Now Accepting Gardeners for 2011

We are now accepting applications/registrations for the 2011 gardening season. If you would like a garden plot to grow your own fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs, WE’D LIKE YOU TO JOIN US. Plots are only $10 each (and scholarships are available). You will, however, have to plant your own seeds, sometimes supply your own water and fertilizer, pull your own weeds, and harvest your own produce. (We have several barrels and a 550-gallon tank to collect rain which you can use until they run dry). You will also need to volunteer some time to care for the Garden.

You should review the SACG Garden Rules and then sign and return the Garden Agreement.

We encourage all gardeners to donate a portion of their produce to a local food pantry – like the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, the Lutheran Social Services Food Pantry on Champion Avenue or Faith Mission Homeless Shelter. Last year, eleven of our gardeners collectively donated 260 pounds of produce.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Garden Manager at 231-8571 or GardenMgr@gmail.com.

Garden plots will be assigned space permitting on a first-come-first serve basis – with preference given to gardeners from the prior season who also participated in two work days in April and November. The application deadline is April 5, 2011, and we need volunteers on April 9, 2011. If we run out of plots, we will create a wait list with preference given to people who volunteer on April 9, 2011.

Groups and clubs are welcome to share a plot.

Even if you do not want to garden with us this year, please don’t be a stranger. Stop by and say hello when you see us sweating, bending and grunting down the street. Misery loves company.

Now Accepting Gardeners for 2011

We are now accepting applications/registrations for the 2011 gardening season. If you would like a garden plot to grow your own fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs, WE’D LIKE YOU TO JOIN US. Plots are only $10 each (and scholarships are available). You will, however, have to plant your own seeds, sometimes supply your own water and fertilizer, pull your own weeds, and harvest your own produce. (We have several barrels and a 550-gallon tank to collect rain which you can use until they run dry). You will also need to volunteer some time to care for the Garden.

You should review the SACG Garden Rules and then sign and return the Garden Agreement.

We encourage all gardeners to donate a portion of their produce to a local food pantry – like the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, the Lutheran Social Services Food Pantry on Champion Avenue or Faith Mission Homeless Shelter. Last year, eleven of our gardeners collectively donated 260 pounds of produce.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Garden Manager at 231-8571 or GardenMgr@gmail.com.

Garden plots will be assigned space permitting on a first-come-first serve basis – with preference given to gardeners from the prior season who also participated in two work days in April and November. The application deadline is April 5, 2011, and we need volunteers on April 9, 2011. If we run out of plots, we will create a wait list with preference given to people who volunteer on April 9, 2011.

Groups and clubs are welcome to share a plot.

Even if you do not want to garden with us this year, please don’t be a stranger. Stop by and say hello when you see us sweating, bending and grunting down the street. Misery loves company.

Upcoming Gardening Classes at FPC

Franklin Park Conservatory has uncharacteristically posted its educational offerings sufficiently in advance that you might be able to work them into your schedule if you try really hard. This is what's coming up:


For additional information or to register, please call the registrar at 614.645.5923 or Download a registration form here

Food Safety for the Garden
Food safety expert Shari Plimpton, Ph.D., Director, Industry Outreach, CIFT, will discuss the funda-mentals of proper food handling and good agriculture practices for community gardeners, urban growers and those involved in farmers’ markets. Registration required; space limited. Sponsored by Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT), Ohio Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Program and the Conservatory’s Growing to Green Program.
Wednesday, March 2, 6 - 8 pm
Free with Conservatory admission


Fundamentals of Gardening Series
This three-class series will prepare you for the upcoming growing season. Sign up for all three and save.
$40 Members; $45 Non-members (for series)

Garden Backbone
Learn about soils, drainage, garden prep, compost, mulch and simple plant characteristics.
Saturday, February 19, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Garden Schedule
Learn how to use the garden calendar, how and when to best sow seeds and transplant, and how to get the garden ready for the growing season.
Saturday, February 26, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Garden Shed
Learn how to use the right tools for your garden chores and how to care for and sharpen them. Class includes proper watering and fertilizing tips.
Saturday, March 5, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Botany
This four-class series teaches the basics of plant biology. Plant ID and Botanical Families, Plant Physiology, Plant Structure, and Plant Ecology.
Wednesdays, February 2, 9, 16, and 23; 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
$25 Members; $30 Non-members (for four-week series)

Basic Floral Design
Learn the basics of floral design and see how flowers and containers combine to create the feel of the arrangement. Create a simple vase arrangement to take home.
Saturday, February 19, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
$20 Members; $25 Non-members

For additional information or to register, please call the registrar at 614.645.5923 or Download a registration form here


Growing and Caring for Fruit Trees and Shrubs
Learn to select fruit trees and shrubs for Central Ohio and what they need to grow. Pollination needs, pruning techniques for productivity, and other maintenance needs will be discussed.
Saturday, February 26, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Plant Identification – Flowering Shrubs
Learn the science behind plants and techniques used to properly identify each group. This class will include classroom and field study time.
Saturday, March 5, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Garden Safety
When we think of garden safety we generally think tools -- but there is much more: soil composition, path widths, and plant safety- is it an irritant? Learn how to keep safe with water, snacks and tools.
Saturday, March 12, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Garden Leadership
Learn from community panel leaders about different styles of leadership, gain insight on best practices when leading or starting a community project, and find out how each panelist manages funding.
Saturday, March 19, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Composting 101
This hands-on workshop guides you through the different types of compost bins, specific tools needed and what can and can’t go into your compost. Vermicomposting (with worms) and heap composting information will be provided.
Saturday, March 12, 1 - 3 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Fun Crops for Kids
Encourage kids to grow their own plants, starting with seeds all the way to harvest. These kid-friendly crops not only include vegetables and fruit but sensory plants with fragrance and touch.
Saturday, March 26, 1:30 - 3 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

101 Grant Writing – An Overview
Being successful at grant writing requires some fundamental basic steps. Learn about grant research, planning and idea clarification along with strategies to align you organizational goals and needs with grant opportunities. This class is collaboration between Franklin Park Conservatory and the United Way Training Academy.
2 sessions March 31 & April 7 - 6-8 p.m.
35$ (no member discount)

For additional information or to register, please call the registrar at 614.645.5923 or Download a registration form here

Upcoming Gardening Classes at FPC

Franklin Park Conservatory has uncharacteristically posted its educational offerings sufficiently in advance that you might be able to work them into your schedule if you try really hard. This is what's coming up:


For additional information or to register, please call the registrar at 614.645.5923 or Download a registration form here

Food Safety for the Garden
Food safety expert Shari Plimpton, Ph.D., Director, Industry Outreach, CIFT, will discuss the funda-mentals of proper food handling and good agriculture practices for community gardeners, urban growers and those involved in farmers’ markets. Registration required; space limited. Sponsored by Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT), Ohio Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Program and the Conservatory’s Growing to Green Program.
Wednesday, March 2, 6 - 8 pm
Free with Conservatory admission


Fundamentals of Gardening Series
This three-class series will prepare you for the upcoming growing season. Sign up for all three and save.
$40 Members; $45 Non-members (for series)

Garden Backbone
Learn about soils, drainage, garden prep, compost, mulch and simple plant characteristics.
Saturday, February 19, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Garden Schedule
Learn how to use the garden calendar, how and when to best sow seeds and transplant, and how to get the garden ready for the growing season.
Saturday, February 26, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Garden Shed
Learn how to use the right tools for your garden chores and how to care for and sharpen them. Class includes proper watering and fertilizing tips.
Saturday, March 5, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Botany
This four-class series teaches the basics of plant biology. Plant ID and Botanical Families, Plant Physiology, Plant Structure, and Plant Ecology.
Wednesdays, February 2, 9, 16, and 23; 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
$25 Members; $30 Non-members (for four-week series)

Basic Floral Design
Learn the basics of floral design and see how flowers and containers combine to create the feel of the arrangement. Create a simple vase arrangement to take home.
Saturday, February 19, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
$20 Members; $25 Non-members

For additional information or to register, please call the registrar at 614.645.5923 or Download a registration form here


Growing and Caring for Fruit Trees and Shrubs
Learn to select fruit trees and shrubs for Central Ohio and what they need to grow. Pollination needs, pruning techniques for productivity, and other maintenance needs will be discussed.
Saturday, February 26, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Plant Identification – Flowering Shrubs
Learn the science behind plants and techniques used to properly identify each group. This class will include classroom and field study time.
Saturday, March 5, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Garden Safety
When we think of garden safety we generally think tools -- but there is much more: soil composition, path widths, and plant safety- is it an irritant? Learn how to keep safe with water, snacks and tools.
Saturday, March 12, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Garden Leadership
Learn from community panel leaders about different styles of leadership, gain insight on best practices when leading or starting a community project, and find out how each panelist manages funding.
Saturday, March 19, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Composting 101
This hands-on workshop guides you through the different types of compost bins, specific tools needed and what can and can’t go into your compost. Vermicomposting (with worms) and heap composting information will be provided.
Saturday, March 12, 1 - 3 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

Fun Crops for Kids
Encourage kids to grow their own plants, starting with seeds all the way to harvest. These kid-friendly crops not only include vegetables and fruit but sensory plants with fragrance and touch.
Saturday, March 26, 1:30 - 3 p.m.
$15 Members; $20 Non-members

101 Grant Writing – An Overview
Being successful at grant writing requires some fundamental basic steps. Learn about grant research, planning and idea clarification along with strategies to align you organizational goals and needs with grant opportunities. This class is collaboration between Franklin Park Conservatory and the United Way Training Academy.
2 sessions March 31 & April 7 - 6-8 p.m.
35$ (no member discount)

For additional information or to register, please call the registrar at 614.645.5923 or Download a registration form here

Road Trip: Louisville 15K Farmers Seed Swap

On Saturday, I took a rare road trip and drove three hours each way to visit my friend Mary in Louisville and participate in the seed exchange of Fifteen Thousand Farmers in Louisville, Kentucky. Fifteen Thousand Farmers ("FTF") is an initiative to turn Louisville citizens into backyard farmers. They started small and last year had signed up 1250 new backyard farmers for events. They hold a gardening event on the 15^th of each month. Mary briefs me almost every month. This month, it held a seminar by Ivor Chodkowski, a local farmer and entrepreneur, on "Planning your Spring Garden." After the seminar, they had a potluck (filled with garden produce), cooking demonstrations (with spaghetti squash) and a seed exchange. It was extremely well attended (even without cocktails as a draw) and there were at least 200 people there. Johnny's Seed Catalogs were handed out to everyone (until they ran out of catalogs). There were even door prizes, but neither Mary nor I won one.

After answering questions about gardening, Ivor spoke to the audience about grasshoppers distribution, a Community Supported Agriculture organization, and related issues. Sadly, there are virtually no places in Louisville to butcher meat for small farmers or individuals. This makes me sad because my family (i.e., my father and uncle) would buy a cow every year at the county fair and have it butchered to supply our annual meat needs. Although I now certainly could not eat a whole side of beef by myself each year, I could probably eat a quarter if other people wanted to go in with me. My friend Iced Tea Latte butchers a pig every year and a side of been (and graciously shares with me). It's a great way to buy local. However, all meat processors now seem to focus only on factory farms these days. . . . .

My favorite tip from Ivor was to buy seeds which advertise "prolific" fruits. Good sign.

Of course, I really came for the seed exchange. I've never attended one before. I thought that I should contribute something slightly exotic so that I would add value (being from out of town and all). The promotional materials recommended bringing seeds in a jar, so I filled a jam jar with black chick pea seeds. I suspected (correctly) that no one else would bring such seeds. Most people put seeds in plastic baggies (which is much more efficient). I thought that we would walk around with our jars of seeds, meet people, chat, and exchange seeds (for which I had brought small coin envelopes). However, instead, they set up long row of tables (organized by food groups) and people would leave their labeled bags of seeds. Some people just dropped off store-bought seed packets, but most people brought their own seeds. Then, you would just help yourself from each envelope that spanked your fancy. From the seed exchange, I got the following: OT Heimi Vietamese mecum peppers, loofah gourd seeds, sugar pie pumpkins (for Beth and Mike), San Martin Peppers, Thai Basil, Thomas Jefferson Marigold, Arkansas Cow Peas, California Poppies/Orange cosmos, and Okra. Mary gave me heirloom underground railroad tomatoes and jolokia peppers -- but holy jolokia! – I lost the peppers!!! You have no idea how much nashing of teeth and searching of luggage there was this afternoon when I could not find them. My father wanted CaJohn's Holy Jalokia sauce for Xmas and I was seriously looking forward to growing my own hot peppers and making my own sauce. Now, I will have to search them out and buy them.

Life goes on. The event was catered by Heine coffee and I met Gary Heine – who is one of the organizers of 15K Farmers. I'm not even a coffee drinker and I had coffee (with lots of milk and sugar). It also has a new home – the Dismas Charities St. Ann's site site, which is a re-entry program housed in a former Catholic church school. 15k Farmers is associated with Growing Power, which you've read about here before.

It was a nice way to spend a few hours on Saturday afternoon. Then I let Mary spoil me for the rest of my trip.

Road Trip: Louisville 15K Farmers Seed Swap

On Saturday, I took a rare road trip and drove three hours each way to visit my friend Mary in Louisville and participate in the seed exchange of Fifteen Thousand Farmers in Louisville, Kentucky. Fifteen Thousand Farmers ("FTF") is an initiative to turn Louisville citizens into backyard farmers. They started small and last year had signed up 1250 new backyard farmers for events. They hold a gardening event on the 15^th of each month. Mary briefs me almost every month. This month, it held a seminar by Ivor Chodkowski, a local farmer and entrepreneur, on "Planning your Spring Garden." After the seminar, they had a potluck (filled with garden produce), cooking demonstrations (with spaghetti squash) and a seed exchange. It was extremely well attended (even without cocktails as a draw) and there were at least 200 people there. Johnny's Seed Catalogs were handed out to everyone (until they ran out of catalogs). There were even door prizes, but neither Mary nor I won one.

After answering questions about gardening, Ivor spoke to the audience about grasshoppers distribution, a Community Supported Agriculture organization, and related issues. Sadly, there are virtually no places in Louisville to butcher meat for small farmers or individuals. This makes me sad because my family (i.e., my father and uncle) would buy a cow every year at the county fair and have it butchered to supply our annual meat needs. Although I now certainly could not eat a whole side of beef by myself each year, I could probably eat a quarter if other people wanted to go in with me. My friend Iced Tea Latte butchers a pig every year and a side of been (and graciously shares with me). It's a great way to buy local. However, all meat processors now seem to focus only on factory farms these days. . . . .

My favorite tip from Ivor was to buy seeds which advertise "prolific" fruits. Good sign.

Of course, I really came for the seed exchange. I've never attended one before. I thought that I should contribute something slightly exotic so that I would add value (being from out of town and all). The promotional materials recommended bringing seeds in a jar, so I filled a jam jar with black chick pea seeds. I suspected (correctly) that no one else would bring such seeds. Most people put seeds in plastic baggies (which is much more efficient). I thought that we would walk around with our jars of seeds, meet people, chat, and exchange seeds (for which I had brought small coin envelopes). However, instead, they set up long row of tables (organized by food groups) and people would leave their labeled bags of seeds. Some people just dropped off store-bought seed packets, but most people brought their own seeds. Then, you would just help yourself from each envelope that spanked your fancy. From the seed exchange, I got the following: OT Heimi Vietamese mecum peppers, loofah gourd seeds, sugar pie pumpkins (for Beth and Mike), San Martin Peppers, Thai Basil, Thomas Jefferson Marigold, Arkansas Cow Peas, California Poppies/Orange cosmos, and Okra. Mary gave me heirloom underground railroad tomatoes and jolokia peppers -- but holy jolokia! – I lost the peppers!!! You have no idea how much nashing of teeth and searching of luggage there was this afternoon when I could not find them. My father wanted CaJohn's Holy Jalokia sauce for Xmas and I was seriously looking forward to growing my own hot peppers and making my own sauce. Now, I will have to search them out and buy them.

Life goes on. The event was catered by Heine coffee and I met Gary Heine – who is one of the organizers of 15K Farmers. I'm not even a coffee drinker and I had coffee (with lots of milk and sugar). It also has a new home – the Dismas Charities St. Ann's site site, which is a re-entry program housed in a former Catholic church school. 15k Farmers is associated with Growing Power, which you've read about here before.

It was a nice way to spend a few hours on Saturday afternoon. Then I let Mary spoil me for the rest of my trip.

SACG Fall Work Day Gets It Done

I don't know why I ever worry about whether we will get it all done. Earlier this week, I worried about the weather, which called for wet and chilly. Yesterday morning, I woke up stressed about whether anyone would show up and how long the volunteers would stay. I needn't have bothered. The weather was beautiful; like last year it started off cool, but warmed up to t-shirt temperatures by lunch-time.

As soon as I went out to my garage to begin loading my car with the utility wagon, water thermos, refreshments and gardening tools, Beth came right over to get my wheelbarrow (to load in the back of her station wagon) and to help me load the wagon into the back seat of my car. Frank and Barb already took down the garden gates earlier in the week.

When I arrived at the Garden at 9:30, Charlie was already there pulling weeds and dead tomato vines. I told him that I was certain there were sweet potatoes on the north side of Nykkel's abandoned plot if he cleaned it out. That was enough incentive for him. Sure enough, there were 3-4 large sweet potatoes and a few smaller ones. We put them aside (along with an onion and few other vegetables we found while cleaning up) in case anyone stopped by asking for food. When no one did, we distributed the booty among the hard-working voluunteers.

Beth, Rayna, Betty and Mari then came. Betty cleaned out the plot tended by Brianna and Priest as well as pruning back the front perennial flower bed. Mari and Beth helped me pull pole bean and tomato vines. Rayna concentrated on raking/picking up the rotting/rotten tomatoes in Dwain and Maxcine's plots. Jeff came and pulled vines out of Maxcine's plots and volunteered to take all of our non-compostable vegetative waste down to Kurtz Brothers on the back of his trailer. His machete came in handy cutting down our row of sunflowers. Then, we were delighted that Mike Watkins (from the Cougar Group) came and helped us pull vines, etc.
I cleaned out two of the community plots.

Once the vines and weeds were pulled, we turned to distributing compost throughout the Garden (although the distribution became more generous as we progressed). The City of Columbus donated 5 cubic yards of Com-Til Plus to the Garden (and all other community gardens in Columbus who think to ask and arrange for its delivery). Shane Yokum picked it up and delivered it to us this week at a discount price (which was paid for courtesy of the grant we received from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Fund at the Columbus Foundation). Without the neighborhood boys (who moved away following all of the neighborhood crime wave this summer) to shovel the compost for us, I had to pitch in and shovel compost for the first time with help from Charlie, Jeff, and Mike. Mari, Beth and Rayna spread the compost in each plot as it was distributed.

We then broke for 10 minutes to hold our first annual meeting. Mari, Mike Mattes and I incorporated the SACG in July and elected our first three trustees (Beth, Rayna and Frank) shortly thereafter to 15 month terms. Yesterday, we elected our next three trustees to a 2-year term: Jeff, Mike and Charlie. I gave a brief report about our financial status and discussed needs and priorities for the garden in the upcoming year. Then, a group picture and back to work.

We emptied the rain barrels and tank and stowed the barrels. We then emptied the shed. Barb and Frank came to finish off everything: organize and pack up the shed, take down the signs and plant the daffodil bulbs I picked up last weekend. They were the only people left at 1:04 p.m. Frank indicated that he was also going to reinforce the garden latch.

Something I probably should have photographed: the ridiculous height of our three compost bins. The bins are 3x3x3, but we have them stacked at least six feet high.

See you all next year!

SACG Fall Work Day Gets It Done

I don't know why I ever worry about whether we will get it all done. Earlier this week, I worried about the weather, which called for wet and chilly. Yesterday morning, I woke up stressed about whether anyone would show up and how long the volunteers would stay. I needn't have bothered. The weather was beautiful; like last year it started off cool, but warmed up to t-shirt temperatures by lunch-time.

As soon as I went out to my garage to begin loading my car with the utility wagon, water thermos, refreshments and gardening tools, Beth came right over to get my wheelbarrow (to load in the back of her station wagon) and to help me load the wagon into the back seat of my car. Frank and Barb already took down the garden gates earlier in the week.

When I arrived at the Garden at 9:30, Charlie was already there pulling weeds and dead tomato vines. I told him that I was certain there were sweet potatoes on the north side of Nykkel's abandoned plot if he cleaned it out. That was enough incentive for him. Sure enough, there were 3-4 large sweet potatoes and a few smaller ones. We put them aside (along with an onion and few other vegetables we found while cleaning up) in case anyone stopped by asking for food. When no one did, we distributed the booty among the hard-working voluunteers.

Beth, Rayna, Betty and Mari then came. Betty cleaned out the plot tended by Brianna and Priest as well as pruning back the front perennial flower bed. Mari and Beth helped me pull pole bean and tomato vines. Rayna concentrated on raking/picking up the rotting/rotten tomatoes in Dwain and Maxcine's plots. Jeff came and pulled vines out of Maxcine's plots and volunteered to take all of our non-compostable vegetative waste down to Kurtz Brothers on the back of his trailer. His machete came in handy cutting down our row of sunflowers. Then, we were delighted that Mike Watkins (from the Cougar Group) came and helped us pull vines, etc.
I cleaned out two of the community plots.

Once the vines and weeds were pulled, we turned to distributing compost throughout the Garden (although the distribution became more generous as we progressed). The City of Columbus donated 5 cubic yards of Com-Til Plus to the Garden (and all other community gardens in Columbus who think to ask and arrange for its delivery). Shane Yokum picked it up and delivered it to us this week at a discount price (which was paid for courtesy of the grant we received from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Fund at the Columbus Foundation). Without the neighborhood boys (who moved away following all of the neighborhood crime wave this summer) to shovel the compost for us, I had to pitch in and shovel compost for the first time with help from Charlie, Jeff, and Mike. Mari, Beth and Rayna spread the compost in each plot as it was distributed.

We then broke for 10 minutes to hold our first annual meeting. Mari, Mike Mattes and I incorporated the SACG in July and elected our first three trustees (Beth, Rayna and Frank) shortly thereafter to 15 month terms. Yesterday, we elected our next three trustees to a 2-year term: Jeff, Mike and Charlie. I gave a brief report about our financial status and discussed needs and priorities for the garden in the upcoming year. Then, a group picture and back to work.

We emptied the rain barrels and tank and stowed the barrels. We then emptied the shed. Barb and Frank came to finish off everything: organize and pack up the shed, take down the signs and plant the daffodil bulbs I picked up last weekend. They were the only people left at 1:04 p.m. Frank indicated that he was also going to reinforce the garden latch.

Something I probably should have photographed: the ridiculous height of our three compost bins. The bins are 3x3x3, but we have them stacked at least six feet high.

See you all next year!

SACG Fall Work Day Welcomes You

One of the things I love most about the SACG is the enthusiasm of our core group of gardeners for hard work and our work days. Between you, me and the fence post, I could survive on one work day in the year – in April. Everything after that is just gravy. However, the SACG gardeners believe if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. So, we put the garden to bed in mid-November. We pull errant plants and weeds, spread donated compost, plant bulbs, prop up the fence to survive winter storms, empty and stow rain barrels, pick up and dispose of litter, and dis-assemble the gates and sign. This year we will also have the joy of organizing our new shed. If we have enough volunteers and energy, we should also try to flip the compost bins.

Of course, no army works well unless it is well fed – so there will be goodies to keep your blood sugar up.

Last year, we started in sweatshirts and ended up in t-shirts as the temperatures rose during the day.

Volunteers should bring gardening gloves and a rake. Wheelbarrows and wagons would be great, too, but they are hard to transport.

Like us, the Bexley Community Garden has had trouble with gardeners losing the gardening passion over the summer and abandoning their plots to weeds and rotting produce. They have a lot more space to clean up than we do. So, in lieu of a Fall Garden Clean Up day, they are researching the possibility of renting goats to eat up the weeds and tomatoe vines. Maybe we'll borrow them when they are done:) Check this out in the Columbus Dispatch.

The SACG festivities begin at 10 a.m., but feel free to come early and get a jump on the work if the spirit moves you. We will be done by 1:30 or earlier if it starts to rainJ

Be there or be square!!

SACG Fall Work Day Welcomes You

One of the things I love most about the SACG is the enthusiasm of our core group of gardeners for hard work and our work days. Between you, me and the fence post, I could survive on one work day in the year – in April. Everything after that is just gravy. However, the SACG gardeners believe if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. So, we put the garden to bed in mid-November. We pull errant plants and weeds, spread donated compost, plant bulbs, prop up the fence to survive winter storms, empty and stow rain barrels, pick up and dispose of litter, and dis-assemble the gates and sign. This year we will also have the joy of organizing our new shed. If we have enough volunteers and energy, we should also try to flip the compost bins.

Of course, no army works well unless it is well fed – so there will be goodies to keep your blood sugar up.

Last year, we started in sweatshirts and ended up in t-shirts as the temperatures rose during the day.

Volunteers should bring gardening gloves and a rake. Wheelbarrows and wagons would be great, too, but they are hard to transport.

Like us, the Bexley Community Garden has had trouble with gardeners losing the gardening passion over the summer and abandoning their plots to weeds and rotting produce. They have a lot more space to clean up than we do. So, in lieu of a Fall Garden Clean Up day, they are researching the possibility of renting goats to eat up the weeds and tomatoe vines. Maybe we'll borrow them when they are done:) Check this out in the Columbus Dispatch.

The SACG festivities begin at 10 a.m., but feel free to come early and get a jump on the work if the spirit moves you. We will be done by 1:30 or earlier if it starts to rainJ

Be there or be square!!