Deep Ellum Urban Gardens (DUG) is a community-funded garden aimed at providing a little green thumb relief and, eventually, fresh veggies to residents and restaurants around Deep Ellum. Last year they worked hard to raise funds to turn a sedate patch of grass at Canton and Good Latimer into something a little more productive.
The Deep Ellum Community Association (DECA) met most of their fundraising goals for DUG last year and, now, with spring so fashionably early, they are ready to start digging. But first they have to build. Planters, specifically.
So this Saturday, March 31, they'll have their first DUG workday , and they'll need you to join them at 10 a.m. at 2620 Canton with gloves and power drills.
DUG Project leader Kelly Clemons reports via Meetup.com that Dallas Cedar gave them a great price on the materials for the planters and will deliver the wood pre-cut to exact measurements. Now they just need muscle.
Regarding funding of the project, DUG had a rather climatic CrowdTilt campaign last year. And while they weren't able to accrue all the funds they had hoped for, Paula Ramirez with DECA wrote in an email to me through other fundraisers, community help, private donations and companies pitching in with materials, they're close to the initial $25,000 needed.
"We hope DUG will be a legacy we leave behind for future Deep Ellum generations," writes Ramirez. "So, we will continue to need funds. We are working out the details if we should have maintenance fees from gardening membership, or yearly fundraising events."
Keep track of things through the DUG Facebook page, because if you can't make it out to this workday, they'll need your help some other day. Also, you can contact Kelly Clemons with questions at [email protected].
