McClure Fellowship of Gardeners was one of the nominees honoured at this years YMCA Peace Awards Celebration Luncheon held on Nov. 18, 2009. Although we did not receive an award, it was an honor to be among the many recognized as contributing to the wellbeing of the citizens of Calgary. Our name and what we do was listed in the Calgary Herald and we were recognized with others following the luncheon at the presentation of the awards. The awards were presented by Grant and Angela from Global TV and the event was mentioned on the news.
Submited by Sheila Ford
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Learn How to Lengthen the Food Growing Season with Lyndon Penner
Hi Garden Leaders,
Growing Sense with Lyndon Penner - November 1, 2009
Do you wish we had just one more week or two of summer to harvest more
vegetables from your garden? Or how about just a few more days to ripen
those tomatoes or get a few more beans?
Join Lyndon Penner and gardening friends at the Unitarian Church on Sunday
evening November 1st for tips and ideas on extending Calgary's food
growing season into spring and fall. Learn about hardy seed & seedling
varieties, frost protection and the best ways to use plant shelters, grow
lights, mulches, cold frames, and greenhouses and much more!
What: An Evening with Lyndon Penner
Where:
Unitarian Church of Calgary
1703 1st Street NW
(Just west of Centre St. on 16th Ave NW)
When: Sunday, November 1st @ 7:00 – 9:00 PM
What Else: Dessert & Refreshments, Questions & Participation
Park: Balmoral School & Street Parking
Kids: Bring ‘Em
Cost: Your Time @ No $$$ (Free!)
Sponsors: This event is made possible by:
The Alberta Community Spirit Program Grant to Unitarian Church of Calgary
The Community Garden Resource Network, The Calgary Horticultural Society
Growing Sense with Lyndon Penner - November 1, 2009
Do you wish we had just one more week or two of summer to harvest more
vegetables from your garden? Or how about just a few more days to ripen
those tomatoes or get a few more beans?
Join Lyndon Penner and gardening friends at the Unitarian Church on Sunday
evening November 1st for tips and ideas on extending Calgary's food
growing season into spring and fall. Learn about hardy seed & seedling
varieties, frost protection and the best ways to use plant shelters, grow
lights, mulches, cold frames, and greenhouses and much more!
What: An Evening with Lyndon Penner
Where:
Unitarian Church of Calgary
1703 1st Street NW
(Just west of Centre St. on 16th Ave NW)
When: Sunday, November 1st @ 7:00 – 9:00 PM
What Else: Dessert & Refreshments, Questions & Participation
Park: Balmoral School & Street Parking
Kids: Bring ‘Em
Cost: Your Time @ No $$$ (Free!)
Sponsors: This event is made possible by:
The Alberta Community Spirit Program Grant to Unitarian Church of Calgary
The Community Garden Resource Network, The Calgary Horticultural Society
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The numbers are done!
All the garden boxes have now had their numbers re-painted, mostly on the west side. You can click on this picture to enlarge it. This should make it much easier for you to locate your plot. Don't forget to sign up for next year by printing out the Membership Agreement and sending in your money. The deadline is coming up fast.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Plot Rental Renewal Notice
McClure Fellowship of Gardeners
5510 – 26th Avenue NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 6S1 www.mccluregardeners@blogspot.com
Plot Rental Renewal Notice
Deadline: November 30, 2009
Dear Gardeners:
As existing garden members, you have the first option on renewing your existing plots for next year. To renew, we must receive your signed membership agreement (attached) and payment in full before November 30, 2009 to guarantee your plot for next year.
Please read the new membership agreement carefully and be aware of the following changes:
1. The plot rental fee is $30 per plot with 13 hours of volunteering commitment.
2. The volunteering requirement has changed from the mandatory attendance at the Spring and Fall Clean-up (approx. 12 hrs. time commitment) to 10 hours of volunteer time put in throughout the season. The reduction in the volunteer time required and greater flexibility in when you can put in the time was designed to make it easier for members to meet their volunteering commitments.
3. Returning members have until November 30, 2009 to renew their plot(s) for the following year. If a plot rental is not renewed by November 30, 2009, it will be made available for rent by people on the waiting list and by the general public.
4. No refunds will be issued after Feb. 28, 2010.
Payment can be made out to: McClure Fellowship of Gardeners
Signed membership agreements and payment can be mailed to or dropped off at 5510 – 26th Ave. NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 6S1. If you have any questions or would like to request a second plot, contact us at McClureGarder@hotmail.com.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
McClure Fellowship of Gardeners
5510 – 26th Avenue NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 6S1 www.mccluregardeners@blogspot.com
Plot Rental Renewal Notice
Deadline: November 30, 2009
Dear Gardeners:
As existing garden members, you have the first option on renewing your existing plots for next year. To renew, we must receive your signed membership agreement (attached) and payment in full before November 30, 2009 to guarantee your plot for next year.
Please read the new membership agreement carefully and be aware of the following changes:
1. The plot rental fee is $30 per plot with 13 hours of volunteering commitment.
2. The volunteering requirement has changed from the mandatory attendance at the Spring and Fall Clean-up (approx. 12 hrs. time commitment) to 10 hours of volunteer time put in throughout the season. The reduction in the volunteer time required and greater flexibility in when you can put in the time was designed to make it easier for members to meet their volunteering commitments.
3. Returning members have until November 30, 2009 to renew their plot(s) for the following year. If a plot rental is not renewed by November 30, 2009, it will be made available for rent by people on the waiting list and by the general public.
4. No refunds will be issued after Feb. 28, 2010.
Payment can be made out to: McClure Fellowship of Gardeners
Signed membership agreements and payment can be mailed to or dropped off at 5510 – 26th Ave. NE, Calgary, AB T1Y 6S1. If you have any questions or would like to request a second plot, contact us at McClureGarder@hotmail.com.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
McClure Fellowship of Gardeners
New Membership Agreement
McClure Fellowship of Gardeners
2010 Community Garden Membership and Plot Rental Agreement
Name:
Additional users: Plot number(s)
Address:
Postal Code:
Phone:
Email:
Fee: $30 per plot with 13 hours of volunteer commitment (including three hours watering)
I, the undersigned, on behalf of myself and the users listed above, do agree to follow the conditions below:
1. Pay for my plot in full before using it. Payment is due prior to November 30th for returning gardeners and prior to May 15th for new gardeners. No refunds will be issued after Feb. 28, 2010.
2. Plant my garden plot(s) by June 5, 2010. If I have not done so, the Garden Board has the right to reassign my plot.
3. Help in the joint maintenance of the garden by:
- Properly maintaining my plot(s) and common areas assigned to me. This includes keeping all pathways and areas surrounding my plot and the common areas assigned to me clear of weeds. A neglected plot, as identified by the garden committee, will be assumed to be abandoned if I have not attended to within seven days of notification, and will be reassigned.
- Participating in the garden watering schedule by signing up for at least 3, one-hour long watering sessions for the common areas as assigned.
- Completing 10 hours of volunteer work on the common areas or on projects assigned by the Garden Board. Working on your own plot(s) does not count as volunteer time. Volunteer hours must be recorded in the volunteer binder in the shed or reported online through the blog (www.mccluregardeners.blogspot.com).
The common area(s) assigned to you correspond with your plot numbers. A map and description of the common areas will be posted in the binder in the shed.
Volunteering opportunities will be posted from time to time by the Board. You can the descriptions of these opportunities in the binder or online on the blog.
Garden workbees are held on the third Saturday of each month from 9-3pm. Workbees offer gardeners an opportunity to get to know one another, to enjoy a potluck lunch and to receive guidance on how to care for common areas. If a workbee is cancelled due to inclement weather, it is automatically rescheduled for the following Saturday.
4. Strictly adhere to organic gardening principles and
- Not use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides on the site
- Adequately dilute liquid organic fertilizers before application
- Use compost, mulching materials and soil amendments supplied by the Garden Board as required
- Follow the garden’s composting guidelines (no meat, fats or dairy) and compost weeds in the appropriate bin.
5. Respect the garden and the rights of other gardeners by:
- Planting crops which grow over 4 ft. in height where it won’t shade neighbouring beds.
- Put away all equipment used, shut off the pump, and ensure that the shed is locked.
- Take responsibility for any non-gardeners accompanying me to the site and ensure children are supervised and dogs are kept on a leash.
- Harvesting only out of your own plot(s) and community beds (where permitted). Do not harvest from program plots.
This Tenancy Agreement covers a maximum time between November 1, 2009 and October 31, 2010.
Plots will be assigned in the following order:
1. Existing plot renters will have first option on renewing the rental agreement on their assigned plot(s) from year to year, provided they have abided by all of the conditions above.
2. People on the waiting list (in the order that they were added)
3. The general public
Failure to comply with the above conditions may void this contract.
The information on this contract will only be used for community gardening contact purposes and will not be given out or sold.
SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT ABSOLVES McCLURE FELLOWSHIP OF GARDENERS AND ROBERT McCLURE UNITED CHRUCH FROM ANY LIABILITY, FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE, WHICH MAY RESULT FROM NEGLIGENCE OR THE INAPPROPRIATE USE OF POWER AND HAND TOOLS EITHER BY OTHERS OR MYSELF.
Gardener’s Signature Garden Board Member Signature
Date: Amount received: $ Form of payment: Cash / Cheque
2010 Community Garden Membership and Plot Rental Agreement
Name:
Additional users: Plot number(s)
Address:
Postal Code:
Phone:
Email:
Fee: $30 per plot with 13 hours of volunteer commitment (including three hours watering)
I, the undersigned, on behalf of myself and the users listed above, do agree to follow the conditions below:
1. Pay for my plot in full before using it. Payment is due prior to November 30th for returning gardeners and prior to May 15th for new gardeners. No refunds will be issued after Feb. 28, 2010.
2. Plant my garden plot(s) by June 5, 2010. If I have not done so, the Garden Board has the right to reassign my plot.
3. Help in the joint maintenance of the garden by:
- Properly maintaining my plot(s) and common areas assigned to me. This includes keeping all pathways and areas surrounding my plot and the common areas assigned to me clear of weeds. A neglected plot, as identified by the garden committee, will be assumed to be abandoned if I have not attended to within seven days of notification, and will be reassigned.
- Participating in the garden watering schedule by signing up for at least 3, one-hour long watering sessions for the common areas as assigned.
- Completing 10 hours of volunteer work on the common areas or on projects assigned by the Garden Board. Working on your own plot(s) does not count as volunteer time. Volunteer hours must be recorded in the volunteer binder in the shed or reported online through the blog (www.mccluregardeners.blogspot.com).
The common area(s) assigned to you correspond with your plot numbers. A map and description of the common areas will be posted in the binder in the shed.
Volunteering opportunities will be posted from time to time by the Board. You can the descriptions of these opportunities in the binder or online on the blog.
Garden workbees are held on the third Saturday of each month from 9-3pm. Workbees offer gardeners an opportunity to get to know one another, to enjoy a potluck lunch and to receive guidance on how to care for common areas. If a workbee is cancelled due to inclement weather, it is automatically rescheduled for the following Saturday.
4. Strictly adhere to organic gardening principles and
- Not use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides on the site
- Adequately dilute liquid organic fertilizers before application
- Use compost, mulching materials and soil amendments supplied by the Garden Board as required
- Follow the garden’s composting guidelines (no meat, fats or dairy) and compost weeds in the appropriate bin.
5. Respect the garden and the rights of other gardeners by:
- Planting crops which grow over 4 ft. in height where it won’t shade neighbouring beds.
- Put away all equipment used, shut off the pump, and ensure that the shed is locked.
- Take responsibility for any non-gardeners accompanying me to the site and ensure children are supervised and dogs are kept on a leash.
- Harvesting only out of your own plot(s) and community beds (where permitted). Do not harvest from program plots.
This Tenancy Agreement covers a maximum time between November 1, 2009 and October 31, 2010.
Plots will be assigned in the following order:
1. Existing plot renters will have first option on renewing the rental agreement on their assigned plot(s) from year to year, provided they have abided by all of the conditions above.
2. People on the waiting list (in the order that they were added)
3. The general public
Failure to comply with the above conditions may void this contract.
The information on this contract will only be used for community gardening contact purposes and will not be given out or sold.
SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT ABSOLVES McCLURE FELLOWSHIP OF GARDENERS AND ROBERT McCLURE UNITED CHRUCH FROM ANY LIABILITY, FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE, WHICH MAY RESULT FROM NEGLIGENCE OR THE INAPPROPRIATE USE OF POWER AND HAND TOOLS EITHER BY OTHERS OR MYSELF.
Gardener’s Signature Garden Board Member Signature
Date: Amount received: $ Form of payment: Cash / Cheque
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Have Cow, Will Compost
Good ole publisher's tact...they have sense enough to bury the icky bits deep in the bowels of an article. I was reading some fascinating stories on Terra Preta soil formation in the Amazon when I came across the bit where they used humanure to inoculate and condition the biochar used to create the soil. Yup, they mixed people poop and pee with charcoal to create some of the richest soil on the planet. And they grew their food on that. Ick.
But maybe I shouldn't cringe too much; after all, we do the same thing here. There are anti-dumping laws that limit how much sewage material you can dump into the oceans so our processed sewer sludge ends up being converted into a cheap fertilizer that's sold to farmers who grow our food. The marketing gurus wisely sensed that "processed sewer sludge" wouldn't sell well so they created the name, "Milorganite" for the sludge so it sounds more like a naturally mined mineral. Clever. I saw bags of milorganite for sale at Sunnyside Garden Sentres as a lawn fertilizer a few years back. Wasn't able to bring myself to buy it, even for the lawn.
Still, this whole humanure thing bears looking into. Other cultures in other parts of the world do recycle human waste into fertilizer for their fields. In fact, all of the long-term, successful, closed systems of agriculture included returning humanure to the soil. You had to keep the minerals and nutrients from leaving the land or the soil would become depleted over time. Since we're already eating food grown (imported or domestic) that's fertilized with humanure, I thought I would look into it further.
I remembered seeing a Home Depot flyer that advertised a composting toilet so I decided to find out how those worked. In the process, the Internet whimsically directed me to a link on how to compost a cow. I had to click on it. My curiosity demanded to know how they got the cow into the toilet.
Prior to the current regulations that say you have to take the carcass into an approved processing/rendering facility, people would simply compost their cow if it got hit by lightning. Now if you were able to get to it fresh, and you happened to have a backhoe, you could try the Hawaiian-luau-pig-in-a-pit thing, but alas, who the heck has a pit of coals at hand...especially in a lightning storm? Pity our lack of prescience or we would have more roast beef.
The thing to do to compost your dead cow is to bury it in a whole lot of sawdust. The high carbon:nitrogen ratio of the sawdust (500:1) helps to absorb the large amount of nitrogenous waste from the decomposing cow and a couple of years later, you have good compost. Humanure is composted in much the same way. You can make a simple composting toilet by doing your business in a large bucket and then covering it up with a layer of sawdust. When the bucket is full, you empty it into a humanure compost pile and let it break down. At some point some bright Amazonian must have realized that charcoal would help keep odours down in the pile and terra preta was inadvertently born. At least that's my theory.
I like to speed up my composting by adding weeds. They're high in nitrogen and minerals and break down very quickly. For those of you who worry about weed seeds, you can always try adding a cow. The existing composters are too small for that but we'll be building new ones soon....
But maybe I shouldn't cringe too much; after all, we do the same thing here. There are anti-dumping laws that limit how much sewage material you can dump into the oceans so our processed sewer sludge ends up being converted into a cheap fertilizer that's sold to farmers who grow our food. The marketing gurus wisely sensed that "processed sewer sludge" wouldn't sell well so they created the name, "Milorganite" for the sludge so it sounds more like a naturally mined mineral. Clever. I saw bags of milorganite for sale at Sunnyside Garden Sentres as a lawn fertilizer a few years back. Wasn't able to bring myself to buy it, even for the lawn.
Still, this whole humanure thing bears looking into. Other cultures in other parts of the world do recycle human waste into fertilizer for their fields. In fact, all of the long-term, successful, closed systems of agriculture included returning humanure to the soil. You had to keep the minerals and nutrients from leaving the land or the soil would become depleted over time. Since we're already eating food grown (imported or domestic) that's fertilized with humanure, I thought I would look into it further.
I remembered seeing a Home Depot flyer that advertised a composting toilet so I decided to find out how those worked. In the process, the Internet whimsically directed me to a link on how to compost a cow. I had to click on it. My curiosity demanded to know how they got the cow into the toilet.
Prior to the current regulations that say you have to take the carcass into an approved processing/rendering facility, people would simply compost their cow if it got hit by lightning. Now if you were able to get to it fresh, and you happened to have a backhoe, you could try the Hawaiian-luau-pig-in-a-pit thing, but alas, who the heck has a pit of coals at hand...especially in a lightning storm? Pity our lack of prescience or we would have more roast beef.
The thing to do to compost your dead cow is to bury it in a whole lot of sawdust. The high carbon:nitrogen ratio of the sawdust (500:1) helps to absorb the large amount of nitrogenous waste from the decomposing cow and a couple of years later, you have good compost. Humanure is composted in much the same way. You can make a simple composting toilet by doing your business in a large bucket and then covering it up with a layer of sawdust. When the bucket is full, you empty it into a humanure compost pile and let it break down. At some point some bright Amazonian must have realized that charcoal would help keep odours down in the pile and terra preta was inadvertently born. At least that's my theory.
I like to speed up my composting by adding weeds. They're high in nitrogen and minerals and break down very quickly. For those of you who worry about weed seeds, you can always try adding a cow. The existing composters are too small for that but we'll be building new ones soon....
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Anyone want Red Currants?
My red currant bush is loaded with fruit. I'd be really happy if someone would like to come and pick some. It seems such a shame to let them go to waste. I still have juice from last year that I haven't made into jelly yet.
Alma
403-285-4853
Pineridge NE
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Square Foor Gardening
I found this article I though you might be interested in:
Square foot gardening offers an ideal method for new gardeners. It is also perfect for busy people, and those with arthritis or other physical limitations. If you are looking for the easiest way to garden, this method offers real advantages. Square foot gardening can even be done in raised beds, or in containers, to make it easy on your back.
Square foot gardening is simply dividing a well-planned garden into one foot sections. Each of these one foot sections is part of a four foot square block. These garden blocks are designed to be four feet on each side so you can easily reach all of the plants from outside the planting bed. When you step in a garden bed, your weight will compact the soil and make it harder for plant roots to grow. Each individual square foot is then divided so each plant gets just the space it needs.
Gardening in simple squares allows you to plant only what you need instead of having to plant a whole row of one crop. With this method, you can also plant crops in succession so they do not ripen all at once. If you have too many plants it can become overwhelming to care for them.
Square foot gardening works well in raised beds. By raising the beds 12 inches (or more if needed) it also makes it easier to reach them. Wheelchair users or those with severe back problems may choose to have truly raised beds built so they can tend to their garden without having to lean over.
Container gardening can be adapted to the square foot method as well, although you will need to take care to select containers that are deep enough for the roots. When using containers, plan to use rich soil and water often for best results. Container plants are dependent on you for nutrients and can dry out quickly in hot weather.
An example of a four foot block planting for maximum production might be one tomato plant in each of the first two squares, four bush squash plants in the next two squares. The next four squares could hold one eggplant, one cabbage, one pepper plant, and one cauliflower. Broccoli in two squares, 16 onions in one square, 32 carrots in two squares, a dozen loose leaf lettuce in one square, four marigolds in one square, and nine spinach in one square (each square is one foot). As produce is harvested, short season or late season crops such as baby lettuce or cabbage can be planted in the empty spots.
Gardening in squares instead of rows saves space too so you will probably be able to put your garden closer to your house. You will need about twenty percent less space than with traditional garden rows. With your garden just beyond your back door, you will enjoy it more and spend more time tending to our vegetable garden. A closer garden is also easier for harvesting since you can pick vegetables as they ripen and use them right away.
You'll find that square foot gardening is much easier for both new gardeners and experienced gardeners. Not only will you plant only what you want and not too much, but you will be planting in rich, loose soil and in raised beds that are easier on your back. No need for exhausting double-digging and pulling out excess seedlings. You can plant closer to the house and you use your space more efficiently. Once you try square foot gardening, you'll love having your own fresh vegetables with much less effort.
Julie R. Holland is the editor of Gardening it Easy blog and e-newsletter. Want more tips and hints about how to raise a lush, beautiful garden while saving money, time and your back? Subscribe to the free Gardening it Easy e-newsletter and get the Beginner's Guide to Organic Gardening for free!
Article Source: Julie R. Holland
Square foot gardening offers an ideal method for new gardeners. It is also perfect for busy people, and those with arthritis or other physical limitations. If you are looking for the easiest way to garden, this method offers real advantages. Square foot gardening can even be done in raised beds, or in containers, to make it easy on your back.
Square foot gardening is simply dividing a well-planned garden into one foot sections. Each of these one foot sections is part of a four foot square block. These garden blocks are designed to be four feet on each side so you can easily reach all of the plants from outside the planting bed. When you step in a garden bed, your weight will compact the soil and make it harder for plant roots to grow. Each individual square foot is then divided so each plant gets just the space it needs.
Gardening in simple squares allows you to plant only what you need instead of having to plant a whole row of one crop. With this method, you can also plant crops in succession so they do not ripen all at once. If you have too many plants it can become overwhelming to care for them.
Square foot gardening works well in raised beds. By raising the beds 12 inches (or more if needed) it also makes it easier to reach them. Wheelchair users or those with severe back problems may choose to have truly raised beds built so they can tend to their garden without having to lean over.
Container gardening can be adapted to the square foot method as well, although you will need to take care to select containers that are deep enough for the roots. When using containers, plan to use rich soil and water often for best results. Container plants are dependent on you for nutrients and can dry out quickly in hot weather.
An example of a four foot block planting for maximum production might be one tomato plant in each of the first two squares, four bush squash plants in the next two squares. The next four squares could hold one eggplant, one cabbage, one pepper plant, and one cauliflower. Broccoli in two squares, 16 onions in one square, 32 carrots in two squares, a dozen loose leaf lettuce in one square, four marigolds in one square, and nine spinach in one square (each square is one foot). As produce is harvested, short season or late season crops such as baby lettuce or cabbage can be planted in the empty spots.
Gardening in squares instead of rows saves space too so you will probably be able to put your garden closer to your house. You will need about twenty percent less space than with traditional garden rows. With your garden just beyond your back door, you will enjoy it more and spend more time tending to our vegetable garden. A closer garden is also easier for harvesting since you can pick vegetables as they ripen and use them right away.
You'll find that square foot gardening is much easier for both new gardeners and experienced gardeners. Not only will you plant only what you want and not too much, but you will be planting in rich, loose soil and in raised beds that are easier on your back. No need for exhausting double-digging and pulling out excess seedlings. You can plant closer to the house and you use your space more efficiently. Once you try square foot gardening, you'll love having your own fresh vegetables with much less effort.
Julie R. Holland is the editor of Gardening it Easy blog and e-newsletter. Want more tips and hints about how to raise a lush, beautiful garden while saving money, time and your back? Subscribe to the free Gardening it Easy e-newsletter and get the Beginner's Guide to Organic Gardening for free!
Article Source: Julie R. Holland
Friday, August 7, 2009
Mulch and Meeting
Hello everyone,
The mulch did not end up getting delivered on the 5th. They are now looking at between the 10-12th. I'm trying to get a Calgary Attendance crew in on the 13th to help move it. Hopefully it'll get here in time.
We have a date to add to the calendar. Child and Youth Friendly Calgary will be bringing out a group on Saturday the 15th.
We need to have a meeting soon to figure out where we're at and where we're going and to set a date for the next work bee, open house/tea at the garden and possibly a fall celebration/volunteer appreciation. Please email everyone the times you're free over the next week or so.
Thanks.
The mulch did not end up getting delivered on the 5th. They are now looking at between the 10-12th. I'm trying to get a Calgary Attendance crew in on the 13th to help move it. Hopefully it'll get here in time.
We have a date to add to the calendar. Child and Youth Friendly Calgary will be bringing out a group on Saturday the 15th.
We need to have a meeting soon to figure out where we're at and where we're going and to set a date for the next work bee, open house/tea at the garden and possibly a fall celebration/volunteer appreciation. Please email everyone the times you're free over the next week or so.
Thanks.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Calgary Attendance Tomorrow
Hello everyone,
We just got very lucky. I called John at the Calgary Attendance and they just happened to have a cancellation for tomorrow so we can have a crew out. Yay! Between them and the Child and Youth Friendly Calgary volunteers on Saturday, we'll have all that soil moved in time for Sunday's church in the garden event. :o)
If anyone can come out tomorrow that would be wonderful. I confess I was a bit fried by the end of yesterday and I've already forgotten what we've got for snack and such. The crew will be there from about 9:15-9:30 to 3:00pm.
I spoke with Olive Bailey from the City and she's setting aside 2 hazelnut bushes for us. Next Wednesday would be a good time to get them. Can anyone go and pick them up? They are at 111-17 St. SE (Mayland Heights) and Olive is there from 7:30am-4:15pm. We would need to call her at 371-7581 to let her know when we're coming.
I have the ParentLink wee kids in the morning next Wednesday (9:30-10:30/11:00am) so if we get the bushes in time, we can get the parents & kids to plant them. Who knows, maybe the kids will watch them grow over the years and pick hazelnuts when they're older. :o)
We just got very lucky. I called John at the Calgary Attendance and they just happened to have a cancellation for tomorrow so we can have a crew out. Yay! Between them and the Child and Youth Friendly Calgary volunteers on Saturday, we'll have all that soil moved in time for Sunday's church in the garden event. :o)
If anyone can come out tomorrow that would be wonderful. I confess I was a bit fried by the end of yesterday and I've already forgotten what we've got for snack and such. The crew will be there from about 9:15-9:30 to 3:00pm.
I spoke with Olive Bailey from the City and she's setting aside 2 hazelnut bushes for us. Next Wednesday would be a good time to get them. Can anyone go and pick them up? They are at 111-17 St. SE (Mayland Heights) and Olive is there from 7:30am-4:15pm. We would need to call her at 371-7581 to let her know when we're coming.
I have the ParentLink wee kids in the morning next Wednesday (9:30-10:30/11:00am) so if we get the bushes in time, we can get the parents & kids to plant them. Who knows, maybe the kids will watch them grow over the years and pick hazelnuts when they're older. :o)
New Garden Beds
Hi everyone,
Nature doesn't like bare ground so it would be a good idea to plant the new beds with cover crops as soon as possible before She moves the weeds in to do the job. I would like to plant cover crops right away to fill up the beds. They can be dug in during early Fall or left through the winter to protect the soil and raked off in Spring.
Practically anything can be used as long as we sow it densely. I have a lot of spinach and arugula (domestic & wild). We can also easily get some of the more commonly sown cover crops seeds:
- oats
- buckwheat
- alfalfa
- field peas
- canola
- barley
It will only take about an hour or so to plant all 20 plots. Let me know what you all think - if you have any preferences for any type of cover crop, etc. I'm aiming to have this in by next week.
We also need to number the boxes. The numbers on the older boxes could also be refreshed. I'm guessing they were painted on using a stencil. I'll look into getting that next time I'm in Home Depot.
Nature doesn't like bare ground so it would be a good idea to plant the new beds with cover crops as soon as possible before She moves the weeds in to do the job. I would like to plant cover crops right away to fill up the beds. They can be dug in during early Fall or left through the winter to protect the soil and raked off in Spring.
Practically anything can be used as long as we sow it densely. I have a lot of spinach and arugula (domestic & wild). We can also easily get some of the more commonly sown cover crops seeds:
- oats
- buckwheat
- alfalfa
- field peas
- canola
- barley
It will only take about an hour or so to plant all 20 plots. Let me know what you all think - if you have any preferences for any type of cover crop, etc. I'm aiming to have this in by next week.
We also need to number the boxes. The numbers on the older boxes could also be refreshed. I'm guessing they were painted on using a stencil. I'll look into getting that next time I'm in Home Depot.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Big things happening Wednesday, 29th
Hello everyone,
Home Depot has called and confirmed for 12 people on next Wed. 29th at 8:00am-2:00pm. They will be bringing extra wheelbarrows to help move the soil into the plots. Their PR dept. will be alerting the media so hopefully we'll get some coverage out of this. 4 people each will be coming from 3 stores. They will be bringing some items for us that was on our wishlist.
Child and Youth Friendly Calgary will be rounding up a crew to come out from 10-noon to help wheelbarrow soil into plots. There will be at least 6 and up to 12 youth. These folks are also coming out this Saturday from 2-4pm.
Our four regular Y-Map volunteers will be there from 12:30-2:00pm as usual next Wednesday. I've also asked the Y-Map coordinator to see if they can get any more kids out.
The Calgary Foundation - I'll be emailing Julie Black today to invite her out. They had requested that we invite them to major workdays.
Community Garden Resource Network - I'll contact Gael and ask her to put the word out there. This would be a good opportunity for those who are looking to start their own community gardens to come and see how it can be done.
Lorna - if you're willing to part with some old fence boards, can you get them cut into roughly one-foot sections and bring them to the garden? We can use them to help level the beds on the uneven ground.
If anyone else has spare lumber they want to put to good use, this could be your chance.
We are accepting names to add to a list for the new plots for next year. Perhaps you, as a member, might want to rent an additional plot? Do you know someone who wants a plot? Please contact Maeve at or phone 403-454-0328 to get added to the list.
Home Depot has called and confirmed for 12 people on next Wed. 29th at 8:00am-2:00pm. They will be bringing extra wheelbarrows to help move the soil into the plots. Their PR dept. will be alerting the media so hopefully we'll get some coverage out of this. 4 people each will be coming from 3 stores. They will be bringing some items for us that was on our wishlist.
Child and Youth Friendly Calgary will be rounding up a crew to come out from 10-noon to help wheelbarrow soil into plots. There will be at least 6 and up to 12 youth. These folks are also coming out this Saturday from 2-4pm.
Our four regular Y-Map volunteers will be there from 12:30-2:00pm as usual next Wednesday. I've also asked the Y-Map coordinator to see if they can get any more kids out.
The Calgary Foundation - I'll be emailing Julie Black today to invite her out. They had requested that we invite them to major workdays.
Community Garden Resource Network - I'll contact Gael and ask her to put the word out there. This would be a good opportunity for those who are looking to start their own community gardens to come and see how it can be done.
Lorna - if you're willing to part with some old fence boards, can you get them cut into roughly one-foot sections and bring them to the garden? We can use them to help level the beds on the uneven ground.
If anyone else has spare lumber they want to put to good use, this could be your chance.
We are accepting names to add to a list for the new plots for next year. Perhaps you, as a member, might want to rent an additional plot? Do you know someone who wants a plot? Please contact Maeve at or phone 403-454-0328 to get added to the list.
Monday, July 20, 2009
The Tossed Salad Plot
On Monday, July 13th, the day of our one good rain this season, plot no.4 was seeded with a blend of over a dozen salad ingredients.
There's a mix of lettuces, other greens, herbs and other items that might go into a salad like carrots and cucumbers. The seeds were put into a container, shook and then tossed into the plot - all while huddling under the cover of an umbrella. Then the soil was raked lightly so some of the seeds would be covered. I couldn't rake one-handed so I had to forsake the umbrella for a bit. It was the fastest raking you ever saw.
The entire bed was planted in less than five minutes. That's the beauty of the broadcasting method of sowing. It's quick. One famous gardening fellow, Masanobu Fukuoka (author of "The One Straw Revolution"), uses the broadcasting method for his "Natural Way of Farming". He, too, mixes seeds and then tosses the mix all around his garden. He lets Nature determine where the best spot will be for each type of vegetable to grow. It's all part of his do-nothing method of gardening where he tries to expend as little effort as possible and let Nature take care of the rest. He figures Nature knows far more about growing plants than we do so he leaves it in more capable hands. It's worked for him. Now let's see if it will work for us.
Some seeds have already sprouted! Do we know what they are? Heck no, but it'll be fun to figure it out. It is a community plot so feel free to harvest what you dare. :o)
There's a mix of lettuces, other greens, herbs and other items that might go into a salad like carrots and cucumbers. The seeds were put into a container, shook and then tossed into the plot - all while huddling under the cover of an umbrella. Then the soil was raked lightly so some of the seeds would be covered. I couldn't rake one-handed so I had to forsake the umbrella for a bit. It was the fastest raking you ever saw.
The entire bed was planted in less than five minutes. That's the beauty of the broadcasting method of sowing. It's quick. One famous gardening fellow, Masanobu Fukuoka (author of "The One Straw Revolution"), uses the broadcasting method for his "Natural Way of Farming". He, too, mixes seeds and then tosses the mix all around his garden. He lets Nature determine where the best spot will be for each type of vegetable to grow. It's all part of his do-nothing method of gardening where he tries to expend as little effort as possible and let Nature take care of the rest. He figures Nature knows far more about growing plants than we do so he leaves it in more capable hands. It's worked for him. Now let's see if it will work for us.
Some seeds have already sprouted! Do we know what they are? Heck no, but it'll be fun to figure it out. It is a community plot so feel free to harvest what you dare. :o)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Home Depot & other good news
Hello everyone,
Great news! Ron's application for $1,000 from the Shell Community Service fund has been approved! Shell employees who put in more than 48 volunteer hoursa year with a hon-profit can apply every year for a grant of up to $1,000. He had asked for funds to cover the cost of fence building materials. This will go a long way to cover the cost of the fence posts and cement.
Trevor Morrison, the store manager for the Home Depot store in Marlborough called and we have Wednesday, July 29th in the morning (8:00am) as the time for the building for the plots. He estimates he'll have 9-12 people from 3 different stores coming out to help build the 20 plots. He will do a mock-up at his store so he can get a good time estimate on how long it takes to put one together. He said he can also bring extra wheelbarrows to help us get the soil in the plots.
Great news! Ron's application for $1,000 from the Shell Community Service fund has been approved! Shell employees who put in more than 48 volunteer hoursa year with a hon-profit can apply every year for a grant of up to $1,000. He had asked for funds to cover the cost of fence building materials. This will go a long way to cover the cost of the fence posts and cement.
Trevor Morrison, the store manager for the Home Depot store in Marlborough called and we have Wednesday, July 29th in the morning (8:00am) as the time for the building for the plots. He estimates he'll have 9-12 people from 3 different stores coming out to help build the 20 plots. He will do a mock-up at his store so he can get a good time estimate on how long it takes to put one together. He said he can also bring extra wheelbarrows to help us get the soil in the plots.
Youth Volunteers in the Garden
The YMCA Y-Map program running out of the Pearson high school has connected us with four volunteers to help in the garden. These volunteers are in the garden most Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:30-2:00pm (see calendar). This week the young ladies braved rainy and blustery weather to prepare and plant the Y-Map plot. They dug out all the weeds and most of non-productive raspberries and mixed in compost. Twelve fast-growing vegetables were selected and planted. Then they helped transplant the orphan raspberry bushes into the raspberry plot. Lorna was on hand to guided the kids along and that was a great comfort to me because my experience with youth and kids is rather limited.
The pumpkins at the Leisure Centre are blooming!Thurs. - a special outing for Y-Map where they recruit volunteers from their entire base. Four youth and their two adult coordinators came out. We split off into two teams and switched tasks halfway. One team weeded the raspberry patch and the other worked on earth moving. Some of the soil from the pile beside the shed was moved over to the orchard and mixed with compost and framed in sod to create another raised, round bed for a new community summer squash patch. Then additional soil was moved to level out the site of the new plots.
Joan made yummy banana bread and cookies and these goodies were much appreciated when they were devoured at the end of the day.
Garden member Ron's plot contributed a great deal of dill. I was able to convince the coordinators, Nancy & Jenny, to take some home but there were no takers among the kids. Maybe if we mix it with some cucumbers... how about we organize a pickling session for them sometime? We've got cucumbers growing and Ron can donate fresh garlic and we have no end of dill.
Got milk?
Lorna kindly donated half a dozen 4L milk jug with the bottoms cut off. We've been using them on our pumpkins, watermelon and squash to speed up germination and growth. They work! Take a look at the picture of the two crookneck squash seedlings. Both were planted at the same time. One was put under a milk jug with the top off and the other left alone. The protected one germinated faster and is much, much bigger.
Lorna, if you're reading this, can you please save more milk jugs and bring them to the garden? Thanks. We've got some pickles we've got to grow.
The pumpkin the community grew
Kath Smyth, a gardening expert with greengate, has challenged the city to grow a bigger pumpkin than her....so we thought we would give her some competition. We've got pumpkins growing on the hill between the two apple trees, at the Village Square Leisure Centre, in the Calgary Drop-In Centre's plot in the East Village community garden and at our volunteer Geoff's plot at the Garden Path community garden in Inglewood.
greengate donated the seeds, potting mix and organic fertilizer. Bob, the fellow who heads up the Leisure Centre is an eight-time winner of giant pumpkin contests and he's given us some good tips. Alma is investigating a donation of a snazzy organic hydroponic fertilizer from New York. Maryann from the East Village garden is helping keep the pumpkin watered. The youth from Y-Map will be helping to water and fertilize. The Calgary Attendance crew provided us with grass clippings for mulch. Geoff is helping with watering and experimenting with new-age crystal growth stimulants.
We've got a whole bunch of different people working on it. This, to me, is what community gardening is all about. BIG PUMPKINS!!! You didn't think I was going to say, "people working together for a common purpose" did you? :o)
Keyhole garden
Planting has begun into the keyhole garden beside the front composter. It's slow going because the wee little super dull knife we have in our tool arsenal isn't cutting through the sod very easily. greengate has donated some herbs and assorted flowers and I can bring some dill seeds. We know those will grow for sure.
Watering is tricky because of the steep slope of the soil. I did try making terraces but that didn't work too well because it's too small. A bigger one would terrace very well in theory. Normally you would build a waiste-high retaining wall around the outside to keep the dirt in and then you can plant on a level surface. We simply didn't have enough of the right kind of rocks. The small rounded ones are terrible for stacking into a retaining wall - at least with my skills. Please keep your eyes out for spare bricks or large flat rocks and if you find some, they can be stashed next to it until we have enough. A wooden planter built to surround it would also work if we can find someone handy to help build it.
Compost and rain and grey water can be dumped into the basket. If you can all throw a watering can of water on the surface until the seedlings take, I would appreciate it.
Volunteering Opportunities
Edging - Ron has purchased and dropped off some 2x4's in the shed. We can use them to complete the edging along the front of the raspberry bed. Pitchforks for best for digging out the trench.
Transplanting - all the raspberry bushes you see outside the raspberry bed can be transplanted into the raspberry bed.
Weeding - all flower beds, the rhubarb patch on the hill, the raspberry patch and the orchard can be weeded on an on-going basis.
Watering - the Keyhole garden, raspberry patch, rhubarb patch, orchard, grapes, & flower beds. Also, the pile of sod and soil can use a lot of water. We're working on moving both and moist soil is easier to work with than dust. Watering volunteers are also needed to water over at the Leisure Centre where we're growing food to donate to the Calgary Drop-In Centre.
Wooden stakes - stack them behind the back composter.
Mentoring youth - share your garden skills by working with Y-Map volunteers.
Odds and ends
Calgary Attendance - The workcrew scheduled to come out today was cancelled due to uncertain weather. The person doing the bookings is away until Monday. I'll give him a call and see if we can reschedule.
Wood strips - a pile of oak stakes was dropped off yesterday. They were supposed to be stacked away behind the back composter and they will be shortly. Feel free to help yourself to as many as you like. The strips are tough and would make nice planters if they were screwed onto a wooden frame. Keep your eyes out for carpentry knowledgeable volunteers who might be able to help out with that.
Strawberries - they are in the bed at the front of the garden with the rhubarb. Some of them are beginning to ripen up.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Report from Alma
It was my turn to do watering today and, since the weather hadn't co-operated and given us a nice dump of rain, I decided that the raspberries, et al, in the long bed at the back, needed moisture most. I thoroughly soaked each and every plant with the water bubbler and it took me about 3 hours. They should be good for a little while now. There was one raspberry plant pulled up and thrown on the grass.
Whilst watering, I had the idea of featuring a new garden plot on the blog each week with a picture. It would be great to get the list of current gardeners with their names, email address and plot number so that I could acknowledge them underneath the picture. What do you think?
Whilst watering, I had the idea of featuring a new garden plot on the blog each week with a picture. It would be great to get the list of current gardeners with their names, email address and plot number so that I could acknowledge them underneath the picture. What do you think?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Update from Alex
Hello everyone,
I heard back from the Hort. Society about our entry. It's only open to homeowners so we don't qualify to compete. Drat! It said that applied to the Food Garden Category but it didn't mention it for the other categories so I thought we could enter.
Earlier today I was in the garden and the Y-Map supervisor dropped by with 3 of the 4 volunteers who will be coming on a regular basis. She wanted to show them where to meet (by the dumpster). She mentioned Y-Map also does activities throughout the summer for all the kids in that program and I asked them to come next Thursday from 3-5pm to help tidy up the garden for the competition. I would still like them to come. The Calgary Attendance crew starts around 9:30am and should be done by 3pm. I'll know next week how many kids can come.
I was going to use Thursday to spruce up the garden for the judging and I would like to proceed along those lines. Some items to get done (by either group):
Earth Moving
- Move soil from the dirt pile to the area around plot. no. 1 - the one with all the garlic growing in it - for test sowing of the White Dutch Clover seeds.
- Fill up plot 6 (Y-Map plot) with soil from dirt pile and layer with compost.
- Finish levelling that pile of soil (use it to level out the ground where the new plots will go
- Move sod pile to Northeast corner and water well
- Flatten that bump where the youth group tree used to be and reseed with grass.
Edging
- Finish putting in the edging along the raspberry bed. We will need to get another twelve (2"x4"x8feet) boads.
- Edge around all non-fruit trees and remove all the weeds within the circle. Water deeply.
- Edge along bed behind dumpster.
Tidying Up
- Pick up garbage along fence and in the garden
- Weed every single community bed including the grapes, currants, horse radish in front of the shed, raspberries, the orchard spaces and around the new plots
- Attendance to mow and weed whack the entire garden
- Remove the dead trees
- turn the compost and put finished compost in back composter
Planting & Transplanting
- Transplant those two lilac bushes that are between the new plots
- Transplant raspberries that are outside the raspberry bed into the raspberry bed
- Sow grass seeds (area of flattened bump & area previously occupied by dirt pile). We need to get some grass seeds.
I heard back from the Hort. Society about our entry. It's only open to homeowners so we don't qualify to compete. Drat! It said that applied to the Food Garden Category but it didn't mention it for the other categories so I thought we could enter.
Earlier today I was in the garden and the Y-Map supervisor dropped by with 3 of the 4 volunteers who will be coming on a regular basis. She wanted to show them where to meet (by the dumpster). She mentioned Y-Map also does activities throughout the summer for all the kids in that program and I asked them to come next Thursday from 3-5pm to help tidy up the garden for the competition. I would still like them to come. The Calgary Attendance crew starts around 9:30am and should be done by 3pm. I'll know next week how many kids can come.
I was going to use Thursday to spruce up the garden for the judging and I would like to proceed along those lines. Some items to get done (by either group):
Earth Moving
- Move soil from the dirt pile to the area around plot. no. 1 - the one with all the garlic growing in it - for test sowing of the White Dutch Clover seeds.
- Fill up plot 6 (Y-Map plot) with soil from dirt pile and layer with compost.
- Finish levelling that pile of soil (use it to level out the ground where the new plots will go
- Move sod pile to Northeast corner and water well
- Flatten that bump where the youth group tree used to be and reseed with grass.
Edging
- Finish putting in the edging along the raspberry bed. We will need to get another twelve (2"x4"x8feet) boads.
- Edge around all non-fruit trees and remove all the weeds within the circle. Water deeply.
- Edge along bed behind dumpster.
Tidying Up
- Pick up garbage along fence and in the garden
- Weed every single community bed including the grapes, currants, horse radish in front of the shed, raspberries, the orchard spaces and around the new plots
- Attendance to mow and weed whack the entire garden
- Remove the dead trees
- turn the compost and put finished compost in back composter
Planting & Transplanting
- Transplant those two lilac bushes that are between the new plots
- Transplant raspberries that are outside the raspberry bed into the raspberry bed
- Sow grass seeds (area of flattened bump & area previously occupied by dirt pile). We need to get some grass seeds.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Here are some updates for today
Hello everyone,
Perennials
Lorna, were you going to go to pick up the perennial donations from the Hort. Society tomorrow? (Wed.) They can be planted in plot no. 14 beside the back composter. I can help with that if you can let me know when you're going.
Watering
The raspberry bed could use more water to help the plants get better established and there are also catmint, tomatoes and brassicas in there that could use some water. I ran into Ruth? and asked her to help water that bed when she's volunteering to water. I finally got some water onto those grapes today.
The raspberries, grapes, orchard and rhubarb patch on top of the hill get watered the least and I think we need to organize volunteers to help water those. I know there's something set up now where people come to water everyone's plots, but plots have owners who are supposed to take care of them so I think it's better if we ask volunteers to water the community beds instead. They get much less attention.
More mischief in the garden
In the afternoon I was walking in the garden with a couple of the residents of the apartment building and they told me the teenagers who live at the bottom right unit was going through the raspberry bed and breaking off canes. When I was watering them yesterday, I did notice several leafing canes that had died recently. They also ripped off some branches off a poplar and threw it in the back corner. I'm also wondering if they were the ones who snapped off one of our saskatoon bushes. Somethng to keep an eye on.
Even more worrying, when I walked to the back of the church with those two folks I noticed water was coming out of the tap at the back of the church. It wasn't a geyser, but it was a strong enough flow to have the water streaming off the tap at a good rate. I have no idea how long it's been on. The day before I used that tap to water the raspberries, but I definitely turned it off. I disconnected the hose from that tap so if it wasn't off, believe me, I would have noticed. I got the key from the shed and turned the water off.
A little while ago someone stole a watering key so this could be further mischief stemming from that. Please keep an eye on that tap, and the tap on the west side of the church when you're in the garden.
Plots
A micro-irrigation plot has been added beside The Melon Colony beside the cherry trees. It's almost finished. I'll be there on Thursday morning to add the sod around the outside to keep the soil together. The clay pot in the middle will hold water that will slowly diffuse into the surrounding soil depending on need. Fancy summer squash will be planted there (striped zucchini, cousa squash, yellow crookneck and green pattypan).
Maeve has confirmed that the empty plot no. 14 (closest to the back composter) will be used for a nursery bed and the youth volunteers can help take care of it. We'll use it for seed starting and for parking perennials for fall transplanting. I've started summer squash under plastic cloches (green zucchini, yellow patty-pan and vegetable marrow). Trudi was kind enough to lend us the use of her cloches to speed up the process. If all goes well we should have at least 20 plants to set out. A few can stay in the nursery bed, a good many can be transplanted into the keyhole garden once it's completed, and the rest can go into the self watering pots for the leisure centre. It's late in the season so the plants won't produce much before frost...just in case you were worried we'll get innundated with summer squash.
I took the cloches off the giant pumpkin plot between the two apple trees on the hill. The plants have grown quite a bit and they are bigger than the ones at the Leisure Centre where there's a warmer micro climate. All the plants were started at the same time so I think the cloches make a big difference. It's either that or my secret ingredient that I added to our pumpkin plot.
The layout of the new plots have been "penciled in". There are 12 more that will go in front of the raspberry bed but their layout is simple so I didn't bother to mark those. These position are not set in stone so we can move them around until we're happy with them. Having them marked will make it easier to see where we need to do more leveling with that pile of soil. That's something the Calgary Attendance crew can do when they are next here.
Thursday morning - around 10:00am is when I'll be trying to get some work done on the keyhole garden. At the very least I want to put in the "basket" for the compost in the middle of the plot.
Alex
Perennials
Lorna, were you going to go to pick up the perennial donations from the Hort. Society tomorrow? (Wed.) They can be planted in plot no. 14 beside the back composter. I can help with that if you can let me know when you're going.
Watering
The raspberry bed could use more water to help the plants get better established and there are also catmint, tomatoes and brassicas in there that could use some water. I ran into Ruth? and asked her to help water that bed when she's volunteering to water. I finally got some water onto those grapes today.
The raspberries, grapes, orchard and rhubarb patch on top of the hill get watered the least and I think we need to organize volunteers to help water those. I know there's something set up now where people come to water everyone's plots, but plots have owners who are supposed to take care of them so I think it's better if we ask volunteers to water the community beds instead. They get much less attention.
More mischief in the garden
In the afternoon I was walking in the garden with a couple of the residents of the apartment building and they told me the teenagers who live at the bottom right unit was going through the raspberry bed and breaking off canes. When I was watering them yesterday, I did notice several leafing canes that had died recently. They also ripped off some branches off a poplar and threw it in the back corner. I'm also wondering if they were the ones who snapped off one of our saskatoon bushes. Somethng to keep an eye on.
Even more worrying, when I walked to the back of the church with those two folks I noticed water was coming out of the tap at the back of the church. It wasn't a geyser, but it was a strong enough flow to have the water streaming off the tap at a good rate. I have no idea how long it's been on. The day before I used that tap to water the raspberries, but I definitely turned it off. I disconnected the hose from that tap so if it wasn't off, believe me, I would have noticed. I got the key from the shed and turned the water off.
A little while ago someone stole a watering key so this could be further mischief stemming from that. Please keep an eye on that tap, and the tap on the west side of the church when you're in the garden.
Plots
A micro-irrigation plot has been added beside The Melon Colony beside the cherry trees. It's almost finished. I'll be there on Thursday morning to add the sod around the outside to keep the soil together. The clay pot in the middle will hold water that will slowly diffuse into the surrounding soil depending on need. Fancy summer squash will be planted there (striped zucchini, cousa squash, yellow crookneck and green pattypan).
Maeve has confirmed that the empty plot no. 14 (closest to the back composter) will be used for a nursery bed and the youth volunteers can help take care of it. We'll use it for seed starting and for parking perennials for fall transplanting. I've started summer squash under plastic cloches (green zucchini, yellow patty-pan and vegetable marrow). Trudi was kind enough to lend us the use of her cloches to speed up the process. If all goes well we should have at least 20 plants to set out. A few can stay in the nursery bed, a good many can be transplanted into the keyhole garden once it's completed, and the rest can go into the self watering pots for the leisure centre. It's late in the season so the plants won't produce much before frost...just in case you were worried we'll get innundated with summer squash.
I took the cloches off the giant pumpkin plot between the two apple trees on the hill. The plants have grown quite a bit and they are bigger than the ones at the Leisure Centre where there's a warmer micro climate. All the plants were started at the same time so I think the cloches make a big difference. It's either that or my secret ingredient that I added to our pumpkin plot.
The layout of the new plots have been "penciled in". There are 12 more that will go in front of the raspberry bed but their layout is simple so I didn't bother to mark those. These position are not set in stone so we can move them around until we're happy with them. Having them marked will make it easier to see where we need to do more leveling with that pile of soil. That's something the Calgary Attendance crew can do when they are next here.
Thursday morning - around 10:00am is when I'll be trying to get some work done on the keyhole garden. At the very least I want to put in the "basket" for the compost in the middle of the plot.
Alex
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Apple Trees and Broccoli
Hello everyone,
I was trying to give all the apple trees a deep watering today. So far this year they haven't had one and I wanted to makes sure they got at least one to get them through July and August. There's a lot of apples formed so if they don't get knocked off by hail, we should have a bumper crop this year.
The largest apple tree suffered some damage - probably a weedwhacker that got too close. The bark is scratched off in some places. It's not enough to kill the tree but I'll put some snow fencing around the bottom of the trunk to prevent future damage.
We have broccoli over at the Leisure Centre. I first saw it last Friday on the corner of the fenced in plot. It's a small head - more like a floret but it's there! Yay! I'm not sure what to do with it. I can't see myself harvesting it and taking it over to the Drop-In Centre as a donation. Maybe I'll just take a picture and then let it go to flower so everyone can see what broccoli blossoms look like. It could even turn into a seed saving exercise later in the year. At the very least we know if you plant broccoli seedlings in May, you could harvest at the end of June.
I've just received this announcement from Gael of the Community Garden Resource Network. (See below) Can anyone go over there to pick up some perennials? We could use some for the flower/herb bed and a few more to go in the bed behind the dumpster and maybe in front of the horse radish as well.
Alma, you'd mentioned you knew someone who had perennials he wanted to donate. Joan or Lorna, can either one of you help pick them up? I can check with our volunteer, Geoff, to see if he might be willing to do it as well. He's only got a car so I don't know how much can fit in there though. Ron's brother takes the truck to work so I wouldn't have much luck trying to get the truck on weekdays.
Hi Community Garden Leaders,
Free flowering perennials! A Calgary Horticultural Society member has generously donated perennials to beautify your community garden. They are available right now on the west side of the Calgary Horticultural Society office at 208 – 50th Avenue SW
(The office is the little blue house behind Chinook Hobby Shop which is on the corner of Macleod Trail and 50th Avenue SW. The Society’s office has a large parking lot in front of it but you can drive a vehicle in the alley right beside the west side of the office to the new community garden donation pickup area. (There’s be a sign soon!)
The perennials are labeled and in bags for transporting. They include:
Hyssop, Shasta Daisy, Blue & White Monkshood, Silene, Leopard’s Bane, Veronica Prostratata Blue, Penstemon Hirsuite, Fleabane Pink Jewel, Lynchris Viscaria, Lungwort, Dusty Salmon Maltese Cross, Hot Pink Feranium Macrorrhizome and more!
To confirm with everyone, the empty plot no. 6 (the one infested with raspberries) will be for the youth volunteers who are coming. They will plant fast growing vegetables like salad greens. No. 14 can also be for the youth to plant if that's ok with everyone. No. 4 appears to be empty but it could belong to someone. We could use that bed as a nursery bed where we can start seeds and stash perennials. The Parent-Link plot (in the flower bed right beside the garden shed) will be empty at the end of the season and perennials can be moved into it then.
Maeve, please check to make sure plots no. 4 & 14 are indeed empty. Can the rest of you can get back to me on whether you approve of those empty plots being used by the youth and for a nursery plots.
I'm going to contact Gael from the Resource Network (as above) and let her know we're building more plots and to ask her to get the word out that we're taking names for a list of people who would like to rent a plot next year.
Alex
I was trying to give all the apple trees a deep watering today. So far this year they haven't had one and I wanted to makes sure they got at least one to get them through July and August. There's a lot of apples formed so if they don't get knocked off by hail, we should have a bumper crop this year.
The largest apple tree suffered some damage - probably a weedwhacker that got too close. The bark is scratched off in some places. It's not enough to kill the tree but I'll put some snow fencing around the bottom of the trunk to prevent future damage.
We have broccoli over at the Leisure Centre. I first saw it last Friday on the corner of the fenced in plot. It's a small head - more like a floret but it's there! Yay! I'm not sure what to do with it. I can't see myself harvesting it and taking it over to the Drop-In Centre as a donation. Maybe I'll just take a picture and then let it go to flower so everyone can see what broccoli blossoms look like. It could even turn into a seed saving exercise later in the year. At the very least we know if you plant broccoli seedlings in May, you could harvest at the end of June.
I've just received this announcement from Gael of the Community Garden Resource Network. (See below) Can anyone go over there to pick up some perennials? We could use some for the flower/herb bed and a few more to go in the bed behind the dumpster and maybe in front of the horse radish as well.
Alma, you'd mentioned you knew someone who had perennials he wanted to donate. Joan or Lorna, can either one of you help pick them up? I can check with our volunteer, Geoff, to see if he might be willing to do it as well. He's only got a car so I don't know how much can fit in there though. Ron's brother takes the truck to work so I wouldn't have much luck trying to get the truck on weekdays.
Hi Community Garden Leaders,
Free flowering perennials! A Calgary Horticultural Society member has generously donated perennials to beautify your community garden. They are available right now on the west side of the Calgary Horticultural Society office at 208 – 50th Avenue SW
(The office is the little blue house behind Chinook Hobby Shop which is on the corner of Macleod Trail and 50th Avenue SW. The Society’s office has a large parking lot in front of it but you can drive a vehicle in the alley right beside the west side of the office to the new community garden donation pickup area. (There’s be a sign soon!)
The perennials are labeled and in bags for transporting. They include:
Hyssop, Shasta Daisy, Blue & White Monkshood, Silene, Leopard’s Bane, Veronica Prostratata Blue, Penstemon Hirsuite, Fleabane Pink Jewel, Lynchris Viscaria, Lungwort, Dusty Salmon Maltese Cross, Hot Pink Feranium Macrorrhizome and more!
To confirm with everyone, the empty plot no. 6 (the one infested with raspberries) will be for the youth volunteers who are coming. They will plant fast growing vegetables like salad greens. No. 14 can also be for the youth to plant if that's ok with everyone. No. 4 appears to be empty but it could belong to someone. We could use that bed as a nursery bed where we can start seeds and stash perennials. The Parent-Link plot (in the flower bed right beside the garden shed) will be empty at the end of the season and perennials can be moved into it then.
Maeve, please check to make sure plots no. 4 & 14 are indeed empty. Can the rest of you can get back to me on whether you approve of those empty plots being used by the youth and for a nursery plots.
I'm going to contact Gael from the Resource Network (as above) and let her know we're building more plots and to ask her to get the word out that we're taking names for a list of people who would like to rent a plot next year.
Alex
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Calgary Attendance
Hi all,
The Calgary Attendance crew will be here on Thursday. I ran into Jim, the church's new maintenance guy, last week and he told me the riding mower is broken and so is the push mower. Neither one will be repaired by Thursday and some of the grass is getting long so I'm going to ask the crew to bring their mowers and weed whackers and help Jim trim the grass in the morning. Jim said he should be able to come out to help direct the guys on where to trim, etc.
After they are done the grass, I want to get them putting in the edging for the raspberry bed so we can get that wood out of the shed. And who knows, we may complete that keyhole garden they got a start on a couple of weeks ago. Plus there's always weeding. :o)
If any of you can come out, it'll be nice to see you.
Alex
The Calgary Attendance crew will be here on Thursday. I ran into Jim, the church's new maintenance guy, last week and he told me the riding mower is broken and so is the push mower. Neither one will be repaired by Thursday and some of the grass is getting long so I'm going to ask the crew to bring their mowers and weed whackers and help Jim trim the grass in the morning. Jim said he should be able to come out to help direct the guys on where to trim, etc.
After they are done the grass, I want to get them putting in the edging for the raspberry bed so we can get that wood out of the shed. And who knows, we may complete that keyhole garden they got a start on a couple of weeks ago. Plus there's always weeding. :o)
If any of you can come out, it'll be nice to see you.
Alex
The fastest turn around time ever!
Hello everyone!
Great news! The grant application I submitted yesterday to the City's FAN Action Plan was approved today. Yay! We have $1,000 to go towards purchasing 20 self-watering pots for the incoming youth volunteers (Y-Map and CYFC) to grow vegetables in at the Leisure Centre. The grant is funded by ConocoPhillips and it's a partnership with the City to support communities in carrying out projects that will reduce the city's ecological footprint.
I've alerted Devynne to look out for the cheque. As we don't yet have our bank account, the cheque will be made out to the church - much like our previous grants. We should have the funds in the next couple of weeks. I've left a message with greengate to look into ordering in the pots.
Alex
Great news! The grant application I submitted yesterday to the City's FAN Action Plan was approved today. Yay! We have $1,000 to go towards purchasing 20 self-watering pots for the incoming youth volunteers (Y-Map and CYFC) to grow vegetables in at the Leisure Centre. The grant is funded by ConocoPhillips and it's a partnership with the City to support communities in carrying out projects that will reduce the city's ecological footprint.
I've alerted Devynne to look out for the cheque. As we don't yet have our bank account, the cheque will be made out to the church - much like our previous grants. We should have the funds in the next couple of weeks. I've left a message with greengate to look into ordering in the pots.
Alex
Wed. June 24 Ron Berezan, urban farmer extraordinaire in Calgary!
Hi CGRN Core Committee,
The Unitarian Church of Calgary is hosting the well-known Edmonton urban
farmer and permaculturalis, Ron Berezan, on Wed. June 24 from 7 to 9 pm at
the Unitarian Church (16th Avenue just west of Centre Street SW.) There is
no charge!
Thought you might like to know. I will take time tonight to get the word
out to community gardeners.
Gael
CGRN
The Unitarian Church of Calgary is hosting the well-known Edmonton urban
farmer and permaculturalis, Ron Berezan, on Wed. June 24 from 7 to 9 pm at
the Unitarian Church (16th Avenue just west of Centre Street SW.) There is
no charge!
Thought you might like to know. I will take time tonight to get the word
out to community gardeners.
Gael
CGRN
Monday, June 22, 2009
Mischief in the garden
Hello everyone,
I saw my mom at the garden late this evening and she said there may have been some kids up to mischief earlier. She didn't see them, but she found toy guns scattered over by the pile of soil and the orchard. She said the watering can was smeared with dirt and she had to clean it out.
I was dropping off some flowers and noticed some wood and assorted junk on the wood pile. They had also piled wet mud on a piece of the black composter and it looks like mud was thrown on the church windows and wall. There were toy guns and a plastic knife scattered around the currants and beside the shed. They looked surprisingly real. What ever happened to the days when water guns were bright plastic and looked like toys instead of real weapons? I gathered up the ones I could see and tossed them into the dumpster. Strange that the kids didn't take their toys with them.
I didn't have time to do any clean-up but I should be there tomorrow and I'll tidy up then. greengate had a 25% off sale on Saturday so I picked up a new watering can to replace the one that was full of holes. I also got two more of those keys to turn on the water. I'll bring those tomorrow as well.
I saw my mom at the garden late this evening and she said there may have been some kids up to mischief earlier. She didn't see them, but she found toy guns scattered over by the pile of soil and the orchard. She said the watering can was smeared with dirt and she had to clean it out.
I was dropping off some flowers and noticed some wood and assorted junk on the wood pile. They had also piled wet mud on a piece of the black composter and it looks like mud was thrown on the church windows and wall. There were toy guns and a plastic knife scattered around the currants and beside the shed. They looked surprisingly real. What ever happened to the days when water guns were bright plastic and looked like toys instead of real weapons? I gathered up the ones I could see and tossed them into the dumpster. Strange that the kids didn't take their toys with them.
I didn't have time to do any clean-up but I should be there tomorrow and I'll tidy up then. greengate had a 25% off sale on Saturday so I picked up a new watering can to replace the one that was full of holes. I also got two more of those keys to turn on the water. I'll bring those tomorrow as well.
Friday, June 19, 2009
New key and Fence update
Ron, the wonderful surveyor guy, donated a new key to us to turn on the water. Yay!!!! It's in the customary place - right shelf as you walk in the door of the shed. He even made a snazzy keychain for it.
He said he got it at Home Depot in the plumbing department. I took a picture and will be heading over there tomorrow to pick up a couple more. I'll make sure there's one kept inside the church for emergencies.
I ran into Margo at the church and she still has not heard from Carlos so we're not sure if Saturday's a go for the fence. I guess we're on standby. Ron has surveyed and marked the property line. I'll let you all know as soon as I hear from Margo what's going on.
Alex
He said he got it at Home Depot in the plumbing department. I took a picture and will be heading over there tomorrow to pick up a couple more. I'll make sure there's one kept inside the church for emergencies.
I ran into Margo at the church and she still has not heard from Carlos so we're not sure if Saturday's a go for the fence. I guess we're on standby. Ron has surveyed and marked the property line. I'll let you all know as soon as I hear from Margo what's going on.
Alex
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Fence update and call for help
I got an email from Margo that Carlos and his crew could start on the fence this weekend. She'll get more details after she hears back from Carlos. We are supposed to supply them with lunch. I don't yet know if they're just putting in the posts or if they will be there all day. With this short a notice, we'll probably have to go with take-out - Spanish or pizza as Margo suggested.
Ron will be marking the property line on Friday.
I have called Alberta One-Call to come and mark the utilities this Friday. I will find out after 4:00pm today when exactly they'll be there? Can some be there to meet them? I will try my best to be there, but I have a presentation at the library at the Leisure Centre from 12:30 to 2:30pm. I'll get back to you all when I know the exact time.
I have to be at an ecofair all the way in Arbour Lake on Saturday all afternoon so I can only be there during the morning. When I hear from Margo with more details, perhaps we can email the membership and get people to come out and help serve lunch or help out if Carlos needs it.
Alex
Ron will be marking the property line on Friday.
I have called Alberta One-Call to come and mark the utilities this Friday. I will find out after 4:00pm today when exactly they'll be there? Can some be there to meet them? I will try my best to be there, but I have a presentation at the library at the Leisure Centre from 12:30 to 2:30pm. I'll get back to you all when I know the exact time.
I have to be at an ecofair all the way in Arbour Lake on Saturday all afternoon so I can only be there during the morning. When I hear from Margo with more details, perhaps we can email the membership and get people to come out and help serve lunch or help out if Carlos needs it.
Alex
Report from Joan
Jack and I were at the garden yesterday, he fixed the composter as well as it can be fixed and I pruned grapes-- I need to complete the grapes ( the larger plant was badly damaged with winter kill, don't think the rest are as bad--good news is there will be a fair number of grapes left on the live vines).
Next Board Meeting and Update on future plans
Hello everyone,
I believe Lorna will be back on the 23rd so can we all check our schedules and see when we're free to meet from June 24-29? I would like to meet before the church board meeting on June 30th as it will be the last time they meet until they resume in September. I will be attending because I need them to allocate a drop-off site for mulch that will be coming in July. As the raspberry patch now extends all the way along the back, I also plan to ask them to give us a better definition of what land is specifically allocated for the community garden. This is important to know since we'll be building new plots and I want to be sure the church is ok with them going where they're going.
In case I have forgotten to tell everyone, Home Depot has been successful in obtaining permission from head office to donate the lumber for the new plots. They're working on rounding up volunteers from their stores to help us build them some time at the second half of July. They are also looking into whether they can get us some soil donated as well.
I've ordered up 24 cubic yards of mulch from the City. They will be doing a drop-off some time in July. This will be enough mulch to top up all our flower beds and the raspberry bed. This is high quality mulch for beds so it's not for in-between plots. If we have left overs, it would be worth our while to stash it in the back corner and use it to mulch our beds for winter. Mulching helps keep the soil in good condition and keeps the weeds from getting an early start in spring. It also saves you from having to dig up the bed. It keeps the soil nice and moist and loose so when you're ready to plant, you just rake aside the mulch and plant without digging.
I mailed off the letter today that Jeanette (church board chairperson) signed that gives us permission to use McClure in our society's name. Hopefully that will be the last hurdle and we'll be incorporated soon. Next on the list after we get our incorporation documents is to set up our bank accounts and to meet with the Parks Foundation so we can set up a trust account so we can give out receipts for donations and be able to apply for grants on our own.
Maeve, can you please supply Joan with the following info from the membership agreements so she can create a register of members:
- names
- addresses
- email
- phone
- date they joined
Joan, you will also need to add a column for the date they ceased to be a member. Can you please forward this list to Alma when done so she can invite them to the blog?
Items up for discussion:
- who will be signing authorities for banking and Parks Foundation
- location of new plots (mark them)
- planning for fence building (we need to serve lunch and refreshments)
- logo
- what to do with excess money from Neighbour Grant if any
- events list for July (work bees, Calgary Attendance, Y-Map youth, Child and Youth Friendly Calgary, corporate volunteers, garden competition, etc.)
- any other stuff I can't remember and you want to bring up
P.S. A wrinkle in our catnip growing project. Due to a mix-up at the nursery that grew the plants for greengate, the plants we ended up with are catmint, not catnip. John at greengate has pulled a rabbit out of a hat and managed to get us some catnip seedlings to replace the catmint. At this late in the season, that's nothing short of a miracle. They are expected to come in next Monday. I'm really, really hoping they are catnip. The catmint that's been planted way at the end of the raspberry bed can stay. Nothing else seems to be able to grow there. Catmint is a beautiful perennial that's drought tolerant and attracts beneficial insects. Doesn't attract many cats, but it's a wonderful groundcover.
There is still room at the Leisure Centre to plant them, but the challenge with that space is that they have about a foot of woodchips that's excrutiatingly difficult to plant through. We will be planting them into containers and then setting the containers into the mulch.
Alex
I believe Lorna will be back on the 23rd so can we all check our schedules and see when we're free to meet from June 24-29? I would like to meet before the church board meeting on June 30th as it will be the last time they meet until they resume in September. I will be attending because I need them to allocate a drop-off site for mulch that will be coming in July. As the raspberry patch now extends all the way along the back, I also plan to ask them to give us a better definition of what land is specifically allocated for the community garden. This is important to know since we'll be building new plots and I want to be sure the church is ok with them going where they're going.
In case I have forgotten to tell everyone, Home Depot has been successful in obtaining permission from head office to donate the lumber for the new plots. They're working on rounding up volunteers from their stores to help us build them some time at the second half of July. They are also looking into whether they can get us some soil donated as well.
I've ordered up 24 cubic yards of mulch from the City. They will be doing a drop-off some time in July. This will be enough mulch to top up all our flower beds and the raspberry bed. This is high quality mulch for beds so it's not for in-between plots. If we have left overs, it would be worth our while to stash it in the back corner and use it to mulch our beds for winter. Mulching helps keep the soil in good condition and keeps the weeds from getting an early start in spring. It also saves you from having to dig up the bed. It keeps the soil nice and moist and loose so when you're ready to plant, you just rake aside the mulch and plant without digging.
I mailed off the letter today that Jeanette (church board chairperson) signed that gives us permission to use McClure in our society's name. Hopefully that will be the last hurdle and we'll be incorporated soon. Next on the list after we get our incorporation documents is to set up our bank accounts and to meet with the Parks Foundation so we can set up a trust account so we can give out receipts for donations and be able to apply for grants on our own.
Maeve, can you please supply Joan with the following info from the membership agreements so she can create a register of members:
- names
- addresses
- phone
- date they joined
Joan, you will also need to add a column for the date they ceased to be a member. Can you please forward this list to Alma when done so she can invite them to the blog?
Items up for discussion:
- who will be signing authorities for banking and Parks Foundation
- location of new plots (mark them)
- planning for fence building (we need to serve lunch and refreshments)
- logo
- what to do with excess money from Neighbour Grant if any
- events list for July (work bees, Calgary Attendance, Y-Map youth, Child and Youth Friendly Calgary, corporate volunteers, garden competition, etc.)
- any other stuff I can't remember and you want to bring up
P.S. A wrinkle in our catnip growing project. Due to a mix-up at the nursery that grew the plants for greengate, the plants we ended up with are catmint, not catnip. John at greengate has pulled a rabbit out of a hat and managed to get us some catnip seedlings to replace the catmint. At this late in the season, that's nothing short of a miracle. They are expected to come in next Monday. I'm really, really hoping they are catnip. The catmint that's been planted way at the end of the raspberry bed can stay. Nothing else seems to be able to grow there. Catmint is a beautiful perennial that's drought tolerant and attracts beneficial insects. Doesn't attract many cats, but it's a wonderful groundcover.
There is still room at the Leisure Centre to plant them, but the challenge with that space is that they have about a foot of woodchips that's excrutiatingly difficult to plant through. We will be planting them into containers and then setting the containers into the mulch.
Alex
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Strawberries
Quote from Alex - "The strawberries are blooming their hearts out this year. I've never seen so many blossoms."Let's hope for a great harvest.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Report on the Kids Garden
Wed. June 10
Kids Garden
We worked with Heart of the NE Resource Centre to help with Parent Link's Grow with Us gardening program. Four parents and five kids aged 2-4 came to the garden to plant a plot (beside the garden shed). They will be popping in once in a while to water the plot. One of the parents belongs to the Seventh Day Eventist group who comes to the church on Saturdays and he says he'll water when he comes fo church. The group will be making up a little sign for their patch and it'll be put up on one of the signs Lorna made. They will also harvest and eat the produce as it becomes ready.
This particular patch was dedicated as the melon patch, so the melons will have to be put elsewhere. The melon seeds have sprouted and will probably go in somewhere by the end of next week.
Tomatoes
greengate donated some large tomato plants and these were transplanted into the end of the raspberry bed beside the catnip. We can donate the tomatoes to the Drop-In Centre.
Thurs. June 11
Seedlings
The Calgary Attendance crew came over and planted the cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower seedlings (donated by greengate) over at the Leisure Centre . When these mature, they can be donted to the Calgary Drop-In Centre.
The remaining cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower seedlings were transplanted into the raspberry bed at the back where there was room. There is kale and some broccoli seedlings left for people to take for their plots. Whatever's left will get planted by the week's end in the raspberry plot. We probably won't see much more in the way of vegetable seedling donations from greengate because brassicas are all they have left. There is a chance we might get more brassicas if they don't all sell out.
Keyhole Garden
The mini-keyhole garden got its start today when a few of the Calgary Attendance guys moved over soil from that mound of sod at the back of the hill. Most of the sod has composted down into a lovely looking enriched soil. The "basket" for the centre of the keyhole garden will be put together this weekend. The basket goes in the middle and the sod/soil will be heaped around it in a round hill. Compost and grey/rain water will go into the basket and will feed the plants' root from the inside out. By the end of next week, we hope to have the bed ready for planting.
Sod, Dirt and Rock Piles
The Attendance crew made a start of flattening the dirt pile by the back composter and using the soil to fill in holes and dips in the surrounding area.
The pile of sod has started to be taken down and the soil will be spread around the area. Some of the soil will be used to top up plot number 6 - the one dedicated for the Y-Map program youth. That particular bed needs quite a bit of soil to top it up.
If anyone wants to help themselves to the soil from the pile of sod to top up their plot, they can help themselves.
We also have a little rock pile started in the orchard. The rocks can be used for they keyhole garden.
Watering
We have one volunteer who has signed up to water over there on Tuesdays and we could use another. They were testing the sprinklers and will be doing repairs so soon the watering area will be reduced by a third. The beds that need watering include those that wrap around the library, the beds under the trees across from the library and the patch at the back of the arena.
The same volunteer who will come on Thursdays to water the raspberry patch and orchard. It might be a good idea to set up a list/schedule for volunteers who come to help water the community/charitable donation beds.
Weeding
The rhubarb patch on top of the hill and the raspberry patch were both weeded.
Kids Garden
We worked with Heart of the NE Resource Centre to help with Parent Link's Grow with Us gardening program. Four parents and five kids aged 2-4 came to the garden to plant a plot (beside the garden shed). They will be popping in once in a while to water the plot. One of the parents belongs to the Seventh Day Eventist group who comes to the church on Saturdays and he says he'll water when he comes fo church. The group will be making up a little sign for their patch and it'll be put up on one of the signs Lorna made. They will also harvest and eat the produce as it becomes ready.
This particular patch was dedicated as the melon patch, so the melons will have to be put elsewhere. The melon seeds have sprouted and will probably go in somewhere by the end of next week.
Tomatoes
greengate donated some large tomato plants and these were transplanted into the end of the raspberry bed beside the catnip. We can donate the tomatoes to the Drop-In Centre.
Thurs. June 11
Seedlings
The Calgary Attendance crew came over and planted the cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower seedlings (donated by greengate) over at the Leisure Centre . When these mature, they can be donted to the Calgary Drop-In Centre.
The remaining cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower seedlings were transplanted into the raspberry bed at the back where there was room. There is kale and some broccoli seedlings left for people to take for their plots. Whatever's left will get planted by the week's end in the raspberry plot. We probably won't see much more in the way of vegetable seedling donations from greengate because brassicas are all they have left. There is a chance we might get more brassicas if they don't all sell out.
Keyhole Garden
The mini-keyhole garden got its start today when a few of the Calgary Attendance guys moved over soil from that mound of sod at the back of the hill. Most of the sod has composted down into a lovely looking enriched soil. The "basket" for the centre of the keyhole garden will be put together this weekend. The basket goes in the middle and the sod/soil will be heaped around it in a round hill. Compost and grey/rain water will go into the basket and will feed the plants' root from the inside out. By the end of next week, we hope to have the bed ready for planting.
Sod, Dirt and Rock Piles
The Attendance crew made a start of flattening the dirt pile by the back composter and using the soil to fill in holes and dips in the surrounding area.
The pile of sod has started to be taken down and the soil will be spread around the area. Some of the soil will be used to top up plot number 6 - the one dedicated for the Y-Map program youth. That particular bed needs quite a bit of soil to top it up.
If anyone wants to help themselves to the soil from the pile of sod to top up their plot, they can help themselves.
We also have a little rock pile started in the orchard. The rocks can be used for they keyhole garden.
Watering
We have one volunteer who has signed up to water over there on Tuesdays and we could use another. They were testing the sprinklers and will be doing repairs so soon the watering area will be reduced by a third. The beds that need watering include those that wrap around the library, the beds under the trees across from the library and the patch at the back of the arena.
The same volunteer who will come on Thursdays to water the raspberry patch and orchard. It might be a good idea to set up a list/schedule for volunteers who come to help water the community/charitable donation beds.
Weeding
The rhubarb patch on top of the hill and the raspberry patch were both weeded.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Most Rewarding Garden Deal of 2009!
Pineridge Boys and Girls club is looking for enthusiastic vegetable gardeners with a great sense of fun who would appreciate a free garden plot in exchange for spending time after school with youth curious to know how to grow food. In your free garden plot you can grow food for yourself and food to donate for snacks at the Pineridge Boys and Girls club. You will be asked to advise regarding replacing the soil in the garden plots but labour will be provided to do the work. Tools and water access are available to you. You will need to obtain a police record check and be a good fit with the organizational goals of the Boys and Girls Club.
For details contact Alexandra, Pineridge Club Program Coordinator at 403-543-9678
For details contact Alexandra, Pineridge Club Program Coordinator at 403-543-9678
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Grant application approved!!
Hi everyone,
I just got a call from Julie Black from the Calgary Foundation and our grant application has been approved! Yay!!! They have approved $4,500 for fence materials and plot materials and $500 for refreshments for volunteers during building days for the fence and plots.
She will be sending out a on-page grant agreement for the church to sign - Jeanette, it will be coming to you - and if we get it back to them quickly, we can have the funds by mid to end of June. Everythings coming together nicely. :o)
Alex
I just got a call from Julie Black from the Calgary Foundation and our grant application has been approved! Yay!!! They have approved $4,500 for fence materials and plot materials and $500 for refreshments for volunteers during building days for the fence and plots.
She will be sending out a on-page grant agreement for the church to sign - Jeanette, it will be coming to you - and if we get it back to them quickly, we can have the funds by mid to end of June. Everythings coming together nicely. :o)
Alex
Request for Mulch
I put in a request to Maggie yesterday for the mulch for our various community beds. They do need topping up. I also told them I would need to be contacted for delivery because I need to be there to make sure they put the mulch somewhere far enough away from the church.
Alex
Alex
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Chain link fence imminent!
I got a call from Margo at the church and she gave me the fantastic news that Carlos, (the head of the new church moving in) has found us a donation of chainlink and he and his crew can put up a fence for us. He's even willing to lend us the money (about $1,000) to get the posts and cement. This will work out very well because we've applied to Shell for $1,000 for fence materials and if we get the grant, we can pay Carlos back with it. We also have enough money in our account to cover it if necessary.
Margo is meeting with Carlos Friday morning and she's eager to get the fence up as quickly as possible so we may have the fence up very soon. Yay!!!
The other good news is that we've got the Calgary Attendance crews coming every other Thursday throughout the summer. So for June, that will be the 11th and 25th that they'll be at the garden. I also asked them to put us on standby in case one of their other jobs get cancelled.
As a reminder, they will be at the garden tomorrow from 9-3:30.
Alex
Margo is meeting with Carlos Friday morning and she's eager to get the fence up as quickly as possible so we may have the fence up very soon. Yay!!!
The other good news is that we've got the Calgary Attendance crews coming every other Thursday throughout the summer. So for June, that will be the 11th and 25th that they'll be at the garden. I also asked them to put us on standby in case one of their other jobs get cancelled.
As a reminder, they will be at the garden tomorrow from 9-3:30.
Alex
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Update for the Robert McClure United Church
Board of Directors meeting May 26, 2009
GOVERNANCE
Board of Directors
The garden board has met three times this year and plans to continue holding regular meetings throughout the season. The board of directors for the garden currently has six members:
- President, Sheila Ford
- Vice-President, Maeve Bard
- Secretary, Joan Liland
- Treasurer, Lorna McKenzie
- Director, Alex Summerfield
- Director, Alma Newton
Incorporation
The garden has applied to Alberta Corporate Registries to be incorporated as a society. In compliance with the Societies Act, our legal name will be McClure Fellowship of Gardeners. We expect to be incorporated within a month’s time. Incorporation is important for meeting requirements for funding applications and for accessing some sources of volunteers.
Mission statement: Building Fellowship through Community Gardening
Affiliations
Joan Liland is our representative on the Core Steering Committee of the Community Garden Resource Network (CGRN). The CGRN is a project of the Calgary Horticultural Society with a mandate to strengthen and promote community gardens in Calgary. Recently the CGRN has put on workshops to teach people how to grow vegetables for the first time.
MEMBERSHIP AND PLOT RENTALS
All plots are fully rented out this year and we still have a waiting list. Demand for plots in the city is on the rise because there is increased interest from people wanting to grow their own food. It’s not uncommon for some gardens to have over 40 people on their waiting list. We didn’t have as many on our waiting list mainly because we are not yet as well known and we knew ahead of time we wouldn’t have any plots left so we didn’t go out and try to recruit new members. This garden is still the only community garden in the NE that’s open to public participation from everyone so future demand for plots will likely increase.
To try to accommodate more gardeners who may not yet be able to get a plot, our Board has created a new category of membership where people can join the garden as member for $5. They will have voting rights and can garden and have access to the orchard and the shared common plots where we grow the flowers, herbs, and vegetables.
SITE IMPROVEMENTS
Composters – Joan and Jack Liland are repairing the front composter.
Interpretive Signs – Lorna and Wayne McKenzie have built small signs that will be put up throughout the garden to identify and highlight various features.
Herb Patch – The new flower bed in front of the plots that was created last year is in the process of being transformed into an herb patch. Greengate Garden Centres has donated a whole bunch of herbs and we have transplanted other herbs from other places in the garden into the bed. Some members will also bring herbs from home to plant in that bed. Some flowers are already in the bed and more will be planted amongst the herbs.
Pumpkin Patch and Squashing Weeds – We will be growing pumpkins and summer and winter squash in the space created when we moved the raspberries last year. This is a part of The Great Cover Up project under Fruition where we employ creative use of crops and mulches to suppress weeds.
Melon Path – The 1/3 of the flower bed next to the church that’s right next to the garden shed will be used to grow melons. It’s a sheltered microclimate that’s quite warm so we may be successful. It will be the second test site for Fruition’s The Melon Colony project.
Ground Cover – The limitation with woodchips as a mulch for weed suppression is that it breaks down over time and weeds will grow back. A more effective strategy would be to grow something that would compete with the weeds. White Dutch Clover is a perennial, low-growing legume. Once established it can successfully compete with quackgrass and broad-leafed weeds. It fixes its own nitrogen, is drought tolerant and is low maintenance because it never needs mowing. We will be putting in a small trial batch to see how it fares. If successful the woodchips between beds can be converted to clover. This will lessen the burden of having to top up the mulch every year and digging out the weeds that grow in the mulch. As a bonus, the beds will be nestled in green so the garden will be more attractive.
The pile of soil - left over from the patio construction will be moved and spread out on Thursday May 28th. The rocks will be set aside and used to create a border for the two irregularly shaped flower beds out front.
Flower beds– Rhubarb will be transplanted into the border of the bed behind the dumpster in place of the zucchinis that were grown there last year. It will carry on the edible landscaping theme for that bed. The bed currently has strawberries in it as a groundcover and it also has daylilies with edible flowers and tubers. We’ve been weeding and edging all the flower beds and will add more mulch and flowers in the future.
Transplanted tree – the tree (originally planted by the youth group) that was moved last year has survived and is now budding out. Usually it’s the last to bud out compared to other trees but it’s keeping pace this year so that could be a sign that it likes its new location. We made sure we had lots of volunteers to keep it watered last year and that has helped. We’ll do the same this year.
Construction – Building a fence will be our first priority this year. Damage continues from the cut-through traffic. Some of the transplanted raspberries have been trampled to death and there have been a lot of footprints in the beds this spring. We have applied for funding for the materials and will proceed to organize volunteers once funding is in place. New plots, a handicap access ramp, new composters and a new sign are also possibilities for this year depending on funding and volunteers.
FUNDING AND DONATIONS
Greengate Garden Centre – We are partnered with greengate for our Fruition program. They have donated seeds for the garden and will donate seeds, soil and plants for the Fruition projects. At the end of the season they are willing to donate the fruit bushes and trees that they have left to our orchard. greengate is also providing us with free web hosting and professional web design. The garden will have its site incorporated into Greengate’s. Their site is more frequently visited and we will gain greater exposure this way. They have also have a PR firm they work with and they will help us promote the garden and our programs in the media.
Greengate is a key partner for the Calgary Horticultural Society and they sponsor the Garden Show. They have been a major sponsor for community gardens like The Garden Path in Inglewood and for plant societies like the Rose Society and Orchid Society. They are a great partner to have and we’re fortunate they’re on board.
UCW – A great big thank-you for the donation to the garden for the fence. It’s wonderful to have that kind of support and to be able to show it in our recent grant application. Financial contributions from other groups carries a lot weight when applying for grants because it demonstrates that a project has interest and support from the community.
Youth Group – Thanks to the Church’s youth group for donating seeds to the garden. We’ve added them to our growing seed stash which will be shared by our members and used to for our community programs.
The Calgary Foundation Neighbour Grants – Jeanette McDonald helped us apply for a $5,000 grant for the materials to build the fence. The garden is not yet incorporated so without her help and the church’s, we would not have been eligible to apply so thank-you. We will know within a month how the application went.
Home Depot – Team Depot is a program where Home Depot employees volunteer in the community by helping non-profit and charity groups with construction projects. We’ve approached them for volunteers to help us build the fence and with our other construction projects. They are interested in helping and they have applied to headquarters for a donation of the lumber to us for the new plots. We hope to hear back in a couple of weeks time.
Shell Canada Community Service Fund – One of our members is an employee of Shell and he can apply for a $1,000 grant from his company if he volunteers a certain amount of time with the garden. Since the fence is the first priority, he will be applying for funds to cover fence materials.
VOLUNTEERING
Work bees and potlucks – Two work bees were held in May. We will hold at least one monthly for garden members to get together and do some work on the common areas and to socialize and get to know one another. They usually run on a Saturday from 9-3. Everyone is welcome and we encourage you to come out and see what we’re up to.
Calgary Attendance Centre – They will be coming out again this year to help us. The first work crew is scheduled for Thursday, May 28th and we will try to schedule them in for the rest of the season as well.
Telus Day of Service – Once a year Telus posts volunteer requests from the community and their employees sign up and come and help out. We have asked them to help us plant the beds at the Leisure Centre on Saturday May 30th.
Child and Youth Friendly Calgary – We’ve posted a request for kids in grades 7-12 to come out on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons to volunteer in the garden. They would come with a supervisor. The youth did take some free sweet pea seeds to help with the Peas on Earth program but did not seem as enthusiastic about doing gardening so this may not pan out. It’s important we get youth involved in gardening so we will continue to work with this group and see how it develops.
Heart of the NE Resource Centre & Parent Link – A group of 10 kids (3-6 years old) and their parents will help plant some squash and potatoes in the Leisure Centre beds in early June.
Volunteer Calgary – As soon as we’re incorporated we can sign up with them and post volunteer positions in their database. They will also help connect us with corporate group volunteers through the United Way Day of Caring program and with other groups such as seniors.
The Calgary Drop-In Centre – We’re arranging for volunteers from the Drop-In Centre to come on Wednesday afternoons to garden at the Leisure Centre. They have volunteers from their clients and the community. They also have the ability to pick-up donations. This gives us a couple of ways to get the produce donations from the Leisure Centre back to the Drop-In Centre.
Service Clubs, Church youth groups, kids clubs like Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, seniors groups, etc. We would like to develop a relationship with these groups so they can volunteer regularly in the garden. So far we haven’t had time to pursue this very far but we plan to.
MARKETING AND PR
Publications – a one-page information sheet on the garden has been created and made available to the public. It’s been helpful for communicating with potential donors and volunteers. A copy is attached. In the future, when we can get a volunteer who’s great a desktop publishing and a budget for printing, we hope to do up a proper pamphlet.
greengate Garden Expo – Two board members joined a representative from The Garden Path and Gael Blackhall, the coordinator for the CGRN at a table at greengate for their busy spring sale. We talked to the public about community gardens and gave out information.
Alexander Calhoun Library – Many people have never heard of a community garden. To raise public awareness, we’re participating in a series of talks at the Calgary Public Library for their Diversity Services program for seniors. Last week McClure and The Garden Path spent an hour and a half at the Alex Calhoun branch and shared stories and information on community gardening. We are presenting at four more dates at different branches in June and July.
The e-Universe – Check out our new blog! Our new board member, Alma is a whiz with all things internet and she’s designed and built a great blog to help our membership stay connected and to help promote the garden to the general public. The link is: http://mccluregardeners.blogspot.com/ Visit it often to find out all the stuff that’s happening in the garden. Construction of our website is underway and a link to our blog will be posted at the site.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH – FRUITION
Project Update
Green Cats - Greengate has donated 300 catnip seedlings and they are ready for planting
- We’re helping to train a new group of volunteers at the Inglewood garden to continue their Pet Project program which also grows catnip for the MEOW Foundation.
- So far six community gardens, three private gardeners and volunteers with MEOW will be growing catnip. This program has now successfully become city-wide. The goal is to grow the 350 pounds of nip (fresh weight) that MEOW needs.
Peas on Earth - Free seeds are now available to community and non-profit groups if they want to participate and grow some sweet peas to promote peace.
- The website is under construction and when complete, people can go there to log in the length of their rows.
The Great Cover Up - The garden will be employing three different methods of weed control this year. These include variations on planting cover crops and edible cover crops, manual removal by pulling and digging the weeds out and mulching with woodchips and other materials like granite.
Metro Grow-Ops - We’ve helped the clients at Calgary Drop-In Centre start their own community garden, The D.I. Gardens. One of their key goals was to create a quiet space for their residents where they could enjoy one of the comforts of a home – a garden. They have a container garden on the 5th floor balcony. It could very well be the city’s highest community garden. Planting has begun and the radishes and lettuces have already sprouted. It’s a south facing, glassed in balcony so it’s almost greenhouse conditions. We have high hopes for the tomatoes and peppers.
- The D.I. Gardens also wanted more space to grow fresh food for the Drop-In Centre. The balcony is too small for that purpose so we collaborated with the Village Square Leisure Centre to use their beds to grow flowers and vegetables to donate to the Drop-In Centre. Many people pass by these beds daily so it will also serve as a public learning exhibition on local food growing.
- The D.I. Gardens are doing so well that there’s interest in expanding the program to the 6th floor balcony and to the Bridgeland Manor site for their seniors.
Homegrown Goodness - greengate is designing a logo to go with the slogan. Customized row markers are in the works and in the future they will be used for promoting local food growing in Calgary.
- Eco-Pots – for those who have no garden space, container gardening is an option. In mid-June, we’re rounding up interested parties to go to greengate and reuse planters that people bring in for recycling and plant vegetables in them. They will be put on display at the front of the store and people will have the option of taking them home.
The Melon Colony - Three test sites are planned to experiment with growing watermelons and cantaloupes in Calgary’s climate. One is in the Sunnyside community garden, one at McClure and one at the Leisure Centre.
- Sunnyside is already planted from seed. Seedlings will be used at McClure and the Leisure Centre soon.
The Planting of the Red Sea - A search is underway for a person/group to lead this project. The Leisure Centre has agreed to let us use one of their beds and we’re looking at other sites as well. This project would take a lot of organization so we may have to start the process this year so it can take place next spring.
GOVERNANCE
Board of Directors
The garden board has met three times this year and plans to continue holding regular meetings throughout the season. The board of directors for the garden currently has six members:
- President, Sheila Ford
- Vice-President, Maeve Bard
- Secretary, Joan Liland
- Treasurer, Lorna McKenzie
- Director, Alex Summerfield
- Director, Alma Newton
Incorporation
The garden has applied to Alberta Corporate Registries to be incorporated as a society. In compliance with the Societies Act, our legal name will be McClure Fellowship of Gardeners. We expect to be incorporated within a month’s time. Incorporation is important for meeting requirements for funding applications and for accessing some sources of volunteers.
Mission statement: Building Fellowship through Community Gardening
Affiliations
Joan Liland is our representative on the Core Steering Committee of the Community Garden Resource Network (CGRN). The CGRN is a project of the Calgary Horticultural Society with a mandate to strengthen and promote community gardens in Calgary. Recently the CGRN has put on workshops to teach people how to grow vegetables for the first time.
MEMBERSHIP AND PLOT RENTALS
All plots are fully rented out this year and we still have a waiting list. Demand for plots in the city is on the rise because there is increased interest from people wanting to grow their own food. It’s not uncommon for some gardens to have over 40 people on their waiting list. We didn’t have as many on our waiting list mainly because we are not yet as well known and we knew ahead of time we wouldn’t have any plots left so we didn’t go out and try to recruit new members. This garden is still the only community garden in the NE that’s open to public participation from everyone so future demand for plots will likely increase.
To try to accommodate more gardeners who may not yet be able to get a plot, our Board has created a new category of membership where people can join the garden as member for $5. They will have voting rights and can garden and have access to the orchard and the shared common plots where we grow the flowers, herbs, and vegetables.
SITE IMPROVEMENTS
Composters – Joan and Jack Liland are repairing the front composter.
Interpretive Signs – Lorna and Wayne McKenzie have built small signs that will be put up throughout the garden to identify and highlight various features.
Herb Patch – The new flower bed in front of the plots that was created last year is in the process of being transformed into an herb patch. Greengate Garden Centres has donated a whole bunch of herbs and we have transplanted other herbs from other places in the garden into the bed. Some members will also bring herbs from home to plant in that bed. Some flowers are already in the bed and more will be planted amongst the herbs.
Pumpkin Patch and Squashing Weeds – We will be growing pumpkins and summer and winter squash in the space created when we moved the raspberries last year. This is a part of The Great Cover Up project under Fruition where we employ creative use of crops and mulches to suppress weeds.
Melon Path – The 1/3 of the flower bed next to the church that’s right next to the garden shed will be used to grow melons. It’s a sheltered microclimate that’s quite warm so we may be successful. It will be the second test site for Fruition’s The Melon Colony project.
Ground Cover – The limitation with woodchips as a mulch for weed suppression is that it breaks down over time and weeds will grow back. A more effective strategy would be to grow something that would compete with the weeds. White Dutch Clover is a perennial, low-growing legume. Once established it can successfully compete with quackgrass and broad-leafed weeds. It fixes its own nitrogen, is drought tolerant and is low maintenance because it never needs mowing. We will be putting in a small trial batch to see how it fares. If successful the woodchips between beds can be converted to clover. This will lessen the burden of having to top up the mulch every year and digging out the weeds that grow in the mulch. As a bonus, the beds will be nestled in green so the garden will be more attractive.
The pile of soil - left over from the patio construction will be moved and spread out on Thursday May 28th. The rocks will be set aside and used to create a border for the two irregularly shaped flower beds out front.
Flower beds– Rhubarb will be transplanted into the border of the bed behind the dumpster in place of the zucchinis that were grown there last year. It will carry on the edible landscaping theme for that bed. The bed currently has strawberries in it as a groundcover and it also has daylilies with edible flowers and tubers. We’ve been weeding and edging all the flower beds and will add more mulch and flowers in the future.
Transplanted tree – the tree (originally planted by the youth group) that was moved last year has survived and is now budding out. Usually it’s the last to bud out compared to other trees but it’s keeping pace this year so that could be a sign that it likes its new location. We made sure we had lots of volunteers to keep it watered last year and that has helped. We’ll do the same this year.
Construction – Building a fence will be our first priority this year. Damage continues from the cut-through traffic. Some of the transplanted raspberries have been trampled to death and there have been a lot of footprints in the beds this spring. We have applied for funding for the materials and will proceed to organize volunteers once funding is in place. New plots, a handicap access ramp, new composters and a new sign are also possibilities for this year depending on funding and volunteers.
FUNDING AND DONATIONS
Greengate Garden Centre – We are partnered with greengate for our Fruition program. They have donated seeds for the garden and will donate seeds, soil and plants for the Fruition projects. At the end of the season they are willing to donate the fruit bushes and trees that they have left to our orchard. greengate is also providing us with free web hosting and professional web design. The garden will have its site incorporated into Greengate’s. Their site is more frequently visited and we will gain greater exposure this way. They have also have a PR firm they work with and they will help us promote the garden and our programs in the media.
Greengate is a key partner for the Calgary Horticultural Society and they sponsor the Garden Show. They have been a major sponsor for community gardens like The Garden Path in Inglewood and for plant societies like the Rose Society and Orchid Society. They are a great partner to have and we’re fortunate they’re on board.
UCW – A great big thank-you for the donation to the garden for the fence. It’s wonderful to have that kind of support and to be able to show it in our recent grant application. Financial contributions from other groups carries a lot weight when applying for grants because it demonstrates that a project has interest and support from the community.
Youth Group – Thanks to the Church’s youth group for donating seeds to the garden. We’ve added them to our growing seed stash which will be shared by our members and used to for our community programs.
The Calgary Foundation Neighbour Grants – Jeanette McDonald helped us apply for a $5,000 grant for the materials to build the fence. The garden is not yet incorporated so without her help and the church’s, we would not have been eligible to apply so thank-you. We will know within a month how the application went.
Home Depot – Team Depot is a program where Home Depot employees volunteer in the community by helping non-profit and charity groups with construction projects. We’ve approached them for volunteers to help us build the fence and with our other construction projects. They are interested in helping and they have applied to headquarters for a donation of the lumber to us for the new plots. We hope to hear back in a couple of weeks time.
Shell Canada Community Service Fund – One of our members is an employee of Shell and he can apply for a $1,000 grant from his company if he volunteers a certain amount of time with the garden. Since the fence is the first priority, he will be applying for funds to cover fence materials.
VOLUNTEERING
Work bees and potlucks – Two work bees were held in May. We will hold at least one monthly for garden members to get together and do some work on the common areas and to socialize and get to know one another. They usually run on a Saturday from 9-3. Everyone is welcome and we encourage you to come out and see what we’re up to.
Calgary Attendance Centre – They will be coming out again this year to help us. The first work crew is scheduled for Thursday, May 28th and we will try to schedule them in for the rest of the season as well.
Telus Day of Service – Once a year Telus posts volunteer requests from the community and their employees sign up and come and help out. We have asked them to help us plant the beds at the Leisure Centre on Saturday May 30th.
Child and Youth Friendly Calgary – We’ve posted a request for kids in grades 7-12 to come out on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons to volunteer in the garden. They would come with a supervisor. The youth did take some free sweet pea seeds to help with the Peas on Earth program but did not seem as enthusiastic about doing gardening so this may not pan out. It’s important we get youth involved in gardening so we will continue to work with this group and see how it develops.
Heart of the NE Resource Centre & Parent Link – A group of 10 kids (3-6 years old) and their parents will help plant some squash and potatoes in the Leisure Centre beds in early June.
Volunteer Calgary – As soon as we’re incorporated we can sign up with them and post volunteer positions in their database. They will also help connect us with corporate group volunteers through the United Way Day of Caring program and with other groups such as seniors.
The Calgary Drop-In Centre – We’re arranging for volunteers from the Drop-In Centre to come on Wednesday afternoons to garden at the Leisure Centre. They have volunteers from their clients and the community. They also have the ability to pick-up donations. This gives us a couple of ways to get the produce donations from the Leisure Centre back to the Drop-In Centre.
Service Clubs, Church youth groups, kids clubs like Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, seniors groups, etc. We would like to develop a relationship with these groups so they can volunteer regularly in the garden. So far we haven’t had time to pursue this very far but we plan to.
MARKETING AND PR
Publications – a one-page information sheet on the garden has been created and made available to the public. It’s been helpful for communicating with potential donors and volunteers. A copy is attached. In the future, when we can get a volunteer who’s great a desktop publishing and a budget for printing, we hope to do up a proper pamphlet.
greengate Garden Expo – Two board members joined a representative from The Garden Path and Gael Blackhall, the coordinator for the CGRN at a table at greengate for their busy spring sale. We talked to the public about community gardens and gave out information.
Alexander Calhoun Library – Many people have never heard of a community garden. To raise public awareness, we’re participating in a series of talks at the Calgary Public Library for their Diversity Services program for seniors. Last week McClure and The Garden Path spent an hour and a half at the Alex Calhoun branch and shared stories and information on community gardening. We are presenting at four more dates at different branches in June and July.
The e-Universe – Check out our new blog! Our new board member, Alma is a whiz with all things internet and she’s designed and built a great blog to help our membership stay connected and to help promote the garden to the general public. The link is: http://mccluregardeners.blogspot.com/ Visit it often to find out all the stuff that’s happening in the garden. Construction of our website is underway and a link to our blog will be posted at the site.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH – FRUITION
Project Update
Green Cats - Greengate has donated 300 catnip seedlings and they are ready for planting
- We’re helping to train a new group of volunteers at the Inglewood garden to continue their Pet Project program which also grows catnip for the MEOW Foundation.
- So far six community gardens, three private gardeners and volunteers with MEOW will be growing catnip. This program has now successfully become city-wide. The goal is to grow the 350 pounds of nip (fresh weight) that MEOW needs.
Peas on Earth - Free seeds are now available to community and non-profit groups if they want to participate and grow some sweet peas to promote peace.
- The website is under construction and when complete, people can go there to log in the length of their rows.
The Great Cover Up - The garden will be employing three different methods of weed control this year. These include variations on planting cover crops and edible cover crops, manual removal by pulling and digging the weeds out and mulching with woodchips and other materials like granite.
Metro Grow-Ops - We’ve helped the clients at Calgary Drop-In Centre start their own community garden, The D.I. Gardens. One of their key goals was to create a quiet space for their residents where they could enjoy one of the comforts of a home – a garden. They have a container garden on the 5th floor balcony. It could very well be the city’s highest community garden. Planting has begun and the radishes and lettuces have already sprouted. It’s a south facing, glassed in balcony so it’s almost greenhouse conditions. We have high hopes for the tomatoes and peppers.
- The D.I. Gardens also wanted more space to grow fresh food for the Drop-In Centre. The balcony is too small for that purpose so we collaborated with the Village Square Leisure Centre to use their beds to grow flowers and vegetables to donate to the Drop-In Centre. Many people pass by these beds daily so it will also serve as a public learning exhibition on local food growing.
- The D.I. Gardens are doing so well that there’s interest in expanding the program to the 6th floor balcony and to the Bridgeland Manor site for their seniors.
Homegrown Goodness - greengate is designing a logo to go with the slogan. Customized row markers are in the works and in the future they will be used for promoting local food growing in Calgary.
- Eco-Pots – for those who have no garden space, container gardening is an option. In mid-June, we’re rounding up interested parties to go to greengate and reuse planters that people bring in for recycling and plant vegetables in them. They will be put on display at the front of the store and people will have the option of taking them home.
The Melon Colony - Three test sites are planned to experiment with growing watermelons and cantaloupes in Calgary’s climate. One is in the Sunnyside community garden, one at McClure and one at the Leisure Centre.
- Sunnyside is already planted from seed. Seedlings will be used at McClure and the Leisure Centre soon.
The Planting of the Red Sea - A search is underway for a person/group to lead this project. The Leisure Centre has agreed to let us use one of their beds and we’re looking at other sites as well. This project would take a lot of organization so we may have to start the process this year so it can take place next spring.
McClure Fellowship of Gardeners - About the Garden
Location:
5510 – 26th Avenue NE, Calgary, AB, T1Y 6S1
Contact:
Alex Summerfield Phone: (403) 467-3086 Email: galacticbugs@hotmail.com
The McClure Fellowship of Gardeners is a non-profit community garden which offers the public opportunities to participate in gardening through plot rentals, shared garden space and community outreach programs.
Opportunities for Participation
Rent a Plot
Our community garden currently rents out 30 plots (4’ x 10’) at a cost of $30 each for the season. We hold monthly potlucks and work bees so gardeners can socialize while maintaining the garden.
Garden in the Shared Garden Space
In addition to rental plots, we have common garden spaces that include:
- four flower beds
- A community orchard with apples, cherries, grapes, June berries, currants, strawberries, and raspberries.
- Community vegetable beds contain squash, herbs and whatever other vegetables gardeners put in to share with everyone
- Composters
- A shady, peaceful patio area and picnic table
If you do not rent a plot, a small $5.00 membership fee will entitle you to garden in the shared spaces and to share what’s grown there.
Volunteer in the Garden
Volunteers are always welcome. We have something for everyone. Regular volunteers we always need are:
Gardeners – to supply TLC to flowers, fruit, vegetables and trees. Duties include watering, weeding, dividing, pruning, thinning, planting, harvesting, composting and mulching.
Handymen/women – to help us build and repair plots, composters, eaves troughs, tweak motors, put up shelves and fences, pour cement and many other tasks that need someone who has tools and knows how to use them.
Educators – we need instructors to hold workshops for everything related to gardening and also for food preservation and garden tours.
Special projects – these range from small ongoing duties like picking up donations or preparing snacks for volunteers to large, one-time building projects.
Writers and shutterbugs
We need people to help document the garden’s progress and show it off to the world. Desktop publishers and graphic artists also welcome.
Fundraisers – Can you write persuasive grant applications? Can you charm birds from the trees and sell refrigerators to polar bears? If so, we need you to help us fundraise.
Customize it – is there a special skill you have that you would like to contribute? A particular way you would like to help? Talk to us. We’ll fit you in.
Volunteer in Your Community
Fruition is McClure’s community outreach program. It encourages people in the community to garden to support the environment and their favorite causes at the same time. Contact us if you want to volunteer for one of these city-wide projects or if you would like to propose your own:
1. Green Cats - growing organic catnip to donate to the MEOW Foundation charity to help with their fundraising efforts. Organic growing methods reduce energy consumption and artificial chemical inputs that can harm the environment.
2. Peas on Earth – Beautify your space by planting some sweet peas. Take a moment to smell the flowers. The more peace we can cultivate in our own lives, the more peace there will be in the world. Support the cultivation of peace by collectively growing a row of sweet peas to circle the globe. Free seeds are available to community groups. Go to www.greengate.ca to log your row.
3. The Great Cover Up – creative use of mulch and cover crops to control weeds instead of using herbicides. Edible cover crops give the added benefit of providing a source of food.
4. Metro Grow-Ops – this year’s project helps the Calgary Drop-In Centre’s clients convert a smoking balcony into an oasis of green vegetables and flowers which will help clean the air instead of pollute it.
We are also collaborating with the Village Square Leisure Centre and the Drop-In Centre to transform 2,000 square feet of under-utilized space around the Leisure Centre into an education space for growing fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. Food grown in these beds will be donated to the Drop-In Centre and other high needs groups in the area.
5. Home-grown Goodness – promoting local food that is grown at home in Calgary. Food represents 1/3 of Calgary’s Eco-Footprint. Growing food conventionally and shipping it thousands of miles consumes a lot of energy. To reduce our impact on the environment we’re encouraging people to grow their own organic food. For those who don’t have gardening space, Eco-Pots are the answer. They reuse plastic nursery pots to keep them out of landfills and they are filled with potting soil and planted with vegetables.
6. The Melon Colony – a test project to grow watermelons. If successful, the melons will begin colonizing schools across Calgary next year. It’s a fun way to introduce kids to growing food and teaching them to care for plants.
7. The Planting of the Red Sea – get a group of loyal fans together and plant red flowers in a public space to show your support for your Flames.
5510 – 26th Avenue NE, Calgary, AB, T1Y 6S1
Contact:
Alex Summerfield Phone: (403) 467-3086 Email: galacticbugs@hotmail.com
The McClure Fellowship of Gardeners is a non-profit community garden which offers the public opportunities to participate in gardening through plot rentals, shared garden space and community outreach programs.
Opportunities for Participation
Rent a Plot
Our community garden currently rents out 30 plots (4’ x 10’) at a cost of $30 each for the season. We hold monthly potlucks and work bees so gardeners can socialize while maintaining the garden.
Garden in the Shared Garden Space
In addition to rental plots, we have common garden spaces that include:
- four flower beds
- A community orchard with apples, cherries, grapes, June berries, currants, strawberries, and raspberries.
- Community vegetable beds contain squash, herbs and whatever other vegetables gardeners put in to share with everyone
- Composters
- A shady, peaceful patio area and picnic table
If you do not rent a plot, a small $5.00 membership fee will entitle you to garden in the shared spaces and to share what’s grown there.
Volunteer in the Garden
Volunteers are always welcome. We have something for everyone. Regular volunteers we always need are:
Gardeners – to supply TLC to flowers, fruit, vegetables and trees. Duties include watering, weeding, dividing, pruning, thinning, planting, harvesting, composting and mulching.
Handymen/women – to help us build and repair plots, composters, eaves troughs, tweak motors, put up shelves and fences, pour cement and many other tasks that need someone who has tools and knows how to use them.
Educators – we need instructors to hold workshops for everything related to gardening and also for food preservation and garden tours.
Special projects – these range from small ongoing duties like picking up donations or preparing snacks for volunteers to large, one-time building projects.
Writers and shutterbugs
We need people to help document the garden’s progress and show it off to the world. Desktop publishers and graphic artists also welcome.
Fundraisers – Can you write persuasive grant applications? Can you charm birds from the trees and sell refrigerators to polar bears? If so, we need you to help us fundraise.
Customize it – is there a special skill you have that you would like to contribute? A particular way you would like to help? Talk to us. We’ll fit you in.
Volunteer in Your Community
Fruition is McClure’s community outreach program. It encourages people in the community to garden to support the environment and their favorite causes at the same time. Contact us if you want to volunteer for one of these city-wide projects or if you would like to propose your own:
1. Green Cats - growing organic catnip to donate to the MEOW Foundation charity to help with their fundraising efforts. Organic growing methods reduce energy consumption and artificial chemical inputs that can harm the environment.
2. Peas on Earth – Beautify your space by planting some sweet peas. Take a moment to smell the flowers. The more peace we can cultivate in our own lives, the more peace there will be in the world. Support the cultivation of peace by collectively growing a row of sweet peas to circle the globe. Free seeds are available to community groups. Go to www.greengate.ca to log your row.
3. The Great Cover Up – creative use of mulch and cover crops to control weeds instead of using herbicides. Edible cover crops give the added benefit of providing a source of food.
4. Metro Grow-Ops – this year’s project helps the Calgary Drop-In Centre’s clients convert a smoking balcony into an oasis of green vegetables and flowers which will help clean the air instead of pollute it.
We are also collaborating with the Village Square Leisure Centre and the Drop-In Centre to transform 2,000 square feet of under-utilized space around the Leisure Centre into an education space for growing fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. Food grown in these beds will be donated to the Drop-In Centre and other high needs groups in the area.
5. Home-grown Goodness – promoting local food that is grown at home in Calgary. Food represents 1/3 of Calgary’s Eco-Footprint. Growing food conventionally and shipping it thousands of miles consumes a lot of energy. To reduce our impact on the environment we’re encouraging people to grow their own organic food. For those who don’t have gardening space, Eco-Pots are the answer. They reuse plastic nursery pots to keep them out of landfills and they are filled with potting soil and planted with vegetables.
6. The Melon Colony – a test project to grow watermelons. If successful, the melons will begin colonizing schools across Calgary next year. It’s a fun way to introduce kids to growing food and teaching them to care for plants.
7. The Planting of the Red Sea – get a group of loyal fans together and plant red flowers in a public space to show your support for your Flames.
Minutes of May 23rd Meeting
Meeting attended by Alex Summerfield, Sheila Ford, Alma Newton, Joan Liland, and Maeve Bard (first part). Regrets Lorna McKenzie.
1. Calgary Attendance will be at the garden on May 28/09. Joan will be there at 9:00 AM to show them what to do. Sheila will relieve Joan at noon. Jobs for the volunteers include:
• Dig and transplant raspberries to replace dead plants at the back of the property.
• Transplant rhubarb to plot behind the dumpster.
• Move the dirt from the pile to fill in low spots on the path and spread it evenly in the old raspberry bed.
• Weeding between beds.
2. Alex will try a test strip of clover as ground cover by the raspberries.
3. Alex is attending the community garden sessions with the library.
4. Alex is working with the Drop-InIn centre to plant the beds by village square. Telus has been applied to for volunteers to come plant on Sat. May 30th.
5. Alma presented her idea for a blog. Agreed. The blog will accessible to all gardeners. The blog will provide general information for gardeners, a calendar of events and links to other sites such Calgary Horticulture Association and Community Garden Resource Network. The blog could also be used for Surveys. Alma has volunteered to manage the blog.
6. Volunteer hours need to be recorded as this is useful when applying for grants.
7. Alma will work on a logo design for the garden.
8. Joan and Alma have come up with a mission statement: Building fellowship through community gardening.
9. Alma knows someone who is willing to donate perennials if we can come dig them up.
1. Calgary Attendance will be at the garden on May 28/09. Joan will be there at 9:00 AM to show them what to do. Sheila will relieve Joan at noon. Jobs for the volunteers include:
• Dig and transplant raspberries to replace dead plants at the back of the property.
• Transplant rhubarb to plot behind the dumpster.
• Move the dirt from the pile to fill in low spots on the path and spread it evenly in the old raspberry bed.
• Weeding between beds.
2. Alex will try a test strip of clover as ground cover by the raspberries.
3. Alex is attending the community garden sessions with the library.
4. Alex is working with the Drop-InIn centre to plant the beds by village square. Telus has been applied to for volunteers to come plant on Sat. May 30th.
5. Alma presented her idea for a blog. Agreed. The blog will accessible to all gardeners. The blog will provide general information for gardeners, a calendar of events and links to other sites such Calgary Horticulture Association and Community Garden Resource Network. The blog could also be used for Surveys. Alma has volunteered to manage the blog.
6. Volunteer hours need to be recorded as this is useful when applying for grants.
7. Alma will work on a logo design for the garden.
8. Joan and Alma have come up with a mission statement: Building fellowship through community gardening.
9. Alma knows someone who is willing to donate perennials if we can come dig them up.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Growing Food for the First Time Part 2: Raising Fruit and Herbs in Calgary
Wednesday June 3, 2009
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Scarboro Community Hall
1727 - 14 Avenue SW
Parking is free, transit is nearby and there is wheelchair access.
Join master gardener and organic market gardener, Elaine Rude, to learn how to grow organic herbs and fruit in Calgary.
Elaine has extensive experience with hardy varieties of fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs, native plants, water-wise food gardening and high-yield intensive planting methods.
This workshop is designed for community gardeners new to growing fruit and herbs and covers garden preparation, soil amending, getting the most from your garden and individual fruit and herb varieties that thrive in Calgary.
A suggested donation of $5 is requested for this educational workshop. Light refreshments will be provided.
RSVP by Monday June 1, 2009 to communitygardens@calhort.org or 403-287-3469
ext 227.
In the event that you are not able to attend, please cancel your reservation to accommodate gardeners on the waiting list.
This workshop is made possible by the Community Garden Resource Network (a project supported by The Calgary Horticultural Society, The Calgary Foundation and evergreen).
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Scarboro Community Hall
1727 - 14 Avenue SW
Parking is free, transit is nearby and there is wheelchair access.
Join master gardener and organic market gardener, Elaine Rude, to learn how to grow organic herbs and fruit in Calgary.
Elaine has extensive experience with hardy varieties of fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs, native plants, water-wise food gardening and high-yield intensive planting methods.
This workshop is designed for community gardeners new to growing fruit and herbs and covers garden preparation, soil amending, getting the most from your garden and individual fruit and herb varieties that thrive in Calgary.
A suggested donation of $5 is requested for this educational workshop. Light refreshments will be provided.
RSVP by Monday June 1, 2009 to communitygardens@calhort.org or 403-287-3469
ext 227.
In the event that you are not able to attend, please cancel your reservation to accommodate gardeners on the waiting list.
This workshop is made possible by the Community Garden Resource Network (a project supported by The Calgary Horticultural Society, The Calgary Foundation and evergreen).
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
An update
I met with Child and Youth Friendly Calgary this morning and they seem quite enthusiastic about getting kids out to the garden to volunteer. They've been looking for environment-related volunteering opportunities so we fit the bill nicely. I'm signing us up for a crew of 6 kids on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons from July onward. I can be there for those times and if some of you can be there as well, that would be fantastic. This is something we can sign up for every year and we can vary the time and frequency to suit. Should help keep the weeds down and keep thing watered. :o)
I called the Calgary Attendance Centre. John Lee, the person who does their booking is away until May 26th. I'm trying to reach someone else sooner and left a message. I'll try to get crews out for June.
I picked up some herb donations from greengate yesterday. I'll get them to the garden as soon as we get past the -2 predicted for the next little while. I'll likely drop off the sweetpea seeds by Thursday if not sooner. In case you're curious, we got the following: thyme, tri-colour sage, rosemary, oregano, French Taragon and pineapple sage. I haven't put in our big donation request to greengate yet (the one that includes all the seedlings for planting the Leisure Centre) so if there's any other herbs you can think of that you would like to have, please let me know.
I called the Calgary Attendance Centre. John Lee, the person who does their booking is away until May 26th. I'm trying to reach someone else sooner and left a message. I'll try to get crews out for June.
I picked up some herb donations from greengate yesterday. I'll get them to the garden as soon as we get past the -2 predicted for the next little while. I'll likely drop off the sweetpea seeds by Thursday if not sooner. In case you're curious, we got the following: thyme, tri-colour sage, rosemary, oregano, French Taragon and pineapple sage. I haven't put in our big donation request to greengate yet (the one that includes all the seedlings for planting the Leisure Centre) so if there's any other herbs you can think of that you would like to have, please let me know.
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