Helping Gardens across the Globe

World Vision is a faith-based (Christian) humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Norma found that World Vision offers opportunities to support the development of gardens in countries around the world. For example for 35 dollars, you can purchase an agricultural pack for a hungry family that includes seeds, tools and training so that they can grow healthy food. Check out the World Vision website or contact Norma at the next meeting for a group donation or for more information.

Planning for 2010

With the days getting shorter, and the wind getting colder - are we thinking about Spring planting already? Sure we are! Our first planning meeting for 2010 was held last week at the City of Pickering. Those in attendance learned from Carolyn about a number of opportunities to help out at the garden - and Garden Angels were born! Individual gardeners can sign up as caretakers (or should we say "worker bees") of one small aspect of the garden: from tending common beds, to making sure extra produce goes to the food bank, to planning events. There is plenty of opportunity to use your skills and talents. If you want to know more about the volunteer jobs available or have an idea for a new job - contact Carolyn. Check out the Garden Angel contact list below.

Harvest Festival Pictures

Check out some great pics of our Harvest Festival and some of its visitors at the following link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/becsbubble/HarvestFestival2009ValleyPlentifulCommunityGarden?authkey=Gv1sRgCMug6Or4sPzLtQE&feat=directlink#

Phase II

If you haven't been over to Phase II yet to check out the amazing structures and strategies there, it's worth the short trip!

Harvest Festival

With a bit of September chill in the air and increasingly more produce traveling from our plots to our stomachs, it seems as though harvest time is upon us again.

We had a terrific time on Saturday September 19 at this year's Harvest Festival. The weather could not have been more perfect and it was a great day to eat, spend time together, and to show off some great progress to Mayor Dave Ryan and a number of Regional and City Councilors, including our advocate Bonnie Littley.

August Pest Tips

Hello Everyone,

With the weather heating up it is exciting to see lots of amazing things coming out of the garden plots.

Having said that, there are an increasing number of people experiencing problems with cucumber beetles and with white mildew. Below are some helpful tips for handling each challenge.

Cucumber beetles are small, striped beetles that attack the leaves and stems of cucumber and zucchini plants. The bugs themselves may be difficult to spot, but their effects are not - as a large healthy cucumber plant will turn yellow and shrivel up quite quickly. Quickly remove the infected parts of the plant and throw them out DO NOT PUT THEM IN THE COMPOST. Then spray or sprinkle the remainder of the plant with a mixture of vanilla and water. The smell acts as a repellant to the beetles and helps to protect the healthy part of the plant.

White Mildew resembles a thin, white powdery substance and sits on the leaves and stems of many different plants - giving them the appearance of being dusty. It occurs when there is excessive moisture and the plants do not have adequate opportunity to dry out. Right now it is affecting many zucchini, squash, and pumpkin plants in the garden. To combat this mould, mix baking soda into some water, along with some safe dish soap for stickiness - then spritz the mixture onto both the tops and bottoms of the affected plants. Continue to do this each day or as often as possible until the mildew dries up and your plants return to normal.

Carrots

While lots of us have been enjoying leafy greens for quite a few weeks now, it was an encouraging site to see Monica pull the first ready-to-go carrot out of the ground a little while ago.

If you build it they will come....

A million thanks to Wayne and Todd, who led the way as a new shed was built at the garden on June 21. The shed sits sturdy on a gravel foundation with plenty of room for tools and even rain spouts to help gather more water from the roof for our garden.

It was a hot day and things weren't quite complete, but Wayne and Todd stayed right through until the monday working hard to complete this important project. Not only does the new shed provide a place to put tools, but it also creates some very pleasant shady spots to rest on a hot day.

Please take a moment to thank Wayne and Todd for lending their expertise next time you see them.

Newest Gardener

A few weeks ago on a sunny sunday, many of us had the chance to welcome our newest gardener into the fold. Tom's new dog is a Bluetick Coonhound, rescued from the Southern United States. We're all looking forward to benefitting from this gardener's impeccably positive attitude and unparalleled enthusiasm.

I spoke with Tom this morning and the young lady has been named Blue, say hi to her if you get the chance.

Whose plot is it really?

One of the best parts about gardening is the opportunity to stop being so diametrically opposed to what nature is doing and start cooperating a bit instead. It is both rewarding and relaxing to see your plants coming up ever so slowly, and and there is a sense of peace that goes with knowing one is contributing to a more environmentally and socially sustainable food system.

You can imagine Tom Crowder's surprise when it turned out that nature wasn't quite as interested in cooperating with him. Indeed, this spring it turned out that a pair of killdeer (birds) had selected Tom's plot as an ideal spot to build their nest. All Tom was trying to do was get some work done in his garden bed, but it was more difficult to convince the killdeer of that - as they chose to believe he must have been out to get them. Lots of us had a laugh as the birds took every opportunity they could to tell all of us off with a constant barrage of chirping.

The birds, along with their babies, have opted to move to a quieter spot in a currently unoccupied plot. While all parties can currently coexist more peacefully, the birds are still quite willing to share their opinion if anyone gets too close.

new beginnings....

Over the past several weekends, there have been lots of people at the garden getting things ready for another growing season!

Things were a bit swampy at first (we nearly lost Len in the mud!), but everyone plowed ahead and got wood-chips laid down on many of the paths running between the plots. There has also been several loads of compost delivered, and much of it is already being put to use: both being worked into the soil and spread as a mulch in other plots.

At first glance, the community garden is a place with sandy soil, lots of low spots, and a lot of recently tilled sod. However, never underestimate the things that can be achieved by a few determined people. Little by little, the soil is being enriched through the addition of compost and organic fertilizer, beds are being evened out to avoid swamping in low spots, and sod is being picked out and turned into more compost.

Even more exciting, there are little bitty green things poking up in a number of places as some of the early vegetables start to pop up to greet the sun. There has been real commitment to the earth we walk on at the garden, and the results are just beginning to show.

Valley Plentiful Community Garden blog

It's been a long winter, but at last the sun is shining again, the birds are singing, and lots of green things are starting to poke up out of the dirt, grow on trees, in cracks in the sidewalks, and pretty much everywhere else as well. Everywhere you look, things are growing and there is new life.

During the past few weekends, as I've been digging wood chips, soil, and compost; I've had some time to think about what a fantastic summer it's going to be. It has been one of the most serene and relaxing experiences possible to spend some additional time outside working with the ground and planting our little garden. Each time I head out there to the garden, I can feel the stress start to melt away...

I got to thinking how I'm sure there are others who feel the same way. With just one summer in the books, and the garden growing like crazy, there are surely going to be countless stories springing up about the garden and its ability to affect and enrich our lives.

Obviously we can all share these stories any time of the day or night, but I thought that I would put together a method where everyone can join in and share their stories with the rest of the garden. Here is a great place to share your pictures, stories, tips, and tell us about how your plot is doing. You can send all those things, along with feedback, to:

pickeringgarden@live.com

Enjoy your summer and all of those serene times.