Neighborhood Garden Ready to Open March 31

Spring is almost here - it's time to garden! FIRST OFFICIAL WORK DATE SET FOR - SATURDAY MARCH 31st (not the 30th as I mentioned to some of you!!!) 9 AM until Noon.

Thanks to those new members who are interested in our garden. We are excited that our numbers are growing. We will be adding weekdays this year as an added bonus - some persons are only available then. Also, the youth group who participated in the Sweet Potato harvest last fall may spend time in our garden this year as well. Sunday afternoons are also a workday possibility. And, we will be needing a team to do the garden watering - especially as the hot weather approaches. See - we have something for everyone!!!

First - many things need to happen in the garden - a good clean up of beds (we didn't get that all finished last fall) - We have new compost on site and need to top off the beds after they are cleaned out.

There are a few repairs needed to some of our original beds - and the hoses are in need of repair? or replacing. Fred (I think) has agreed to check these out for me ( he repaired one or two last year!!!). We are also hoping to get the water pressure back up like we had at the beginning of last year - we now have half of the pressure which requires that the hoses need to be moved mid-day to get the entire garden watered. And the burms are suffering from an overtaking of Bermuda Grass - And of course the planting of seeds and new plants and then the harvesting of our crops - see there really is something for everyone!

Bell Garden will be open for purchase of plants soon - and the science dept at McKinley is planning a "seed starting" project - so we should have plenty to work with. Also - some seeds do best planted directly in the beds. If there is something you wish to try - we are open to your request.

Enough of my rambling - hope to see you in the garden. And feel free to call if you have ideas, etc.

Bev

McKinley Peace Garden Update

From 2011-Garden Work Day May

The McKinley Peace Garden - located on Ann Ave behind the McKinley Jr. Academy at 2156 Russell Blvd - was started in the Spring of 2010. Pastor Kathleen and Principal Williams met and decided a garden could be a win-win for both the school and LPUMC. Members of the church prepared an agreement between the two groups and other members provided the garden with 10 4x4 beds and one round bed for planting. A berm and a shade garden was also added; and the area along the east (alley) fence was planted with trees, shrubs, etc. A softer look to the environment for the students and crops to share with our community is the result.

The three top reasons for the garden were: 1) enhance health through a better diet by providing vegetables and fruits in the food desert of the local community; as well, enhance the selection of fresh vegetables for use in the school; 2) provide an educational and community service opportunity to the McKinley students and faculty with the planning, planting and growing of crops; and 3) offer a chance to interact with people of the surrounding community.

In the spring of 2011 the garden received a grant from Gateway Greening to increase the size of the planting area and was awarded materials for these beds, a shed to store our tools, etc. a picnic table, tools and hoses. Two eagle scouts completed projects on the site.

One is the installation of additional beds, three benches, and three trees. The other is the preparation and installation of an outdoor classroom for the use of students and shelter for the gardeners, which includes five picnic benches. The gardeners have used this for our evening supper meeting!

Mustard greens were distributed by Fred and Sharon Domke to the McKinley neighbors. Comments ranged from "What's a mustard Green?" to "Boy, is Grandma gonna be HAPPY!!!." Jim Wilder distributed the first crop of kale to Cornerstone Preschool. The families and staff were delighted with the kale. Bev O'Neal harvested and delivered 14 pounds of cabbage to Cornerstone and again they were thrilled. Caroline Ban and Fred Domke attended the McKinley Heights Neighborhood meeting in June and have recruited several more interested gardeners. Contact has also been made with Sigel School for some distribution to be made to the student's families.

Bulbs, plants and volunteers are always welcome as we plant, weed (we are fighting Bermuda Grass) and harvest. All crops are weighed and reported to Gateway Greening at the end of the season. We also are responsible to pay back to Gateway Greening the sum of 30 work hours on our choice of project or projects.

If you wish to be a part of this contact either of the garden leaders - Bev O'Neal at Fred Domke.

See you in the Garden!