The first thing I noticed as I arrived at the school were the garden men hard at work! We received a huge pile of woodchips this past Friday to spread around the garden space. Their shovels were digging and the wheelbarrows were moving. That pile of woodchips didn’t stand a chance!
As the men and children transported the woodchips to the walkways, several different projects were simultaneously being undertaken. I’m accustomed to community gardens that are more like rental gardens in the community, without much collaboration besides a spring clean-up and a fall clean-up. Even then, gardeners are ready to scurry back into their respective plots to tend to their own business. You do get the occasional passerby who wants to share his/her war stories with cucumber beetles, but for the most part you are on your own.
This Sunday I saw gardeners working together and sharing knowledge; not just about plants and flowers, but world travels, delicious wines and how to brew your own liqueur for cocktails, just to name a few things overheard. There are so many cool and interesting things you can learn from your neighbor. That is what a community garden should be about, right? Gardening is hard work! Why not have fun at the same time?
My first task was weeding. The most dreaded task of them all! But I like to concentrate on each little weed and try to pull up every bit of the root without it snapping. Usually this takes me FOREVER! Luckily I got some help from Amber who also showed me where the Asparagus plants are, that we hope comes back to life. I soooo hope they come back! Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies to prepare because they are so simple and hearty.
After weeding Amber and I planted nasturtium seeds. These plants are easy to grow and both the leaves and flowers are edible. Traditionally, the blooms range from bright yellow to orange and have a sweet and peppery taste. Not only can they be used as a yummy garnish, but they can be used in salads, sandwiches, vinaigrettes or whatever dish you want to spice up. Can’t wait to try these!
My next task was transplanting
Pink Tip Greasy Beans and Robert Hazelwood Beans (both are Appalachian heritage beans, available online at Sustainable Mountain Agriculture. I’ve never been an artist or been able to draw
straight lines, so I’m sure the plants are not in a perfect row. But, I’m
pretty sure that won’t affect their growth. Again, I’m all about the roots,
so I made sure to handle each seedling so that the roots stayed intact.
Fingers crossed they make it through the transition. The last task of the day was constructing trellises for the varieties of beans to climb. This was truly a collaborative effort. We used old sections of wired fences, old bamboo sticks and twine to hold the structure together. With the many hands on deck, the innovative engineering and sound decision making, the beans will have something to hike up.
Next work session, Sunday May 1st, 1:00-4:00pm will be the first garden potluck of the season! After some socializing, we will plant more veggie plants as well as regular maintenance tasks. Looking forward to seeing everyone!
