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10th ANIVERSARY
Huge $10 Sale
Clothes, Shoes, Toys, Diapers,
Accessories & Much, Much more!
Sale runs through July 31st while supplies last but come in now for the best selection.
Th ank You Eugene For 10 great years of support
205 W 5th Ave • 541-485-1222 • M-Sat 10-5:30 • Sun 11-5
8 JULY 14, 2011
EUGENE WEEKLY
SPUD GROWING
IN LEAF PILES
GOES GLOBAL
The Potato Leaf Project, a clever way
to use waste leaves and grow food at the
same time, is an example of a home-
grown idea gone viral. The idea, which
was first featured in a story in EW
(12/30/10), is now making its way
around the world.
The Potato Leaf Project came about
by a group of participants in one of the
“Sustainable Eugene” meetings held at
the University Longhouse in November
2010. The idea was initially suggested
by David Hazen, creator of The City of
Peace, as a way to help those in need of
jobs, income and food.
The initial goals of the project were
to:
• Keep the leaves in neighborhoods
by finding a place to use them in a
planting project.
• Bring individuals in communities
together in a food sharing mode, similar
to the Neighborhood Gardens which are
developing around town (Common
Ground Garden and the Edgewood
Garden).
• Use potatoes because they are so
easy to grow.
• Encourage the potential for business
possibilities for the low-income and
jobless. For example: starting a Mission
Garden where homeless community
members could tend to the growing.
• Additionally, the potatoes could be
sold to local stores or simply prepared in
storable food products and then sold.
They could also be donated to FOOD for
Lane County.
In November, leaves were ordered
from the city of Eugene’s Leaf Collection
Program. When they were delivered,
they were piled up in a neighborhood
easement, which is the back alley of a
street owned by the neighbors. The
leaves were laid in a 100-foot row about
2 feet high to begin decomposition. In
the spring, they were planted with seed
potatoes (using many varieties for
testing). As the spuds grew out of the
pile, they were covered with more leaves
to form mounds, which covered the new
green growth under the leaves to promote
more tuber growth. In August or
September, the neighbors will harvest
potatoes.
As of today, the testing goes on
around the world. People in Guam,
France, Spain, Texas, Arizona and
around Lane County have been inspired
by this process and are building their
own potato patches. It is an ongoing
event, and any other suggestions and
participation are welcomed. — Ginny
Ducale, ginny@efn.org
A version of this story first appeared at www.
transitioneugene.org
WAR
DEAD
In Afghanistan
• 1,647 U.S. troops killed* (1,638)
• 12,450 U.S. troops wounded in action
(12,306)
• 887 U.S. contractors killed (763)
• $432.6 billion cost of war
($429.3 billion)
• $123 million cost to Eugene taxpayers
($122.1 million)
In Iraq
• 4,421 U.S. troops killed (4,421)
• 31,922 U.S. troops wounded in
action (31,922)
• 185 U.S. military suicides
(updates NA)
• 1,542 U.S. contractors killed
(1,537)
• 111,215 to 1.2 million civilians
killed* (110,949)
• $786.7 billion cost of war
($785.5 billion)
• $223.7 million cost to Eugene
taxpayers ($223.4 million)
Through July 11, 2011; sources: icasualties.org; defense.gov, U.S.
Dept. of Labor
* highest estimate; source: iraqbodycount.org; based on con-
firmed media reports; other groups calculate Iraqi civilian deaths
as high as 655,000 (Lancet survey, 2006) to 1.2 million (Opinion
Research Business survey, 2008)
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