The backflow has been relocated to a low-traffic place by the garden shed. Also a master valve and cut-off valve were added. The cut-off allows us to turn water off only for the irrigation portion, and not for whole SIG. The master valve keeps the water off when there is a broken piple. All very nice. 
The irrigation backflow installed is about knee-high on the main path. There was a monumental disconnect with the corrective work and "fixing" things. I will be meeting with Valley Crest irrigation specialist and see where this can be relocated out of harms way and still be compliant with Moulton Niguel Water District's approved irrigation plan that deems the sites water drinkable.
Above shows where "main" to greenhouses runs: starting over 9 feet from curb and runs through 2 of the future garden areas. Also a lateral for the oaks is run through this trench as to 2 of the 3 oaks. In the design phase, I had made it very clear I wanted no pipe run through garden areas. I had a conversation with Valley Crest and approved running main in area 3 feet from curb, as there was already existing items in there. Leia, Elizabeth, Yona & Emily helped sift the compost on our last compost day for 2011. We'll let this sit for 3-5 weeks to "finish". With the new landscape material being chipped/shredded we should not have to do as much sifting. We also went over worm composting. Time lapse picture over 10 hours at SIG looking north.
Above are many of the irrigation changes: combining valves, isolating onto own line and installing backflow between them and main line. Also all laterals will be run through walk areas, and removed from the garden areas.
The Moulton Niguel Water District discovered on a site inspection that the main line to SIG was not to code: within 10 feet of reclaimed water line and not clearly marked. Most of this line was retrenched to Small Conference Center. MNWD also sited that the irrigation lines were co-mingled with the faucets and required a backflow be installed, pictured above.
Cliff, Director of Security, set us up with a first aid kit... hopefully something we won't have to use much... or at all!
Lisa and Elizabeth came to help get compost bins ready for next week's visitors. Good upper body work out. Lisa is taking one of the worm composters to try at home.
The City of Aliso Viejo donated 2 worm compost bins. Thanks! Pictured in front is a disassembled bin which consists of 2 screen, top, and bottom. Behind that is an assembly 1. We'll need a "home" for these bins, as they are most likely too small for outside use due to the small mass of material and being outside. These are more ideally suite for a home setup.
Our compost piles are seeing temperatures in the 140-160F range, when following the UCCE "Hot" method. We're using 1 cubic yard wire bins.
The bender board, installed by Valley Crest, was installed in many places with screws up to 2" too long in August 2011. As of today, Nov 14, 2011, many of these are still exposed. Since the slope of the plot is so steep, we have to assume that the DG will get washed away so the submerged long screws need to be cut off too.
Compost Day to get ready for the forecasted rain. Elizabeth and Ranya helped out and we turned and put together 3.5 compost bins, and the next day the temps were all in 140-160F range!!! I agree with Leia that the piles were too dry… probably from hydrated all the dry leaves. Also Elizabeth and Ranya tarped the pile of raw material we had waiting. 
Healthy olive tree about same age:
Leia came out for Sunday’s Compost Day (swimmers can take the rain). We had about 20 gallons of scraps from the kitchen collected Friday. Since it had been overcast and raining, nothing got too ripe. Leia and I did standard practice for kitchen waste: have absorbent material down (shredded paper), cover with compost and keep in wired container from critters. Leia also brought uncooked scraps from her meal and I brought hair from barbershop. So those that are active in our group, feel to bring anything we’ve discussed and add to your compost pile!
Connor & Elizabeth helped on today's work day. The goal was to assemble the 2 new gardening carts. These carts have two wheels, axel under the weight, removable end for dumping, and level surface to haul all sorts of materials... all ideal for garden work.
Shredded office paper
We are now officially composting shredded office paper, and we got our first batch delivered by Cleaning a few days ago. We'll be posting signage on the 1/2 dozen shredders on campus letting folks know to not add glossy paper and to remove staples.
Moulton Niguel Water District was out Monday doing a routine inspection, and were surprised that they had not been notified of the water run to the SIG. They readily found two code violations and declared the faucet water undrinkable, as it was on same line as the irrigation without a backflow valve. The irrigation work was not what I’d originally requested; the Valley Crest account manager simply did what he wanted. As originally requested in March, the irrigation needs to be isolated from the fresh water line. Either the irrigation will be fixed accordingly or the irrigation will be capped and buried, and we will do the irrigation ourselves (with MNWD approval). We ran driking (potable) water to the site so that it could be drank and used for irrigation, which is commonly done at most homes.
Raya, Emilia, Lisa, Elizabeth, Leia, and Yona turning compost piles. We covered what you one should and should not include in the compost pile.
Elizabeth and Connor helped put together the picnic tables. We're now ready to seat 20 people easily. Nice work! Note in background the compost bins have shrunk nearly 50% in volume in only 1.5 weeks.
Raya, Emilia, Lisa, Elizabeth, Leia, and Yona all showed up for our first composting work day. We did a little assembly of cart and picnic table. We were able to get 3 complete compost bins completed, along with covering basics of composting. We'll track the compost piles and turn weekly (at least that's the plan). We are using the UCCE "hot" method. We used landscaping waste as our base. It takes about 4 "manta's" worth of material to make a cubic-yard compost bin.
Elizabeth and I put together our first compost pile. We pulled up earth-stakes and the weed-cloth on larger garden area in anticipation of this Sunday's work day. It took about 3 burlap tarps (manta) from the landscapers to fill a cubic yard compost bin. We had mostly leaves & foliage (ojas & follage), so we were short on nitrogen. We'll be getting grass clipping (zacate) on Friday, which are high in nitrogen.
Anthony ordered and installed a 2nd shed on the aquaculture portion of SIG. Let's see how much more stuff he can fit on this plot!
Facilities putting up the shade cloth structure. They drilled opposing holes and put in rebar on ends and are pouring cement. The soil is VERY difficult to work dry due to clay. Add to this the pad is not level nor even. Simon, Mike and Javier are pictured.
A person takes the time to put their dog poop in a bag, but then leave it in the garden... some people's children?! This is one of many reasons the garden will be fenced and locked.
Mike Moore, Athletics Director, dropped by for a visit. Mike had offered many good organizational ideas along the way, of which I'm thankful. He quickly noted the sharp grade of the plot, which I'd "assumed" would have been graded level.
On an drizzly morning,Michelle Hobby-Mears, Director of Student Activities and Residential Life, stopped by for a visit to see what is going on at SIG. I learned that her and her husband (whom I went to HS with) recently got new rescue dogs. This was after mentioning my dogs had to be in dog-jail until the SIG fencing was completed.
I'm teaching myself basic word working, with my first projects: work bench and compost screen. The compost screen uses gravity for smaller humus to fall through and larger pieces to roll off top onto mat. The work bench is open so hold buckets.
Pictured is part of shipment of our 20'x20' shade cloth stucture from Poly-Tex. The shade cloth is 70%/black with a side panel (which we'll put on south-side when needed).
Student Elizabeth single-handedly took down the miss-placed shelve. The bib drains were wrapped up.
The first work day at the Garden! Students Nate and Leia came and helped with bib drains. Faculty Robert H put up tool racks and shelving. 
The "main" to the SIG area is from the small conference center. There is a cut-off valve, and regulator on a 3/4" line. Odd thing is the pvc pipe used to extend it is 1".
My two assistants and I got lots of the initial tools, supplies and shelving. Anyone know what the tool is next to my left knee? This is first batch of tools, as we're assuming we'll have 10 regular volunteers, so we'll need to tool up for this number. Note the 2x4's in back and new shelving box in corner of picture.
Oh the woe's of irrigation... Antonio found out that the line from the main had dirt in it, and it clogged up the filter. This is now fixed. Only to find that main by greenhouses had a joint problem, which is now fixed (pictured above). As my friend once said "Making a mistake is not the issue, it's how quick you fix them". Thanks Valley Crest and Facilities!
The double spigot bib's will be very handy: hook hose up on bottom and still have another spigot handy. One bib on shed, and another by garden area. The irrigation controller electrical was finished (yellow cord). Also the water and electrical were finished up in the green houses. Very nice progress.
