyn/Curtis Bay neighborhoods, though we have made connections with interested citizens and organizations in other South Baltimore neighborhoods, such as Cherry Hill, Westport and Pigtown.


We not only expose youth to skills that could lead to a career in the trades, but endeavor to make an impact on social issues with the products of our labor.

Take a look at some of the projects that we've worked on!

Free Standing Wall Model: winter 2009 and summer 2010

This is an example of the "Free Standing Wall" section of my past curriculum. Here the students first construct a non-structural wall; complete with a door and window. Then they learn how to wire the wall such that it can power a GFCI outlet and a single switched light fixture.

Maggie Muth Miniature House: fall 2009

Here is the understructure of a house that would later be covered by a quilt. Maggie Muth, a local artist/educator designed the art installations concept in collaboration with a group of retirees.

The students and I were enlisted to design and construct the miniature house. We designed it such that elderly hands could deconstruct and reconstruct it for their art exhibits.