<div dir="ltr">So I keep using JW Glass via Communications to the committee because my other CCGA Communications email address is corrupted and gets returned.<div><br></div><div>Here is some good news from Andrew about covering soil testing for the faith based garden pilot project.</div><div><br></div><div>Lorraine<br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Lorraine Kells</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:lxkells@gmail.com">lxkells@gmail.com</a>></span><br>Date: Sat, Aug 1, 2020 at 2:34 PM<br>Subject: Re: Soil testing<br>To: Margenot, Andrew J <<a href="mailto:margenot@illinois.edu">margenot@illinois.edu</a>><br>Cc: Batka, Sarah Christine <<a href="mailto:sbatka@illinois.edu">sbatka@illinois.edu</a>>, Watson, George Patrick <<a href="mailto:gwatson3@illinois.edu">gwatson3@illinois.edu</a>>, <a href="mailto:chicagosoils@gmail.com">chicagosoils@gmail.com</a> <<a href="mailto:chicagosoils@gmail.com">chicagosoils@gmail.com</a>><br></div><br><br><div dir="ltr">Andrew.<div><br></div><div>This is great news. The grant money must be spent by Dec. 30, so this will not only save resources for these new and continuing faith based community gardens, but it keeps people informed and safe.</div><div><br></div><div>With your permission, we will include you in our cover letter and planning steps for this pilot program.</div><div><br></div><div>Deepest Regards,</div><div>Lorraine </div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Aug 1, 2020 at 1:23 PM Margenot, Andrew J <<a href="mailto:margenot@illinois.edu" target="_blank">margenot@illinois.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div lang="EN-US">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Hi Lorraine,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Thanks for reaching out on this. I agree that checking soils in these community garden sites would be a good idea. Though the ICE grant ends in a few months, we’d be able (and happy) to provide
support in the form of soil screening for lead in soil using the pXRF. In addition to providing some guidance on the potential lead risk in these communities’ soils, the soils would benefit us by increasing our pool of mail-in soils from private or at least
non-city property. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The simplest way could be to mail the soils to us; George is overseeing the mail-in program, so he can coordinate with the community garden leaders/individuals on the shipping.
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Let us know how else we might help on this!<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Andrew<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">______________________________________<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Andrew Margenot, PhD </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Assistant Professor of Soil Science</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Crop Sciences Department</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">S-324 Turner Hall</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Urbana, IL 61801</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Phone: 217-300-7059
</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Soils Lab:
</span><a href="https://margenot.cropsciences.illinois.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://margenot.cropsciences.illinois.edu/</span></a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Lorraine Kells <<a href="mailto:lxkells@gmail.com" target="_blank">lxkells@gmail.com</a>> <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 30, 2020 1:19 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Margenot, Andrew J <<a href="mailto:margenot@illinois.edu" target="_blank">margenot@illinois.edu</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Batka, Sarah Christine <<a href="mailto:sbatka@illinois.edu" target="_blank">sbatka@illinois.edu</a>>; Watson, George Patrick <<a href="mailto:gwatson3@illinois.edu" target="_blank">gwatson3@illinois.edu</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Soil testing<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Andrew,<u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I hope this email finds you well and still working whether remotely, in a lab, or in the field. The chairs and working groups of CCGA have continued to meet remotely to provide COVID safe guidelines for gardening, hold contact-free plant
distributions, and put out our newsletter.<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the last day or so CCGA has been approached by the Illinois Dept of Human Services to act as advisor during a pilot program funding the expansion and creation of community gardens at faith based organizations on the south and west sides
of Chicago in Black and Brown neighborhoods. I have mentioned that soil is our greatest concern. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Are you still doing any soil testing? Is it still free or low cost for these organizations? There have been only 8-10 selected for the pilot program. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are of course recommending that they build raised beds and fill them with clean soil and compost. <u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">The expense of lumber, building beds and buying bulk soil may be beyond the scope of some churches. I anticipate some may have a need for soil testing if they chose to grow or are limited to growing only in the ground.<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to when we can again host in person workshops. The data and accompanying clarification you and George provide is invaluable, especially when delivered with the authority and reassurance you
provide.<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Regards,<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lorraine Kells <u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote></div>
</div></div></div>