Farewell to Summer and Hello Fall

Putting The Garden to Bed On Sat. October 26 at 10 a.m.

Despite all odds, we actually were blessed with a pretty good 1st year garden. 

 

Remember the rock party last spring, where we picked hundreds of rocks out of grey lifeless "soil"?  Who could have predicted how well our little garden would grow after seeing that?   There were actually lots of zucchinis, tomatoes, pumpkins to go around.  I hope you all got some of the produce and enjoyed sharing it with your neighbors.

I'd love to hear about your efforts and experiences in the garden, as I really don't know who helped and who used it or not.  If you have any comments or suggestions, please send me a message.

We will have one last work party to put the garden to bed, this Saturday, October 26, 2013 at 10 A.M. for about an hour.  Bring gloves, shovels, rakes, etc. 

If anyone has a green city garbage can, please bring it, so we can dispose of the dried refuse that way.  We will need a few of them, so if you could let me know if you have one, I'll know if we need to arrange another disposal method or not.

I will be bring some muffins to keep up your strength. If anyone else wants to contribute a treat, please do so.

Thank you to all those who helped through the year, especially the Retzlaff's, Jacie & Patrick, who did the lion's share of watering the garden and lots of weeding.  Thanks to Len Hughes who supplied the hoses. Zelda Johnson and Sue Mack helped me weed most weekends - and to all others who spent time helping in the garden, a BIG thank you for your help.

I hope to see lots of you at the garden on Saturday for one last garden day before we give up Summer and welcome Fall.  Bye for now...

Harvest Time at the Garden

Come and Get 'Em!

Today's garden haul yielded 15 Zucchini, 14 Cukes and a few tomatoes and peppers.

I picked what was ripe, otherwise we'd have some huge, inedible crops.

If you need some of the above, call me and I'll bring them by, or you can come and get them.  

 

 

I continue to be amazed at the huge golden globes in the pumpkin patch.  They are starting to look more like pumpkins now, with a slightly orangey hue and some stripes from top to bottom.  There are quite a few of the others as well, and more growing all the time.

Veronica Halversen and I were in the garden this morning weeding and visiting.  I won't be there tonight as it's Shelly Pollock's business opening, but please feel free to go over, or send your husbands and kids.  It's fun to explore the many varieties growing there. 

The spaghetti squash (at least that's what I think they are) are getting big and are very prolific.  You have to browse carefully to find the cukes, but they are there. The tomato vines are enormous with lots of green tomatoes.  (Does anyone have red tomatoes yet?) When they ripen, we will be well rewarded.

The zucchini plants are the biggest I've ever seen.  they are over 4 feet tall with leaves the size of platters.  You have to search the inner parts to find all the zucchinis, but there are plenty around the perimeter as well.

If anyone has garden produce recipes, keep in mind that we will be having a harvest party this fall, so think about what you would like to bring to share, and we will be compiling lots of garden recipes into a neighborhood garden cook book, so start thinking about what you will contribute.

I pressure canned 7 pints of zucchini with onion, garlic and tomato this week.  They look yummy, but I don't want to try them out until winter. I hope to do some more this week.

Other then freezing shredded zucchini for zucchini bread, what do you all do with excess squash?

Alien Plants in the Neighborhood

Alien Plants in the Garden...

Golden Globes and Chubby Green Things...What planet do you think they came from????

Those who have been to the garden for some dinner pickin's, might have wondered about the giant golden globes in the pumpkin patch.  We assume they are some kind of pumpkin, but quite different from the other ones that are much smaller and still green.  A mystery - we'll have to wait and see what develops.

And another mystery has been solved.  In my last blog I mentioned some exotic summer squash.  Well, they are squash alright, but not the exotic zucchini I mistakenly led you to believe.  April Anderton suggested that they look more like spaghetti squash and I believe she is right.  How they got into the cucumber patch I don't know, must have been the aliens at work again.  They are light green right now, but if we let them ripen to a golden tone, they should be ready to pick. Yummm.  Their vines are taking over the cukes so you'll have to sort through.  There are several kinds of cukes.  I noticed that someone picked a couple of the Armenian cukes and left them lying in the sun, which baked them.  What a shame since there aren't that many of them.

There are zucchini and cukes ready each day, not tons of them, but enough.  The zucchini plants are so thick you have to (carefully) wade in and search around. I don't recommend letting small children in there, or you might never see them again. There are a couple of plants in the children's garden that are loaded with zucchini's as well. A few tomatoes have started ripening, so check for those.  Mini tomatoes are also ripening in the children's garden.


A big thank you to those who have helped weed the garden.  There is a never ending supply, even with the straw mulch.  (Actually, some of the weeds are from the straw.)  You are welcome to weed any time you like, and please bring your neighbors. Our organized times to weed are Thursday eve. at 7:30 (now that it's cooler at night) and Saturday morning at 8:00 before it gets hot. Please join us.

Well, this year I've sure learned a lot of what not to do with a garden of this size.  Some of the plots are way too small, and many crops are planted too close together. But it's been fun for me to learn and I hope you are having fun exploring the variety of goodies nature is providing us.  Even the ones we didn't expect.

Happy Eating!
Gini

Zucchini Time Has Arrived !!!!!

Neighborhood Garden News

 

The Zucchini and lovely yellow squash are ready to be picked. The Cukes are starting, too.

Please, pick some for your family.  If you have your own garden, pick and give some to your neighbors and invite them to start picking their own.  We will have lots of produce to share.

 

Remember, Thursday evenings at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 8:00 a.m. are the official times for weeding.  But you can weed any other time if you have a few minutes. We need your help to keep on top of the weeds.  Don't forget to invite your neighbors to help as well.  Please plan one of the times and join the fight.  Thanks for your support.

 

 

You Are Invited to the

Neighborhood Garden     Weeding and      Barbecue Party

Wed. June 19, at 6:30 p.m.             

At the Garden: Center Street & 2770 West.

Please join your friends and neighbors for a little maintenance on the Neighborhood Garden (even if you haven't been to the Garden before) and enjoy getting to know your neighbors and enjoy some good BBQ grub.

Hot dogs will be provided (unless you prefer to bring other meat)
PLEASE BRING A SIDE DISH OR DESSERT TO SHARE
 
ALSO - Bring some bring Lawn Chairs if you have some.

Invite your neighbors and come to the Garden for some great socializing and some much needed service to the Garden.

For information, call Gini at 435 602-9779 or Jarom at 801 830-6663

 

Planting Party Update

The Garden is PLANTED!!!

Or, Its a GARDEN MIRACLE!!!  Hallelujah!!!

It was 6:30 Thursday evening and I was alone at the garden setting up the table, lugging tools, plants and seeds from my little hatch-back.  I had already made one delivery of 6 - 2 cu ft. bags of super composted soil to add as we planted into the yuckie clayishness.  I couldn't help but wonder if anyone would bring plants, seeds, cookies or manpower to help me.

I didn't have to wait long before Diane Worthington arrived, then Stephanie Fish, followed by Jarom Stubbs and children, Cheri Henriod, Maryanna Mackay, bearing cookies while on her way to dinner for her birthday (Happy Birthday Maryanna), and several other sisters who brought or sent cookies. John Shurtleff, Kari Wilkins, Dave and Amy Schofield and children, Bret Dayley and a neighbor who is new to me, (they live across the street from the garden) Sasha Kinsey and her 5 children (we found out that my son and her husband were high school friends and they have stayed in touch - small world.

Neighborhood Garden Tomato Bed 5/24/2013

It was amazing to me that we had exactly the right number of tomato plants, the right number of plants or seeds for every other type of crop and that people worked together to plant them efficiently and beautifully.   I took my camera to get pictures for this blog, but was so busy directing traffic and admiring everyone's work, I forgot to take them, but here's what the tomato bed looked like.

Thank you to all (I hope I didn't miss anyone) who participated to make this happen up to now and those who will participate in the future.  Thanks to our Water Masters, Leonard Hughes, Ryan Peterson, Patrick Retzlaff and West Barton who will keep our plants watered. Pray over our little garden, that it will be a success.

Planting Party Update

Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to water the garden before we had a chance to plant.

The ground is too muddy for us to work there today, so the planting party is rescheduled for the next available evening:  

Thursday, May 23 - 6:30 p.m.

I hope you can keep your plants alive until then.  Those who volunteered to make cookies, we would still love to have you bring cookies on Thursday.  If you have any questions or need info. please call Gini Hansen 435 654-1313 or Jarom Stubbs:  801 472-2616.

Neighborhood Garden

Watch For Weather Update                Tomorrow Morning

If we all pray for good weather, maybe we'll be blessed to plant like we planned.

Neighborhood Garden

Update - May 16, 2013

 

Lots of activity at the garden this week. The beds are staked and the irrigation system is about complete.  Leonard Hughes, Ryan Peterson, West Barton and Patrick Retzlaff were just finishing up when I left at 8:00 tonight.  Thanks Guys!
Be aware, the irrigation system is under their control.  Please do not move hoses or try to change things.  If you have a concern, call one of them and discuss it.

Two additional things that need doing:  I have 10 small signs that need to be screwed together, painted and lettered for each of the 10 crops.  Anyone good with an electric drill type screw driver?
Also, I think it would be cool if a few 10-12 yr olds wanted to help by painting the signs. 

I'd like to have them on Saturday morning when we do our planting, so everyone knows where each crop is located. Please LMK if you can help.

I just spent a couple hours raking those big piles of rocks up so people can walk around a little better on Saturday.  But I am concerned for your little ones.  Please be aware that there are some nasty weed seeds near the sidewalk, I call them thumb tack seeds, because they have a pokey that is like a hard thumb tack point.  They could be painful if stepped or sat on. (so shoes might work better then sandals or bare feet) Also, the rocks pose a bit of a danger to all of us if we aren't careful.  

If you have things to plant, please bring a shovel and make sure you mark it with your name.  If you are planting seeds, bring something to mark the row so no one disturbs them until they sprout.

If anyone has any ideas of how to get those piles of rocks out of the garden, please let me know.

Next week we will be happy to have you spread your grass clippings in the walk ways.  But please, no grass that has weed seeds in it.  We're trying to hold down the weeds, not import more.  Thanks.

Now I'm off to have a hot bath to ease my achy sore back.  Rock raking is the pits...

Neighborhood Garden       Planting Party

Come join us at 9:00 Saturday, May 18, 2013 for the planting party.

Bring lots of vegetables to plant.

The ground has been prepared, the garden beds will be staked tonight, Wed, 15th, the irrigation system should be in by Friday, and then we will be set to plant.

If anyone can help with the staking tonight, please call me 435 654-1313 or Jarom Stubbs 801 472-2616.  We only need 3-4 people for about 1 1/2 hours.

Leonard Hughes and Ryan Peterson are spearheading the irrigation construction.  If you can offer assistance, I'm sure they would appreciate it. 801-376-2280 or 801-854-2889.

So far, there have only been about 9 tomato plants, 2 peppers, a few potatoes, 1 squash plant purchased at McCoards, for the garden.  I'm sure many others have, or plan to purchase plants to donate to the garden, but I haven't received any word yet.
If you are planning to bring some plants to the garden, would you send me a quick e-mail or text to that effect.  I'm getting a little worried we will have a very small garden.
Also, McCoards (on the airport road) will sell you their greenhouse grown plants for 50% off, and any other things for 20% off. 
Everything will grown better if we plant it in some additional compost as the soil is pretty much all clay.  So, if you could get a bag of compost with your plants ($2.50 at Walmart) it would be a great help.  (McCoards has great compost but it is over $6.00 a bag)

If anyone would like to help defray some of the costs for items I've purchased already, it would be very welcome.

I hope to see you all on Saturday...for cookies and planting.

Garden Registry List

Here are the plants for the garden which will be listed at McCoards - they will check them off when they are purchased. Thanks so much for your generosity...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomatoes              Early Varieties & Heirlooms            10 plants

                              Plum tomatoes (for salsa)                5 plants

Squash                 Zucchini - early                                15 seeds or plants

                              Butternut or Spaghetti                     15 seeds or plants

Cucumbers           Bush (variety of early)                     15 plants

Peppers                Green or Red Sweet                         7 plants

                             Hot                                                     4 plants

Watermelon          Sugar Baby                                      10 plants or seeds

Pumpkin               Jack-o-Lantern                                  60 seeds

Herbs                  Basil, Chives, Celantro, Parsley         2 plants each

Green Beans       Bush  (Variety of early)                       4 pkgs seeds

Onions                 Yellow & Red                                      2 bags each

Potatoes              Variety of colors                                 50 seed potatoes

                            (I don't think McCoards has any more potatoes)

A bag of compost to go with plants or seeds you buy ( can purchase anyplace)

(Sorry about the formatting, I created the list in Excel and couldn't get it to translate). 

Let me know if there is something you would like to see in the garden that I failed to list.

Call me if you have questions:  gini 435 654-1313

Welcome Neighborhood Garden Enthusiasts

We are off to a great start in forming a true "Neighborhood Garden".

Getting a new garden started is always a lot of work, but can be so rewarding at harvest time...so a big THANK YOU to those who have pitched in & gotten us to this point.

   First, thank you to Keith Clark for making the garden space, and water, available and for plowing off the top layer of soil to level it out a bit.
   Thanks to Chad Hinkley for "Ripping" the hard soil to make it a little looser.
   Thanks to those who picked "rocks" out of the garden and those who provided the "rolls" to make it more fun, and to Bruce Moulton for tilling as we picked.
   Because a good soil is the foundation of any good garden, I used our whole budget of $150. to purchase 6 yds. of compost from the city.
   Bruce and Bob Boardman donated manure which a small group of die-hard's raked and spread so that Jarom Stubbs could roto-till it into the soil.  As garden soil goes, it's still not great, but it's a good start.

So that leaves us with no working capital to provide other garden needs, but I'm confident that our gardeners will donate plants, seeds, materials and cash for future garden needs, and continue to respond with their time and labor. Yea Gardeners!

*** NEWS FLASH ***

Many of you have asked what you can provide and I really appreciate your eagerness to be part of this fun endeavor.  

I negotiated wholesale prices on plants that are grown at McCoard's Garden Center.  That's 50% off retail pricing.  They are willing to do it like a bridal registry so we get the things we really need. (No toasters, but how about zucchini plants!) So a big "thank you to Harry McCoard" for his support!!!

Starting tomorrow, Thursday, May 9, you may purchase plants there and they will check off what you purchased, so we know when we have enough of each type of crop. I was delighted to see some "Heirloom" tomato plants, which would be a great addition to our harvest. (Maybe we can have a class on how to save the seeds later this summer)

Because the soil in the Garden is still so "clay-clumpy", I'd appreciate it if you would bring a bag of compost (not potting soil) to use while planting the plants and seeds you provide.

Of course, if you'd rather buy plants elsewhere, that's fine, just let me know so can have McCoard's check off what you bought. The season for purchasing veggie plants is winding down, so you might want to make your choices quickly before they run out. I hope we can plant next week...

Other items, like seeds, compost or other supplies - anything McCoards doesn't grow themselves in their greenhouses, will be discounted by 20%.  Items you purchase for yourselves, will be at retail price.