WORK DAY - again

With much to do in the Spring we scheduled a second Work Day of the 2013 season.  This week-no rain just C-O-L-D.

We built a fire. Made some coffee and got to work.

Some cleared the Prairie...

Some squared, leveled, moved and filled the 4 new raised beds.  There is more to do but thanks to so many gardeners (large and small) and high school volunteers (and parent) we accomplished a lot. 

 Potatoes are here.  Some gardeners got them planted.

We put out the signs.

Peach trees were planted, snacks were shared and thanks to the Yau family we had a great lunch.

See you next week.

Year 5 Has a Soggy Start

 

Some years Opening Day has been cold but never rainy-until this year. 
Despite the wet morning on Saturday, a handful of gardeners and 3 Gateway Greening staff members got a start on installing the 4 new raised beds.


Steve and Scott (from Gateway Greening)
Just for the record-it was COLD.  Scott is from Oregon & is used to being cold and wet.

Scott, Dan, James and Chelsea from GGI, Doug  

 

Gardeners trickled in all morning.  Not much work to do because of the mud. 
We signed up returning gardeners, talked about the coming growing season.

At 11:00 Nathan Brandt, horticultural specialist with MU Extension, 
taught the assembled 20 or so
all about fruit tree care and pruning. 
Thanks to everyone who helped prune our peach trees.

 















What we've been up to all summer

It's been a rough summer:  too hot and dry for too long. 
Our garden has had it's up and downs.  See for yourself.

Close to 2,000 pounds harvested so far.

For 8 Tuesday evenings a group of gardeners and community members practiced yoga in the garden.  Yep, it was hot at times.

We had a cooking demonstration thanks to Operation Food Search and a Diabetes talk.

We had some help with the mowing.  Thanks, Rodney.

We struggled to keep everything watered. It takes everything we've got...

portable barrels

 training

 

 byo

 rain required

 byo

 water main break

  a gusher

Our first Saturday with Matt Even, Hub Garden liasion from Gateway Greening, was a tool sharpening demo.

We're not done yet.  We have gardening and growing to do.  Maybe more yoga in the fall.  Some events you won't want to miss.  Even a Zoo class.

Looks like more "UPS" than "DOWNS" in 2012.

Earth Day at Wayside Community Garden

We celebrated Earth Day 1 day early, April 21st.  It was a beautiful day with lots planned.  People came from all around town to buy plants and vegetable seedlings, to see our spot of green in Normandy, to take a chance on winning a rain barrel or a compost bin for their home.
Some came to learn about using Natives at home.  Others came so their children could plant seeds to take home.  Of course, many came for Steve's famous crepes.
Here's what it looked like.

Brenda taking it all in.  Yao family waiting for the rain barrel drawing.

Kids planting, Ed and Doug catching up.

Heirloom tomato seedlings going fast!

Super salespersons taking a break-Patti, Joann and Margaret.

Arndt family

Kelley family

The winners!  Gwyn and Marc

Raised Beds: Ready to plant

Gravel and soil delivered.   check

Another Expansion Grant from Gateway Greening-4 raised beds for our gardeners who are less able to get on the ground to grow their veggies.   check










Materials delivered by Matt Even, Gateway Greening.   check

3 people, 4 beds assembled
check

Then the real work began.  Day after day, volunteers shovelled, wheeled, lifted, spread rock then soil.

(no "checks" yet)

Brian and Barbara

Brian tries a riskier method.

Steve and Romi take a much-needed break.

Volunteers, yeah!  Andy from UMSL and Romi from Beyond Housing

Tommie, Reneice and Richard work on the final step-soil.

Days later, work completed.  CHECK!

Thank you to everyone who worked on this backbreaking project.  There were more who helped but did not get photographed:  Brenda, Chancellor, Dan, Doug, Jane, you.

Three of the 4 beds are already planted.

April Showers Bring...

...water in the rain barrels!
Thanks, Doug for making it happen.

And lettuce, spinach, radishes, asparagus.

This photo shows the lettuce in Brett and Brandi's garden.  They are new at Wayside this year and off to a great start.







Predictions are for an overnight frost this week.  Everyone who jumped the gun by planting those warm season crops (tomatoes) should protect them.  Be sure to uncover during the warmer daylight hours. Good Luck!