tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62054673108079636622024-03-19T04:48:36.338-04:00Stoddart Avenue Community GardenA vacant lot on Stoddart Avenue provides a place to grow flowers, fruits and vegetables of the gardener's own choice. (The garden is 4 blocks west of Alum Creek Drive/Bexley and 1/4 block north of E. Main St.). All gardeners are encouraged to donate a portion of their produce to a local food pantry. (See 7/7/11 Post: Plant a Row to Feed the Hungry By Donating Garden Produce to Food Pantries). To participate, contact the Garden Manager. Also see the FAQ at the bottom of this site. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger905125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-47135616458886584622021-04-22T23:27:00.001-04:002021-04-22T23:27:42.103-04:00Good Golly Miss Molly <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_LypODq-FCEhahG_-_Rkl1L6luBsDGLMfYkI5pnL-FrKLIgGAnGJrP1Nxqk5OYqtnhTmTZ_-5-L7CoiAyvKIuI-6OK2-zUuA3nCQRwMcVrCw07fOpn8eZOB72UYAh0f4fJ-01ZTgSAMi/s1600/IMG_20170826_125204+%25282%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1600" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_LypODq-FCEhahG_-_Rkl1L6luBsDGLMfYkI5pnL-FrKLIgGAnGJrP1Nxqk5OYqtnhTmTZ_-5-L7CoiAyvKIuI-6OK2-zUuA3nCQRwMcVrCw07fOpn8eZOB72UYAh0f4fJ-01ZTgSAMi/s320/IMG_20170826_125204+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Mayweather was not the only one to achieve a technical knock out yesterday. The Stoddart Avenue Community Garden was freakishly busy knocking out projects ourselves. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We were again the lucky beneficiaries of <a href="https://payitforward.osu.edu/" target="_blank">The Ohio State University’s Pay-It-Forward Program</a> which sent us 30 hardworking and dedicated college students who helped us move the needle forward on our 2017 capital improvement project, clean up our weedy alley, water our food pantry plots and a few flower beds, tidy the Block Watch lot across the street and find a new bee hive, weed the tomato bed next door at Kimball Farms and pick up almost 20 bags of litter in a four block area around the Garden. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This all went relatively smoothly because I had LOTS of help from Sabrina, Ken and Amy to each supervise a team of students.</span></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtmfSk24V56PjIVjKGcKNyv5i-i8sVXzquSm1MfkHt81CIabnxdTo1uWh_nP5heFyRzm59EcLIoJlkoRvT1vzEaJ2EgXFqnQ3uov4DFvCy8Y_ZKuNaZvx0Q70wqMBl1hQ7a6QSnACueBQ/s1600/IMG_20170826_122951.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtmfSk24V56PjIVjKGcKNyv5i-i8sVXzquSm1MfkHt81CIabnxdTo1uWh_nP5heFyRzm59EcLIoJlkoRvT1vzEaJ2EgXFqnQ3uov4DFvCy8Y_ZKuNaZvx0Q70wqMBl1hQ7a6QSnACueBQ/s320/IMG_20170826_122951.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Poison Ivy Part I.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Earlier this month, while I was cursing and pulling bind weed off of the raspberry brambles in the raised bed area of the SACG, I forgot to pay attention to whether the poison ivy had returned.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Mistake.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It had.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I wasn’t just pulling bind weed; I was also pulling bind weed <i>and poison ivy </i>willy nilly.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Considering how careless I was, I got off lucky.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">On Sunday night, my right arm started to itch and form a rash.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">By Monday, I had many blisters the size of dimes.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">On Tuesday, more blisters kept appearing, so a doctor who casually noticed my unsightly arm prescribed me some steroids (which was a first for me and was almost an out-of-body experience).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I now have some slight scarring, but my arm looks better and I think the scar will fade away eventually. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZwhYE7YNLpSNRPZoU0gu5_aPbrszeL2hrcSmxwbkAuDCeXo046UcrJBWVZZbHB7Ozozct7wS0ADzPfTq1uCVYaOnXZwpZjXESw3_8IEyOO1i12qw8uLWyPbVdTPJlv7s7j1qoeQ9G3Rb/s1600/IMG_20170701_160453.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZwhYE7YNLpSNRPZoU0gu5_aPbrszeL2hrcSmxwbkAuDCeXo046UcrJBWVZZbHB7Ozozct7wS0ADzPfTq1uCVYaOnXZwpZjXESw3_8IEyOO1i12qw8uLWyPbVdTPJlv7s7j1qoeQ9G3Rb/s320/IMG_20170701_160453.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the volunteers (in July)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was so annoyed with this that I declared war on the poison ivy in that corner even if it meant killing every living thing within 10 square feet around that area.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Napalm in the morning sounded like the right approach.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I went over with a large sprayer of Round Up that I purchased last year, but the nozzle was clogged.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Curses!</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Foiled again.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sabrina took pity on me, declared that she was not allergic to poison ivy and chopped away at the brambles and weeds on the Garden side and identified for me various poison ivy vines.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I returned with the special Round up for Poison Ivy and napalmed the entire area.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If all of the brambles died, too, so be it.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We can plant more next year.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Grrr.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’ve been sharing this tale with anyone silly enough to ask me about the Garden or to stop by this month. </span></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This did not stop me from attacking the far more pernicious poison ivy in the Block Watch lot yesterday, though.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">More on that later. </span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Capital Improvement Project.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">OSU contacted me a few weeks ago to confirm Saturday’s work day <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iA4axS3LKHtaHG2rOM7xkBjp40nMjGgp90C3wnq2u1ljwPz-pctq4E5cPbNDmts_nxSdSsqCym9CUPSDnxf2IsBnCdDDj3CT5IAPqESi-NdhdpUDaOKK7Oh5EK4JczJsXjAwMu72roeb/s1600/IMG_20170826_153706.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iA4axS3LKHtaHG2rOM7xkBjp40nMjGgp90C3wnq2u1ljwPz-pctq4E5cPbNDmts_nxSdSsqCym9CUPSDnxf2IsBnCdDDj3CT5IAPqESi-NdhdpUDaOKK7Oh5EK4JczJsXjAwMu72roeb/s320/IMG_20170826_153706.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the OSU volunteers</td></tr></tbody></table>and the times.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They would arrive between 10:30 and 11 and leave between 1 and 1:30.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was able to dig all 8 post poles, but Ken and Taylor had to finish some of them off for me.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then, Taylor helped me two Wednesdays in a row (even though he had brought his visiting-from-Florida mother with him last week) to place the fence posts so that we would have them up in time for the OSU students.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ken and I had not resolved our dispute over how to build the fence.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I wanted to build it in sections (which he thought was a terrible idea because of how difficult it would be to keep the stringers and picket tops in a straight line), and he wanted to put up the stringers and then attach the pickets (which I know is a terrible idea because it would destroy the front flower bed with more than two months left in our growing season and be almost impossible for the areas behind the rose bushes).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Besides, I pointed out, the fence needs to be painted before it goes up because you will not be able to paint the back side of the stringers or pickets once they are attached (since we are keeping the wire fence in place to use as a growing trellis and to keep out bunnies and other four legged critters that like to crawl under gaps in our prettier fence).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He saw the wisdom of this and worked on adjusting his plan.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBZyoFeL6PezRagRRlHwM-QSWtozfSBmjd5UCzcTZ2n0kTzVJfG7A0bFmZuy2MCA6DVrH84QdZ4jk2TiXj9XZEGJzQrx3BnUxddZVaFzb0amTyrPNuN5gYN4HBJguvaQhS4Pa1VHO7Q3U/s1600/IMG_20170826_113315.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBZyoFeL6PezRagRRlHwM-QSWtozfSBmjd5UCzcTZ2n0kTzVJfG7A0bFmZuy2MCA6DVrH84QdZ4jk2TiXj9XZEGJzQrx3BnUxddZVaFzb0amTyrPNuN5gYN4HBJguvaQhS4Pa1VHO7Q3U/s320/IMG_20170826_113315.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When the OSU students arrived around 11 a.m., I told them about the SACG, offered them overly-dry chocolate no-bake cookies that I had made the prior evening and bananas that Sabrina picked up, etc. and split them up into teams.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(Usually, the OSU kids have had a huge kick-off breakfast and don’t eat until the end of the day, but this group wanted to start eating immediately – making me suspect that they had not had enough to eat for breakfast).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">One team of 8 helped Ken.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He cut down the stringers to size (and leveled the posts).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They hauled up pickets and stringers from our storage location at <a href="http://urban-connections.org/" target="_blank">UrbanConnections</a>, and painted them on all sides.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(The lumber and paint were donated by the City of Columbus and subsidized by Lowe’s Home Improvement Store).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I had only brought one painting tarp from home and so they could only paint so much lumber in the time available. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We had abundant sunshine to dry the paint quickly, but the wood absorbed much more paint than we had budgeted for and I think that I will have to buy more paint since we are only 1/3 finished and only have a half can remaining.</span></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV676j2iInuculGeZoCL9llspEFv0z9Yj1QKXynuFMlCA6WpoKNzZs1tj-O8n5wELl5_88cR0ZPR-xkZ5rCApojoMmBEBNT9PDKPZ2iaQDV3mnkjVLhBVrBtVnPXNLLaPuwsc3kJoMiq4/s1600/IMG_20170719_190551.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV676j2iInuculGeZoCL9llspEFv0z9Yj1QKXynuFMlCA6WpoKNzZs1tj-O8n5wELl5_88cR0ZPR-xkZ5rCApojoMmBEBNT9PDKPZ2iaQDV3mnkjVLhBVrBtVnPXNLLaPuwsc3kJoMiq4/s320/IMG_20170719_190551.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Before the OSU volunteers . . . in July)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sadly, the OSU bus came early (well before 1 p.m.) because the other OSU volunteer group sharing the bus finished early and wanted to return to campus.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, we did not get many pickets attached.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ken worked for a few minutes after they left and may return on Wednesday to attach a few more.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We do not have another student group scheduled (that could finish the project) until Capital University students come on September 23 for the annual Crusader Day of Service. (It's becoming a pattern that my OSU and Capital University student groups tag team to complete our major capital improvement projects). </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">However, I think that the new fence looks fantastic and compliments our trellis entrance (that was donated and installed last year).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72AnCUNxymRQUxTVpwM5nfWPZDJfRdXcQyZC6Sn3m1wJ3uisLrc085oHEweF-1HX-jB2g3RdjNAEIpg1iF7XTA61N9TgyLW0FP6C5LdK1K1JlAo3alucTU28_rMQAu5DNN3HlrFSuoq-q/s1600/IMG_20170826_153730.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72AnCUNxymRQUxTVpwM5nfWPZDJfRdXcQyZC6Sn3m1wJ3uisLrc085oHEweF-1HX-jB2g3RdjNAEIpg1iF7XTA61N9TgyLW0FP6C5LdK1K1JlAo3alucTU28_rMQAu5DNN3HlrFSuoq-q/s1600/IMG_20170826_153730.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72AnCUNxymRQUxTVpwM5nfWPZDJfRdXcQyZC6Sn3m1wJ3uisLrc085oHEweF-1HX-jB2g3RdjNAEIpg1iF7XTA61N9TgyLW0FP6C5LdK1K1JlAo3alucTU28_rMQAu5DNN3HlrFSuoq-q/s320/IMG_20170826_153730.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72AnCUNxymRQUxTVpwM5nfWPZDJfRdXcQyZC6Sn3m1wJ3uisLrc085oHEweF-1HX-jB2g3RdjNAEIpg1iF7XTA61N9TgyLW0FP6C5LdK1K1JlAo3alucTU28_rMQAu5DNN3HlrFSuoq-q/s1600/IMG_20170826_153730.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the OSU volunteers</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Alley Campaign</span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s always a challenge to keep our alley side looking tidy when we do not have volunteers.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I tend to focus my time on growing vegetables and then the flowers.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s been looking extremely weedy for more than a month and the strawberry patch has been very neglected (even though it is an assigned chore) and this is surprising because there are actually strawberries growing in it.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Amy took charge of a crew of 4-6 students who weeded the strawberry patch, cleaned the weeds out between the alley and the Garden (including around and in the compost bins) and straightened up our stone curb.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> Amy was understandably proud of their achievement and then she </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">spent some time weeding the front flower bed.</span></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDpt3uKuQgk6NgeYGnDm82apfRpu3-iXcB0qpEhN8GVtfVj2kmmyR240quffGmDkbBmtsrtcDq5xxFTs2Xn_GwwWpCa0UUKS0-5qpyvOUchcnrpYDOkBrro1bs8CB66kDuolK0gOhRQml/s1600/IMG_20170826_153738.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDpt3uKuQgk6NgeYGnDm82apfRpu3-iXcB0qpEhN8GVtfVj2kmmyR240quffGmDkbBmtsrtcDq5xxFTs2Xn_GwwWpCa0UUKS0-5qpyvOUchcnrpYDOkBrro1bs8CB66kDuolK0gOhRQml/s320/IMG_20170826_153738.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When they finished this, I had one of them restock and tidy our Free Little Library with a box of books that had been donated by Half Price Books.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">She emptied the entire box and filled the library. (Hint, Hint: I'm out of books for our Free Little Library and would welcome donated books if you have any). </span></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I assigned two of volunteers to weed the paths and around our raised beds.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Two of them (now low on blood sugar and moving slowly) weeded and straightened up a bench.</span></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDpt3uKuQgk6NgeYGnDm82apfRpu3-iXcB0qpEhN8GVtfVj2kmmyR240quffGmDkbBmtsrtcDq5xxFTs2Xn_GwwWpCa0UUKS0-5qpyvOUchcnrpYDOkBrro1bs8CB66kDuolK0gOhRQml/s1600/IMG_20170826_153738.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The rest were sent next door to weed the tomato raised bed at Kimball Farms (which has spent the week building a high tunnel for winter produce production.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(The Mid-Ohio</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Food Bank received a federal grant to subsidize the construction of high tunnels at area community gardens.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s a great project, but I need my winters off.).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_Gwwz0yZW2IJlfG569OOiKfMtAKo5TK71pcH53ZYagEH3sGheaDHyM94LPRvaqeT2WJTLKWf2feYCY6ifCI8hawKA5q7Ma3UtH0aa1HwoGo6RvNh33QoAPYAEyQdIPNVkDJWQGdOy875/s1600/IMG_20170826_122053.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_Gwwz0yZW2IJlfG569OOiKfMtAKo5TK71pcH53ZYagEH3sGheaDHyM94LPRvaqeT2WJTLKWf2feYCY6ifCI8hawKA5q7Ma3UtH0aa1HwoGo6RvNh33QoAPYAEyQdIPNVkDJWQGdOy875/s320/IMG_20170826_122053.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Watering Crew</span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sabrina took three young men and helped them to water most of the Garden, including the food pantry plots and some of the flower beds and fruit trees.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They then weeded the neglected raised bed outside the Garden and harvested three giant carrots for our food pantry donation.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">She then went around and grabbed lots of produce to reward Ken for all of his hard work, planted several rows of lettuce in our food pantry plots, and helped me with finishing the food pantry weekly harvest.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfS4mc6kGDUHgiuXhxGYD2J1qMdLXUkT3RIxDthK5LUFy29bGZwFKijSs27XIhg9MPHVG0zO-hgTSwNdlkCiQzS0TbEPCKky0-qcb-Gz6vnLwRsg7LjAypdSkx0crXnJ2uY2NUX4uGEKN/s1600/IMG_20170826_125152.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfS4mc6kGDUHgiuXhxGYD2J1qMdLXUkT3RIxDthK5LUFy29bGZwFKijSs27XIhg9MPHVG0zO-hgTSwNdlkCiQzS0TbEPCKky0-qcb-Gz6vnLwRsg7LjAypdSkx0crXnJ2uY2NUX4uGEKN/s1600/IMG_20170826_125152.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfS4mc6kGDUHgiuXhxGYD2J1qMdLXUkT3RIxDthK5LUFy29bGZwFKijSs27XIhg9MPHVG0zO-hgTSwNdlkCiQzS0TbEPCKky0-qcb-Gz6vnLwRsg7LjAypdSkx0crXnJ2uY2NUX4uGEKN/s320/IMG_20170826_125152.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Litter Crusaders</span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Some years lots of volunteers want to pick up litter; some years none do. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Robert Seed is back to work at Keep Columbus Beautiful.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He had to suffer through my retelling of my poison ivy woes and volunteered to help me with my clogged Round Up sprayer.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He also stopped by the Garden in case there was something that he could do.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It then belatedly occurred to me that I had not made arrangements with him to get litter grabbers, etc. for our OSU volunteers.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Fortunately, he was able to accommodate us.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Good thing, because this was the most gung-ho litter pickers the SACG has ever had.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Many times, our litter picker volunteers come back with just three half-bags of litter and I just look at them incredulously.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">No way.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">What were you doing for the last hour if that is all you came back with?</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I purposely did not pick up the plastic bags that blew onto our lot this last week because I wanted to leave something for our OSU volunteers to do.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirL_YN8YGzBrapxYegxQYtwrI2JkP1ADzofBC7gI_ApGp8FG_1f__WN_0S-gVACFqKas8hE4eM7I9QPfQFynysiW6SqkN0ov7G7oeTMPgXAbRA-y_afc0rxE2fEzDnKiyguBBXJ3Oewcca/s1600/Produce+Distributions.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="518" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirL_YN8YGzBrapxYegxQYtwrI2JkP1ADzofBC7gI_ApGp8FG_1f__WN_0S-gVACFqKas8hE4eM7I9QPfQFynysiW6SqkN0ov7G7oeTMPgXAbRA-y_afc0rxE2fEzDnKiyguBBXJ3Oewcca/s320/Produce+Distributions.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "calibri";">After one hour, this crew came back with about 10 bags of litter.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I asked them to then hit our alleys, but they already had.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They had already covered Morrison and Fairwood and Stoddart and the alleys in between.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They grabbed a cookie and headed south of Main on Lilley.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They came back with more full bags and a pair of crutches. </span><br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerFiejP7Nj0dG1ZeczE80iqBVHdgCIGQfSKWAu2uSXfcQ4mEEYsJOw8o_Y7DVU4Qu0G2gDZgskz3ki657qqxh8YaCFlxCnnO_ogptnUtJtsKO86Nmihhqlov9GIG2RQ-j0uhzzuZRO36S/s1600/IMG_20170805_115202.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerFiejP7Nj0dG1ZeczE80iqBVHdgCIGQfSKWAu2uSXfcQ4mEEYsJOw8o_Y7DVU4Qu0G2gDZgskz3ki657qqxh8YaCFlxCnnO_ogptnUtJtsKO86Nmihhqlov9GIG2RQ-j0uhzzuZRO36S/s320/IMG_20170805_115202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The volunteer potatoes grew into a dough boy</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Free Little Pantry.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I diverted two of them to distribute a newsletter in the neighborhood about our proposed Free Little Pantry. Ken was excited about it, but a bit discouraged about the Board’s general lack of passion for the project.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I explained that it was more about how the pantry would be stocked because building it was just a first step.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Dispatch has run a number of stories about the Free Little Pantry a few blocks away on Livingston.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Life Vineyard Church also put up a not-so-little one near the intersection of Main and Alum Creek and it is perpetually understocked.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The lady who constructed the one on Livingston reported that she refills it every day and spends approximately $50/week in doing so.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Our </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">annual</span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> budget is a just little more than $100, so $2500 (i.e., $50 x 50 weeks) would overwhelm the SACG.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I like the idea, but I’m not willing to take responsibility for this by myself.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">After a little research at <a href="http://littlefreepantry.org/">littlefreepantry.org</a><span id="goog_821970877"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_821970878"></span>, I told him that I would survey the neighborhood to see if there were any strong objections or support for it.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I don’t want to foist a project on the neighborhood to which they will object, and we will obviously need a lot of help to keep it stocked. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I told the neighborhood that we would need between 15-20 groups, families or individuals to agree to stock it one day each month to proceed with the project.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Mari (from our Board) volunteered to take a day.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Otherwise, it’s been 24 hours and I have received neither objections nor volunteers.</span></div><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I also invited the neighbors to help with our fence project by helping to attach pickets or paint.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(The kids often like to help paint, even though they usually get as much paint on themselves and as on the project). </span><br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNnMOdGwiqyPoeL1jen5Tt7V8s0Qb240Kc1IYXj64GF-BG1srP_Fd9bMrvh1fvuKbj98z3z19gqY8Ken4q08OhkKhhU_HsubgrgAI_rI8YkeEzuQ_ork38BVWc9ERAAV_BUhHo8P9Xyhs/s1600/IMG_20170826_113255.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNnMOdGwiqyPoeL1jen5Tt7V8s0Qb240Kc1IYXj64GF-BG1srP_Fd9bMrvh1fvuKbj98z3z19gqY8Ken4q08OhkKhhU_HsubgrgAI_rI8YkeEzuQ_ork38BVWc9ERAAV_BUhHo8P9Xyhs/s320/IMG_20170826_113255.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Weeds, Bees and Poison Ivy Part II (Oh My)</span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The rest of the group got to help me pull bind weed off brambles and to cut down the scrub bushes across the street.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We found that the poison ivy had really taken off over there (which I hear about and have observed from time to time).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The poison ivy was so mature that it had formed berries.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I explained in excrutiating detail </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">how dangerous the ivy was and how important it was to not touch it.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We hacked away at the weed trees and bushes and ivy.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">One of the ladies then found an underground bee hive.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This was the most excitement we’ve had for a while. (I heard no squeals indicating the discovery of a snake this year). </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I had explained during orientation that they should not fear the bees because they were too busy collecting pollen to care about any of us.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This proved a great opportunity to prove my point because lots of bees were coming and going from the tunnel and they could not have cared less about the crowd that gathered to observe this. </span></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uDg3yl8eNkxwNGlDRrVzd_81yjhyphenhypheny7YCZr4btsxo73ClL-6CN1PcBlVVeZboTMthUGTuy40SP5UTgf5xAhd_ILOFstyyf2JQWGZUEzvvub4sA2Rdk533QqT-_4FK6q7p-QbluiQ2Rwv6/s1600/IMG_20170826_114152.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uDg3yl8eNkxwNGlDRrVzd_81yjhyphenhypheny7YCZr4btsxo73ClL-6CN1PcBlVVeZboTMthUGTuy40SP5UTgf5xAhd_ILOFstyyf2JQWGZUEzvvub4sA2Rdk533QqT-_4FK6q7p-QbluiQ2Rwv6/s320/IMG_20170826_114152.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";">One of the ladies got the joy of mowing a bit of the Block Watch lawns.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I arrived shortly after 9 a.m. on Saturday, I found neighbor Greg finishing up the mowing.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">What are you doing, I asked.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Don’t you know that I have 30 volunteers coming this morning and we always mow the lawn on such days!</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">No one had told him.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I told him to stop and we would finish.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And so we did. </span></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When we finished around noon, I assigned two of them the joy of helping with our weekly food pantry harvest.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Emma started with the beans (which take the longest to pick) and Jimmy was assigned the tomatoes and kale.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I had hoped that they would harvest more, but the bus arrived early.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(I guess for them it is better than a couple of years ago when it was extremely hot and the bus was an hour late). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOAAgmKydACFZPHQy28XdsdeoCtV3BHycKe2P8UBTcKZZ8hZRkETuwxp0eYps72VKLbMVAvKLSsmMaRGUZ1p3a7JX09BVaI8z8XK0qblc8u5A1TL9RjmxWxFyGmz4T1Dm8lKiWXk8im2D/s1600/Donations+by+Pounds.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="723" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOAAgmKydACFZPHQy28XdsdeoCtV3BHycKe2P8UBTcKZZ8hZRkETuwxp0eYps72VKLbMVAvKLSsmMaRGUZ1p3a7JX09BVaI8z8XK0qblc8u5A1TL9RjmxWxFyGmz4T1Dm8lKiWXk8im2D/s320/Donations+by+Pounds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When the bus arrived, I corralled the students over to our sign and badgered them to bring the litter bags with them to put up front as trophies.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We took a few group pictures, put the litter bags in dumpsters, and then they were on their way back to campus.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Everyone came to waive goodbye and we spent another 30 minutes putting everything away.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then, Sabrina and I finished the food pantry harvest.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Because I didn’t get out until after 2 p.m., it was too late to make it to the food pantry (which closes at 3).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Instead, the 56 pounds of produce went to Faith Mission's Homeless Shelter and then I returned to the SACG to harvest from my own plot and to plant some cilantro.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I finally arrived home around 4:30.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I still ache all over, but I am excited to finally have the fence project underway and to push the Free Little Pantry project a little forward as well.</span><br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This week, I get to return all of the tools (to the Rebuilding Together Tool Library which loaned us </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWOD50yAEgpRZmXt1yYbjD844upzLbucPunAljbw4ja4k3Xu0b3Z-GEHqmKIqDGDEHTIXkk8ifUEaIeyqgQHyVztY-_Lotu7LOV8qeytc6u998Qwtss1sNVH1sr2DcirxpX27XtX8ocAW/s1600/Untitled.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="598" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWOD50yAEgpRZmXt1yYbjD844upzLbucPunAljbw4ja4k3Xu0b3Z-GEHqmKIqDGDEHTIXkk8ifUEaIeyqgQHyVztY-_Lotu7LOV8qeytc6u998Qwtss1sNVH1sr2DcirxpX27XtX8ocAW/s320/Untitled.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";">hedge clippers to attack the weeds and to Keep Columbus Beautiful -- which also has some yard waste bags for us - which loaned us the litter grabbers).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Labor Day weekend will be more relaxed than this because our Fall planting has been completed and we’ll be winding down from this point forward (except for completing the fence project).</span><br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Want to help?</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Anyone who wants to help us complete the fence project only needs to email me at </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">GardenMgr445@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";">or show up on <u>this or next</u> Wednesday evening or <u>this</u> Saturday morning.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There’s still lots of painting to do (which I am qualified to coordinate).</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We will have to schedule in advance with Ken, though, to actually attach the remaining stringers and pickets.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-72648047483523466662020-09-02T10:08:00.001-04:002020-09-02T10:09:42.907-04:00Thanks to Tom<p>The Stoddart Avenue Community Garden owes a debt of gratitude to Sabrina's spouse, Tom, who has taken on a number of projects this year, including the rebuilding and painting of our picnic table. This fixture on our corner lot has been a gathering place for neighborhood kids, crews of volunteers and board meetings. It's now no longer a collapsing eyesore, but a refreshing (and sturdy!) green.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq686oO40GnGIoxfi90_LIVeP5KKXQnUKblzvex5J0m9ZJ2H-HMvsDVjhqjiVbseVMk4bnMfhohAidrJ8U0OXEGZViaq3ul1clEda0eXjVq0zTKzFpM9S3N3vjPahvtd3oZQ4azntbAfTm/s240/PicnicTable.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq686oO40GnGIoxfi90_LIVeP5KKXQnUKblzvex5J0m9ZJ2H-HMvsDVjhqjiVbseVMk4bnMfhohAidrJ8U0OXEGZViaq3ul1clEda0eXjVq0zTKzFpM9S3N3vjPahvtd3oZQ4azntbAfTm/s0/PicnicTable.jpg" /></a></div>Tom's also been known to water our pantry and neighborhood plots and, most importantly, do the heavy lifting in the parenting department when Sabrina is occupied at the SACG. So shout out to him.<p></p><p>Last week, we donated a total of 20 pounds of fresh produce to the Broad Street Presbyterian food pantry on East Broad Street, including 6 pounds dropped off by our friend, Sean who gardens in his Berwick backyard. (The donation included this butternut squash.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5EDaCVfNriyNm7r_6ihMRd9BeGykmDIiS_FIlDpeEUjpJgJmZ8UtaJbKp1VYYd7NctegmjsOiWmKA0JI7ujvsmUYd7Iq6ZNVZYRzB2oEMA2tByncN8pSvfN3jyqLvTMek04shSgDniWL/s288/IMG_3812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5EDaCVfNriyNm7r_6ihMRd9BeGykmDIiS_FIlDpeEUjpJgJmZ8UtaJbKp1VYYd7NctegmjsOiWmKA0JI7ujvsmUYd7Iq6ZNVZYRzB2oEMA2tByncN8pSvfN3jyqLvTMek04shSgDniWL/s0/IMG_3812.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Garden Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572139817712985307noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-33581656083480210882020-08-19T13:36:00.013-04:002020-08-20T09:28:10.739-04:00Pesky Groundhog<p>Our Garden Manager, Sabrina, is on a mission to restrain our resident <a href="https://www.thespruce.com/groundhog-damage-in-yard-2131141">groundhog(s)</a>. It -- or they -- have been eating everything tender and green and destroying cabbage right and left. Several food pantry cabbages had developed beautifully and were ready to be harvested when they were struck down in their prime by the Pesky Groundhog. There have been multiple sightings over the summer ... the groundhog scurrying under Norman's deck, diving into the berry bushes bordering Sabrina's plot to the southwest, etc.</p><p>COVID19 put on hold this year's planned project to dig deep and bury several feet of fencing around the garden. We have also considered trying to trap the groundhog and seeking help from a wildlife rescue organization. </p><p>In other recent news, 42 pounds of SACG and friends' produce made its way into the grocery bags of clients at the Broad Street Presbyterian Church food pantry this week.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7_l-zVguRqtblaj3-buVhMk2R6eeqqlmU6Punsbm3QReTM8_0DNamSH5OHgxmzTHdN1LDYafiJ3-uzkiyBOvThA6zeEoSSY9ZcybUwyqrp_3aISAAh_j5p8KgPmaDRTEip7OBkR34jmd/s250/Produce2+082020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7_l-zVguRqtblaj3-buVhMk2R6eeqqlmU6Punsbm3QReTM8_0DNamSH5OHgxmzTHdN1LDYafiJ3-uzkiyBOvThA6zeEoSSY9ZcybUwyqrp_3aISAAh_j5p8KgPmaDRTEip7OBkR34jmd/s0/Produce2+082020.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p>Garden Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572139817712985307noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-27197983690775160092020-08-10T10:11:00.000-04:002020-08-10T10:11:00.963-04:00High Summer<p> The Garden is in overdrive! The squash is spreading like crazy and the corn growing about 6 inches a week. A few gardeners have planted some cool-weather fall crops -- like kale and beets. Ethan has started seedlings at home that he expects to transplant at the end of the month. Last night, Christie harvested food pantry peppers, cabbage, cantaloupe and tomatoes, while Ethan added a contribution of beets, Swiss chard, and some greens. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmQomC_rsiGFUQhSeZVM4MeIvHHu8SztBdxjslXqII2qN-1bYlEa9uEAD2rrokAlNmvIn_ufR8XWkAdGwRulQD8XfXr4xflCVVkjLeb6oJOH4CVhO71WyLUlrwHs6nIBLuu7ldj2DumwQ/s2048/IMG_3516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmQomC_rsiGFUQhSeZVM4MeIvHHu8SztBdxjslXqII2qN-1bYlEa9uEAD2rrokAlNmvIn_ufR8XWkAdGwRulQD8XfXr4xflCVVkjLeb6oJOH4CVhO71WyLUlrwHs6nIBLuu7ldj2DumwQ/s640/IMG_3516.jpg" /></a></div>Amy picked up some produce donated by Sean, a prolific gardener who lives in Berwick, to add to the SACG haul. The combined donation to the Broad Street Presbyterian pantry on Monday, August 10 came in at about 75 pounds. So far, our city water access remains intact, while Norman's cisterns yield plenty of water as well. Hats off to Tom, Sabrina's spouse, who tended plots in her absence and has taken the lead on some hardscape project, such as dismantling the tumbled-down picnic table. We also appreciate board member and neighbor Frank for managing the mowing of the SACG and neighbor lots.<p></p>Garden Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572139817712985307noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-78696621126247160022020-07-27T07:28:00.007-04:002020-07-27T07:33:43.203-04:0030 Pounds Donated The SACG has a rich tradition of growing and donating produce throughout the season, with 2019's total clocking in at over 600 pounds. <div><br /><div>Last week, Christie harvested about 30 pounds of beets, onions, carrots and peaches for the food pantry at Broad Street Presbyterian Church. COVID-19 protocols at in place at the pantry and the delivery person, Amy, was not allowed in the kitchen, but a masked and gloved worker assisted in unloading. The SACG plans to make a drop off each Monday morning during August. As the pandemic curtails livelihoods and opportunities, the need for fresh food will only increase.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyTwUAFdPi7mHNTDarUlHc32vx54HmWKkxZv9NQSzKjY4HX4g-GNm7LqQd8jCuRcLLvj_bkxufCMgL2WiSGkJGwxSS7Bf0hcF5sd4XWYJ0GlmoGigIZdazDn6R83LiIiLtFf1YuGmuuf-/s1800/IMG_3370.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyTwUAFdPi7mHNTDarUlHc32vx54HmWKkxZv9NQSzKjY4HX4g-GNm7LqQd8jCuRcLLvj_bkxufCMgL2WiSGkJGwxSS7Bf0hcF5sd4XWYJ0GlmoGigIZdazDn6R83LiIiLtFf1YuGmuuf-/s320/IMG_3370.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Everything looked beautiful – especially the peaches! Almost all of it went home with the families who shopped today – we just have a few beets left! </span><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Thanks to you and all the gardeners."</span></h4><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: right;"> BSPC's Kathy-Kelly Long</span></div><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXK1lnqi35UYw9MK4WaPbxWPSZ0zA4mJacmzBKR3qe3t2-4Rrl8GshBgA4Yw9Go8WiIQlkwCrncb_x9ubX_TWrnIkXaI7IDcES8w5RNVbBmjr-sWclMR_RP8wx293hkklz60B6DJ7tdNU/s960/IMG_3369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXK1lnqi35UYw9MK4WaPbxWPSZ0zA4mJacmzBKR3qe3t2-4Rrl8GshBgA4Yw9Go8WiIQlkwCrncb_x9ubX_TWrnIkXaI7IDcES8w5RNVbBmjr-sWclMR_RP8wx293hkklz60B6DJ7tdNU/s320/IMG_3369.jpg" /></a></div></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Garden Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08572139817712985307noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-54436572688135511702020-07-16T10:05:00.003-04:002020-07-16T10:05:32.986-04:002020 Growing Season<div style="border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Hey, we may be in the middle of a global pandemic, but the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden is still growing food and building community.</div>
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Welcome to our 12th growing season. The year had a somewhat slow start, mainly because our intrepid founder and Garden Manager, Priscilla Hapner retired after last season and we had to organize ourselves in such a way that we could maintain the institution that she had built. The COVID 19 pandemic and a rainy spring also contributed to delays. </div>
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But as the reader can see, we are fully operational now. Sabrina Reynolds-Wing, a longtime gardener, board member and supporter, agreed to step in and serve as Garden Manager. We adopted some policies for social distancing and disinfecting tools. The board scaled back some of the SACG operations and reduced the need for outside volunteers. Board members, neighbors and friends committed to taking on several regular chores to lessen Sabrina's load. The board also recruited a team to manage the food pantry plots, harvesting and donations, headed by Ohio State University grad student, Christie Hammons. We are now in business and about ready to donate a round to the area pantries that Christie has enlisted. You can see early stages of food pantry planting below. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSQZPmHT0t8Iug-VcVruotl66HuMJ5Y1IpEli0GodVJ_BWM5R-Q8D-BC07RTQOOKNGEFqp0Joeda94cz1YTSrST-_9oSjpxfj3-PB8A-7OBfCudsxTQpxUyEQwnHCClbTQf3Z-wcZhFNh/s1600/FoodPantryPlanting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSQZPmHT0t8Iug-VcVruotl66HuMJ5Y1IpEli0GodVJ_BWM5R-Q8D-BC07RTQOOKNGEFqp0Joeda94cz1YTSrST-_9oSjpxfj3-PB8A-7OBfCudsxTQpxUyEQwnHCClbTQf3Z-wcZhFNh/s320/FoodPantryPlanting.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Joining Sabrina and Christie in 2020 are returning gardeners Charlie, Ethan, Michael and Whitney and Amy.<br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Our summer has already proven that challenges lie ahead: the strawberry patch suffered from last summer's heat and failed to produce as much fruit as in previous years; our pesky groundhog has shown himself and begun to nibble; June was unseasonably hot and dry; and the city water turn-on got a bit complicated.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">But our sisters' plot corn is as "high as an elephant's eye" and the SACG is feeding all of us now. Happy summer!</span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-84795291647427212312020-01-03T20:19:00.002-05:002020-01-11T18:52:24.138-05:00New Year and New Leadership <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">With a new decade comes new leadership at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden. Your recently retired Garden Manager is making one last post to thank you for assisting and contributing to the success of Stoddart Avenue Community Garden. Community gardening is often exhausting, frustrating and relentless because it always involves a lot of work and challenges. We could not have accomplished all that we did without your generous support.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we start to prepare for the 2020 season, we wanted to share some of our great memories over last summer.</span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_s1030" style="height: 205.2pt; margin-left: 379.3pt; margin-top: 64.65pt; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 136.8pt; z-index: 251673600;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\PRISCI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"> <w:wrap type="square"></w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">April saw us break ground for our 11<sup>th</sup> growing season on an unseasonably warm day with amazing assistance from OSU’s First Year Leadership Initiative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spread your wood chips on our paths and around the fence lines, straightened the front gate trellis, straightened our platform raised beds, picked up neighborhood litter, and made more progress on the south side of the Garden with our fence straightening project. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ken Turner, a former Board member, completely refurbished one of our old and rotting benches. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (Hint hint: we still have one other bench which needs similar TLC so that we can sit on it again). </span></span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For our annual Earth Day celebration the following week, we planted a honeycrisp apple tree (<span style="background: white;">to go with our McIntosh, Jonathon and Granny Smith trees planted last Fall)</span>. <span style="background: white;">Our Stoddart/East Main corner looked cheery with bulbs planted in December which had been donated by Strader’s Garden Centers and distributed at the December GCGC holiday party meeting at the Conservatory. </span> We also weeded, transplanted, replenished potting soil in the platform raised beds, spread mulch donated by Ohio Mulch and Keep Columbus Beautiful, painted our rain barrel, tidied the strawberry patch, made progress on the northern side of the Garden for our fence straightening project, spread compost, planted grass, and prepared garden beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_s1029" style="height: 133.2pt; margin-left: .15pt; margin-top: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 200.15pt; z-index: -251641856;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\PRISCI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg"> <w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In June, the Franklin County Municipal Court began again sending us community service volunteers, who helped pick up neighborhood litter, mow the lawns around the Garden, pick cherries, berries, and tomatoes for our weekly food pantry donations, edge flower beds, weed and water food pantry plots and tidy up our alley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These court-ordered volunteers came almost every week for the rest of the season, and even helped a little at the nearby north Bexley Community Garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (Money can buy beautiful landscaping, but skilled hands are still needed). </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In June, we also had help from neighborhood children and visiting volunteers at Urban Connections’ annual summer day camp who came twice that week to help us pick cherries and berries to donate to the Salvation Army on East Main Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, Urban Connections received a Neighborhood Partnership grant from the Columbus Foundation and the United Way of Central Ohio to work with the SACG on their camp theme of Growing Together in Christ, which included lessons on planting, harvesting and water at the SACG, despite the rainy weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a bumper crop this year of tart pie cherries, so we needed all of the help we could get.</span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_7" o:spid="_x0000_s1028" style="height: 126.7pt; margin-left: 352.7pt; margin-top: .9pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 190.8pt; z-index: -251639808;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\PRISCI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"> <w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" style="height: 165.6pt; margin-left: -8pt; margin-top: 156.7pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 207.35pt; z-index: -251640832;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\PRISCI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image004.jpg"> <w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">As you may recall, it pretty much stopped raining at the end of July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucky for us, the Mid-Ohio Food Bank paid for two water hydrants to be installed at the Garden last summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The City generously fills our rain cisterns once a year and did so again this year at the beginning of August, but that water was gone in a flash. Sadly, the abnormally dry summer was not our only challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Groundhogs returned to the Garden to eat our heirloom tomatoes, kale and particularly sweet potato vines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year, we harvested around 40 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pounds of sweet potatoes, but this year only 5 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, because our next door neighbor did not garden this year, the local thieves climbed our fence, broke our front gate and stole our produce instead, including most of our cabbage and vandalized most of the kale that the groundhogs had not eaten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot blame the four-legged or two-legged varmits, though, for the complete failure of our winter squash crop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remain mystified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, we had a bumper melon and grape crop to compensate.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">OSU and Capital students came in August and September, respectively, to help us plant our Fall crops of beets, turnips, lettuce and radishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the Capital students were mostly rained out, the OSU students helped us to water, weed, harvest, mow, picked up litter and reorganized our shed.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSU students returned at the end of October (after our first frost) to help tear down the Garden, cut back and bag the dead corn and bean stalks and tomato vines, stack the tomato cages and trellises, prune raspberry brambles, harvest our pathetic sweet potato crop, clean out the neighbor and melon beds, mow, etc.</span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was again freakishly cold for our closing day in November, but we had a great turnout and got everything cleaned up and put away for the winter. </span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_8" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style="height: 130.3pt; margin-left: 232.45pt; margin-top: 7.1pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 277.9pt; z-index: -251638784;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\PRISCI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.jpg"> <w:wrap type="tight"></w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As you know, I am retiring from the Garden after 11 years, but am being succeeded by long-time Board member and multiple-year Volunteer of the Year, Sabrina Reynolds-Wing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, like many things, the Garden leadership is passing from Gen X to Millenials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate everyone’s support over the years and expect you to continue supporting Sabrina as she leads us into another decade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could have not gotten to this point without her.</span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">We are only able to overcome our various challenges because of the generosity, well wishes and material support from generous folks like you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks again and feel free to stop by and mock us while we work. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-73219298051332538342020-01-03T20:19:00.001-05:002020-01-03T20:19:23.392-05:00New Year and New Leadership
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">With a new decade comes new leadership at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden. Your recently retired Garden Manager is making one last post to thank
you for assisting and contributing to the success of Stoddart Avenue Community
Garden. Community gardening is often exhausting,
frustrating and relentless because it always involves a lot of work and
challenges. We could not have accomplished all that we did without your
generous support.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we start to prepare for the 2020 season, we
wanted to share some of our great memories over last summer.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">April
saw us break ground for our 11<sup>th</sup> growing season on an unseasonably
warm day with amazing assistance from OSU’s First Year Leadership
Initiative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spread your wood chips on
our paths and around the fence lines, straightened the front gate trellis,
straightened our platform raised beds, picked up neighborhood litter, and made
more progress on the south side of the Garden with our fence straightening
project. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ken Turner,
a former Board member, completely refurbished one of our old and rotting
benches. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (Hint hint: we still have one other bench which needs similar TLC so that we can sit on it again). </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For our annual Earth Day celebration the
following week, we planted a honeycrisp apple tree (<span style="background: white;">to go with our McIntosh, Jonathon and Granny Smith trees planted last Fall)</span>.
<span style="background: white;">Our Stoddart/East Main corner looked cheery with
bulbs planted in December which had been donated by Strader’s Garden Centers
and distributed at the December GCGC holiday party meeting at the Conservatory.
</span> We also weeded, transplanted, replenished potting soil in the
platform raised beds, spread mulch donated by Ohio Mulch and Keep Columbus
Beautiful, painted our rain barrel, tidied the strawberry patch, made progress
on the northern side of the Garden for our fence straightening project, spread
compost, planted grass, and prepared garden beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<v:shape id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_s1029" style="height: 133.2pt; margin-left: .15pt; margin-top: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 200.15pt; z-index: -251641856;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In June, the Franklin County Municipal Court began again sending
us community service volunteers, who helped pick up neighborhood litter, mow
the lawns around the Garden, pick cherries, berries, and tomatoes for our
weekly food pantry donations, edge flower beds, weed and water food pantry
plots and tidy up our alley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
court-ordered volunteers came almost every week for the rest of the season, and
even helped a little at the nearby north Bexley Community Garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (Money can buy beautiful landscaping, but skilled hands are still needed). </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In June, we also had help from
neighborhood children and visiting volunteers at Urban Connections’ annual
summer day camp who came twice that week to help us pick cherries and berries
to donate to the Salvation Army on East Main Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, Urban Connections received a
Neighborhood Partnership grant from the Columbus Foundation and the United Way
of Central Ohio to work with the SACG on their camp theme of Growing Together
in Christ, which included lessons on planting, harvesting and water at the
SACG, despite the rainy weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had
a bumper crop this year of tart pie cherries, so we needed all of the help we
could get.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
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<w:wrap type="tight">
</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">As you may recall, it pretty much stopped raining
at the end of July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucky for us, the
Mid-Ohio Food Bank paid for two water hydrants to be installed at the Garden
last summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The City generously fills
our rain cisterns once a year and did so again this year at the beginning of August,
but that water was gone in a flash. Sadly, the abnormally dry summer was not
our only challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Groundhogs returned
to the Garden to eat our heirloom tomatoes, kale and particularly sweet potato
vines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year, we harvested around 40
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pounds of sweet potatoes, but this year
only 5 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, because our next door neighbor did not
garden this year, the local thieves climbed our fence, broke our front gate and
stole our produce instead, including most of our cabbage and vandalized most of
the kale that the groundhogs had not eaten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cannot blame the four-legged or two-legged varmits, though, for the
complete failure of our winter squash crop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remain mystified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, we had a
bumper melon and grape crop to compensate.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">OSU and Capital students
came in August and September, respectively, to help us plant our Fall crops of
beets, turnips, lettuce and radishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although the Capital students were mostly rained out, the OSU students
helped us to water, weed, harvest, mow, picked up litter and reorganized our
shed.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">OSU students returned at the end of
October (after our first frost) to help tear down the Garden, cut back and bag the
dead corn and bean stalks and tomato vines, stack the tomato cages and
trellises, prune raspberry brambles, harvest our pathetic sweet potato crop,
clean out the neighbor and melon beds, mow, etc.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was again freakishly cold for our
closing day in November, but we had a great turnout and got everything cleaned
up and put away for the winter. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<v:shape id="Picture_x0020_8" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style="height: 130.3pt; margin-left: 232.45pt; margin-top: 7.1pt; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-percent: 0; mso-height-relative: page; mso-position-horizontal-relative: text; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: text; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-percent: 0; mso-width-relative: page; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 277.9pt; z-index: -251638784;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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<w:wrap type="tight">
</w:wrap></v:imagedata></v:shape><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As you know, I am retiring from the Garden after 11 years, but am
being succeeded by long-time Board member and multiple-year Volunteer of the
Year, Sabrina Reynolds-Wing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, like
many things, the Garden leadership is passing from Gen X to Millenials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate everyone’s support over the
years and expect you to continue supporting Sabrina as she leads us into
another decade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could have not gotten
to this point without her.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">We are
only able to overcome our various challenges because of the generosity, well
wishes and material support from generous folks like you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks again and feel free to stop by and
mock us while we work. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-21414445258417536642019-11-17T09:35:00.001-05:002020-01-11T18:52:24.235-05:00Closing With Another Cold November<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlIe50gXfxhWsgbKcH55x11iu93BDEZ0GicMMMgpIZznFfHHUzP4C7KIVeweL8XMPTwnBknMcoxqVdurJsxK1H-3yZdlaCrA4_M63CXVzehwltcXmau8S3OwHQEn6120i7GQXVwbToW3C/s1600/IMG_20191109_1142510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1380" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlIe50gXfxhWsgbKcH55x11iu93BDEZ0GicMMMgpIZznFfHHUzP4C7KIVeweL8XMPTwnBknMcoxqVdurJsxK1H-3yZdlaCrA4_M63CXVzehwltcXmau8S3OwHQEn6120i7GQXVwbToW3C/s320/IMG_20191109_1142510.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Last week, the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden closed for the season and perhaps permanently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was, again, very cold, but it’s always heartwarming when we have a number of true volunteers come to put everything away for the season.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQnKRk83P-FRkdy2uhmJdaLaQ__t8erPhwMrbAL64DmTP9jvAB62Xp1ks5kVduyoLtQmk3zVVfsbazsfbgktqEMFY4NjgNtAIvqYPKfCyqi6kPra5poln2hr6D8lxNvSV7cqTfBp78tEz/s1600/IMG_20191102_1251107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1368" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQnKRk83P-FRkdy2uhmJdaLaQ__t8erPhwMrbAL64DmTP9jvAB62Xp1ks5kVduyoLtQmk3zVVfsbazsfbgktqEMFY4NjgNtAIvqYPKfCyqi6kPra5poln2hr6D8lxNvSV7cqTfBp78tEz/s320/IMG_20191102_1251107.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>At the beginning of the month, Amy came and we had four community service volunteers from the County Environmental Court who helped us to prune back our raspberry bushes, pick up litter in the neighborhood, empty the rain cisterns, clean out annual flowers from the flower bed, harvest radishes, turnips and swiss chard for our weekly donation (which went to the Good Samaritan produce giveaway at Fairwood Elementary School just a couple blocks away), clean out the rest of the cherry tomatoes and vines, clean out abandoned garden plots (thanks Paul and MacKenzie), clean up the corner native flower bed, and mow our lot, the orchard lot and the Block Watch lot across the street, etc.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXoqTzm7ai1AqDuW4AjTamiZw3NAUBEhOdae4GlTZcaHzLcreeNSb3Rj4wKwzbzul6HpXHXOr7RvBeqL6rSUt_S-7uNnG7wSaL67g5betPHZAjXttbPjSaKulc6Rtwohvb2KBTh_O0RHd/s1600/IMG_20191102_1250013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1323" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXoqTzm7ai1AqDuW4AjTamiZw3NAUBEhOdae4GlTZcaHzLcreeNSb3Rj4wKwzbzul6HpXHXOr7RvBeqL6rSUt_S-7uNnG7wSaL67g5betPHZAjXttbPjSaKulc6Rtwohvb2KBTh_O0RHd/s320/IMG_20191102_1250013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After that, I painted the metal flower garden art to tidy it up and Charlie emptied and stored the rain barrel, cleaned out even more garden beds, and helped me to fix the front gate.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1283HdqLZnm6yuWuwYWcGUl-GJfxRdUgtIiaWRbwjH4T-aaXqCF9T3-esyFd8CbA37WpfZKqEK8oU_uRhgeYf_DJfxEaM3SyA0_f3SIZUpHXNuNIdtSqEzdK1iZeH6JjTiJnOLmJ5OeW/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="839" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1283HdqLZnm6yuWuwYWcGUl-GJfxRdUgtIiaWRbwjH4T-aaXqCF9T3-esyFd8CbA37WpfZKqEK8oU_uRhgeYf_DJfxEaM3SyA0_f3SIZUpHXNuNIdtSqEzdK1iZeH6JjTiJnOLmJ5OeW/s320/IMG_20191109_1128254.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="252" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On our closing day, we had a small army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to two court community service volunteers, Amy, Whitney, John and Ethan came to help to take down and store the signs (and other supplies that I had been storing at home), wrap up and store the hose, tidy up and organize the shed, stack the tomato cages and stakes, stack, roll and store the trellises, paint the front gate, rake out garden beds, clean out the neighbor bed, harvest radishes, turnips, rosemary, sage, kale, swiss chard, lettuce and beets to take to Faith Mission, clean up and straighten the alley curb, empty our trash can, transport our extra fence pickets from the UC shed to our shed, etc.<br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitap_-4oH1efUHZZxMZ9wk6ScTVmIca1VJ_i3zcoASQ3sIQ-b0LyhvfXgM76MagLuKwaFYQBbLMHkrad7ZZ6BKCBrYxel_FHDIP6N0Kyg0TrNyEtVQkXadHIMkAcLHhQsyZcC9wF-BtKS0/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7Hqb0DHTZIIA4UPj32h-LKcV-A3mlrjbdi1YK3upmboszKzYRGXq1M9NLBiS0e0aeOAfIqryEuo8RuU3oVmUF8yu_NgLli9fhxM6gcZcQ_smoeVxVUx-itU3_-RCbg86Qx8VFxvnKIUN/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7Hqb0DHTZIIA4UPj32h-LKcV-A3mlrjbdi1YK3upmboszKzYRGXq1M9NLBiS0e0aeOAfIqryEuo8RuU3oVmUF8yu_NgLli9fhxM6gcZcQ_smoeVxVUx-itU3_-RCbg86Qx8VFxvnKIUN/s320/IMG_20191109_1128437.jpg" width="188" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitap_-4oH1efUHZZxMZ9wk6ScTVmIca1VJ_i3zcoASQ3sIQ-b0LyhvfXgM76MagLuKwaFYQBbLMHkrad7ZZ6BKCBrYxel_FHDIP6N0Kyg0TrNyEtVQkXadHIMkAcLHhQsyZcC9wF-BtKS0/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitap_-4oH1efUHZZxMZ9wk6ScTVmIca1VJ_i3zcoASQ3sIQ-b0LyhvfXgM76MagLuKwaFYQBbLMHkrad7ZZ6BKCBrYxel_FHDIP6N0Kyg0TrNyEtVQkXadHIMkAcLHhQsyZcC9wF-BtKS0/s320/IMG_20191109_1128520.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>I brought hot spiced apple cider (i.e., apple pie in a mug) and no-bake chocolate-peanut butter cookies and Amy brought chocolate-pumpkin bread to keep up our blood sugar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other environmental court volunteers were picking up abandoned tires.<br /><br />Not surprisingly, John was our Volunteer of the Year for 2019 because he came so many weekends to do extra work until it became oppressively hot and humid. Amy remains our tidiest gardener. While John kept an extremely tidy plot, he also did not grow as much as she did.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFaMLIdxNvjMuKkTxAMI7tD4TNsnahzNVq_q0AM-KniYV7-uNa2TIww5H16Wif0lzePzPErA3uW5ztrHaXTs8_0HHKhq6mxXRH6NSjrkkmT5f14pKB2ka-kAlx_YRHRTKnpwFXqOf5j3k/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="867" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFaMLIdxNvjMuKkTxAMI7tD4TNsnahzNVq_q0AM-KniYV7-uNa2TIww5H16Wif0lzePzPErA3uW5ztrHaXTs8_0HHKhq6mxXRH6NSjrkkmT5f14pKB2ka-kAlx_YRHRTKnpwFXqOf5j3k/s320/IMG_20191109_1128180.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>This was the third really cold closing day in a row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I were sticking around another season, we would definitely be closing by Halloween next year because it is too cold to be gardening when the high temperature is 35 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55BQUpqIrPpxGRb2kwGg-ECWxwlCKf3rKzJ2TA8nqNXz3zhQR36YeEjNUo-ASN9nHvowvltgvwXoLRq7MGzjAf3P_DYXLiYf3VcLHwKxEcVMhjwqrOwD-hfFaPmlH_1MtdYamKM7p79sX/s1600/2019+Produce+Distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="582" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55BQUpqIrPpxGRb2kwGg-ECWxwlCKf3rKzJ2TA8nqNXz3zhQR36YeEjNUo-ASN9nHvowvltgvwXoLRq7MGzjAf3P_DYXLiYf3VcLHwKxEcVMhjwqrOwD-hfFaPmlH_1MtdYamKM7p79sX/s320/2019+Produce+Distribution.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55BQUpqIrPpxGRb2kwGg-ECWxwlCKf3rKzJ2TA8nqNXz3zhQR36YeEjNUo-ASN9nHvowvltgvwXoLRq7MGzjAf3P_DYXLiYf3VcLHwKxEcVMhjwqrOwD-hfFaPmlH_1MtdYamKM7p79sX/s1600/2019+Produce+Distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I have attached our year-end charts showing our food pantry donation results, as well as two charts showing how the donations were made over the past decade. </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU65B-lJK2AFp0wv8FwxwrZmGTdS50f9s9-QNZCjLYkRSgD8yR7VN9lBACryg3sD77JnAQflfkKT3l4mXEt7B-Hx4g2SKGVaV2mbfP0t2trjIv8QyIAhuzNTbU0XBlthVmQ1-AEQZWs-Sv/s1600/Produce+Distribution+2012-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="889" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU65B-lJK2AFp0wv8FwxwrZmGTdS50f9s9-QNZCjLYkRSgD8yR7VN9lBACryg3sD77JnAQflfkKT3l4mXEt7B-Hx4g2SKGVaV2mbfP0t2trjIv8QyIAhuzNTbU0XBlthVmQ1-AEQZWs-Sv/s320/Produce+Distribution+2012-19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Board is speaking with a couple of OSU college students that are interested in taking over our food pantry donation program and Whitney has a friend that may be interested in taking over, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we are still trying to figure out whether there will be another planting season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The OSU students did not show up for our closing day because it was too cold for them . . . . I hope that they do better when it gets really hot and humid.<br /><br /><br />Meanwhile, I was able to get my cold frame re-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">assembled at home and it is protecting my kale, cabbage, lettuce and spinach from the polar plunge.</span> </span>Kale is always sweeter after a good freeze and frost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EMEWDmNcg0yd1b77_QHNzubP9XZ6fQ1c0-k1-Ryk7yjbjQlKMON_2TCLkwNFWlS-kbfClRV29aXxFJqc8amRzX9oM0vDwHIbBdJyzyxrlbgjYl75dbFqw4SaMj03h7T3pxbt5LiFjIQj/s1600/Produce+Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="708" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EMEWDmNcg0yd1b77_QHNzubP9XZ6fQ1c0-k1-Ryk7yjbjQlKMON_2TCLkwNFWlS-kbfClRV29aXxFJqc8amRzX9oM0vDwHIbBdJyzyxrlbgjYl75dbFqw4SaMj03h7T3pxbt5LiFjIQj/s320/Produce+Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The SACG is not the only long-time community garden in this situation. The Columbus Dispatch reported last week that the City had purchased the New Harvest Cafe in Linden, which means that the Alma Vera Community Garden has closed. St. Vincent dePaul's long-time award winning garden that is even older than the SACG is also closing while the Center is demolished and enlargened on the Garden's site. While Marge is hoping that part of the garden will be resurrected some day, she is not certain and is searching how to distribute their assets (like the greenhouse). <a href="https://franklintonfarms.org/about-us" target="_blank"> Franklinton Farms</a> is also searching for a new Executive Director because, like me, Nick is departing at the end of this year. Change is the only constant in life. </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EMEWDmNcg0yd1b77_QHNzubP9XZ6fQ1c0-k1-Ryk7yjbjQlKMON_2TCLkwNFWlS-kbfClRV29aXxFJqc8amRzX9oM0vDwHIbBdJyzyxrlbgjYl75dbFqw4SaMj03h7T3pxbt5LiFjIQj/s1600/Produce+Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQnYqu7-idgvvNSzi4Sw-I5NjTaROHk_oL7vwiXI8DCktrYrcaTiF5IFv_46B6SyJWcJa_jFCHOT61pgGgglC2Wk7Ixwd0SU8ZH-LVC5G2xzXxTpQuwbT10Wf1LQxcNDlwNXP7ZCYx1ud/s1600/Produce+donations+2009-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="890" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQnYqu7-idgvvNSzi4Sw-I5NjTaROHk_oL7vwiXI8DCktrYrcaTiF5IFv_46B6SyJWcJa_jFCHOT61pgGgglC2Wk7Ixwd0SU8ZH-LVC5G2xzXxTpQuwbT10Wf1LQxcNDlwNXP7ZCYx1ud/s320/Produce+donations+2009-19.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_1p1LxDtE_Tz2Q0g5niD-yq52260zv0lKsuBeRDaQcKmBgBtx4oYl-2H9pppwNgYJ34mjW7D4URZ7pS-_q7KkSWg21LuYqg6-KWtr3xBr8SHH-OGuok0VAs-qxI_XMGqNnLiUSQtGOV2/s1600/Produce+Donations+2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="880" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_1p1LxDtE_Tz2Q0g5niD-yq52260zv0lKsuBeRDaQcKmBgBtx4oYl-2H9pppwNgYJ34mjW7D4URZ7pS-_q7KkSWg21LuYqg6-KWtr3xBr8SHH-OGuok0VAs-qxI_XMGqNnLiUSQtGOV2/s320/Produce+Donations+2019.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_1p1LxDtE_Tz2Q0g5niD-yq52260zv0lKsuBeRDaQcKmBgBtx4oYl-2H9pppwNgYJ34mjW7D4URZ7pS-_q7KkSWg21LuYqg6-KWtr3xBr8SHH-OGuok0VAs-qxI_XMGqNnLiUSQtGOV2/s1600/Produce+Donations+2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-89670392056846142202019-11-17T09:35:00.000-05:002019-11-18T09:06:48.130-05:00Closing With Another Cold November<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlIe50gXfxhWsgbKcH55x11iu93BDEZ0GicMMMgpIZznFfHHUzP4C7KIVeweL8XMPTwnBknMcoxqVdurJsxK1H-3yZdlaCrA4_M63CXVzehwltcXmau8S3OwHQEn6120i7GQXVwbToW3C/s1600/IMG_20191109_1142510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1380" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlIe50gXfxhWsgbKcH55x11iu93BDEZ0GicMMMgpIZznFfHHUzP4C7KIVeweL8XMPTwnBknMcoxqVdurJsxK1H-3yZdlaCrA4_M63CXVzehwltcXmau8S3OwHQEn6120i7GQXVwbToW3C/s320/IMG_20191109_1142510.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Last week, the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden closed for
the season and perhaps permanently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was, again, very cold, but it’s always
heartwarming when we have a number of true volunteers come to put everything
away for the season.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQnKRk83P-FRkdy2uhmJdaLaQ__t8erPhwMrbAL64DmTP9jvAB62Xp1ks5kVduyoLtQmk3zVVfsbazsfbgktqEMFY4NjgNtAIvqYPKfCyqi6kPra5poln2hr6D8lxNvSV7cqTfBp78tEz/s1600/IMG_20191102_1251107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1368" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQnKRk83P-FRkdy2uhmJdaLaQ__t8erPhwMrbAL64DmTP9jvAB62Xp1ks5kVduyoLtQmk3zVVfsbazsfbgktqEMFY4NjgNtAIvqYPKfCyqi6kPra5poln2hr6D8lxNvSV7cqTfBp78tEz/s320/IMG_20191102_1251107.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
At the beginning of the month, Amy came and we had four
community service volunteers from the County Environmental Court who helped us to
prune back our raspberry bushes, pick up litter in the neighborhood, empty the
rain cisterns, clean out annual flowers from the flower bed, harvest radishes,
turnips and swiss chard for our weekly donation (which went to the Good
Samaritan produce giveaway at Fairwood Elementary School just a couple blocks
away), clean out the rest of the cherry tomatoes and vines, clean out abandoned
garden plots (thanks Paul and MacKenzie), clean up the corner native flower
bed, and mow our lot, the orchard lot and the Block Watch lot across the
street, etc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXoqTzm7ai1AqDuW4AjTamiZw3NAUBEhOdae4GlTZcaHzLcreeNSb3Rj4wKwzbzul6HpXHXOr7RvBeqL6rSUt_S-7uNnG7wSaL67g5betPHZAjXttbPjSaKulc6Rtwohvb2KBTh_O0RHd/s1600/IMG_20191102_1250013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1323" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXoqTzm7ai1AqDuW4AjTamiZw3NAUBEhOdae4GlTZcaHzLcreeNSb3Rj4wKwzbzul6HpXHXOr7RvBeqL6rSUt_S-7uNnG7wSaL67g5betPHZAjXttbPjSaKulc6Rtwohvb2KBTh_O0RHd/s320/IMG_20191102_1250013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After that, I painted the metal flower garden art to tidy it
up and Charlie emptied and stored the rain barrel, cleaned out even more garden
beds, and helped me to fix the front gate.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1283HdqLZnm6yuWuwYWcGUl-GJfxRdUgtIiaWRbwjH4T-aaXqCF9T3-esyFd8CbA37WpfZKqEK8oU_uRhgeYf_DJfxEaM3SyA0_f3SIZUpHXNuNIdtSqEzdK1iZeH6JjTiJnOLmJ5OeW/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="839" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1283HdqLZnm6yuWuwYWcGUl-GJfxRdUgtIiaWRbwjH4T-aaXqCF9T3-esyFd8CbA37WpfZKqEK8oU_uRhgeYf_DJfxEaM3SyA0_f3SIZUpHXNuNIdtSqEzdK1iZeH6JjTiJnOLmJ5OeW/s320/IMG_20191109_1128254.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="252" /></a><br />
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On our closing day, we had a small army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to two court community service
volunteers, Amy, Whitney, John and Ethan came to help to take down and store
the signs (and other supplies that I had been storing at home), wrap up and
store the hose, tidy up and organize the shed, stack the tomato cages and
stakes, stack, roll and store the trellises, paint the front gate, rake out garden
beds, clean out the neighbor bed, harvest radishes, turnips, rosemary, sage, kale,
swiss chard, lettuce and beets to take to Faith Mission, clean up and
straighten the alley curb, empty our trash can, transport our extra fence
pickets from the UC shed to our shed, etc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitap_-4oH1efUHZZxMZ9wk6ScTVmIca1VJ_i3zcoASQ3sIQ-b0LyhvfXgM76MagLuKwaFYQBbLMHkrad7ZZ6BKCBrYxel_FHDIP6N0Kyg0TrNyEtVQkXadHIMkAcLHhQsyZcC9wF-BtKS0/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7Hqb0DHTZIIA4UPj32h-LKcV-A3mlrjbdi1YK3upmboszKzYRGXq1M9NLBiS0e0aeOAfIqryEuo8RuU3oVmUF8yu_NgLli9fhxM6gcZcQ_smoeVxVUx-itU3_-RCbg86Qx8VFxvnKIUN/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7Hqb0DHTZIIA4UPj32h-LKcV-A3mlrjbdi1YK3upmboszKzYRGXq1M9NLBiS0e0aeOAfIqryEuo8RuU3oVmUF8yu_NgLli9fhxM6gcZcQ_smoeVxVUx-itU3_-RCbg86Qx8VFxvnKIUN/s320/IMG_20191109_1128437.jpg" width="188" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitap_-4oH1efUHZZxMZ9wk6ScTVmIca1VJ_i3zcoASQ3sIQ-b0LyhvfXgM76MagLuKwaFYQBbLMHkrad7ZZ6BKCBrYxel_FHDIP6N0Kyg0TrNyEtVQkXadHIMkAcLHhQsyZcC9wF-BtKS0/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitap_-4oH1efUHZZxMZ9wk6ScTVmIca1VJ_i3zcoASQ3sIQ-b0LyhvfXgM76MagLuKwaFYQBbLMHkrad7ZZ6BKCBrYxel_FHDIP6N0Kyg0TrNyEtVQkXadHIMkAcLHhQsyZcC9wF-BtKS0/s320/IMG_20191109_1128520.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
I brought hot spiced apple cider (i.e., apple pie in a mug)
and no-bake chocolate-peanut butter cookies and Amy brought chocolate-pumpkin
bread to keep up our blood sugar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
other environmental court volunteers were picking up abandoned tires.<br />
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Not surprisingly, John was our Volunteer of the Year for 2019 because he came so many weekends to do extra work until it became oppressively hot and humid. Amy remains our tidiest gardener. While John kept an extremely tidy plot, he also did not grow as much as she did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFaMLIdxNvjMuKkTxAMI7tD4TNsnahzNVq_q0AM-KniYV7-uNa2TIww5H16Wif0lzePzPErA3uW5ztrHaXTs8_0HHKhq6mxXRH6NSjrkkmT5f14pKB2ka-kAlx_YRHRTKnpwFXqOf5j3k/s1600/IMG_20191109_1128180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="867" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFaMLIdxNvjMuKkTxAMI7tD4TNsnahzNVq_q0AM-KniYV7-uNa2TIww5H16Wif0lzePzPErA3uW5ztrHaXTs8_0HHKhq6mxXRH6NSjrkkmT5f14pKB2ka-kAlx_YRHRTKnpwFXqOf5j3k/s320/IMG_20191109_1128180.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
This was the third really cold closing day in a row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I were sticking around another season, we
would definitely be closing by Halloween next year because it is too cold to be
gardening when the high temperature is 35 degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55BQUpqIrPpxGRb2kwGg-ECWxwlCKf3rKzJ2TA8nqNXz3zhQR36YeEjNUo-ASN9nHvowvltgvwXoLRq7MGzjAf3P_DYXLiYf3VcLHwKxEcVMhjwqrOwD-hfFaPmlH_1MtdYamKM7p79sX/s1600/2019+Produce+Distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="582" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55BQUpqIrPpxGRb2kwGg-ECWxwlCKf3rKzJ2TA8nqNXz3zhQR36YeEjNUo-ASN9nHvowvltgvwXoLRq7MGzjAf3P_DYXLiYf3VcLHwKxEcVMhjwqrOwD-hfFaPmlH_1MtdYamKM7p79sX/s320/2019+Produce+Distribution.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55BQUpqIrPpxGRb2kwGg-ECWxwlCKf3rKzJ2TA8nqNXz3zhQR36YeEjNUo-ASN9nHvowvltgvwXoLRq7MGzjAf3P_DYXLiYf3VcLHwKxEcVMhjwqrOwD-hfFaPmlH_1MtdYamKM7p79sX/s1600/2019+Produce+Distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I have attached our year-end charts showing our food pantry donation results, as well as two charts showing how the donations were made over the past decade. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU65B-lJK2AFp0wv8FwxwrZmGTdS50f9s9-QNZCjLYkRSgD8yR7VN9lBACryg3sD77JnAQflfkKT3l4mXEt7B-Hx4g2SKGVaV2mbfP0t2trjIv8QyIAhuzNTbU0XBlthVmQ1-AEQZWs-Sv/s1600/Produce+Distribution+2012-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="889" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU65B-lJK2AFp0wv8FwxwrZmGTdS50f9s9-QNZCjLYkRSgD8yR7VN9lBACryg3sD77JnAQflfkKT3l4mXEt7B-Hx4g2SKGVaV2mbfP0t2trjIv8QyIAhuzNTbU0XBlthVmQ1-AEQZWs-Sv/s320/Produce+Distribution+2012-19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Board is speaking with a couple of OSU college students
that are interested in taking over our food pantry donation program and Whitney
has a friend that may be interested in taking over, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we are still trying to figure out
whether there will be another planting season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The OSU students did not show up for our closing day because it was too
cold for them . . . . I hope that they do better when it gets really hot and
humid.<br />
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Meanwhile, I was able to get my cold frame re-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">assembled at
home and it is protecting my kale, cabbage, lettuce and spinach from the polar
plunge.</span> </span>Kale is always sweeter after a
good freeze and frost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EMEWDmNcg0yd1b77_QHNzubP9XZ6fQ1c0-k1-Ryk7yjbjQlKMON_2TCLkwNFWlS-kbfClRV29aXxFJqc8amRzX9oM0vDwHIbBdJyzyxrlbgjYl75dbFqw4SaMj03h7T3pxbt5LiFjIQj/s1600/Produce+Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="708" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EMEWDmNcg0yd1b77_QHNzubP9XZ6fQ1c0-k1-Ryk7yjbjQlKMON_2TCLkwNFWlS-kbfClRV29aXxFJqc8amRzX9oM0vDwHIbBdJyzyxrlbgjYl75dbFqw4SaMj03h7T3pxbt5LiFjIQj/s320/Produce+Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The SACG is not the only long-time community garden in this situation. The Columbus Dispatch reported last week that the City had purchased the New Harvest Cafe in Linden, which means that the Alma Vera Community Garden has closed. St. Vincent dePaul's long-time award winning garden that is even older than the SACG is also closing while the Center is demolished and enlargened on the Garden's site. While Marge is hoping that part of the garden will be resurrected some day, she is not certain and is searching how to distribute their assets (like the greenhouse). <a href="https://franklintonfarms.org/about-us" target="_blank"> Franklinton Farms</a> is also searching for a new Executive Director because, like me, Nick is departing at the end of this year. Change is the only constant in life. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EMEWDmNcg0yd1b77_QHNzubP9XZ6fQ1c0-k1-Ryk7yjbjQlKMON_2TCLkwNFWlS-kbfClRV29aXxFJqc8amRzX9oM0vDwHIbBdJyzyxrlbgjYl75dbFqw4SaMj03h7T3pxbt5LiFjIQj/s1600/Produce+Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-26429984337081559002019-10-28T10:21:00.002-04:002020-01-11T18:52:24.333-05:00Trying to End on a Positive Note<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKdE53fnqIbyPs0EnzkGcVTILWK-uBmy08ceTOFrM22AadmByo8Q3WdI3f_tFAnZgu9raokiQzKYGVxDF0y8BvxHBXJdYGXIQZkc_3-Q3j-9plPmrjqq3WESiexNCdhMsrIsR4gKanuA3/s1600/Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="705" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKdE53fnqIbyPs0EnzkGcVTILWK-uBmy08ceTOFrM22AadmByo8Q3WdI3f_tFAnZgu9raokiQzKYGVxDF0y8BvxHBXJdYGXIQZkc_3-Q3j-9plPmrjqq3WESiexNCdhMsrIsR4gKanuA3/s320/Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As October and my time on Stoddart Avenue wind down, I am hoping to end on a positive note. One of our gardeners ended up donating over 75 pounds (of mostly tomatoes) and that has helped us to exceed the number of pounds of fresh produce we collectively donated last year and we still have two more weeks to go with radishes, herbs, beets and turnips left to harvest. Despite the forecasted cold weather coming on Friday, I am hopeful that we will get the Garden cleaned up by the end of the season, although only three of us have cleaned out our plots so far. The City is removing the water meter today (so I do not have to worry about it freezing over the winter and we won't be charged for having it every month). I emptied the tall rain cistern yesterday and turned off the downspout diverter to the big tank. </div><div><br /></div><div>A Capital University sorority was supposed to volunteer on Saturday to make up for their earlier <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1HQK8-YWQ5wPWPNpuMx0GxTbhZAyVKYj_Tn_98fHx83y3lIn_RBh07T2GwYmqJyOqsQGn_gh0Hl7YcFGVphqxxjBD_HOuVZ1Qh5O9hVUmtJ4uvyceYh4QXT_1sOGa_kYonn3ntIATUga/s1600/Produce+Donations+To+DAte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="880" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1HQK8-YWQ5wPWPNpuMx0GxTbhZAyVKYj_Tn_98fHx83y3lIn_RBh07T2GwYmqJyOqsQGn_gh0Hl7YcFGVphqxxjBD_HOuVZ1Qh5O9hVUmtJ4uvyceYh4QXT_1sOGa_kYonn3ntIATUga/s320/Produce+Donations+To+DAte.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>volunteer date which was rained out, but they cancelled on Thursday. It was just as well, because they would have gotten rained out again. (Note to self; invite Capital students during the next drought because they apparently make it rain). I ended up declining our Environmental Court Community Service volunteers because of the weather as well. But, the kids from across the street came over yesterday while I was there to hold the bags while I harvested lettuce and dill weed. They received a bag of fresh leaf lettuce for their troubles. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiW5FS6jPQx3J3Umy7aWd-_ZOICi7nNksQWiV1VIKZDidoSshAehHlcy-zAZBvRkBg2OLCLQaK9q2zwzDYlknkHtXJ3R3xu3g46ILy_WPGPwTAR2CrhQZXL_ZFJy-EmicfC6glmUaMX8qK/s1600/Donations+Distributions+To+Date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="583" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiW5FS6jPQx3J3Umy7aWd-_ZOICi7nNksQWiV1VIKZDidoSshAehHlcy-zAZBvRkBg2OLCLQaK9q2zwzDYlknkHtXJ3R3xu3g46ILy_WPGPwTAR2CrhQZXL_ZFJy-EmicfC6glmUaMX8qK/s320/Donations+Distributions+To+Date.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As reflected on our charts, I have taken most of our produce donations to Faith Mission's homeless shelter this year. It is the only place in Central Ohio that serves at least two free meals every day 365 days each year. It is also the only place open to accepting fresh produce donations on Saturday afternoons when I am able to make the deliveries. They take produce donations until 5 p.m. every day. I have the court volunteers until at least noon every day and sometimes until 2 or 3 p.m., so I cannot make the deliveries before then, but I get criticized nonetheless for not accommodating other food pantries that have only weekday hours, and/or close before noon on Saturdays. Last year, I tried to organize our gardeners to supervise the volunteers earlier in the day so that I could make the donations before noon, but they did nothing but whine about it and it became more trouble than it was worth. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6NX7Ki-LVc1TyFPE5NarOMUfMlzAGwA6ptz3QwpK_F2xtkea83P2A2YAIJEXxarMPr4bo7Jf1OlK_gjbbJSDUviBdS7QPKrnYTyVOVSM1xlDPEHQa-y8Hx6-6YlXwzoDtOZa8yZuj84c/s1600/IMG_20190615_0947233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1429" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6NX7Ki-LVc1TyFPE5NarOMUfMlzAGwA6ptz3QwpK_F2xtkea83P2A2YAIJEXxarMPr4bo7Jf1OlK_gjbbJSDUviBdS7QPKrnYTyVOVSM1xlDPEHQa-y8Hx6-6YlXwzoDtOZa8yZuj84c/s320/IMG_20190615_0947233.jpg" width="320" /></a>I have joined another community garden and they do not have an organized produce donation <br />system. The coordinator (who is retired) tends several food pantry plots, makes the donations when it suits her schedule and does not attempt to organize the other gardeners so that she can also deliver their donations on a set schedule. They still donated over 1000 pounds this year, but it has exhausted her and she plans to cut back by at least half next year. She even asked me to take over from her in 2021. Ha ha. There is no perfect system and we community gardeners simply do not have enough experienced hands to help us. This is particularly true of those of us who work during the week and can only garden on the evenings and weekends. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFY-ju2PIqhqIGE3ISPjQe31kMNfvm12S_mlyLT039xLHmta7j0oVdMPcaee3Ia1pUzbQLlFDKU79ce94Ph209tmcjlT0fj2PpnpAdgwa8yLv5zDUoyE2WidVJkwGJj7NkzYeKkmry1yqN/s1600/IMG_20180728_105537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFY-ju2PIqhqIGE3ISPjQe31kMNfvm12S_mlyLT039xLHmta7j0oVdMPcaee3Ia1pUzbQLlFDKU79ce94Ph209tmcjlT0fj2PpnpAdgwa8yLv5zDUoyE2WidVJkwGJj7NkzYeKkmry1yqN/s320/IMG_20180728_105537.jpg" width="320" /></a>I told our Board of Trustees in August that this will be my last year managing the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden. It has been 11 seasons and it is time for new blood. We have been trying to find someone else to manage the Garden since 2013 or to expand and reorganize the Board, but we are not having much success. Too many of the new neighbors look to me to be providing a service to them (as though I get paid for any of this), instead of joining to provide a service to their community. Lots of people stop by every month asking about joining and getting a plot, but no one wants to be tied to a set schedule or to manage the Garden. Unless someone else or a team steps up, the SACG will close for good in two weeks and there will be no more produce grown or donated for ourselves, the community or the hungry. While this makes me sad, I am exhausted and burned out. I hate to see our orchard of 5 peach trees, 4 apple trees, 2 plum trees, 4 tart cherry trees, 3 bing cherry trees, 2 grape vines and 350 feet of black raspberry bushes go to waste, not to mention the blueberry bushes and strawberry patch. The neighborhood kids and many others have enjoyed them over the years and I'd like to think that we have improved the quality of life for some people, even if only temporarily. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR7OPeUvG6vgDHZN2Qt2xsoJv5XQy5Zf1VMoV7vx9LoY-5ZQ0eyA40hftRWeuZtxxtUnxpoDwktcNeeOlnwlRJqvCgF45UB4vMQz6Apt2jixA30NH-Pa0LqTCnB7P9qcgVcwWq0J3moGT/s1600/037+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR7OPeUvG6vgDHZN2Qt2xsoJv5XQy5Zf1VMoV7vx9LoY-5ZQ0eyA40hftRWeuZtxxtUnxpoDwktcNeeOlnwlRJqvCgF45UB4vMQz6Apt2jixA30NH-Pa0LqTCnB7P9qcgVcwWq0J3moGT/s320/037+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>An downtown retiree contacted me recently about donating his coffee grounds. He used to garden at the Franklin County Community Garden downtown (on Town Street), but it closed. He liked our platform raised garden beds. I invited him to manage the Garden and he's considering it as long as there isn't any heavy lifting. But I have not heard from him in the past week. We have reached out to the OSU Master Gardeners, the Conservatory and just anyone we know who has ever grown their own food. If enough people got together and divided up the responsibilities, it would be more manageable because many hands make light work. But, like at most community gardens, most of the work tends to fall on one or two people. I still have a few ideas, but if anyone reading this wants to see the Garden continue, NOW is the time to step up. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-45389930337522496322019-10-28T10:21:00.001-04:002019-10-28T19:42:12.104-04:00Trying to End on a Positive Note<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKdE53fnqIbyPs0EnzkGcVTILWK-uBmy08ceTOFrM22AadmByo8Q3WdI3f_tFAnZgu9raokiQzKYGVxDF0y8BvxHBXJdYGXIQZkc_3-Q3j-9plPmrjqq3WESiexNCdhMsrIsR4gKanuA3/s1600/Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="705" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKdE53fnqIbyPs0EnzkGcVTILWK-uBmy08ceTOFrM22AadmByo8Q3WdI3f_tFAnZgu9raokiQzKYGVxDF0y8BvxHBXJdYGXIQZkc_3-Q3j-9plPmrjqq3WESiexNCdhMsrIsR4gKanuA3/s320/Donations+Year+Over+Year.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As October and my time on Stoddart Avenue wind down, I am hoping to end on a positive note. One of our gardeners ended up donating over 75 pounds (of mostly tomatoes) and that has helped us to exceed the number of pounds of fresh produce we collectively donated last year and we still have two more weeks to go with radishes, herbs, beets and turnips left to harvest. Despite the forecasted cold weather coming on Friday, I am hopeful that we will get the Garden cleaned up by the end of the season, although only three of us have cleaned out our plots so far. The City is removing the water meter today (so I do not have to worry about it freezing over the winter and we won't be charged for having it every month). I emptied the tall rain cistern yesterday and turned off the downspout diverter to the big tank. </div>
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A Capital University sorority was supposed to volunteer on Saturday to make up for their earlier <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1HQK8-YWQ5wPWPNpuMx0GxTbhZAyVKYj_Tn_98fHx83y3lIn_RBh07T2GwYmqJyOqsQGn_gh0Hl7YcFGVphqxxjBD_HOuVZ1Qh5O9hVUmtJ4uvyceYh4QXT_1sOGa_kYonn3ntIATUga/s1600/Produce+Donations+To+DAte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="880" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1HQK8-YWQ5wPWPNpuMx0GxTbhZAyVKYj_Tn_98fHx83y3lIn_RBh07T2GwYmqJyOqsQGn_gh0Hl7YcFGVphqxxjBD_HOuVZ1Qh5O9hVUmtJ4uvyceYh4QXT_1sOGa_kYonn3ntIATUga/s320/Produce+Donations+To+DAte.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
volunteer date which was rained out, but they cancelled on Thursday. It was just as well, because they would have gotten rained out again. (Note to self; invite Capital students during the next drought because they apparently make it rain). I ended up declining our Environmental Court Community Service volunteers because of the weather as well. But, the kids from across the street came over yesterday while I was there to hold the bags while I harvested lettuce and dill weed. They received a bag of fresh leaf lettuce for their troubles. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiW5FS6jPQx3J3Umy7aWd-_ZOICi7nNksQWiV1VIKZDidoSshAehHlcy-zAZBvRkBg2OLCLQaK9q2zwzDYlknkHtXJ3R3xu3g46ILy_WPGPwTAR2CrhQZXL_ZFJy-EmicfC6glmUaMX8qK/s1600/Donations+Distributions+To+Date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="583" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiW5FS6jPQx3J3Umy7aWd-_ZOICi7nNksQWiV1VIKZDidoSshAehHlcy-zAZBvRkBg2OLCLQaK9q2zwzDYlknkHtXJ3R3xu3g46ILy_WPGPwTAR2CrhQZXL_ZFJy-EmicfC6glmUaMX8qK/s320/Donations+Distributions+To+Date.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As reflected on our charts, I have taken most of our produce donations to Faith Mission's homeless shelter this year. It is the only place in Central Ohio that serves at least two free meals every day 365 days each year. It is also the only place open to accepting fresh produce donations on Saturday afternoons when I am able to make the deliveries. They take produce donations until 5 p.m. every day. I have the court volunteers until at least noon every day and sometimes until 2 or 3 p.m., so I cannot make the deliveries before then, but I get criticized nonetheless for not accommodating other food pantries that have only weekday hours, and/or close before noon on Saturdays. Last year, I tried to organize our gardeners to supervise the volunteers earlier in the day so that I could make the donations before noon, but they did nothing but whine about it and it became more trouble than it was worth. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6NX7Ki-LVc1TyFPE5NarOMUfMlzAGwA6ptz3QwpK_F2xtkea83P2A2YAIJEXxarMPr4bo7Jf1OlK_gjbbJSDUviBdS7QPKrnYTyVOVSM1xlDPEHQa-y8Hx6-6YlXwzoDtOZa8yZuj84c/s1600/IMG_20190615_0947233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1429" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6NX7Ki-LVc1TyFPE5NarOMUfMlzAGwA6ptz3QwpK_F2xtkea83P2A2YAIJEXxarMPr4bo7Jf1OlK_gjbbJSDUviBdS7QPKrnYTyVOVSM1xlDPEHQa-y8Hx6-6YlXwzoDtOZa8yZuj84c/s320/IMG_20190615_0947233.jpg" width="320" /></a>I have joined another community garden and they do not have an organized produce donation <br />
system. The coordinator (who is retired) tends several food pantry plots, makes the donations when it suits her schedule and does not attempt to organize the other gardeners so that she can also deliver their donations on a set schedule. They still donated over 1000 pounds this year, but it has exhausted her and she plans to cut back by at least half next year. She even asked me to take over from her in 2021. Ha ha. There is no perfect system and we community gardeners simply do not have enough experienced hands to help us. This is particularly true of those of us who work during the week and can only garden on the evenings and weekends. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFY-ju2PIqhqIGE3ISPjQe31kMNfvm12S_mlyLT039xLHmta7j0oVdMPcaee3Ia1pUzbQLlFDKU79ce94Ph209tmcjlT0fj2PpnpAdgwa8yLv5zDUoyE2WidVJkwGJj7NkzYeKkmry1yqN/s1600/IMG_20180728_105537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFY-ju2PIqhqIGE3ISPjQe31kMNfvm12S_mlyLT039xLHmta7j0oVdMPcaee3Ia1pUzbQLlFDKU79ce94Ph209tmcjlT0fj2PpnpAdgwa8yLv5zDUoyE2WidVJkwGJj7NkzYeKkmry1yqN/s320/IMG_20180728_105537.jpg" width="320" /></a>I told our Board of Trustees in August that this will be my last year managing the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden. It has been 11 seasons and it is time for new blood. We have been trying to find someone else to manage the Garden since 2013 or to expand and reorganize the Board, but we are not having much success. Too many of the new neighbors look to me to be providing a service to them (as though I get paid for any of this), instead of joining to provide a service to their community. Lots of people stop by every month asking about joining and getting a plot, but no one wants to be tied to a set schedule or to manage the Garden. Unless someone else or a team steps up, the SACG will close for good in two weeks and there will be no more produce grown or donated for ourselves, the community or the hungry. While this makes me sad, I am exhausted and burned out. I hate to see our orchard of 5 peach trees, 4 apple trees, 2 plum trees, 4 tart cherry trees, 3 bing cherry trees, 2 grape vines and 350 feet of black raspberry bushes go to waste, not to mention the blueberry bushes and strawberry patch. The neighborhood kids and many others have enjoyed them over the years and I'd like to think that we have improved the quality of life for some people, even if only temporarily. </div>
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An downtown retiree contacted me recently about donating his coffee grounds. He used to garden at the Franklin County Community Garden downtown (on Town Street), but it closed. He liked our platform raised garden beds. I invited him to manage the Garden and he's considering it as long as there isn't any heavy lifting. But I have not heard from him in the past week. We have reached out to the OSU Master Gardeners, the Conservatory and just anyone we know who has ever grown their own food. If enough people got together and divided up the responsibilities, it would be more manageable because many hands make light work. But, like at most community gardens, most of the work tends to fall on one or two people. I still have a few ideas, but if anyone reading this wants to see the Garden continue, NOW is the time to step up. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-60026281156519419482019-10-21T14:00:00.003-04:002020-01-11T18:52:24.430-05:00Friday Night Buckeye Football Helps Community Gardens<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMVdvYipDJxUYcd3PfXvPsmZLnz918IaPGXMpbS8mnj6Iwy2loPhlJGr5MBl1d8xlcVB4jLb8DK9g0A9V7OOGgJxLuxUupIb4sJKcWMHWMhNFemnPGU5FJGMRxnYKXiQXl_iB8dudqAql/s1600/IMG_20191019_1209004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1368" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMVdvYipDJxUYcd3PfXvPsmZLnz918IaPGXMpbS8mnj6Iwy2loPhlJGr5MBl1d8xlcVB4jLb8DK9g0A9V7OOGgJxLuxUupIb4sJKcWMHWMhNFemnPGU5FJGMRxnYKXiQXl_iB8dudqAql/s320/IMG_20191019_1209004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>October has turned out to be a freakishly productive month at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our produce donations have been off the charts, particularly because one of our gardeners has been donating most of his giant tomatoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have also had more volunteers help than we have had at this time of year in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesterday, we had 15 OSU students helping to clean out the Garden for the season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have also had some vandalism, which severely damaged our front gate.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_sKiRAolVkkuLuR4CXZEt877D6ZYkkVa3CFkbNDdmWJD_CdXA9Zp_IJ3sWUu7JQ8NgjL0fRbr7HZ9dUCOYLX8vGQ51ZRqOR66AQ1FwHMn2LcQYe1hYIUgeapUAMC81oJh_QIjHwojGcj/s1600/cs+volunteer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_sKiRAolVkkuLuR4CXZEt877D6ZYkkVa3CFkbNDdmWJD_CdXA9Zp_IJ3sWUu7JQ8NgjL0fRbr7HZ9dUCOYLX8vGQ51ZRqOR66AQ1FwHMn2LcQYe1hYIUgeapUAMC81oJh_QIjHwojGcj/s320/cs+volunteer.jpg" width="213" /></a><br /><br />At the beginning of the month, I took both of our <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Community Service volunteers to the Bexley Community Garden to help for a couple of hours put that Garden to bed for the season.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, we took some of their end-of-season produce (mostly green tomatoes and some okra) to a free produce giveaway at nearby Fairwood Elementary School that was organized by <a href="https://www.ggsministries.com/free-produce-market-schedule">the Genesis of Good Samaritans</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a long line of people when we arrived, including many senior citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, it was back to the SACG where we watered our food pantry and neighbor beds, harvested around 50 pounds of tomatoes and peppers, raked, mowed, etc. for a couple more hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very, very long day of gardening, even before I returned to my own home garden.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKOdemcXLb2UtsGwh5XyLoZzTeEf2QoEfyEvKdrEwKHPtGlN9VUZfWuyqoKjCAAIu5MJWO9yIlhPIDonP2S1VgoVGFamsg_EELeL8tSm7xxoJzTDKPi8qhUj6zoDbSoNqheyrU8v7W_II/s1600/evil+cs+volunteer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="1203" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKOdemcXLb2UtsGwh5XyLoZzTeEf2QoEfyEvKdrEwKHPtGlN9VUZfWuyqoKjCAAIu5MJWO9yIlhPIDonP2S1VgoVGFamsg_EELeL8tSm7xxoJzTDKPi8qhUj6zoDbSoNqheyrU8v7W_II/s320/evil+cs+volunteer.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>By the time I arrived at Faith Mission’s homeless shelter to drop off the fresh produce, no one could be found to answer the kitchen door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I called the Pantry Manager at the All People’s Fresh Market on Parson’s to see if she could re-open the Market for what was in my trunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, she was on medical leave and could not find her replacement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I called Faith Mission’s help line and found a social worker to let me in. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The delay kinda ruined my benevolent mood.<br /><br /><br />The next week, I had two CS volunteers who helped rake, mow, water, harvest and pick up litter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That week, we harvested over 75 pounds of produce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next day, someone visited the Garden vandalized our sign, knocked over the neighbor bed tomato trellis and pulled two pickets off the front gate, breaking one of them into three pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One more thing for me to fix in all my spare time.<br /><br />We finally had a frost, but it must have been light because it only killed our sweet potato vines, which turned black, and the melon vines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, that is the only cold damage that we have suffered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgAfbNv8WiCyc-9K0bRQJ_Shwi5PlH5qxqKh2KnjhK8TMPK80xcWW8e6OL6AaeThTBkI4QQ65x2ruX4b4v64xFRlg5nuM-U6KCcDi5bD4Sp8qNPiIwWKhsQieCeOGPZTrNFgbvUdpDNYK/s1600/IMG_20191012_1228118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="877" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgAfbNv8WiCyc-9K0bRQJ_Shwi5PlH5qxqKh2KnjhK8TMPK80xcWW8e6OL6AaeThTBkI4QQ65x2ruX4b4v64xFRlg5nuM-U6KCcDi5bD4Sp8qNPiIwWKhsQieCeOGPZTrNFgbvUdpDNYK/s320/IMG_20191012_1228118.jpg" width="320" /></a>Yesterday, we were blessed that the Ohio State University Pay It Forward Program wanted to return t<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">o help us clean up the Garden for the season after all of the help they gave us for their Community Commitment day in August.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, I had picked a Saturday when OSU was not playing football, so we had a great turnout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It was nice to show them the lettuce that their group had earlier planted in August. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CG8ARwGDiPSwr0Oj-yI-KJXTWGPKKgtiXVh7nDkARP72mnkt4YSZ2xk4-YYtkT4_KxbySqc04cdVFIVBGfhGST6GCGI6AxmvtGh-ZZct63ayY94O642zpzGUaJz-WiDUjOZJtBI1Gh6X/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1251" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CG8ARwGDiPSwr0Oj-yI-KJXTWGPKKgtiXVh7nDkARP72mnkt4YSZ2xk4-YYtkT4_KxbySqc04cdVFIVBGfhGST6GCGI6AxmvtGh-ZZct63ayY94O642zpzGUaJz-WiDUjOZJtBI1Gh6X/s320/IMG_20191019_1135305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Team One was tasked with cleaning out the corn co-op plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This involved chopping the corn and bean stalks down to no higher than 6 inches and then cutting back the out-of-control black raspberry brambles in the west fence and bagging everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to discuss the concept of lawn waste bags because it has become apparent that only suburbanites use them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluR8ew7-aXl95Nz3PSci2WsYhHX-uKkuKEKaFUWq1ZLQrFbVnv_B3MgGxPNbe-xaAHw54oUJC74ANz04iPuXD0KTyz2GbEfvpJzK1GzsrZba2s4Zx28CRL7KOQ3-R2N7TJb_34Q8jSNTS/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1363" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluR8ew7-aXl95Nz3PSci2WsYhHX-uKkuKEKaFUWq1ZLQrFbVnv_B3MgGxPNbe-xaAHw54oUJC74ANz04iPuXD0KTyz2GbEfvpJzK1GzsrZba2s4Zx28CRL7KOQ3-R2N7TJb_34Q8jSNTS/s320/IMG_20191019_1135279.jpg" width="320" /></a>Team Two was tasked with harvesting cherry <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">tomatoes, removing the volunteer-cherry-tomato-plant-that-almost-devoured -Columbus and had taken over the northwest corner of the Garden, harvesting sweet potatoes, bagging the tomato vines and then harvesting peppers.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to teach them how to harvest the sweet potatoes, so as not to destroy them, but you know what they say about best laid plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br />As it was, the groundhog had so completely devoured the vines this season that there was only one large sweet potato to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest might make good use for fries, but they were barely larger than my thumb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had almost 40 pounds of sweet potatoes last year, and only 5 this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a difference a groundhog makes, n’est pas?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of their team worked for years at a nursery and was all too familiar with the problems of a groundhog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had no wisdom for me, but suggested blood meal deters rabbits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVITRxxCHeZxLhfR4VpBgyyMR0DqnaxsB64GOXMIXfSf8qmQhHEez0xMuNZSd2dbB1zydGKw8zOikzkI7Epo4e3pYuUAcH0Lz6YfPd1M1tyJnqQC5roxpsL1LT-uA0waXgGH5tvLmOzNjQ/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1379" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVITRxxCHeZxLhfR4VpBgyyMR0DqnaxsB64GOXMIXfSf8qmQhHEez0xMuNZSd2dbB1zydGKw8zOikzkI7Epo4e3pYuUAcH0Lz6YfPd1M1tyJnqQC5roxpsL1LT-uA0waXgGH5tvLmOzNjQ/s320/IMG_20191019_1135089.jpg" width="320" /></a>Team Three was tasked with cleaning out the food pantry tomato bed, bagging the tomato vines, nesting and storing the tomato cages, and harvesting the sweet potatoes in that plot (which were even less impressive than the other bed). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to get some help from Team Four to remove the tomato trellises.<br /><br />Team Four raked the front lawn, mowed, pruned the brambles around the shed to make room for the tomato stakes, cages and trellises, mulched the fruit trees, cleaned out the summer neighbor bed (i.e. peppers and tomatoes), cleaned out the melon plot, harvested peppers and watered the food pantry plots. <br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0c6ASfuJm1kyWtoNbT_CZmefEVk6QY3JsNedb3aeP0cY6dbymsGbGL0vURbrHzk5TiXEWWkmx1hIHgBsvA9uB6K1lFr1_HwYIR_dCb63-8mU5jm6juTD6y4f-WxkN_4mqfa023-rCX82/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0c6ASfuJm1kyWtoNbT_CZmefEVk6QY3JsNedb3aeP0cY6dbymsGbGL0vURbrHzk5TiXEWWkmx1hIHgBsvA9uB6K1lFr1_HwYIR_dCb63-8mU5jm6juTD6y4f-WxkN_4mqfa023-rCX82/s320/IMG_20191019_1135416.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="213" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVITRxxCHeZxLhfR4VpBgyyMR0DqnaxsB64GOXMIXfSf8qmQhHEez0xMuNZSd2dbB1zydGKw8zOikzkI7Epo4e3pYuUAcH0Lz6YfPd1M1tyJnqQC5roxpsL1LT-uA0waXgGH5tvLmOzNjQ/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>Team Four also helped me to turn off the water hydrants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy and I could not figure out how to turn the water off at the meter, so I had to get a different tool and turn it off inside the Garden and this requires more upper body strength than I have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t planned on doing this for another couple of weeks, but Rain One called in a panic -- just after Friday’s freeze warning was announced - that they could not get into the Garden to blow out our water lines and turn off the water for the winter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had changed the gate combination since last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had not expected this and, as I explained, we are thinking of having the water meter removed for the winter because we discovered in June that the City charges us for having the meter every month even when the water is turned off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might be less expensive just to have the meter removed in October and replaced next May, if there is even a SACG next May.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, I hadn’t realized that we were looking at a freeze warning which could cause the water lines to burst when I told them not to worry about us this year.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6cW6EuteCRvYudzXbhauK7GN1QBXGv18yeqOTsxnCqjkhh4s6Nwwslw_Wc0pRcMqnm2rbDfD0jkqSmUQZcYUFmX3nf1WEW39ULipErKUprCW7ZSCcfDhi10efRK7bv_BomScAtAUtXcM/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135279+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6cW6EuteCRvYudzXbhauK7GN1QBXGv18yeqOTsxnCqjkhh4s6Nwwslw_Wc0pRcMqnm2rbDfD0jkqSmUQZcYUFmX3nf1WEW39ULipErKUprCW7ZSCcfDhi10efRK7bv_BomScAtAUtXcM/s320/IMG_20191019_1135279+%25283%2529.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>Simon and his two set of twin daughters came to clean out his plot of their summer crops and to otherwise distract the OSU students and my CS volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br />I cleaned out my 16 tomato plants, cages and trellises and harvested more of Charlie’s tomatoes and ran around answering questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy came and cleaned up two sections of the strawberry patch and pruned the remaining asters that I had started on last week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After everyone left, I gathered up all of the tools which the OSU students left lying around the Garden and took our 41 pounds of fresh produce to Faith Mission downtown.<br /><br />Next week, some of the Capital University students are <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg_KUlMT7OBaNOOHBbPGmLvsSq6nTxSj7g67xEvK-gtcp0Lp1xJzGVOMaTUDz3JCN3Trsap_pP_muYVpAW5VcPpggHXx9cw7xpFUNUej09pJDDrOoGXFneg8nWBANmFsPT4Vl49XQtHYd/s1600/IMG_20191019_1207225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1386" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg_KUlMT7OBaNOOHBbPGmLvsSq6nTxSj7g67xEvK-gtcp0Lp1xJzGVOMaTUDz3JCN3Trsap_pP_muYVpAW5VcPpggHXx9cw7xpFUNUej09pJDDrOoGXFneg8nWBANmFsPT4Vl49XQtHYd/s320/IMG_20191019_1207225.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>returning after they got rained out on their volunteer day in September.<br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-60572336672218350342019-10-21T14:00:00.002-04:002019-10-21T14:05:15.837-04:00Friday Night Buckeye Football Helps Community Gardens<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMVdvYipDJxUYcd3PfXvPsmZLnz918IaPGXMpbS8mnj6Iwy2loPhlJGr5MBl1d8xlcVB4jLb8DK9g0A9V7OOGgJxLuxUupIb4sJKcWMHWMhNFemnPGU5FJGMRxnYKXiQXl_iB8dudqAql/s1600/IMG_20191019_1209004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1368" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMVdvYipDJxUYcd3PfXvPsmZLnz918IaPGXMpbS8mnj6Iwy2loPhlJGr5MBl1d8xlcVB4jLb8DK9g0A9V7OOGgJxLuxUupIb4sJKcWMHWMhNFemnPGU5FJGMRxnYKXiQXl_iB8dudqAql/s320/IMG_20191019_1209004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
October has turned out to be a freakishly productive month
at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our produce donations have been off the charts, particularly because one
of our gardeners has been donating most of his giant tomatoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have also had more volunteers help than we
have had at this time of year in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yesterday, we had 15 OSU students helping to clean out the Garden for
the season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have also had some
vandalism, which severely damaged our front gate.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_sKiRAolVkkuLuR4CXZEt877D6ZYkkVa3CFkbNDdmWJD_CdXA9Zp_IJ3sWUu7JQ8NgjL0fRbr7HZ9dUCOYLX8vGQ51ZRqOR66AQ1FwHMn2LcQYe1hYIUgeapUAMC81oJh_QIjHwojGcj/s1600/cs+volunteer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_sKiRAolVkkuLuR4CXZEt877D6ZYkkVa3CFkbNDdmWJD_CdXA9Zp_IJ3sWUu7JQ8NgjL0fRbr7HZ9dUCOYLX8vGQ51ZRqOR66AQ1FwHMn2LcQYe1hYIUgeapUAMC81oJh_QIjHwojGcj/s320/cs+volunteer.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
<br />
At the beginning of the month, I took both of our <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Community
Service volunteers to the Bexley Community Garden to help for a couple of hours
put that Garden to bed for the season.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, we took some of their end-of-season produce (mostly green tomatoes
and some okra) to a free produce giveaway at nearby Fairwood Elementary School
that was organized by <a href="https://www.ggsministries.com/free-produce-market-schedule">the Genesis
of Good Samaritans</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a long
line of people when we arrived, including many senior citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, it was back to the SACG where we
watered our food pantry and neighbor beds, harvested around 50 pounds of
tomatoes and peppers, raked, mowed, etc. for a couple more hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a very, very long day of gardening,
even before I returned to my own home garden.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKOdemcXLb2UtsGwh5XyLoZzTeEf2QoEfyEvKdrEwKHPtGlN9VUZfWuyqoKjCAAIu5MJWO9yIlhPIDonP2S1VgoVGFamsg_EELeL8tSm7xxoJzTDKPi8qhUj6zoDbSoNqheyrU8v7W_II/s1600/evil+cs+volunteer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="1203" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKOdemcXLb2UtsGwh5XyLoZzTeEf2QoEfyEvKdrEwKHPtGlN9VUZfWuyqoKjCAAIu5MJWO9yIlhPIDonP2S1VgoVGFamsg_EELeL8tSm7xxoJzTDKPi8qhUj6zoDbSoNqheyrU8v7W_II/s320/evil+cs+volunteer.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
By the time I arrived at Faith Mission’s homeless shelter to
drop off the fresh produce, no one could be found to answer the kitchen door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I called the Pantry Manager at the All
People’s Fresh Market on Parson’s to see if she could re-open the Market for
what was in my trunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, she was
on medical leave and could not find her replacement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, I called Faith Mission’s help line and found a social worker to let
me in. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The delay kinda ruined my
benevolent mood.<br />
<br />
<br />
The next week, I had two CS volunteers who helped rake, mow,
water, harvest and pick up litter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That week, we harvested over 75 pounds of
produce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next day, someone visited
the Garden vandalized our sign, knocked over the neighbor bed tomato trellis
and pulled two pickets off the front gate, breaking one of them into three
pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One more thing for me to fix in all my spare
time.<br />
<br />
We finally had a frost, but it must have been light because
it only killed our sweet potato vines, which turned black, and the melon vines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, that is the only cold damage that we
have suffered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgAfbNv8WiCyc-9K0bRQJ_Shwi5PlH5qxqKh2KnjhK8TMPK80xcWW8e6OL6AaeThTBkI4QQ65x2ruX4b4v64xFRlg5nuM-U6KCcDi5bD4Sp8qNPiIwWKhsQieCeOGPZTrNFgbvUdpDNYK/s1600/IMG_20191012_1228118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="877" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgAfbNv8WiCyc-9K0bRQJ_Shwi5PlH5qxqKh2KnjhK8TMPK80xcWW8e6OL6AaeThTBkI4QQ65x2ruX4b4v64xFRlg5nuM-U6KCcDi5bD4Sp8qNPiIwWKhsQieCeOGPZTrNFgbvUdpDNYK/s320/IMG_20191012_1228118.jpg" width="320" /></a>Yesterday, we were blessed that the Ohio State University
Pay It Forward Program wanted to return t<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">o help us clean up the Garden for the
season after all of the help they gave us for their Community Commitment day in
August.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, I had picked a Saturday
when OSU was not playing football, so we had a great turnout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It was nice to show them the lettuce that their group had earlier planted in August. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CG8ARwGDiPSwr0Oj-yI-KJXTWGPKKgtiXVh7nDkARP72mnkt4YSZ2xk4-YYtkT4_KxbySqc04cdVFIVBGfhGST6GCGI6AxmvtGh-ZZct63ayY94O642zpzGUaJz-WiDUjOZJtBI1Gh6X/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1251" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CG8ARwGDiPSwr0Oj-yI-KJXTWGPKKgtiXVh7nDkARP72mnkt4YSZ2xk4-YYtkT4_KxbySqc04cdVFIVBGfhGST6GCGI6AxmvtGh-ZZct63ayY94O642zpzGUaJz-WiDUjOZJtBI1Gh6X/s320/IMG_20191019_1135305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Team One was tasked with cleaning out the corn co-op
plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This involved chopping the corn
and bean stalks down to no higher than 6 inches and then cutting back the
out-of-control black raspberry brambles in the west fence and bagging
everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to discuss the concept
of lawn waste bags because it has become apparent that only suburbanites use
them.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluR8ew7-aXl95Nz3PSci2WsYhHX-uKkuKEKaFUWq1ZLQrFbVnv_B3MgGxPNbe-xaAHw54oUJC74ANz04iPuXD0KTyz2GbEfvpJzK1GzsrZba2s4Zx28CRL7KOQ3-R2N7TJb_34Q8jSNTS/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1363" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluR8ew7-aXl95Nz3PSci2WsYhHX-uKkuKEKaFUWq1ZLQrFbVnv_B3MgGxPNbe-xaAHw54oUJC74ANz04iPuXD0KTyz2GbEfvpJzK1GzsrZba2s4Zx28CRL7KOQ3-R2N7TJb_34Q8jSNTS/s320/IMG_20191019_1135279.jpg" width="320" /></a>Team Two was tasked with harvesting cherry <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">tomatoes,
removing the volunteer-cherry-tomato-plant-that-almost-devoured -Columbus and
had taken over the northwest corner of the Garden, harvesting sweet potatoes,
bagging the tomato vines and then harvesting peppers.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to teach them how to harvest the sweet
potatoes, so as not to destroy them, but you know what they say about best laid
plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
As it was, the groundhog had so completely devoured the
vines this season that there was only one large sweet potato to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest might make good use for fries, but they
were barely larger than my thumb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had almost 40 pounds of
sweet potatoes last year, and only 5 this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a difference a groundhog makes, n’est
pas?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of their team worked for years
at a nursery and was all too familiar with the problems of a groundhog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had no wisdom for me, but suggested blood
meal deters rabbits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVITRxxCHeZxLhfR4VpBgyyMR0DqnaxsB64GOXMIXfSf8qmQhHEez0xMuNZSd2dbB1zydGKw8zOikzkI7Epo4e3pYuUAcH0Lz6YfPd1M1tyJnqQC5roxpsL1LT-uA0waXgGH5tvLmOzNjQ/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1379" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVITRxxCHeZxLhfR4VpBgyyMR0DqnaxsB64GOXMIXfSf8qmQhHEez0xMuNZSd2dbB1zydGKw8zOikzkI7Epo4e3pYuUAcH0Lz6YfPd1M1tyJnqQC5roxpsL1LT-uA0waXgGH5tvLmOzNjQ/s320/IMG_20191019_1135089.jpg" width="320" /></a>Team Three was tasked with cleaning out the food pantry tomato
bed, bagging the tomato vines, nesting and storing the tomato cages, and harvesting
the sweet potatoes in that plot (which were even less impressive than the other
bed). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to get some help from Team
Four to remove the tomato trellises.<br />
<br />
Team Four raked the front lawn, mowed, pruned the brambles
around the shed to make room for the tomato stakes, cages and trellises,
mulched the fruit trees, cleaned out the summer neighbor bed (i.e. peppers and
tomatoes), cleaned out the melon plot, harvested peppers and watered the food
pantry plots. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0c6ASfuJm1kyWtoNbT_CZmefEVk6QY3JsNedb3aeP0cY6dbymsGbGL0vURbrHzk5TiXEWWkmx1hIHgBsvA9uB6K1lFr1_HwYIR_dCb63-8mU5jm6juTD6y4f-WxkN_4mqfa023-rCX82/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0c6ASfuJm1kyWtoNbT_CZmefEVk6QY3JsNedb3aeP0cY6dbymsGbGL0vURbrHzk5TiXEWWkmx1hIHgBsvA9uB6K1lFr1_HwYIR_dCb63-8mU5jm6juTD6y4f-WxkN_4mqfa023-rCX82/s320/IMG_20191019_1135416.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="213" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVITRxxCHeZxLhfR4VpBgyyMR0DqnaxsB64GOXMIXfSf8qmQhHEez0xMuNZSd2dbB1zydGKw8zOikzkI7Epo4e3pYuUAcH0Lz6YfPd1M1tyJnqQC5roxpsL1LT-uA0waXgGH5tvLmOzNjQ/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>Team Four also helped me to turn off the water hydrants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy and I could not figure out how to turn
the water off at the meter, so I had to get a different tool and turn it off
inside the Garden and this requires more upper body strength than I have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t planned on doing this for another
couple of weeks, but Rain One called in a panic -- just after Friday’s freeze
warning was announced - that they could not get into the Garden to blow out our
water lines and turn off the water for the winter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had changed the gate combination since last
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had not expected this and, as I explained,
we are thinking of having the water meter removed for the winter because we
discovered in June that the City charges us for having the meter every month
even when the water is turned off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
might be less expensive just to have the meter removed in October and replaced
next May, if there is even a SACG next May.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But, I hadn’t realized that we were looking at a freeze warning which
could cause the water lines to burst when I told them not to worry about us
this year.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6cW6EuteCRvYudzXbhauK7GN1QBXGv18yeqOTsxnCqjkhh4s6Nwwslw_Wc0pRcMqnm2rbDfD0jkqSmUQZcYUFmX3nf1WEW39ULipErKUprCW7ZSCcfDhi10efRK7bv_BomScAtAUtXcM/s1600/IMG_20191019_1135279+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6cW6EuteCRvYudzXbhauK7GN1QBXGv18yeqOTsxnCqjkhh4s6Nwwslw_Wc0pRcMqnm2rbDfD0jkqSmUQZcYUFmX3nf1WEW39ULipErKUprCW7ZSCcfDhi10efRK7bv_BomScAtAUtXcM/s320/IMG_20191019_1135279+%25283%2529.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>
Simon and his two set of twin daughters came to clean out
his plot of their summer crops and to otherwise distract the OSU students and
my CS volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
I cleaned out my 16 tomato plants, cages and trellises and
harvested more of Charlie’s tomatoes and ran around answering questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amy came and cleaned up two sections of the
strawberry patch and pruned the remaining asters that I had started on last week.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After everyone left, I gathered up all of
the tools which the OSU students left lying around the Garden and took our 41
pounds of fresh produce to Faith Mission downtown.<br />
<br />
Next week, some of the Capital University students are <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg_KUlMT7OBaNOOHBbPGmLvsSq6nTxSj7g67xEvK-gtcp0Lp1xJzGVOMaTUDz3JCN3Trsap_pP_muYVpAW5VcPpggHXx9cw7xpFUNUej09pJDDrOoGXFneg8nWBANmFsPT4Vl49XQtHYd/s1600/IMG_20191019_1207225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1386" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg_KUlMT7OBaNOOHBbPGmLvsSq6nTxSj7g67xEvK-gtcp0Lp1xJzGVOMaTUDz3JCN3Trsap_pP_muYVpAW5VcPpggHXx9cw7xpFUNUej09pJDDrOoGXFneg8nWBANmFsPT4Vl49XQtHYd/s320/IMG_20191019_1207225.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
returning after they got rained out on their volunteer day in September.<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-91208590138507777262019-09-29T13:46:00.003-04:002020-01-11T18:52:24.528-05:00Closing Out Our Dry September With Radishes<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcbQlkkdiOTtEF2lVQSnPD2PkBoHUdEHxavhNE1D1ZI-ypEvDSBB1hJuI_Ygz0o5tKFK9SE4e4GRFA4KbqtI183ksBIrYs-l-WlN8Vlnwp9vQhywRwfb7a_m444694O5i0wHJxpfRmX6d/s1600/IMG_20190928_1108524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1359" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcbQlkkdiOTtEF2lVQSnPD2PkBoHUdEHxavhNE1D1ZI-ypEvDSBB1hJuI_Ygz0o5tKFK9SE4e4GRFA4KbqtI183ksBIrYs-l-WlN8Vlnwp9vQhywRwfb7a_m444694O5i0wHJxpfRmX6d/s320/IMG_20190928_1108524.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We are still puttering around in the Garden as an extremely dry September draws to a close at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden and we face another heat wave to start October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We received about 1.6 inches of rain for the entire month and only about an inch if you exclude September 1. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, at a time when we should be expecting our first frost, we are preparing for another heat wave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, happily, Fall weather will be arriving later this week, although there is no frost danger in our forecast for at least the next two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_gpoNiguP9bZn2rwm8TvgTiW7lphFy4OEa2rQOR8_pUL58Q1zEe8er2U0MNol3NSzp4LIpkEo5JrYzeiRPjudzQ1ZzvnaZiBy-leoepM3UBTE2FeNBA4HwP2puYqa1yEToVbX85Teo9J/s1600/IMG_20190928_1109073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1293" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_gpoNiguP9bZn2rwm8TvgTiW7lphFy4OEa2rQOR8_pUL58Q1zEe8er2U0MNol3NSzp4LIpkEo5JrYzeiRPjudzQ1ZzvnaZiBy-leoepM3UBTE2FeNBA4HwP2puYqa1yEToVbX85Teo9J/s320/IMG_20190928_1109073.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week was to be the annual Capital <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Crusader’s Day of Service and 13 Capital University students showed up to help us water, weed, clean out the cabbage patch, plant radishes, pick up neighborhood litter, ferret out the secret entrances of the neighbor’s marauding groundhog and clean up our compost bins.</span> </span>As soon as I had given them the history of the SACG and started making work assignments, it started to sprinkle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERrdn7NngJIgPyuYXxdCDxwztGxj2XrSTGnA2ui3xbcj5Yi_rNZGZyEG4eS0R3MGHRVdQFg-O5CRwQ1Ywa1TP6Sc_MCDRDVwqyQRAUy1D5nhNcRL3O-GoDIE3-273hV3cnXwAPK_XGPnq/s1600/IMG_20190928_1109164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1315" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERrdn7NngJIgPyuYXxdCDxwztGxj2XrSTGnA2ui3xbcj5Yi_rNZGZyEG4eS0R3MGHRVdQFg-O5CRwQ1Ywa1TP6Sc_MCDRDVwqyQRAUy1D5nhNcRL3O-GoDIE3-273hV3cnXwAPK_XGPnq/s320/IMG_20190928_1109164.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>No worries, I said, it won’t rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather forecast from just 30 minutes ago said it would dissipate before reaching Franklin County. It will sprinkle for five minutes and then just pass us by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We aren’t lucky enough to get any rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had already brought over the lawn mower for our community service volunteer (who was raking into piles the diseased cherry leaves) and unlocked our water hydrants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when it looked as though we were in danger of having a wet t-shirt contest, I sent them back to their cars for what I thought would be a brief shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had not brought a rain coat with me. I checked the weather radar and saw that it was going to pour for 2 hours, so I gave them the option of calling it a day or returning in two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They chose the latter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I locked up the Garden and the hydrants, returned the lawn mower and went home and shampooed carpets.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAtObCWKsJonluQjbPZjMKDFwm8odWywOpjpJQj4vXN3eDBNMUnH6DeaYPu94DcNcOjuMZdVyWkDsdPvx8SO4sXZdlCcsN0jauvVEE8tFOiqZMEvjfO1ZIvXxrpM-ZV-8mv2z12Ze4peb/s1600/Cumulative+donations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="697" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAtObCWKsJonluQjbPZjMKDFwm8odWywOpjpJQj4vXN3eDBNMUnH6DeaYPu94DcNcOjuMZdVyWkDsdPvx8SO4sXZdlCcsN0jauvVEE8tFOiqZMEvjfO1ZIvXxrpM-ZV-8mv2z12Ze4peb/s320/Cumulative+donations.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I returned at noon for our weekly food pantry harvest, but no one else did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them called and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">said that they would come back at a later time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span>I’m here every Saturday, I told her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another student contacted me about returning this week and three of them came back yesterday to help us out for two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(She explained that they waited until 11:45 and then left (because it stopped raining at 11:30).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oops).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had them water our food pantry plots, then clean out the cabbage patch and plant radishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simon’s girls came by to help (or distract them).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWOp8YdeUelaB3sJBYit_luyvUe7Aqiwn7ckOv7GlbPd_Rf4MahvAS3wFQZOIDWmwT1mUgA9l8LMH-JhGkg-x9_hGG18vidjSd1iZHV-8ss7e2u_EyFQDYSl4SvVOSvjXoMmcL2tWCn0X/s1600/IMG_20190928_1140115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWOp8YdeUelaB3sJBYit_luyvUe7Aqiwn7ckOv7GlbPd_Rf4MahvAS3wFQZOIDWmwT1mUgA9l8LMH-JhGkg-x9_hGG18vidjSd1iZHV-8ss7e2u_EyFQDYSl4SvVOSvjXoMmcL2tWCn0X/s320/IMG_20190928_1140115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We had two community service volunteers yesterday. They spent the first hour cleaning up the compost bins (by bagging the weeds that our neighbor had put there last month). Then, one raked the cherry tree leaves and mowed our lawn and the orchard lot. The other watered the strawberry patch and blueberry bushes and then helped me to harvest tomatoes for our weekly food pantry harvest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She found the groundhog munching away (to prepare for his winter hibernation) inside our neighbor’s hoop house. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was packing up I discovered that no one watered the fruit trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of our rain cisterns were empty when I left yesterday.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LTi3eCYLWgkVMrGVHDlwnlderi0pxiDUbHCeHwwCBASTMoTDX2Uq9Wj7CiMtI1AEPe4a3mXllpeQ-oajESo8ry5TDUPwtRVK6UvwxwUdYu6OlclusXbyT8NBGrLu-_f9nJjpDm43DcOr/s1600/Produce+donations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="863" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LTi3eCYLWgkVMrGVHDlwnlderi0pxiDUbHCeHwwCBASTMoTDX2Uq9Wj7CiMtI1AEPe4a3mXllpeQ-oajESo8ry5TDUPwtRVK6UvwxwUdYu6OlclusXbyT8NBGrLu-_f9nJjpDm43DcOr/s400/Produce+donations.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amy had been there, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She bagged the cherry tree leaves on Wednesday that got left behind when <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">it started to rain last Saturday.</span> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also tidied up the dying flower beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simon's wife, Erica, came yesterday too and is always a great help in picking cherry tomatoes for our weekly food pantry donation while Simon waters their raised bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, they both weeded the paths (which was Simon’s monthly chore).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had not anticipated how much food they would have to harvest, so he didn’t bring a bag to hold their produce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did, however, bring their own watering can (since the volunteers have a tendency to use all five of our watering cans and I’m typically using the two that I bring with me each week).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHYYv3_z2W7X_HxCW95BmY2uCEeV_j9zlNqPp4mWI5VKfy_sxENIW44wWvDot-88ZdK3p3yBGui48uI3BAbmHMNTC8HoBIPC3yUiHn_ixV9TXNKtcJ6WWUJHhfb-m7sC5pOeSnfZ9OQ-6/s1600/Pantry+distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="580" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHYYv3_z2W7X_HxCW95BmY2uCEeV_j9zlNqPp4mWI5VKfy_sxENIW44wWvDot-88ZdK3p3yBGui48uI3BAbmHMNTC8HoBIPC3yUiHn_ixV9TXNKtcJ6WWUJHhfb-m7sC5pOeSnfZ9OQ-6/s320/Pantry+distribution.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On my way back from Faith Mission for our weekly produce donation, I stopped by the community pocket garden off Ohio Avenue (between Main and Broad).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a group of fellows hanging out under the enclosure at the back of the Garden. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I drove back there to mock them, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I discovered that enclosure also doubles as their shed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They were eating a lot of pizza and gave me a piece<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">since I looked like I had also spent the morning gardening (with my hat and sweat). They had spent the morning cleaning up their community garden for an art show today and a community movie night this evening.</span> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That pizza hit the spot and meant that I did not need to make lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(The pizza was from Bexley Pizza Plus, so I told them that owner Brad and his wife are also community gardeners and that back in the day, the SACG used to barter basil for free pizza for our volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One year, we provided Brad with 16 pounds of basil, but then I stupidly let too many sunflowers grow near the herb garden and it shaded out the basil). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I congratulated them on the fine weather that they would be having.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7L-y4Ic02yIOGzxvsMLXut4DFilkC2vmqOZfeYQ_CgvkwNsqC9n4MoZb0dHk1Omnc9jbhJUISXPdj7UE3KHE8RhKM7zR2C3l5V8ZsET1Ek_shI9BkwT986WxTUKG2lVkD7v3G9dPTUED/s1600/IMG_20190914_1155553+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1445" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7L-y4Ic02yIOGzxvsMLXut4DFilkC2vmqOZfeYQ_CgvkwNsqC9n4MoZb0dHk1Omnc9jbhJUISXPdj7UE3KHE8RhKM7zR2C3l5V8ZsET1Ek_shI9BkwT986WxTUKG2lVkD7v3G9dPTUED/s320/IMG_20190914_1155553+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I also swung by Old First Presbyterian Church and the Four Seasons City Farm garden there so that I could mock Daniel, but I didn’t see anyone still working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He was probably at the "big garden" off Carpenter. </span><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-85781442227570290972019-09-29T13:46:00.002-04:002019-09-29T14:05:08.549-04:00Closing Out Our Dry September With Radishes<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcbQlkkdiOTtEF2lVQSnPD2PkBoHUdEHxavhNE1D1ZI-ypEvDSBB1hJuI_Ygz0o5tKFK9SE4e4GRFA4KbqtI183ksBIrYs-l-WlN8Vlnwp9vQhywRwfb7a_m444694O5i0wHJxpfRmX6d/s1600/IMG_20190928_1108524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1359" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcbQlkkdiOTtEF2lVQSnPD2PkBoHUdEHxavhNE1D1ZI-ypEvDSBB1hJuI_Ygz0o5tKFK9SE4e4GRFA4KbqtI183ksBIrYs-l-WlN8Vlnwp9vQhywRwfb7a_m444694O5i0wHJxpfRmX6d/s320/IMG_20190928_1108524.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We are still puttering around in the Garden as an extremely dry
September draws to a close at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden and we face
another heat wave to start October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We received about 1.6 inches of rain for the entire month and only about an inch if you
exclude September 1. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, at a time when
we should be expecting our first frost, we are preparing for another heat
wave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, happily, Fall weather will be
arriving later this week, although there is no frost danger in our forecast for
at least the next two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_gpoNiguP9bZn2rwm8TvgTiW7lphFy4OEa2rQOR8_pUL58Q1zEe8er2U0MNol3NSzp4LIpkEo5JrYzeiRPjudzQ1ZzvnaZiBy-leoepM3UBTE2FeNBA4HwP2puYqa1yEToVbX85Teo9J/s1600/IMG_20190928_1109073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1293" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_gpoNiguP9bZn2rwm8TvgTiW7lphFy4OEa2rQOR8_pUL58Q1zEe8er2U0MNol3NSzp4LIpkEo5JrYzeiRPjudzQ1ZzvnaZiBy-leoepM3UBTE2FeNBA4HwP2puYqa1yEToVbX85Teo9J/s320/IMG_20190928_1109073.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week was to be the annual Capital <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Crusader’s Day of
Service and 13 Capital University students showed up to help us water, weed, clean
out the cabbage patch, plant radishes, pick up neighborhood litter, ferret out
the secret entrances of the neighbor’s marauding groundhog and clean up our
compost bins.</span> </span>As soon as I had given
them the history of the SACG and started making work assignments, it started to
sprinkle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERrdn7NngJIgPyuYXxdCDxwztGxj2XrSTGnA2ui3xbcj5Yi_rNZGZyEG4eS0R3MGHRVdQFg-O5CRwQ1Ywa1TP6Sc_MCDRDVwqyQRAUy1D5nhNcRL3O-GoDIE3-273hV3cnXwAPK_XGPnq/s1600/IMG_20190928_1109164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1315" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERrdn7NngJIgPyuYXxdCDxwztGxj2XrSTGnA2ui3xbcj5Yi_rNZGZyEG4eS0R3MGHRVdQFg-O5CRwQ1Ywa1TP6Sc_MCDRDVwqyQRAUy1D5nhNcRL3O-GoDIE3-273hV3cnXwAPK_XGPnq/s320/IMG_20190928_1109164.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
No worries, I said, it won’t rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather forecast from just 30 minutes ago
said it would dissipate before reaching Franklin County. It will sprinkle for
five minutes and then just pass us by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We aren’t lucky enough to get any rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had already brought over the lawn mower for our community service
volunteer (who was raking into piles the diseased cherry leaves) and unlocked our water
hydrants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when it looked as
though we were in danger of having a wet t-shirt contest, I sent them back to
their cars for what I thought would be a brief shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had not brought a rain coat with me. I
checked the weather radar and saw that it was going to pour for 2 hours, so I
gave them the option of calling it a day or returning in two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They chose the latter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I locked up the Garden and the hydrants, returned the lawn mower and went home and shampooed carpets.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAtObCWKsJonluQjbPZjMKDFwm8odWywOpjpJQj4vXN3eDBNMUnH6DeaYPu94DcNcOjuMZdVyWkDsdPvx8SO4sXZdlCcsN0jauvVEE8tFOiqZMEvjfO1ZIvXxrpM-ZV-8mv2z12Ze4peb/s1600/Cumulative+donations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="697" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAtObCWKsJonluQjbPZjMKDFwm8odWywOpjpJQj4vXN3eDBNMUnH6DeaYPu94DcNcOjuMZdVyWkDsdPvx8SO4sXZdlCcsN0jauvVEE8tFOiqZMEvjfO1ZIvXxrpM-ZV-8mv2z12Ze4peb/s320/Cumulative+donations.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I returned at noon for our weekly food pantry harvest, but
no one else did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them called and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">said that they would come back at a later time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span>I’m here every Saturday, I told her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another student contacted me about returning this week and three of them
came back yesterday to help us out for two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(She explained that they waited until 11:45
and then left (because it stopped raining at 11:30).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oops).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had them water our food pantry plots, then clean out the cabbage patch
and plant radishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simon’s girls came
by to help (or distract them).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWOp8YdeUelaB3sJBYit_luyvUe7Aqiwn7ckOv7GlbPd_Rf4MahvAS3wFQZOIDWmwT1mUgA9l8LMH-JhGkg-x9_hGG18vidjSd1iZHV-8ss7e2u_EyFQDYSl4SvVOSvjXoMmcL2tWCn0X/s1600/IMG_20190928_1140115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWOp8YdeUelaB3sJBYit_luyvUe7Aqiwn7ckOv7GlbPd_Rf4MahvAS3wFQZOIDWmwT1mUgA9l8LMH-JhGkg-x9_hGG18vidjSd1iZHV-8ss7e2u_EyFQDYSl4SvVOSvjXoMmcL2tWCn0X/s320/IMG_20190928_1140115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We had two community service volunteers yesterday. They spent the
first hour cleaning up the compost bins (by bagging the weeds that our neighbor
had put there last month). Then, one raked the cherry tree leaves and mowed our lawn and
the orchard lot. The other watered the strawberry patch and blueberry bushes
and then helped me to harvest tomatoes for our weekly food pantry harvest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She found the groundhog munching away (to
prepare for his winter hibernation) inside our neighbor’s hoop house. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was packing up I discovered that no one
watered the fruit trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both
of our rain cisterns were empty when I left yesterday.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LTi3eCYLWgkVMrGVHDlwnlderi0pxiDUbHCeHwwCBASTMoTDX2Uq9Wj7CiMtI1AEPe4a3mXllpeQ-oajESo8ry5TDUPwtRVK6UvwxwUdYu6OlclusXbyT8NBGrLu-_f9nJjpDm43DcOr/s1600/Produce+donations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="863" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LTi3eCYLWgkVMrGVHDlwnlderi0pxiDUbHCeHwwCBASTMoTDX2Uq9Wj7CiMtI1AEPe4a3mXllpeQ-oajESo8ry5TDUPwtRVK6UvwxwUdYu6OlclusXbyT8NBGrLu-_f9nJjpDm43DcOr/s400/Produce+donations.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amy had been there, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She bagged the cherry tree leaves on Wednesday that got left behind when
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">it started to rain last Saturday.</span> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also tidied up the dying flower beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simon's wife, Erica, came yesterday too and
is always a great help in picking cherry tomatoes for our weekly food pantry
donation while Simon waters their raised bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, they both weeded the paths (which was Simon’s monthly chore).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had not anticipated how much food they
would have to harvest, so he didn’t bring a bag to hold their produce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did, however, bring their own watering can
(since the volunteers have a tendency to use all five of our watering cans and
I’m typically using the two that I bring with me each week).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHYYv3_z2W7X_HxCW95BmY2uCEeV_j9zlNqPp4mWI5VKfy_sxENIW44wWvDot-88ZdK3p3yBGui48uI3BAbmHMNTC8HoBIPC3yUiHn_ixV9TXNKtcJ6WWUJHhfb-m7sC5pOeSnfZ9OQ-6/s1600/Pantry+distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="580" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHYYv3_z2W7X_HxCW95BmY2uCEeV_j9zlNqPp4mWI5VKfy_sxENIW44wWvDot-88ZdK3p3yBGui48uI3BAbmHMNTC8HoBIPC3yUiHn_ixV9TXNKtcJ6WWUJHhfb-m7sC5pOeSnfZ9OQ-6/s320/Pantry+distribution.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
On my way back from Faith Mission for our weekly produce donation, I
stopped by the community pocket garden off Ohio Avenue (between Main and Broad).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a group of fellows hanging out
under the enclosure at the back of the Garden. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I drove back there to mock them, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I discovered that enclosure also doubles as
their shed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They were eating a lot of pizza and gave me a piece<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">since I
looked like I had also spent the morning gardening (with my hat and sweat).
They had spent the morning cleaning up their community garden for an art show
today and a community movie night this evening.</span> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That pizza hit the spot and meant
that I did not need to make lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(The pizza
was from Bexley Pizza Plus, so I told them that owner Brad and his wife are
also community gardeners and that back in the day, the SACG used to barter
basil for free pizza for our volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One year, we provided Brad with 16 pounds of basil, but then I stupidly
let too many sunflowers grow near the herb garden and it shaded out the basil).
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I congratulated them on the fine
weather that they would be having.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7L-y4Ic02yIOGzxvsMLXut4DFilkC2vmqOZfeYQ_CgvkwNsqC9n4MoZb0dHk1Omnc9jbhJUISXPdj7UE3KHE8RhKM7zR2C3l5V8ZsET1Ek_shI9BkwT986WxTUKG2lVkD7v3G9dPTUED/s1600/IMG_20190914_1155553+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1445" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7L-y4Ic02yIOGzxvsMLXut4DFilkC2vmqOZfeYQ_CgvkwNsqC9n4MoZb0dHk1Omnc9jbhJUISXPdj7UE3KHE8RhKM7zR2C3l5V8ZsET1Ek_shI9BkwT986WxTUKG2lVkD7v3G9dPTUED/s320/IMG_20190914_1155553+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I also swung by Old First Presbyterian Church and the Four
Seasons City Farm garden there so that I could mock Daniel, but I didn’t see
anyone still working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He was probably at the "big garden" off Carpenter. </span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-15249197487120276702019-09-15T08:54:00.002-04:002020-01-11T18:52:24.616-05:00Children of the Corn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPYi_nSC9AQwGpJGBNFSYIah2MstgURhiOiSMQoqPYitUErJuKvl9ZDwwAMB0PuVYVWUihWS4Ku871qcZ9iP1QB_rW8iB7ADsJWml53JSgkpa8qescui5AOmmfRzp8TV_RgX1ZXpGH3b6/s1600/IMG_20190914_1140540+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1514" data-original-width="1010" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPYi_nSC9AQwGpJGBNFSYIah2MstgURhiOiSMQoqPYitUErJuKvl9ZDwwAMB0PuVYVWUihWS4Ku871qcZ9iP1QB_rW8iB7ADsJWml53JSgkpa8qescui5AOmmfRzp8TV_RgX1ZXpGH3b6/s320/IMG_20190914_1140540+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>We survived the heat wave this week at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden and have a few gallons left in our rain cisterns. I do not expect any more rain until October, truth be told. The neighborhood kids came by yesterday "to help." <br /><br />I put them to work picking grapes for our weekly Faith Mission donation. They ate most of them and donated three grapes. I then tasked them with helping John tidy his plot so that he could transplant some turnips that I had thinned earlier. Then, I had them weed the cucumber patch so that we could plant some radish seeds that I've had in the shed since 2013. <br /><br />Once they finished their work, I turned them loose in our corn patch. They playe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMrYr5fTYdvj3ZZCrtEaJVaGflOQNX5d0dHEKpw3iU4VPkG8ez0rT0uag1zlaLEKokjTabdJRtKtrd-M4aXjVzIfDadLimXfXP0Z9LulUSKcNL7-_TRG_fwTrG91dySBEm36CA_SwB9tj/s1600/IMG_20190914_1141070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1298" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMrYr5fTYdvj3ZZCrtEaJVaGflOQNX5d0dHEKpw3iU4VPkG8ez0rT0uag1zlaLEKokjTabdJRtKtrd-M4aXjVzIfDadLimXfXP0Z9LulUSKcNL7-_TRG_fwTrG91dySBEm36CA_SwB9tj/s320/IMG_20190914_1141070.jpg" width="320" /></a>d hide and seek and enjoyed running up and down the rows. It's only 150 square feet, so Lynds is not facing any real competition. But it's nearby and free.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOC3FWYidhscDfOGDX9R8WxjBDJUZSmmC2vrhjRgksZNq9SDYilPlAKskRBlJnD3cVFD5jbu_wVtWmnOBbzNjNTvPFHM2NHvl7ipjcD9WmzHj6wr_HHeIvMlH6QWFcmZJEkUmObKl3lm1/s1600/IMG_20190914_1141163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOC3FWYidhscDfOGDX9R8WxjBDJUZSmmC2vrhjRgksZNq9SDYilPlAKskRBlJnD3cVFD5jbu_wVtWmnOBbzNjNTvPFHM2NHvl7ipjcD9WmzHj6wr_HHeIvMlH6QWFcmZJEkUmObKl3lm1/s320/IMG_20190914_1141163.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>They found a few leftover ears, so I gave one to John and they took the rest home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-86658816466358982082019-09-15T08:54:00.001-04:002019-09-15T08:54:24.861-04:00Children of the Corn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPYi_nSC9AQwGpJGBNFSYIah2MstgURhiOiSMQoqPYitUErJuKvl9ZDwwAMB0PuVYVWUihWS4Ku871qcZ9iP1QB_rW8iB7ADsJWml53JSgkpa8qescui5AOmmfRzp8TV_RgX1ZXpGH3b6/s1600/IMG_20190914_1140540+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1514" data-original-width="1010" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPYi_nSC9AQwGpJGBNFSYIah2MstgURhiOiSMQoqPYitUErJuKvl9ZDwwAMB0PuVYVWUihWS4Ku871qcZ9iP1QB_rW8iB7ADsJWml53JSgkpa8qescui5AOmmfRzp8TV_RgX1ZXpGH3b6/s320/IMG_20190914_1140540+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
We survived the heat wave this week at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden and have a few gallons left in our rain cisterns. I do not expect any more rain until October, truth be told. The neighborhood kids came by yesterday "to help." <br />
<br />
I put them to work picking grapes for our weekly Faith Mission donation. They ate most of them and donated three grapes. I then tasked them with helping John tidy his plot so that he could transplant some turnips that I had thinned earlier. Then, I had them weed the cucumber patch so that we could plant some radish seeds that I've had in the shed since 2013. <br />
<br />
Once they finished their work, I turned them loose in our corn patch. They playe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMrYr5fTYdvj3ZZCrtEaJVaGflOQNX5d0dHEKpw3iU4VPkG8ez0rT0uag1zlaLEKokjTabdJRtKtrd-M4aXjVzIfDadLimXfXP0Z9LulUSKcNL7-_TRG_fwTrG91dySBEm36CA_SwB9tj/s1600/IMG_20190914_1141070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1298" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMrYr5fTYdvj3ZZCrtEaJVaGflOQNX5d0dHEKpw3iU4VPkG8ez0rT0uag1zlaLEKokjTabdJRtKtrd-M4aXjVzIfDadLimXfXP0Z9LulUSKcNL7-_TRG_fwTrG91dySBEm36CA_SwB9tj/s320/IMG_20190914_1141070.jpg" width="320" /></a>d hide and seek and enjoyed running up and down the rows. It's only 150 square feet, so Lynds is not facing any real competition. But it's nearby and free.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOC3FWYidhscDfOGDX9R8WxjBDJUZSmmC2vrhjRgksZNq9SDYilPlAKskRBlJnD3cVFD5jbu_wVtWmnOBbzNjNTvPFHM2NHvl7ipjcD9WmzHj6wr_HHeIvMlH6QWFcmZJEkUmObKl3lm1/s1600/IMG_20190914_1141163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOC3FWYidhscDfOGDX9R8WxjBDJUZSmmC2vrhjRgksZNq9SDYilPlAKskRBlJnD3cVFD5jbu_wVtWmnOBbzNjNTvPFHM2NHvl7ipjcD9WmzHj6wr_HHeIvMlH6QWFcmZJEkUmObKl3lm1/s320/IMG_20190914_1141163.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
They found a few leftover ears, so I gave one to John and they took the rest home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-35546235531509660902019-09-08T13:34:00.006-04:002020-01-11T18:52:24.716-05:00Buckeyes Help Kick Off the SACG's Fall Season<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLZ3rSh2fNKPcsNWhu4VIl7sXa71EjAWwRy5LxFXebz673hsSjuYx0EPmqOL6Z-MvcvEQcPi5YXX3W7Nae7_7vleFSocict5wcsrjrZC-bI-XLWwlBEMj3AGywwnoHwwHONade_0glcI0/s1600/IMG_20190824_1229197+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1347" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLZ3rSh2fNKPcsNWhu4VIl7sXa71EjAWwRy5LxFXebz673hsSjuYx0EPmqOL6Z-MvcvEQcPi5YXX3W7Nae7_7vleFSocict5wcsrjrZC-bI-XLWwlBEMj3AGywwnoHwwHONade_0glcI0/s320/IMG_20190824_1229197+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This dry and hot summer has been exhausting at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden. We never would have made it this long without our newly installed running water though, courtesy of a federal grant through the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. Also, because watering each of our plants by hand takes so much time, we have been very fortunate to have assistance from community service volunteers from the Franklin County Environmental Court. They mow our lawn, pick up neighborhood litter, water our plants, and weed around the Garden, etc. We have also been blessed with a return visit from Ohio State University students through the Pay It Forward program.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGWmE5-v986Nf0nSOHIZM5hWSRwYP5UabLQEyl0j3pj9FDgbMPcONQD0dxftvNl-MMqBjGS77JKd04PprgbN0RJI4gdQZOc-4sbVDLL6yO-79ovXystDJJQT5wrTdlxh7L8hYSI_Gj95Y/s1600/IMG_20190706_1153537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="1411" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGWmE5-v986Nf0nSOHIZM5hWSRwYP5UabLQEyl0j3pj9FDgbMPcONQD0dxftvNl-MMqBjGS77JKd04PprgbN0RJI4gdQZOc-4sbVDLL6yO-79ovXystDJJQT5wrTdlxh7L8hYSI_Gj95Y/s320/IMG_20190706_1153537.jpg" width="320" /></a>The dry and hot summer has made gardening challenging, but we have also suffered from extensive <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">groundhog damage and two-legged thieves who stole almost all of our cabbages, pulled up much of our kale and collards and took a week’s worth of heirloom tomatoes.</span> Kimball Farms next door did not plant this season and so the groundhog and thieves that usually feed over there have returned to the SACG. The thieves built a staircase out of our cinder block compost bins and then used the empty rain barrel to destroy raspberry bushes so that they could climb over our fence. Sigh. They broke our gate on their way out.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXhl31wWhjcGmpQTAayWOnumyIWDGcB5UVoAIFXUWDF4FA6ZYOU-bDOQt9ndEz6DMFYVNbcnvQMT0YYGnnYp8u1sJa5yhe9kttnwgg_ZnBSzVJMIjl8xFxhyphenhyphenYmCDrtAnroXnxTuml_dbU/s1600/Produce+by+Type.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="880" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXhl31wWhjcGmpQTAayWOnumyIWDGcB5UVoAIFXUWDF4FA6ZYOU-bDOQt9ndEz6DMFYVNbcnvQMT0YYGnnYp8u1sJa5yhe9kttnwgg_ZnBSzVJMIjl8xFxhyphenhyphenYmCDrtAnroXnxTuml_dbU/s320/Produce+by+Type.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We have continued to make weekly food pantry donations and are only slightly behind last year’s pace. Weirdly, we have not been able to grow any winter squashes to save our lives. I am completely mystified. We had only 2 delicatta squashes in the co-op plot and I had only one acorn and one butternut in my plot. Usually, we have dozens of winter squashes. Not this year. I’m wondering if it is the new fertilizer that I started using . . . . . .<br /><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUk2ZI4hHefrfK83OF0wuKVUvx6MjSzOE0RswCcZBoiWvEJ2PQEGbRisGhPvfDkwFhUaosAM29wFI0659HjNNhE2uGkZVKHdBNrQR0IbYXg0tGL7-xiAVSrt1v-nVu1NveKbb8AqPk17l/s1600/Food+pantry+distribtuion+to+date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="586" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUk2ZI4hHefrfK83OF0wuKVUvx6MjSzOE0RswCcZBoiWvEJ2PQEGbRisGhPvfDkwFhUaosAM29wFI0659HjNNhE2uGkZVKHdBNrQR0IbYXg0tGL7-xiAVSrt1v-nVu1NveKbb8AqPk17l/s320/Food+pantry+distribtuion+to+date.jpg" width="320" /></a>Our melon crop did better this year than in years past. <span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Straders every year donates lots of mel</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">on and cucumber seedlings, so I planted a bunch in a food pantry plot and they have done great, as have the basil seedlings. </span><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe3nzQj0Ki0E1u_iKIxT9AxAjIvwINmXprYC16uL0xPskd2nNMxygaduuEgaXwOD5WsK1qe3v7F4IQg3A2IxKXbXgzRMZCTi04C91PvMwf8fXDW5LilCV4vzb57HCz9yvdPbwkEcKD6hR/s1600/Produce+By+Pounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>We are having a bumper grape crop because I completely failed to in any way prune the grape vines last year. This means that we will have a miserable crop next year, although I intend to prune them way back <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe3nzQj0Ki0E1u_iKIxT9AxAjIvwINmXprYC16uL0xPskd2nNMxygaduuEgaXwOD5WsK1qe3v7F4IQg3A2IxKXbXgzRMZCTi04C91PvMwf8fXDW5LilCV4vzb57HCz9yvdPbwkEcKD6hR/s1600/Produce+By+Pounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="704" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe3nzQj0Ki0E1u_iKIxT9AxAjIvwINmXprYC16uL0xPskd2nNMxygaduuEgaXwOD5WsK1qe3v7F4IQg3A2IxKXbXgzRMZCTi04C91PvMwf8fXDW5LilCV4vzb57HCz9yvdPbwkEcKD6hR/s320/Produce+By+Pounds.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>this fall and recommend that they be pruned again in the Spring. They started turning ripe a few weeks ago. The neighborhood kids like to pick them and we have taken some to Faith Mission. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmaZcYvUjzz4RywdpcEdORwU6NgOujcHcfs8NB-9mg7yikL18w7R6vT67mivJ1VINyzjdGjApe7yaHlm4uLi9ODhkVoukNgVU8Lertir2gnHoK-30BykyLt6ysfx4fWQeYJpoaHHM3dad/s1600/IMG_20190720_1151496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a>Our corn crop has done really well this year. I staggered the plantings so that we could extend the season. The last couple weeks have not been impressive, but I suspect that is because they were not getting enough water. The ears were really small the last week. Not even worth cooking. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmaZcYvUjzz4RywdpcEdORwU6NgOujcHcfs8NB-9mg7yikL18w7R6vT67mivJ1VINyzjdGjApe7yaHlm4uLi9ODhkVoukNgVU8Lertir2gnHoK-30BykyLt6ysfx4fWQeYJpoaHHM3dad/s1600/IMG_20190720_1151496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1233" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmaZcYvUjzz4RywdpcEdORwU6NgOujcHcfs8NB-9mg7yikL18w7R6vT67mivJ1VINyzjdGjApe7yaHlm4uLi9ODhkVoukNgVU8Lertir2gnHoK-30BykyLt6ysfx4fWQeYJpoaHHM3dad/s320/IMG_20190720_1151496.jpg" width="320" /></a><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Yesterday, we had a bumper cherry tomato crop. Simon’s four young daughters and his better half helped me to fill a bag to take to Faith Mission.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5E31xTjqSJQGOeZ2hngy40L4v5HHSj5-ByrSTmzZLyX_qc8tXqYpLjneKj0tGGNPYoxctiOpviIWzz5EYmuWKTd0pRLgoTQdV9nfWN4QOSEpDy02YswuRPjW292QGaS1y2yIBKT9sHvl/s1600/IMG_20190810_1212148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1304" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5E31xTjqSJQGOeZ2hngy40L4v5HHSj5-ByrSTmzZLyX_qc8tXqYpLjneKj0tGGNPYoxctiOpviIWzz5EYmuWKTd0pRLgoTQdV9nfWN4QOSEpDy02YswuRPjW292QGaS1y2yIBKT9sHvl/s320/IMG_20190810_1212148.jpg" width="320" /></a>The groundhog every week comes and chews on the sweet potato vines in the food pantry plots and sometimes my or Simon’s plot. I put bird netting over them, but that did not help much. I expect that this will result in some very puny sweet potatoes next month because the vines have never been able to grow much. They regenerate after every groundhog “pruning,’ but they have never gotten very long, like last year’s bumper sweet potato crop. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-YqMUdwhNKFqTLmfVmz2DZe4LJaXnBxk7315MO3-VtvfcMABsCOAGvFvsZaPhQY4-uqI_0jwlom5Rt_Vx0kg39dqpMGdgw_PSV29qR0qQ0wmpd7IlZ2DZXKz49bGfetAtSBIALTIAsPd/s1600/IMG_20190831_1245593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-YqMUdwhNKFqTLmfVmz2DZe4LJaXnBxk7315MO3-VtvfcMABsCOAGvFvsZaPhQY4-uqI_0jwlom5Rt_Vx0kg39dqpMGdgw_PSV29qR0qQ0wmpd7IlZ2DZXKz49bGfetAtSBIALTIAsPd/s320/IMG_20190831_1245593.jpg" width="320" /></a>The groundhog also loves to chomp down on my kale and to eat half of a tomato on our vines, particularly my heirloom tomatoes. Grr. One of our gardeners brought her dog into the Garden and it chased the critter out of Phil’s plot. We’d trap it, but we don’t have anyone to check the traps every day until it is captured.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe1PHaWyjIxy8ufTsz7ixkal91pG3vOrufTYdiQO0LB11RHtKBQUokUnT99QGSQije2ZBZhtrkR1UD909ThxwFmOkOlkWRp8Ij4JbALIbWktgc_XiYrVUEbM4WPMXVKFcZ3j5u0hPD4ej/s1600/IMG_20190824_1228580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe1PHaWyjIxy8ufTsz7ixkal91pG3vOrufTYdiQO0LB11RHtKBQUokUnT99QGSQije2ZBZhtrkR1UD909ThxwFmOkOlkWRp8Ij4JbALIbWktgc_XiYrVUEbM4WPMXVKFcZ3j5u0hPD4ej/s1600/IMG_20190824_1228580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1433" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe1PHaWyjIxy8ufTsz7ixkal91pG3vOrufTYdiQO0LB11RHtKBQUokUnT99QGSQije2ZBZhtrkR1UD909ThxwFmOkOlkWRp8Ij4JbALIbWktgc_XiYrVUEbM4WPMXVKFcZ3j5u0hPD4ej/s320/IMG_20190824_1228580.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe1PHaWyjIxy8ufTsz7ixkal91pG3vOrufTYdiQO0LB11RHtKBQUokUnT99QGSQije2ZBZhtrkR1UD909ThxwFmOkOlkWRp8Ij4JbALIbWktgc_XiYrVUEbM4WPMXVKFcZ3j5u0hPD4ej/s1600/IMG_20190824_1228580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>This year’s OSU group was one of the best that we’ve ever had. They came three weeks ago and I split them into four teams. The first team watered all of the food pantry plots, the strawberry patch, the blueberries, the fruit orchard, and the neighbor beds and then began harvesting peppers, etc. They took a few peppers from Simon’s plot (which we returned to him) and a few tomatoes from mine and Charlie’s plot, but otherwise did a good job. One guy mowed our lot, the orchard lot, the Block Watch lot, the Urban Connections lot and the UC backyard. I let him harvest our tomatoes. One team weeded the dill and mint forest and then planted beets and turnips. One team weeded along the alley, picked up neighborhood litter and reorganized our shed. One team weeded the west chain<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></b><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></i><u style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></u><sub style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sub><sup style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sup><strike style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: line-through; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></strike> link fence and then harvested a row of potatoes and planted five rows of lettuce. They were amazing. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ4tgHgNKvivaUKttZtaJWNBept_Ot0XS5b1S_cHvcKjs0UAh9NXV4_T_pTh7ob7qYMuLYJUBxNp3wzdK5ij06q3NdzI_afunR-PyymWGALmy3nZSiynzZ7_gJ5Bks701I68qhLOhnoHL/s1600/IMG_20190824_1202181+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="851" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ4tgHgNKvivaUKttZtaJWNBept_Ot0XS5b1S_cHvcKjs0UAh9NXV4_T_pTh7ob7qYMuLYJUBxNp3wzdK5ij06q3NdzI_afunR-PyymWGALmy3nZSiynzZ7_gJ5Bks701I68qhLOhnoHL/s320/IMG_20190824_1202181+%25283%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a><br /><br />Even better, they called this week and wanted to return this month or next. I asked them to come <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">after our ty</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">pical first frost because they could help me to harvest and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">clear out the food pantry tomatoes, pack up the tomato cages and trellises and cut </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">back the corn stalks, etc. </span>No one ever wants to help me clean out the Garden once it starts to get cold and bleak. An OSU sorority came one year and we wreaked devastation on the dying plants. I am psyched. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFAX2UoyoKV7E8Qy0u3p6QsBQ0beX3dpkmLE2ReEeqxKIfJFEDPFcSGS7-ijVQFniyVa40m0BwRTQY3fyIijXnY_RcLkMyVW3aXOnKycVza-ZkfEZ_NvnUpkwxdOIui8rDYLvGGVASds5/s1600/IMG_20190907_1147423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1474" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFAX2UoyoKV7E8Qy0u3p6QsBQ0beX3dpkmLE2ReEeqxKIfJFEDPFcSGS7-ijVQFniyVa40m0BwRTQY3fyIijXnY_RcLkMyVW3aXOnKycVza-ZkfEZ_NvnUpkwxdOIui8rDYLvGGVASds5/s320/IMG_20190907_1147423.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ4tgHgNKvivaUKttZtaJWNBept_Ot0XS5b1S_cHvcKjs0UAh9NXV4_T_pTh7ob7qYMuLYJUBxNp3wzdK5ij06q3NdzI_afunR-PyymWGALmy3nZSiynzZ7_gJ5Bks701I68qhLOhnoHL/s1600/IMG_20190824_1202181+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ4tgHgNKvivaUKttZtaJWNBept_Ot0XS5b1S_cHvcKjs0UAh9NXV4_T_pTh7ob7qYMuLYJUBxNp3wzdK5ij06q3NdzI_afunR-PyymWGALmy3nZSiynzZ7_gJ5Bks701I68qhLOhnoHL/s1600/IMG_20190824_1202181+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><br /><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In two weeks, Capital University students will be coming to <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">help weed, water, mow and plant radishes. We are not finished at the SACG by a longshot. </span></span></span><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-41554791122267857692019-09-08T13:34:00.005-04:002019-09-09T14:10:22.913-04:00Buckeyes Help Kick Off the SACG's Fall Season<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLZ3rSh2fNKPcsNWhu4VIl7sXa71EjAWwRy5LxFXebz673hsSjuYx0EPmqOL6Z-MvcvEQcPi5YXX3W7Nae7_7vleFSocict5wcsrjrZC-bI-XLWwlBEMj3AGywwnoHwwHONade_0glcI0/s1600/IMG_20190824_1229197+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1347" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLZ3rSh2fNKPcsNWhu4VIl7sXa71EjAWwRy5LxFXebz673hsSjuYx0EPmqOL6Z-MvcvEQcPi5YXX3W7Nae7_7vleFSocict5wcsrjrZC-bI-XLWwlBEMj3AGywwnoHwwHONade_0glcI0/s320/IMG_20190824_1229197+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This dry and hot summer has been exhausting at the Stoddart
Avenue Community Garden. We never would
have made it this long without our newly installed running water though,
courtesy of a federal grant through the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. Also, because watering each of our plants by
hand takes so much time, we have been very fortunate to have assistance from
community service volunteers from the Franklin County Environmental Court. They mow our lawn, pick up neighborhood litter,
water our plants, and weed around the Garden, etc. We have also been blessed with a return visit
from Ohio State University students through the Pay It Forward program.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGWmE5-v986Nf0nSOHIZM5hWSRwYP5UabLQEyl0j3pj9FDgbMPcONQD0dxftvNl-MMqBjGS77JKd04PprgbN0RJI4gdQZOc-4sbVDLL6yO-79ovXystDJJQT5wrTdlxh7L8hYSI_Gj95Y/s1600/IMG_20190706_1153537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="1411" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGWmE5-v986Nf0nSOHIZM5hWSRwYP5UabLQEyl0j3pj9FDgbMPcONQD0dxftvNl-MMqBjGS77JKd04PprgbN0RJI4gdQZOc-4sbVDLL6yO-79ovXystDJJQT5wrTdlxh7L8hYSI_Gj95Y/s320/IMG_20190706_1153537.jpg" width="320" /></a>The dry and hot summer has made gardening challenging, but
we have also suffered from extensive <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">groundhog damage and two-legged thieves
who stole almost all of our cabbages, pulled up much of our kale and collards
and took a week’s worth of heirloom tomatoes.</span>
Kimball Farms next door did not plant this season and so the groundhog
and thieves that usually feed over there have returned to the SACG. The thieves built a staircase out of our
cinder block compost bins and then used the empty rain barrel to destroy
raspberry bushes so that they could climb over our fence. Sigh.
They broke our gate on their way out.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXhl31wWhjcGmpQTAayWOnumyIWDGcB5UVoAIFXUWDF4FA6ZYOU-bDOQt9ndEz6DMFYVNbcnvQMT0YYGnnYp8u1sJa5yhe9kttnwgg_ZnBSzVJMIjl8xFxhyphenhyphenYmCDrtAnroXnxTuml_dbU/s1600/Produce+by+Type.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="880" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXhl31wWhjcGmpQTAayWOnumyIWDGcB5UVoAIFXUWDF4FA6ZYOU-bDOQt9ndEz6DMFYVNbcnvQMT0YYGnnYp8u1sJa5yhe9kttnwgg_ZnBSzVJMIjl8xFxhyphenhyphenYmCDrtAnroXnxTuml_dbU/s320/Produce+by+Type.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We have continued to make weekly food pantry donations and
are only slightly behind last year’s pace.
Weirdly, we have not been able to grow any winter squashes to save our
lives. I am completely mystified. We had only 2 delicatta squashes in the co-op
plot and I had only one acorn and one butternut in my plot. Usually, we have dozens of winter
squashes. Not this year. I’m wondering if it is the new fertilizer
that I started using . . . . . .<br />
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUk2ZI4hHefrfK83OF0wuKVUvx6MjSzOE0RswCcZBoiWvEJ2PQEGbRisGhPvfDkwFhUaosAM29wFI0659HjNNhE2uGkZVKHdBNrQR0IbYXg0tGL7-xiAVSrt1v-nVu1NveKbb8AqPk17l/s1600/Food+pantry+distribtuion+to+date.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="586" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUk2ZI4hHefrfK83OF0wuKVUvx6MjSzOE0RswCcZBoiWvEJ2PQEGbRisGhPvfDkwFhUaosAM29wFI0659HjNNhE2uGkZVKHdBNrQR0IbYXg0tGL7-xiAVSrt1v-nVu1NveKbb8AqPk17l/s320/Food+pantry+distribtuion+to+date.jpg" width="320" /></a>Our melon crop did better this year than in years past. <span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Straders every year donates lots of mel</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">on and
cucumber seedlings, so I planted a bunch in a food pantry plot and they have done
great, as have the basil seedlings. </span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe3nzQj0Ki0E1u_iKIxT9AxAjIvwINmXprYC16uL0xPskd2nNMxygaduuEgaXwOD5WsK1qe3v7F4IQg3A2IxKXbXgzRMZCTi04C91PvMwf8fXDW5LilCV4vzb57HCz9yvdPbwkEcKD6hR/s1600/Produce+By+Pounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>We are having a bumper grape crop because I completely
failed to in any way prune the grape vines last year.
This means that we will have a miserable crop next year, although I intend
to prune them way back <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe3nzQj0Ki0E1u_iKIxT9AxAjIvwINmXprYC16uL0xPskd2nNMxygaduuEgaXwOD5WsK1qe3v7F4IQg3A2IxKXbXgzRMZCTi04C91PvMwf8fXDW5LilCV4vzb57HCz9yvdPbwkEcKD6hR/s1600/Produce+By+Pounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="704" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe3nzQj0Ki0E1u_iKIxT9AxAjIvwINmXprYC16uL0xPskd2nNMxygaduuEgaXwOD5WsK1qe3v7F4IQg3A2IxKXbXgzRMZCTi04C91PvMwf8fXDW5LilCV4vzb57HCz9yvdPbwkEcKD6hR/s320/Produce+By+Pounds.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>this fall and recommend that they be pruned again in the
Spring. They started turning ripe a few
weeks ago. The neighborhood kids like to
pick them and we have taken some to Faith Mission. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmaZcYvUjzz4RywdpcEdORwU6NgOujcHcfs8NB-9mg7yikL18w7R6vT67mivJ1VINyzjdGjApe7yaHlm4uLi9ODhkVoukNgVU8Lertir2gnHoK-30BykyLt6ysfx4fWQeYJpoaHHM3dad/s1600/IMG_20190720_1151496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a>Our corn crop has done really well this year. I staggered the plantings so that we could
extend the season. The last couple weeks
have not been impressive, but I suspect that is because they were not getting
enough water. The ears were really small
the last week. Not even worth
cooking. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmaZcYvUjzz4RywdpcEdORwU6NgOujcHcfs8NB-9mg7yikL18w7R6vT67mivJ1VINyzjdGjApe7yaHlm4uLi9ODhkVoukNgVU8Lertir2gnHoK-30BykyLt6ysfx4fWQeYJpoaHHM3dad/s1600/IMG_20190720_1151496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1233" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmaZcYvUjzz4RywdpcEdORwU6NgOujcHcfs8NB-9mg7yikL18w7R6vT67mivJ1VINyzjdGjApe7yaHlm4uLi9ODhkVoukNgVU8Lertir2gnHoK-30BykyLt6ysfx4fWQeYJpoaHHM3dad/s320/IMG_20190720_1151496.jpg" width="320" /></a><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
Yesterday, we had a bumper cherry tomato crop. Simon’s four young daughters and his better
half helped me to fill a bag to take to Faith Mission.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5E31xTjqSJQGOeZ2hngy40L4v5HHSj5-ByrSTmzZLyX_qc8tXqYpLjneKj0tGGNPYoxctiOpviIWzz5EYmuWKTd0pRLgoTQdV9nfWN4QOSEpDy02YswuRPjW292QGaS1y2yIBKT9sHvl/s1600/IMG_20190810_1212148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1304" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5E31xTjqSJQGOeZ2hngy40L4v5HHSj5-ByrSTmzZLyX_qc8tXqYpLjneKj0tGGNPYoxctiOpviIWzz5EYmuWKTd0pRLgoTQdV9nfWN4QOSEpDy02YswuRPjW292QGaS1y2yIBKT9sHvl/s320/IMG_20190810_1212148.jpg" width="320" /></a>The groundhog every week comes and chews on the sweet potato
vines in the food pantry plots and sometimes my or Simon’s plot. I put bird netting over them, but that did
not help much. I expect that this will result
in some very puny sweet potatoes next month because the vines have never been
able to grow much. They regenerate after
every groundhog “pruning,’ but they have never gotten very long, like last year’s
bumper sweet potato crop. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-YqMUdwhNKFqTLmfVmz2DZe4LJaXnBxk7315MO3-VtvfcMABsCOAGvFvsZaPhQY4-uqI_0jwlom5Rt_Vx0kg39dqpMGdgw_PSV29qR0qQ0wmpd7IlZ2DZXKz49bGfetAtSBIALTIAsPd/s1600/IMG_20190831_1245593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-YqMUdwhNKFqTLmfVmz2DZe4LJaXnBxk7315MO3-VtvfcMABsCOAGvFvsZaPhQY4-uqI_0jwlom5Rt_Vx0kg39dqpMGdgw_PSV29qR0qQ0wmpd7IlZ2DZXKz49bGfetAtSBIALTIAsPd/s320/IMG_20190831_1245593.jpg" width="320" /></a>The groundhog
also loves to chomp down on my kale and to eat half of a tomato on our vines,
particularly my heirloom tomatoes.
Grr. One of our gardeners
brought her dog into the Garden and it chased the critter out of Phil’s
plot. We’d trap it, but we don’t have
anyone to check the traps every day until it is captured.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe1PHaWyjIxy8ufTsz7ixkal91pG3vOrufTYdiQO0LB11RHtKBQUokUnT99QGSQije2ZBZhtrkR1UD909ThxwFmOkOlkWRp8Ij4JbALIbWktgc_XiYrVUEbM4WPMXVKFcZ3j5u0hPD4ej/s1600/IMG_20190824_1228580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe1PHaWyjIxy8ufTsz7ixkal91pG3vOrufTYdiQO0LB11RHtKBQUokUnT99QGSQije2ZBZhtrkR1UD909ThxwFmOkOlkWRp8Ij4JbALIbWktgc_XiYrVUEbM4WPMXVKFcZ3j5u0hPD4ej/s1600/IMG_20190824_1228580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1433" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe1PHaWyjIxy8ufTsz7ixkal91pG3vOrufTYdiQO0LB11RHtKBQUokUnT99QGSQije2ZBZhtrkR1UD909ThxwFmOkOlkWRp8Ij4JbALIbWktgc_XiYrVUEbM4WPMXVKFcZ3j5u0hPD4ej/s320/IMG_20190824_1228580.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZe1PHaWyjIxy8ufTsz7ixkal91pG3vOrufTYdiQO0LB11RHtKBQUokUnT99QGSQije2ZBZhtrkR1UD909ThxwFmOkOlkWRp8Ij4JbALIbWktgc_XiYrVUEbM4WPMXVKFcZ3j5u0hPD4ej/s1600/IMG_20190824_1228580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>This year’s OSU group was one of the best that we’ve ever
had. They came three weeks ago and I split them into four teams. The first team watered all of the food pantry
plots, the strawberry patch, the blueberries, the fruit orchard, and the neighbor beds and then began harvesting peppers, etc.
They took a few peppers from Simon’s plot (which we returned to him) and
a few tomatoes from mine and Charlie’s plot, but otherwise did a good job. One guy mowed our lot, the orchard lot, the
Block Watch lot, the Urban Connections lot and the UC backyard. I let him harvest our tomatoes. One team weeded the dill and mint forest and
then planted beets and turnips. One
team weeded along the alley, picked up neighborhood litter and reorganized our shed. One team weeded the west chain<b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></b><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></i><u style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></u><sub style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sub><sup style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></sup><strike style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: line-through; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></strike> link fence and
then harvested a row of potatoes and planted five rows of lettuce. They were amazing. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ4tgHgNKvivaUKttZtaJWNBept_Ot0XS5b1S_cHvcKjs0UAh9NXV4_T_pTh7ob7qYMuLYJUBxNp3wzdK5ij06q3NdzI_afunR-PyymWGALmy3nZSiynzZ7_gJ5Bks701I68qhLOhnoHL/s1600/IMG_20190824_1202181+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="851" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ4tgHgNKvivaUKttZtaJWNBept_Ot0XS5b1S_cHvcKjs0UAh9NXV4_T_pTh7ob7qYMuLYJUBxNp3wzdK5ij06q3NdzI_afunR-PyymWGALmy3nZSiynzZ7_gJ5Bks701I68qhLOhnoHL/s320/IMG_20190824_1202181+%25283%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
<br />
Even better, they called this week and wanted to return this
month or next. I asked them to come <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">after our ty</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">pical first frost because they could help me to harvest and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">clear
out the food pantry tomatoes, pack up the tomato cages and trellises and cut
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">back the corn stalks, etc. </span>No one ever
wants to help me clean out the Garden once it starts to get cold and
bleak. An OSU sorority came one year and
we wreaked devastation on the dying plants.
I am psyched. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFAX2UoyoKV7E8Qy0u3p6QsBQ0beX3dpkmLE2ReEeqxKIfJFEDPFcSGS7-ijVQFniyVa40m0BwRTQY3fyIijXnY_RcLkMyVW3aXOnKycVza-ZkfEZ_NvnUpkwxdOIui8rDYLvGGVASds5/s1600/IMG_20190907_1147423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1474" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFAX2UoyoKV7E8Qy0u3p6QsBQ0beX3dpkmLE2ReEeqxKIfJFEDPFcSGS7-ijVQFniyVa40m0BwRTQY3fyIijXnY_RcLkMyVW3aXOnKycVza-ZkfEZ_NvnUpkwxdOIui8rDYLvGGVASds5/s320/IMG_20190907_1147423.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ4tgHgNKvivaUKttZtaJWNBept_Ot0XS5b1S_cHvcKjs0UAh9NXV4_T_pTh7ob7qYMuLYJUBxNp3wzdK5ij06q3NdzI_afunR-PyymWGALmy3nZSiynzZ7_gJ5Bks701I68qhLOhnoHL/s1600/IMG_20190824_1202181+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ4tgHgNKvivaUKttZtaJWNBept_Ot0XS5b1S_cHvcKjs0UAh9NXV4_T_pTh7ob7qYMuLYJUBxNp3wzdK5ij06q3NdzI_afunR-PyymWGALmy3nZSiynzZ7_gJ5Bks701I68qhLOhnoHL/s1600/IMG_20190824_1202181+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In two weeks, Capital University students will
be coming to <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">help weed, water, mow and plant radishes. We are not finished at the SACG by a longshot. </span></span></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-5918633848058566632019-07-04T15:28:00.001-04:002020-01-11T18:52:24.805-05:00Jubilee to Leaf Spot<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkDLLh7fBwl7Nr7oIt_59WOoB6Kej9Yy_kwpVKBNV2oaleWneOHYoE9VEDRt3LEeYVqIOAKMjGnii1bbjWjcgs6yaMurLxqenRccXDAH-1n1ZlOVaFoEvN1-J-GtedzfEhZA2UmXIVQYu/s1600/IMG_20190622_1139283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="846" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkDLLh7fBwl7Nr7oIt_59WOoB6Kej9Yy_kwpVKBNV2oaleWneOHYoE9VEDRt3LEeYVqIOAKMjGnii1bbjWjcgs6yaMurLxqenRccXDAH-1n1ZlOVaFoEvN1-J-GtedzfEhZA2UmXIVQYu/s320/IMG_20190622_1139283.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>The Stoddart Avenue Community Garden survived our wet June and the early July heat wave, where we went a whopping 8 days without measurable rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our black raspberries are reaching the end of their season, but peaches are coming along nicely and our blueberries are better than ever (albeit a little small).<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We are also on pace for our weekly food pantry donations.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span> However, all of the humidity has exacerbated a new problem: Cherry Leaf Spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br />I noticed that an abnormal number of our cherry tree leaves had turned bright yellow and were dropping off all of our tart cherry trees (which just gave us such a great harvest).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a few photos and emailed them to Mike and Tim at OSU Extension. They both agreed that it looked like <a href="https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-fru-40">Cherry Leaf Spot</a>. My failure to prune a tree and our humidity are adding to the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We now need to rake up all of their leaves and put them in the lawn waste bags to cart the pathogen off the property or it will be even worse next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spores drop to the ground with the leaves and then infect the leaves in the Spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One more thing to <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">do.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ0fd4wT23rbXo8JTTS6zMXg2ZzeQDz4chs73GDYTFQdVRrif1YEIGHKDgJkrt1IGYuzYpHf2AuapDka5Qi61JtFpSaL1GZG7Udd_qDiXFMSNwaFXYR79vBuNxCF_2nDNB6fuyZ8PEUlR/s1600/IMG_20190702_1220500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1453" data-original-width="968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ0fd4wT23rbXo8JTTS6zMXg2ZzeQDz4chs73GDYTFQdVRrif1YEIGHKDgJkrt1IGYuzYpHf2AuapDka5Qi61JtFpSaL1GZG7Udd_qDiXFMSNwaFXYR79vBuNxCF_2nDNB6fuyZ8PEUlR/s320/IMG_20190702_1220500.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br />Luckily, we have continued to enjoy the support of the Community Service volunteers from the Environmental Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leigh Ann drops them off around 10 and picks the up around noon. They help to weed, water, mow, prune brambles, harvest for our weekly food pantry donation, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With last week’s heat wave, that has been invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG4KwRrh5ZK-s8aUajMtr_OugQqAkCgyUqnNgj0NB1I3RN-Dmyeju3SBVUSzXo-p8QVSsomL9tijWmTgVy5vVbcptJvM5T40rhEIyYphog8bdsVbhI5sTHQjVYzrRpCoFTI5NwfGbho7l/s1600/IMG_20190629_1154242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1279" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG4KwRrh5ZK-s8aUajMtr_OugQqAkCgyUqnNgj0NB1I3RN-Dmyeju3SBVUSzXo-p8QVSsomL9tijWmTgVy5vVbcptJvM5T40rhEIyYphog8bdsVbhI5sTHQjVYzrRpCoFTI5NwfGbho7l/s320/IMG_20190629_1154242.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Because of the Saturday closure of the LSS Food Pantry at Champion and Frebis, I am now driving every week to Faith Mission’s Homeless Shelter for our weekly donation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been mostly cherries and berries so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We aren’t growing kale and collards any more in the food pantry plots so that I do not have to rush to make the donation each Saturday afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Loose leafed kale and collards must be refrigerated within two hours of harvest, or sooner in this heat).<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeFrigSwl9WUt_Av_NS2TqF6X0sDFJTT0ZNrQ7bLvEIfqWF3AIMBRIhpJzSUr8Pw7xvZhG9EXQZoRtPOsfJVq0gVOXZA8AKM2cMMlxOWkROWs-bKh64JYMoBv_-CyOgBbyZmsNd0Hsf89/s1600/Donations+By+Type.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="780" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeFrigSwl9WUt_Av_NS2TqF6X0sDFJTT0ZNrQ7bLvEIfqWF3AIMBRIhpJzSUr8Pw7xvZhG9EXQZoRtPOsfJVq0gVOXZA8AKM2cMMlxOWkROWs-bKh64JYMoBv_-CyOgBbyZmsNd0Hsf89/s320/Donations+By+Type.jpg" width="320" /></a>Charlie and I spent over an hour watering this <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">week because I was not optimistic that it would rain, but an hour after we finished for the evening, we received a half inch of rain and almost an equal amount the following evening.</span> </span>Simon came and helped me to cut back the brambles, water and fertilize some of the food pantry plots on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not bring his tribe with him, so he had more time to help.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNVijognn0r8-IZJtIPhMmIz7CB18fFR8g-PqA14BiZkCxuET0ZWdpo1wimeEJa8I3LD4g0Y4kt3Nm2B-suzwulBJ8ozwEyyklkKEcadHnbii4vT6rUGM20HGuvnXSekNmg8X7oBcQGtt/s1600/Donation+Distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="537" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNVijognn0r8-IZJtIPhMmIz7CB18fFR8g-PqA14BiZkCxuET0ZWdpo1wimeEJa8I3LD4g0Y4kt3Nm2B-suzwulBJ8ozwEyyklkKEcadHnbii4vT6rUGM20HGuvnXSekNmg8X7oBcQGtt/s320/Donation+Distribution.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Straders has continued to make large seedling donations to GCGC and the SACG has benefitted from this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to plant a flat of bell peppers in our food pantry plot, as well as some cucumbers and squash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This week, they donated a lot of flowers, such as begonias, petunias and painted daisies, which Amy helped me to plant in the flower beds and a couple of repurposed planters that I found along a Bexley curb in May during Bexley’s Freecycle event.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHQInI9NJZVKn6vKOJMzVS_lZWRgR2zV_5kPqXXqj0GyWWr-t6d5VZwnu6_rBJFdCXzJhGCP5K4B2HYxCIvaPVDHVeA5rk1UM1VKl1IOxy2XEwhqj5fObxIobD4kW70jCdUlGhUTFjziv/s1600/Donations+Year+over+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="646" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHQInI9NJZVKn6vKOJMzVS_lZWRgR2zV_5kPqXXqj0GyWWr-t6d5VZwnu6_rBJFdCXzJhGCP5K4B2HYxCIvaPVDHVeA5rk1UM1VKl1IOxy2XEwhqj5fObxIobD4kW70jCdUlGhUTFjziv/s320/Donations+Year+over+Year.jpg" width="320" /></a>Our raspberry brambles are attempting to take <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">over the Garden.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually find the best berries hiding under canes and weeds, but it’s getting too hot to deal with them, so I’ve started to prune them back a bit earlier this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pruning keeps the long canes from reaching the ground and setting roots and promotes bushiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br />I tested our peaches last week and they are not ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tested ones on the ground, but should not because there was a reason that they had fallen. Yuck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will leave it to your imagination what I found when I cut into it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrIdLXIZ-e97napsxAF0Hs4B8tfizT4o0XjBRdJMaYAKbfbf-6kRulkt0WAH2xvV8eedZ3MgKD5y5uK2oJlhYZMiZLeRGU9b1xLx5qP0O1CVu6YllLTQCxwVXsYPONkF6U8Quiphu_Grm/s1600/IMG_20190701_2108413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1061" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrIdLXIZ-e97napsxAF0Hs4B8tfizT4o0XjBRdJMaYAKbfbf-6kRulkt0WAH2xvV8eedZ3MgKD5y5uK2oJlhYZMiZLeRGU9b1xLx5qP0O1CVu6YllLTQCxwVXsYPONkF6U8Quiphu_Grm/s320/IMG_20190701_2108413.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>I'm feeling pretty good about the SACG this year. We have so far not had any problem with critters. Unlike some community gardens, I placed a great premium on an appropriate fence to keep varmits out. While there is not a lot that one can do about deer and squirrels, they have not found us yet. Another nearby community garden is overrun with rabbits and groundhogs and maybe even a few deer. It's almost impossible to grow beans there and all of the gardeners have to invest in their own fencing and netting because that garden's fence is only aesthetic; it does not keep out any critters of any kind.<br /><br />As for squirrels, the number in my backyard seem to have mysteriously decreased this year. Nonetheless, I am attempting to protect my three best tomato plants by covering them with bird netting. I am hoping that will keep the squirrels from eating my best tomatoes. It looks like I will have a bumper crop. Besides, I grow cherry tomatoes along my fence and the squirrels will be able to eat those. They already ate my sunflower. Grr.<br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-40610632306117998012019-07-04T15:28:00.000-04:002019-07-04T16:41:34.801-04:00Jubilee to Leaf Spot<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkDLLh7fBwl7Nr7oIt_59WOoB6Kej9Yy_kwpVKBNV2oaleWneOHYoE9VEDRt3LEeYVqIOAKMjGnii1bbjWjcgs6yaMurLxqenRccXDAH-1n1ZlOVaFoEvN1-J-GtedzfEhZA2UmXIVQYu/s1600/IMG_20190622_1139283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="846" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkDLLh7fBwl7Nr7oIt_59WOoB6Kej9Yy_kwpVKBNV2oaleWneOHYoE9VEDRt3LEeYVqIOAKMjGnii1bbjWjcgs6yaMurLxqenRccXDAH-1n1ZlOVaFoEvN1-J-GtedzfEhZA2UmXIVQYu/s320/IMG_20190622_1139283.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
The Stoddart Avenue Community Garden survived our wet June
and the early July heat wave, where we went a whopping 8 days without
measurable rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our black raspberries
are reaching the end of their season, but peaches are coming along nicely and
our blueberries are better than ever (albeit a little small).<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We are also on pace for our weekly food
pantry donations.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span> However, all of
the humidity has exacerbated a new problem: Cherry Leaf Spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
I noticed that an abnormal number of our cherry tree leaves
had turned bright yellow and were dropping off all of our tart cherry trees
(which just gave us such a great harvest).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a few photos and emailed
them to Mike and Tim at OSU Extension. They both agreed that it looked like <a href="https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-fru-40">Cherry Leaf Spot</a>.
My failure to prune a tree and our humidity are adding to the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We now need to rake up all of their leaves
and put them in the lawn waste bags to cart the pathogen off the property or it
will be even worse next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spores
drop to the ground with the leaves and then infect the leaves in the
Spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One more thing to <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">do.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ0fd4wT23rbXo8JTTS6zMXg2ZzeQDz4chs73GDYTFQdVRrif1YEIGHKDgJkrt1IGYuzYpHf2AuapDka5Qi61JtFpSaL1GZG7Udd_qDiXFMSNwaFXYR79vBuNxCF_2nDNB6fuyZ8PEUlR/s1600/IMG_20190702_1220500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1453" data-original-width="968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ0fd4wT23rbXo8JTTS6zMXg2ZzeQDz4chs73GDYTFQdVRrif1YEIGHKDgJkrt1IGYuzYpHf2AuapDka5Qi61JtFpSaL1GZG7Udd_qDiXFMSNwaFXYR79vBuNxCF_2nDNB6fuyZ8PEUlR/s320/IMG_20190702_1220500.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Luckily, we have continued to enjoy the support of the
Community Service volunteers from the Environmental Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leigh Ann drops them off around 10 and picks
the up around noon. They help to weed, water, mow, prune brambles, harvest for
our weekly food pantry donation, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With last week’s heat wave, that has been invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG4KwRrh5ZK-s8aUajMtr_OugQqAkCgyUqnNgj0NB1I3RN-Dmyeju3SBVUSzXo-p8QVSsomL9tijWmTgVy5vVbcptJvM5T40rhEIyYphog8bdsVbhI5sTHQjVYzrRpCoFTI5NwfGbho7l/s1600/IMG_20190629_1154242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1279" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG4KwRrh5ZK-s8aUajMtr_OugQqAkCgyUqnNgj0NB1I3RN-Dmyeju3SBVUSzXo-p8QVSsomL9tijWmTgVy5vVbcptJvM5T40rhEIyYphog8bdsVbhI5sTHQjVYzrRpCoFTI5NwfGbho7l/s320/IMG_20190629_1154242.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Because of the Saturday closure of the LSS Food Pantry at
Champion and Frebis, I am now driving every week to Faith Mission’s Homeless
Shelter for our weekly donation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
been mostly cherries and berries so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We aren’t growing kale and collards any more in the food pantry plots so
that I do not have to rush to make the donation each Saturday afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Loose leafed kale and collards must be
refrigerated within two hours of harvest, or sooner in this heat).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeFrigSwl9WUt_Av_NS2TqF6X0sDFJTT0ZNrQ7bLvEIfqWF3AIMBRIhpJzSUr8Pw7xvZhG9EXQZoRtPOsfJVq0gVOXZA8AKM2cMMlxOWkROWs-bKh64JYMoBv_-CyOgBbyZmsNd0Hsf89/s1600/Donations+By+Type.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="780" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeFrigSwl9WUt_Av_NS2TqF6X0sDFJTT0ZNrQ7bLvEIfqWF3AIMBRIhpJzSUr8Pw7xvZhG9EXQZoRtPOsfJVq0gVOXZA8AKM2cMMlxOWkROWs-bKh64JYMoBv_-CyOgBbyZmsNd0Hsf89/s320/Donations+By+Type.jpg" width="320" /></a>Charlie and I spent over an hour watering this <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">week because
I was not optimistic that it would rain, but an hour after we finished for the
evening, we received a half inch of rain and almost an equal amount the
following evening.</span> </span>Simon came and
helped me to cut back the brambles, water and fertilize some of the food pantry
plots on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not bring his
tribe with him, so he had more time to help.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNVijognn0r8-IZJtIPhMmIz7CB18fFR8g-PqA14BiZkCxuET0ZWdpo1wimeEJa8I3LD4g0Y4kt3Nm2B-suzwulBJ8ozwEyyklkKEcadHnbii4vT6rUGM20HGuvnXSekNmg8X7oBcQGtt/s1600/Donation+Distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="537" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNVijognn0r8-IZJtIPhMmIz7CB18fFR8g-PqA14BiZkCxuET0ZWdpo1wimeEJa8I3LD4g0Y4kt3Nm2B-suzwulBJ8ozwEyyklkKEcadHnbii4vT6rUGM20HGuvnXSekNmg8X7oBcQGtt/s320/Donation+Distribution.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Straders has continued to make large seedling donations to
GCGC and the SACG has benefitted from this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was able to plant a flat of bell peppers in our food pantry plot, as
well as some cucumbers and squash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
week, they donated a lot of flowers, such as begonias, petunias and painted
daisies, which Amy helped me to plant in the flower beds and a couple of repurposed
planters that I found along a Bexley curb in May during Bexley’s Freecycle
event.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHQInI9NJZVKn6vKOJMzVS_lZWRgR2zV_5kPqXXqj0GyWWr-t6d5VZwnu6_rBJFdCXzJhGCP5K4B2HYxCIvaPVDHVeA5rk1UM1VKl1IOxy2XEwhqj5fObxIobD4kW70jCdUlGhUTFjziv/s1600/Donations+Year+over+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="646" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHQInI9NJZVKn6vKOJMzVS_lZWRgR2zV_5kPqXXqj0GyWWr-t6d5VZwnu6_rBJFdCXzJhGCP5K4B2HYxCIvaPVDHVeA5rk1UM1VKl1IOxy2XEwhqj5fObxIobD4kW70jCdUlGhUTFjziv/s320/Donations+Year+over+Year.jpg" width="320" /></a>Our raspberry brambles are attempting to take <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">over the
Garden.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually find the best berries
hiding under canes and weeds, but it’s getting too hot to deal with them, so I’ve
started to prune them back a bit earlier this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pruning keeps the long canes from reaching
the ground and setting roots and promotes bushiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
I tested our peaches last week and they are not ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tested ones on the ground, but should not because
there was a reason that they had fallen. Yuck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will leave it to your imagination what I found when I cut into it.<br />
<br />
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I'm feeling pretty good about the SACG this year. We have so far not had any problem with critters. Unlike some community gardens, I placed a great premium on an appropriate fence to keep varmits out. While there is not a lot that one can do about deer and squirrels, they have not found us yet. Another nearby community garden is overrun with rabbits and groundhogs and maybe even a few deer. It's almost impossible to grow beans there and all of the gardeners have to invest in their own fencing and netting because that garden's fence is only aesthetic; it does not keep out any critters of any kind.<br />
<br />
As for squirrels, the number in my backyard seem to have mysteriously decreased this year. Nonetheless, I am attempting to protect my three best tomato plants by covering them with bird netting. I am hoping that will keep the squirrels from eating my best tomatoes. It looks like I will have a bumper crop. Besides, I grow cherry tomatoes along my fence and the squirrels will be able to eat those. They already ate my sunflower. Grr.<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-49565938652202441782019-06-21T11:24:00.004-04:002020-01-11T18:52:24.902-05:00Cherry Jubilee at the SACG Like a Well Watered Garden <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHyD_ZiFT4TcXKV3D_d168MgS4hSrePs2F_cxRazxV57-8Tv6GZY5XSb4d3Qnb1hPVFv7PSOwSdPmJ51V5Cr1hH41x6Z1l18SjWixKzI_XTBfSAb6itvElq2-X4v56tKU8BH_fpBVy5fQ/s1600/IMG_20190615_1200262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1520" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHyD_ZiFT4TcXKV3D_d168MgS4hSrePs2F_cxRazxV57-8Tv6GZY5XSb4d3Qnb1hPVFv7PSOwSdPmJ51V5Cr1hH41x6Z1l18SjWixKzI_XTBfSAb6itvElq2-X4v56tKU8BH_fpBVy5fQ/s320/IMG_20190615_1200262.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We are three quarters of the way through June at the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden and this month has been dominated by a bumper crop of cherries and strawberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Environmental Court has again been sending us Community Service volunteers who have helped tremendously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have also hosted elementary school students from the Urban Connections annual Bible camp and they have picked over 8 pounds of fresh cherries and black raspberries that we donated to Salvation Army’s food pantry down the street. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dPOYX2am8bcOolqEKIpH9IE9pyY96f6XvmO-h-ohpv98np4CzFMJ49t_Ff9TYRlGWAZabSvOwW8DROHFbrH76Mmod-ImwePpiZ0sI1wwxJRKf8zKJrWArMxF0zPrmCAG-IftZICzbONa/s1600/IMG_20190608_1231333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="854" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dPOYX2am8bcOolqEKIpH9IE9pyY96f6XvmO-h-ohpv98np4CzFMJ49t_Ff9TYRlGWAZabSvOwW8DROHFbrH76Mmod-ImwePpiZ0sI1wwxJRKf8zKJrWArMxF0zPrmCAG-IftZICzbONa/s320/IMG_20190608_1231333.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>At the end of May, Charlie scavenged a discarded wheelbarrow and then built new handles for it so t<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">hat we could upgrade from the holey wheelbarrow he bought for $5 eight years ago that we have been using since that time.</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This “new” one is much bigger and can carry more (without losing valuable compost through a hole in the corner).<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ztxOQcdoIA3OhG6uiIvNMX7KQtkQgJLWOnEeBY_qKYkuUypuG4vijYjf0G_Iy9iqmZTZ2I_KRmGLL6Bb1nQbtKC2EMyFDVfPM6yd2OGWCOnjtN3kE2dwoK_BdU1BuM6j6Py2oCbbT6Sy/s1600/IMG_20190619_1932382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="953" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ztxOQcdoIA3OhG6uiIvNMX7KQtkQgJLWOnEeBY_qKYkuUypuG4vijYjf0G_Iy9iqmZTZ2I_KRmGLL6Bb1nQbtKC2EMyFDVfPM6yd2OGWCOnjtN3kE2dwoK_BdU1BuM6j6Py2oCbbT6Sy/s320/IMG_20190619_1932382.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>During the first weekend in June, Strader’s made a monster donation of melons, basil and cucumbers to the Greater Columbus Growing Coalition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a flat of each and then Amy helped me to plant a load of cantaloupes, watermelons and cucumbers in our food pantry plots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is going to be the year of the fruit at the SACG. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charlie even installed a trellis so that we could grow cucumbers vertically to save space. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, our neighbor Isaias, stopped by and donated 8 partially grown canna lilies for our flower beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had received a bunch from the Kossuth Community Garden a few years ago and they did great for a few years, but none of them came back last year. Isaias reminded me that I need to dig them up for the winter and replant them each Spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s see if I remember or have the energy . . . . . .<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E7mzEj6kKCc_YNszfaP5dlZR7hTYJZrFAaBabmCQ9ZM4p-6YRHk44XrpxeSaCwIT_uxtdHpkEsB2oxQmgl2zMSY9r2UYsL_TYaM1hQq0TytmJXce6e7AIM3RA6RDe0b7qwMhorJaVUq6/s1600/IMG_20190608_1243357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="928" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E7mzEj6kKCc_YNszfaP5dlZR7hTYJZrFAaBabmCQ9ZM4p-6YRHk44XrpxeSaCwIT_uxtdHpkEsB2oxQmgl2zMSY9r2UYsL_TYaM1hQq0TytmJXce6e7AIM3RA6RDe0b7qwMhorJaVUq6/s320/IMG_20190608_1243357.jpg" width="213" /></a>I was delighted to hear back from the Environmental<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Court about <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">again receiving Community Service volunteers.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had not had any since September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put them to work weeding and they exceeded my expectations (despite making a few rookie mistakes). This was the first group of volunteers in my life that attacked weeding the brambles with gusto. They also insisted on digging weeds out by their roots instead of just pulling the vine. They also edged, harvested sweet bing cherries and strawberries for our first Faith Mission donation of the year, transplanted the extra Strader donations of basil and cucumbers, carried a few bags of mulch for me, and hauled and spread compost in the large food pantry plot. And they bagged everything and dragged those lawn waste bags down to the alley. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONGN5aWOq1HvznA4GJiCr5qKdynd9OLjuNEEPPtR2hR86serbpjDqp1J9wIAB12TYl6w5t7DpHy4OWZV6Os8govz8ArfgCuDx1DojouphYibs5e-mgd9rLQ7bfUdOPn-Vjz1ymL2K0vWM/s1600/IMG_20190608_1234074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1471" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONGN5aWOq1HvznA4GJiCr5qKdynd9OLjuNEEPPtR2hR86serbpjDqp1J9wIAB12TYl6w5t7DpHy4OWZV6Os8govz8ArfgCuDx1DojouphYibs5e-mgd9rLQ7bfUdOPn-Vjz1ymL2K0vWM/s320/IMG_20190608_1234074.jpg" width="320" /></a>One of them returned the following week with another group to help me help the North Bexley Community Garden weed and spread mulch (and move compost bags) and then returned with me to the SACG to pick tart pie cherries to donate to Faith Mission, mow our lawn and weed the paths. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This last week, a different one returned with the group and they picked even more tart pie cherries for me to take to Faith Mission, and turned over all of our compost bins to help it decompose faster (and uncovering the compost that had been created over the last six months).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br />We had a bit of excitement one Wednesday evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, an illegal dumper was dumping construction waste from the back of his pickup truck into our neighbor’s dumpster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I probably should be glad that he was not simply dumping it into the alley, I confronted him and told him to move along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He insisted that he lived there, but I knew better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should have photographed his license plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few minutes later, a very excited young man came running into our front lawn, ducked behind some trees and then did a jig holding a fifth of booze in each hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 30 seconds later, a much older man came running down East Main Street whistling for a police officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to think that the two incidents were related.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young man then hightailed it East in the alley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, as I packed up for the evening, a homeless fellow came by for a drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him two cans of ensure and he thanked me for helping him out over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mMaof4jWPaCTVA5_voKNf3hpa1dGf6eGez7Jha9ZgYT2STXIzxI35gup1uyoq8mIQz6t2croN-V4990KqX2cgLIFpjPu5q40_K3ixNjQDjDnWuxvBygkX7fgkj_Wy1dDKjnOFQnMs-60/s1600/IMG_20190615_0947233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1429" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mMaof4jWPaCTVA5_voKNf3hpa1dGf6eGez7Jha9ZgYT2STXIzxI35gup1uyoq8mIQz6t2croN-V4990KqX2cgLIFpjPu5q40_K3ixNjQDjDnWuxvBygkX7fgkj_Wy1dDKjnOFQnMs-60/s320/IMG_20190615_0947233.jpg" width="320" /></a>Then, Charlie told me that the postal worker had left a water bill for us on our gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On our gate!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do not have a mailbox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We registered for water last August and gave the Water Division our mailing address, but they had been mailing bills to the Garden – a vacant lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gee whiz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I emailed them to complain because they were assessing us – to my surprise – with a monthly fee (even though we disconnected the meter in November and did not reconnect it until Memorial Day weekend – and had never turned the water on yet).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They apologized and waived the late fees, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had not budgeted for a monthly water bill when we have never used the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had the water lines installed in case we have another drought like in 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our rain tanks usually run dry once or twice a year, and the City only fills it for us once (for free).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, as soon as we had the water lines installed, Central Ohio turned into a rain forest with inches of rain almost every week. Ironic, ne’st pas?<br /><br /><br />Our black raspberries are coming into peak season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My nephew-in-law, Simon, came with his five <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">babies to pick cherries and berries. </span>They had such a good time that they are going to take a raised bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The berries did not survive the van ride back home, but there are more where they came from.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU0wCWxTDd700h0krhADqHVZOak6ZMWAnbgeIy3onf8nAkT42YCAlxamCd2oH-Qh4-NBKb2l0uxoZgxqG7KgF6seCYGHGgkfcYtl9Z0dlcrDm8dSEM6Fkx4zGQ2w9h2lG2Hfc3L5U0ynp/s1600/UC+Picking+Cherries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU0wCWxTDd700h0krhADqHVZOak6ZMWAnbgeIy3onf8nAkT42YCAlxamCd2oH-Qh4-NBKb2l0uxoZgxqG7KgF6seCYGHGgkfcYtl9Z0dlcrDm8dSEM6Fkx4zGQ2w9h2lG2Hfc3L5U0ynp/s320/UC+Picking+Cherries.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Urban Connections received grants from the United Way and the Columbus Foundation this year to work with the SACG and other community partners for its annual Bible Day Camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year’s theme is Growing Together in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to visits to the Conservatory’s children’s garden, Slate Run Farm, and the Scioto Audubon Metro Park, the kids and the volunteers from Gallion's Alliance Church participated in crafts and bible study. I gave two lessons and took them back to the SACG to volunteer for about 30 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our first lesson was about the parable of sowing seeds and was to have been followed with weeding (since we’re mostly fully planted by now).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, our CS volunteers did a pretty good job of weeding for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I showed them Paul’s weedy plot (which he then weeded the next day) and put them to work picking cherries and berries that I then took to the Salvation Army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, the next lesson was about the many passages where God promises to bless us like a watered garden (and other passages about rain and living water, etc.) to be followed by helping me to water the food pantry plots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, you know what they say about best laid plans, it rained two inches the night before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we picked more cherries and lots of black raspberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The pastor's wife pulled our forest of thistles growing along our southwestern fence. Bless her heart. She also weeded our blueberry bushes (and spared the volunteer petunias). </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEykc9ETnYVDHshcOzEQslGuVEC_Wi7QQirHesIIs1j_fklr5fRXaAOUYYyh9rC0ZMzn7WHV2JdTNLSYc7Hdxiz94WlLLMd3qa1gAFVyuPpK2SqjGT1i4KPGSYkSbFnXsLUKsQS_bY18v/s1600/IMG_20190618_1019275+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1418" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEykc9ETnYVDHshcOzEQslGuVEC_Wi7QQirHesIIs1j_fklr5fRXaAOUYYyh9rC0ZMzn7WHV2JdTNLSYc7Hdxiz94WlLLMd3qa1gAFVyuPpK2SqjGT1i4KPGSYkSbFnXsLUKsQS_bY18v/s320/IMG_20190618_1019275+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a>We had a bumper crop of tart pie cherries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some years, we do not have time to pick them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">this year, I’ve managed to convince enough people to help themselves and even bring their own ladders. </span> </span>I made a pie, made and canned cherry-almond jam, and canned a few pints myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our black raspberries are not quite as plentiful as in past years and I blame our fence straightening project for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We usually have a black raspberry festival (with plant and bake sale), but this week’s rain has scared me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year, it started raining after only an hour and that was a lot of wasted work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, now that we will not be having it, it will probably be dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s always the way, right?<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylmMdFBB3pOrOCht9AYptc10xX_6yq2yQxL2n_eu5roVBs308to8UAPcgOuNdrgmehWGh6yqtGNI5zQS00ceCv9e92L2yh6xeMoLKScorrzkw_zN0E5CXnTmFd75m7SB1IMlBlUOIicP_/s1600/IMG_20190619_1933007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylmMdFBB3pOrOCht9AYptc10xX_6yq2yQxL2n_eu5roVBs308to8UAPcgOuNdrgmehWGh6yqtGNI5zQS00ceCv9e92L2yh6xeMoLKScorrzkw_zN0E5CXnTmFd75m7SB1IMlBlUOIicP_/s320/IMG_20190619_1933007.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Our overly abundant rain has not hurt us too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike some gardens, we have a slight incline so that none of the rain pools or floods us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our peas are giant and popping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kale has been gigantic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Oh and the grapes are gigantic and plentiful. I cannot wait until they change colors. </span>It is sometimes hard to keep up with the weeds, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have never had as many thistles as this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-21716214372431247942019-06-21T11:24:00.003-04:002019-06-22T08:42:04.148-04:00Cherry Jubilee at the SACG Like a Well Watered Garden <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHyD_ZiFT4TcXKV3D_d168MgS4hSrePs2F_cxRazxV57-8Tv6GZY5XSb4d3Qnb1hPVFv7PSOwSdPmJ51V5Cr1hH41x6Z1l18SjWixKzI_XTBfSAb6itvElq2-X4v56tKU8BH_fpBVy5fQ/s1600/IMG_20190615_1200262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1520" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHyD_ZiFT4TcXKV3D_d168MgS4hSrePs2F_cxRazxV57-8Tv6GZY5XSb4d3Qnb1hPVFv7PSOwSdPmJ51V5Cr1hH41x6Z1l18SjWixKzI_XTBfSAb6itvElq2-X4v56tKU8BH_fpBVy5fQ/s320/IMG_20190615_1200262.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We are three quarters of the way through June at the
Stoddart Avenue Community Garden and this month has been dominated by a bumper
crop of cherries and strawberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Environmental Court has again been sending us Community Service volunteers who
have helped tremendously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have also
hosted elementary school students from the Urban Connections annual Bible camp
and they have picked over 8 pounds of fresh cherries and black raspberries that
we donated to Salvation Army’s food pantry down the street. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dPOYX2am8bcOolqEKIpH9IE9pyY96f6XvmO-h-ohpv98np4CzFMJ49t_Ff9TYRlGWAZabSvOwW8DROHFbrH76Mmod-ImwePpiZ0sI1wwxJRKf8zKJrWArMxF0zPrmCAG-IftZICzbONa/s1600/IMG_20190608_1231333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="854" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dPOYX2am8bcOolqEKIpH9IE9pyY96f6XvmO-h-ohpv98np4CzFMJ49t_Ff9TYRlGWAZabSvOwW8DROHFbrH76Mmod-ImwePpiZ0sI1wwxJRKf8zKJrWArMxF0zPrmCAG-IftZICzbONa/s320/IMG_20190608_1231333.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
At the end of May, Charlie scavenged a discarded wheelbarrow
and then built new handles for it so t<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">hat we could upgrade from the holey
wheelbarrow he bought for $5 eight years ago that we have been using since that
time.</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This “new” one is much bigger and
can carry more (without losing valuable compost through a hole in the corner).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ztxOQcdoIA3OhG6uiIvNMX7KQtkQgJLWOnEeBY_qKYkuUypuG4vijYjf0G_Iy9iqmZTZ2I_KRmGLL6Bb1nQbtKC2EMyFDVfPM6yd2OGWCOnjtN3kE2dwoK_BdU1BuM6j6Py2oCbbT6Sy/s1600/IMG_20190619_1932382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="953" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ztxOQcdoIA3OhG6uiIvNMX7KQtkQgJLWOnEeBY_qKYkuUypuG4vijYjf0G_Iy9iqmZTZ2I_KRmGLL6Bb1nQbtKC2EMyFDVfPM6yd2OGWCOnjtN3kE2dwoK_BdU1BuM6j6Py2oCbbT6Sy/s320/IMG_20190619_1932382.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
During the first weekend in June, Strader’s made a monster
donation of melons, basil and cucumbers to the Greater Columbus Growing
Coalition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a flat of each and
then Amy helped me to plant a load of cantaloupes, watermelons and cucumbers in
our food pantry plots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is going to
be the year of the fruit at the SACG. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charlie even installed a trellis so that we
could grow cucumbers vertically to save space. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, our neighbor Isaias, stopped by and
donated 8 partially grown canna lilies for our flower beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had received a bunch from the Kossuth
Community Garden a few years ago and they did great for a few years, but none
of them came back last year. Isaias reminded me that I need to dig them up for
the winter and replant them each Spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s see if I remember or have the energy . . . . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E7mzEj6kKCc_YNszfaP5dlZR7hTYJZrFAaBabmCQ9ZM4p-6YRHk44XrpxeSaCwIT_uxtdHpkEsB2oxQmgl2zMSY9r2UYsL_TYaM1hQq0TytmJXce6e7AIM3RA6RDe0b7qwMhorJaVUq6/s1600/IMG_20190608_1243357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="928" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E7mzEj6kKCc_YNszfaP5dlZR7hTYJZrFAaBabmCQ9ZM4p-6YRHk44XrpxeSaCwIT_uxtdHpkEsB2oxQmgl2zMSY9r2UYsL_TYaM1hQq0TytmJXce6e7AIM3RA6RDe0b7qwMhorJaVUq6/s320/IMG_20190608_1243357.jpg" width="213" /></a>I was delighted to hear back from the Environmental<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Court about <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">again receiving Community Service
volunteers.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had not had any since
September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put them to work weeding
and they exceeded my expectations (despite making a few rookie mistakes).
This was the first group of volunteers in my life that attacked weeding the
brambles with gusto. They also insisted on digging weeds out by their
roots instead of just pulling the vine. They also edged, harvested sweet
bing cherries and strawberries for our first Faith Mission donation of the
year, transplanted the extra Strader donations of basil and cucumbers, carried
a few bags of mulch for me, and hauled and spread compost in the large food
pantry plot. And they bagged everything and dragged those lawn waste bags
down to the alley. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONGN5aWOq1HvznA4GJiCr5qKdynd9OLjuNEEPPtR2hR86serbpjDqp1J9wIAB12TYl6w5t7DpHy4OWZV6Os8govz8ArfgCuDx1DojouphYibs5e-mgd9rLQ7bfUdOPn-Vjz1ymL2K0vWM/s1600/IMG_20190608_1234074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1471" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONGN5aWOq1HvznA4GJiCr5qKdynd9OLjuNEEPPtR2hR86serbpjDqp1J9wIAB12TYl6w5t7DpHy4OWZV6Os8govz8ArfgCuDx1DojouphYibs5e-mgd9rLQ7bfUdOPn-Vjz1ymL2K0vWM/s320/IMG_20190608_1234074.jpg" width="320" /></a>One of them returned the following week with another group
to help me help the North Bexley Community Garden weed and spread mulch (and
move compost bags) and then returned with me to the SACG to pick tart pie cherries
to donate to Faith Mission, mow our lawn and weed the paths. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This last week, a different one returned with the group and they picked even more tart pie
cherries for me to take to Faith Mission, and turned over all of our compost
bins to help it decompose faster (and uncovering the compost that had been
created over the last six months).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<br />
We had a bit of excitement one Wednesday evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, an illegal dumper was dumping
construction waste from the back of his pickup truck into our neighbor’s
dumpster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I probably should be
glad that he was not simply dumping it into the alley, I confronted him and
told him to move along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He insisted that
he lived there, but I knew better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
should have photographed his license plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A few minutes later, a very excited young man came running into our
front lawn, ducked behind some trees and then did a jig holding a fifth of
booze in each hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 30 seconds
later, a much older man came running down East Main Street whistling for a
police officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to think that the
two incidents were related.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young
man then hightailed it East in the alley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, as I packed up for the evening, a homeless fellow came by for a
drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him two cans of ensure and
he thanked me for helping him out over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mMaof4jWPaCTVA5_voKNf3hpa1dGf6eGez7Jha9ZgYT2STXIzxI35gup1uyoq8mIQz6t2croN-V4990KqX2cgLIFpjPu5q40_K3ixNjQDjDnWuxvBygkX7fgkj_Wy1dDKjnOFQnMs-60/s1600/IMG_20190615_0947233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1429" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mMaof4jWPaCTVA5_voKNf3hpa1dGf6eGez7Jha9ZgYT2STXIzxI35gup1uyoq8mIQz6t2croN-V4990KqX2cgLIFpjPu5q40_K3ixNjQDjDnWuxvBygkX7fgkj_Wy1dDKjnOFQnMs-60/s320/IMG_20190615_0947233.jpg" width="320" /></a>Then, Charlie told me that the postal worker had left a water
bill for us on our gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On our
gate!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do not have a mailbox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We registered for water last August and gave
the Water Division our mailing address, but they had been mailing bills to the
Garden – a vacant lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gee whiz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I emailed them to complain because they were
assessing us – to my surprise – with a monthly fee (even though we disconnected
the meter in November and did not reconnect it until Memorial Day weekend – and
had never turned the water on yet).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
apologized and waived the late fees, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had not budgeted for a monthly water bill when we have never used the
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had the water lines installed in case we
have another drought like in 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
rain tanks usually run dry once or twice a year, and the City only fills it for
us once (for free).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, as soon
as we had the water lines installed, Central Ohio turned into a rain forest
with inches of rain almost every week. Ironic, ne’st pas?<br />
<br />
<br />
Our black raspberries are coming into peak season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My nephew-in-law, Simon, came with his five
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">babies to pick cherries and berries. </span>They had such a good time that they are going to take a raised bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The berries did not survive the van ride back
home, but there are more where they came from.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU0wCWxTDd700h0krhADqHVZOak6ZMWAnbgeIy3onf8nAkT42YCAlxamCd2oH-Qh4-NBKb2l0uxoZgxqG7KgF6seCYGHGgkfcYtl9Z0dlcrDm8dSEM6Fkx4zGQ2w9h2lG2Hfc3L5U0ynp/s1600/UC+Picking+Cherries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU0wCWxTDd700h0krhADqHVZOak6ZMWAnbgeIy3onf8nAkT42YCAlxamCd2oH-Qh4-NBKb2l0uxoZgxqG7KgF6seCYGHGgkfcYtl9Z0dlcrDm8dSEM6Fkx4zGQ2w9h2lG2Hfc3L5U0ynp/s320/UC+Picking+Cherries.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Urban Connections received grants from the United Way and
the Columbus Foundation this year to work with the SACG and other community
partners for its annual Bible Day Camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This year’s theme is Growing Together in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
addition to visits to the Conservatory’s children’s garden, Slate Run Farm, and
the Scioto Audubon Metro Park, the kids and the volunteers from Gallion's Alliance Church participated in crafts and bible study. I gave two lessons and took them back to the
SACG to volunteer for about 30 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our first lesson was about the parable of sowing seeds and was to have
been followed with weeding (since we’re mostly fully planted by now).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, our CS volunteers did a pretty good
job of weeding for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I showed them
Paul’s weedy plot (which he then weeded the next day) and put them to work
picking cherries and berries that I then took to the Salvation Army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, the next lesson was about the many
passages where God promises to bless us like a watered garden (and other
passages about rain and living water, etc.) to be followed by helping me to
water the food pantry plots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
you know what they say about best laid plans, it rained two inches the night
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we picked more cherries and lots of black
raspberries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The pastor's wife pulled our forest of thistles growing along our southwestern fence. Bless her heart. She also weeded our blueberry bushes (and spared the volunteer petunias). </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEykc9ETnYVDHshcOzEQslGuVEC_Wi7QQirHesIIs1j_fklr5fRXaAOUYYyh9rC0ZMzn7WHV2JdTNLSYc7Hdxiz94WlLLMd3qa1gAFVyuPpK2SqjGT1i4KPGSYkSbFnXsLUKsQS_bY18v/s1600/IMG_20190618_1019275+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1418" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEykc9ETnYVDHshcOzEQslGuVEC_Wi7QQirHesIIs1j_fklr5fRXaAOUYYyh9rC0ZMzn7WHV2JdTNLSYc7Hdxiz94WlLLMd3qa1gAFVyuPpK2SqjGT1i4KPGSYkSbFnXsLUKsQS_bY18v/s320/IMG_20190618_1019275+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a>We had a bumper crop of tart pie cherries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some years, we do not have time to pick
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">this year, I’ve managed
to convince enough people to help themselves and even bring their own
ladders. </span> </span>I made a pie, made and canned cherry-almond jam, and canned a few
pints myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our black raspberries are
not quite as plentiful as in past years and I blame our fence straightening
project for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We usually have a
black raspberry festival (with plant and bake sale), but this week’s rain has
scared me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year, it started
raining after only an hour and that was a lot of wasted work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, now that we will not be having
it, it will probably be dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
always the way, right?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylmMdFBB3pOrOCht9AYptc10xX_6yq2yQxL2n_eu5roVBs308to8UAPcgOuNdrgmehWGh6yqtGNI5zQS00ceCv9e92L2yh6xeMoLKScorrzkw_zN0E5CXnTmFd75m7SB1IMlBlUOIicP_/s1600/IMG_20190619_1933007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylmMdFBB3pOrOCht9AYptc10xX_6yq2yQxL2n_eu5roVBs308to8UAPcgOuNdrgmehWGh6yqtGNI5zQS00ceCv9e92L2yh6xeMoLKScorrzkw_zN0E5CXnTmFd75m7SB1IMlBlUOIicP_/s320/IMG_20190619_1933007.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Our overly abundant rain has not hurt us too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike some gardens, we have a slight incline
so that none of the rain pools or floods us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our peas are giant and popping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The kale has been gigantic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Oh and the grapes are gigantic and plentiful. I cannot wait until they change colors. </span>It
is sometimes hard to keep up with the weeds, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have never had as many thistles as this
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205467310807963662.post-81022329720067052092019-06-19T09:32:00.002-04:002020-01-11T18:52:24.995-05:00May Flew By at the SACG<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYVkTG9QlXE2WumMNg7DtcEj3VbzwxptplhKgpGp6YITg9Yfc74bA6m6zRLSwqFMQKWzA3zs_ywLW9Bad7Ojrhv074TQ_dbpejMnMMMPqP5oSVr69zyxEjULVWXbjk8oYxipK2O0cNyrt/s1600/IMG_20190515_2052083+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYVkTG9QlXE2WumMNg7DtcEj3VbzwxptplhKgpGp6YITg9Yfc74bA6m6zRLSwqFMQKWzA3zs_ywLW9Bad7Ojrhv074TQ_dbpejMnMMMPqP5oSVr69zyxEjULVWXbjk8oYxipK2O0cNyrt/s320/IMG_20190515_2052083+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>The Garden Manager is wearing out and is trying to have more fun and not work so much this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When last I reported on the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden in April, our cherry trees were in full bloom and we were expanding the fence braces along the northern edge of the fence before the raspberry brambles took over.<br /><br /><br />Someone finally hauled away the wooden pallets that had been mysteriously placed behind our Free Little Library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whew!<br /><br /><br />OSU arranged for our soil to be tested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our pH was still a bit high, at 7.3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of that compost has a tendency to raise our pH.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I added some aluminum sulfate to my plot and to the food pantry potatoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also added some to our blueberries and WOW they really exploded this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our best crop EVER.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been topping them off every year with peat moss, but apparently that was not acidic enough for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Live and learn.<br /><br /><br />So far, we have only had one gardener drop out – because she moved away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had two new gardeners join us in May, but we never see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One keeps her plot completely weed free, although not much else seems to be growing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other has some tomatoes and squash and is otherwise overrun with weeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ODKh1FFoCDTI5aMmcZ1Rd_3bsBxyB1FieFzMvEkQUFg7fRHHdps4lcYolWUIenoVK1D-vDcwBWKLFdiRX6nmEzoe-zQXu-H8y-wqltkAg1As5JP0Zk3Vl4w5z4_QyX-uzbr8a_AuQDog/s1600/IMG_20190424_1952381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ODKh1FFoCDTI5aMmcZ1Rd_3bsBxyB1FieFzMvEkQUFg7fRHHdps4lcYolWUIenoVK1D-vDcwBWKLFdiRX6nmEzoe-zQXu-H8y-wqltkAg1As5JP0Zk3Vl4w5z4_QyX-uzbr8a_AuQDog/s320/IMG_20190424_1952381.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Our super former Board member, Ken<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turner, took home one of our broken benches early this Spring to fix it and returned it sturdier than it had ever been with all new wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The benches were initially created for Ameriflora (and were stamped with Ameriflora 1992 on the metal frame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Franklin Park Conservatory donated them to us in 2009 shortly after we broke ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have tried to maintain them by sanding and staining every year or so (usually by OSU Pay-It-Forward volunteers in August), but they could not be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have another bench which could use similar treatment, but Ken has run for the hills when I mentioned it . . . . . ha ha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t say I blame him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bet it was a lot of work.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2LUXP8iHCliNmv5gFUFwIPjOe7fvGwvN9FMwgC6kGG4Cppn5i5fGlbElNvevJ0pLjgad4hL0HMfwNCRhlAS9VmSrKXtVkKIrloLrrEHAVRXG6v-9gNflBVMljv9tQ8MfKFr4Sh23gykw/s1600/IMG_20190515_1832345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="909" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2LUXP8iHCliNmv5gFUFwIPjOe7fvGwvN9FMwgC6kGG4Cppn5i5fGlbElNvevJ0pLjgad4hL0HMfwNCRhlAS9VmSrKXtVkKIrloLrrEHAVRXG6v-9gNflBVMljv9tQ8MfKFr4Sh23gykw/s320/IMG_20190515_1832345.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>First Congregational Church held a special offering on Earth Day Sunday for the SACG, Highland Youth, Fourth Street Farms and a garden on the South Side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The treasurer from Highland Youth and I attended the service and stayed afterwards to answer questions and attempt to recruit volunteers, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This unexpected support was much appreciated because we have recently learned that we have to pay a monthly fee to the City of Columbus just for having access to running water even if we never use it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh.<br /><br /><br />May, as usual, was very busy with planting lots of seeds and seedlings between rain drops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sabrina broke my heart by giving up her plot for the season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our new gardener, John, however, has really stepped up to the fill the considerable void that she left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has done a lot of weeding for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Charlie, who comes on most Wednesday evenings, also helps out a lot with installing trellises and posts, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One Saturday, Cathy came with chocolate dipped strawberries for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yumm!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPN5hIT5kHsXlXetycSvAWwiksJ2BXnxB9kEgN2grwuEA4LftK_6ux7aKhmU4IBP8I2MjdNBTJP5pTIgwH0bpnwR-XwIwFEaz_9o34HfqO1eyOFGMeUjmuNc4Y66cu5-jkohR7pYy7tGT/s1600/IMG_20190515_1832423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1028" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPN5hIT5kHsXlXetycSvAWwiksJ2BXnxB9kEgN2grwuEA4LftK_6ux7aKhmU4IBP8I2MjdNBTJP5pTIgwH0bpnwR-XwIwFEaz_9o34HfqO1eyOFGMeUjmuNc4Y66cu5-jkohR7pYy7tGT/s320/IMG_20190515_1832423.jpg" width="213" /></a>The gardeners this year wanted to start their own seeds for <span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">have </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">the most part, so I will be composting tons of extra tomatoes seedlings this year.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no point of giving them away because Straders has donated hundreds of flats of tomato seedlings to GCGC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I am so excited that we are going to have grapes for the first time this year. I know that I should be pruning our vines, but I do not know how. We damaged the white grape vine when we repaired the trellis gate in April, but I'm sure that it will return to vigor by this time next year.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRY2ZQRPR7RV768yndZvZ6gKfjuCpGbbw8hn5jxVV4vZ-e5aw31Mm20Dzda_Y7SJFRwFLio4G8gQOIE3wa9Jm5Aff5twjkQ2ysUTcDFOlQwgebKUayF3bKM8rJLl4ulLTBesFCHN4gnSfB/s1600/IMG_20190529_1940154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRY2ZQRPR7RV768yndZvZ6gKfjuCpGbbw8hn5jxVV4vZ-e5aw31Mm20Dzda_Y7SJFRwFLio4G8gQOIE3wa9Jm5Aff5twjkQ2ysUTcDFOlQwgebKUayF3bKM8rJLl4ulLTBesFCHN4gnSfB/s320/IMG_20190529_1940154.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Our daisies did not disappoint this year and our strawberries came back before Memorial Day so that I could introduce them to a new crop of neighborhood children that moved in between growing seasons. </span><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0