How Firm Thy Friendship: SACG Opens For 11th Growing Season

What a difference a year makes.   Last year, the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden’s opening day started with an inch of snow on the ground.  This year, we had sunshine and 70 degrees.   Last year, we turned compost and picked up litter.  This year, we accomplished an amazing amount of work with a group of amazing OSU students from the First Year Leadership Initiative and three new burly male neighbor gardeners.  Whoo hoo! Last year we wore winter coats and this year we wore t-shirts.


I picked up supplies yesterday and baked some brownies to keep up the energy of our hardworking volunteers.   I arrived a bit early to get the supplies organized for the group.  Sadly, we did not have as much painted wood as I recalled (because last year’s volunteers only painted one side of most of the fence boards before we had to pack up for the season).  I had hoped to prune the peach trees, but did not have time. Cathy brought by a wheelbarrow to loan us to spread wood chips (which were again generously donated by Tree King).

Three of our new gardeners put in their work equity today and all of them live in the neighborhood.  One has lived in the neighborhood since 1992, but the other two just moved in within the past year.  They were a god send for the hard work that we had to accomplish today.  Amy came with cookies and helped John pick up litter in and around the Garden.  A lot of it had blown into the fence and brambles over the winter and someone had dumped a bunch of trash in the alley.  


Michael and Ethan took on our most complicated job:  straightening our trellis gate which has not been straight since the year it was installed.  Every year it leans a bit more north (i.e., downhill) and we could no longer latch or lock the gate.  I arrived early to unwind and dig up the clematis vines growing up the sides.  They took off the top of the trellis, dug out the footings, straightened the sides, backfilled and reattached the top.   They did all of this without killing or moving the grape vines that were growing up the sides of the trellis.  After everyone had left, I transplanted the clematis vines again and watered them in.

While they worked on that, I started digging post holes in order to complete the fence straightening   John finished picking up litter and took over for me digging post holes (so that we could replace the wooden and metal shorter fence posts with 2x4s and top each
section with braces.  Ethan and Michael then came over to help finish that project as well.
project on the south side of the Garden.


Meanwhile, we had nine OSU students from the First Year Leadership Initiative arrive from to help us with two giant projects.  (Thank you Bill Dawson!).  As with most opening days, we needed to spread wood chips along the fence lines and along the paths.  That is an exhausting project.  However, we only used about half of the wood chips.  And, because of a miscommunication, the wood chips were dumped on top of the northern fence and western part of the strawberry patch, so we needed to rake the chips off of the strawberry patch and away from the fence line (which we need to straighten this month like we did the southern fence).   

Once the wood chips were mostly distributed, the students then turned to another troublesome project.   Two of our platform raised beds were, like the trellis, leaning north (i.e., downhill).  One of them was so out of plumb that the twelve-inch screws holding it together had started to break.  Two years ago, we tried to straighten them with a group of burly-men OSU students from the August Pay-It-Forward event, but even 10 of them were unable to lift the beds to straighten them out while the beds were full of soil.  So, this time, we emptied the beds first. At that point, they were easy to lift.  I could even lift a corner all by myself.   Like with the trellis, we dug down to the footings and raised the north end about an inch higher than the south side to compensate for the slope of the hill.  Then, we reinforced the bottom brace to keep the beds from sagging in the middle.  Sadly, they had to leave before we could refill the beds.


Our newest member of our Board of Trustees, newly retired Robert Seed, and his bride, Ruthie, stopped by to help, too.  They helped move the gate latches back to their original placement (before we had to move them last year due to the leaning).  Then, Robert inserted new three inch screws into the platform raised beds to hold them in place.   (I still have some of the original screws left over to bring with me next week).  Cathy loaned us her drill to help us work on this project while we completed the fence project.

Another new neighbor, Brian, from the newly opened Fairwood Commons one block from the Garden, also stopped by to help us with moving the wood chips away from the fence and to sweep them up from the alley.  He was quite enthusiastic.

Amy helped to transplant and thin strawberry plants and organize all of the tools back into the shed.  Some of the OSU students helped me hang our sign.

Ethan stayed behind to help me with returning wheelbarrows that we borrowed from Cathy and Kimball Farms and to put the rain barrel back behind the shed.  (It had blown down the street last month during the wind storms and Cathy put in in Phil’s old plot for safekeeping).

Cathy and I observed that the tulips are not doing well this year, except for the bulbs that I planted in December.  This is true at both our homes and at the Garden.  I suspect that the mild winter or wet year we had have something to do with that.   We have lots of leaves, but no flower stalks.  Sigh.  


Next week, we will be having our Earth Day celebration, where new gardeners can complete their work equity.  We need as many volunteers as possible.  This is what we have in store:

1)      Refill the platform raised beds;

2)      Spread wood chips around those raised beds;

3)      Plant a honeycrisp apple tree to round out our fruit orchard;

4)      Top off the soil in our raised beds and plant lettuce, broccoli, kale and collards in the neighbor bed;

5)      Rake the rest of the wood chips away from the southern fence and strawberry patch;

6)      Distribute compost in the plots whose gardeners did not add much to their plots last year;

7)      Clean up the flower beds, pruning the rose bushes and transplant volunteer bachelor buttons and daisies into better places;

8)      Maybe prune some fruit trees;

9)      Paint the rain barrel and some fence wood;

10)   Hopefully, dig some more post holes along the south side and hang a few braces; and

11)   Transplant strawberries and raspberry bushes to fill in bare spots.

Many hands make light work. 

SACG Opens for 11th Growing Season on Saturday, April 6, 2019

Daffodil leaves are starting to peek out of the ground, which can only mean one thing.  The Stoddart Avenue Community Garden is gearing up to open for its 11^th growing season.    In like a lion and out like a lamb?  We hope so.  To avoid a repeat of last year when we opened with snow on the ground, we will not start working this year until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 6.  Like last year, we will be joined by a group of energetic OSU students from the First Year Leadership Group to help us spread wood chips on our paths and around our fence lines, pick up litter, etc.   Gardeners and volunteers who cannot make it on April 6 may help us on the morning of Saturday, April 13 when we will also be celebrating Earth Day and transplanting raspberry bushes and planting an apple tree (and hopefully a service berry tree).   On both days, we also hope to make progress and finish our fence straightening project and transplant kale, collard and cabbage seedlings in our neighbor plot.  There will also be compost to turn and a compost bin gate to repair. 


Gardeners who are interested in reserving their own plot to grow their own vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers should complete, sign and return an Application/Agreement along with $10/plot (preferably by check made payable to the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden).  Families in the Stoddart Avenue neighborhood are eligible for a full scholarship if the fee presents a financial hardship.  Agreements may be mailed to the SACG at P.O. Box 91106 Columbus, Ohio 43209.

Gardeners’ participation is subject to the SACG Garden Rules as well as some rules by the City of Columbus (prohibiting, for instance, being in the Garden at night, and bringing alcohol onto Garden property, etc.). Gardeners are also encouraged to donate a portion of their produce to area food pantries and shelters, like Faith Mission, Lutheran Social Services and the Salvation Army.  To date, we have collectively donated over 4,800 pounds.

The more the merrier because many hands make light work. You need not reserve a plot if you would just like to volunteer to help.   Refreshments will be served (and you should feel to bring some yourself to share).

Joining the SACG is not terribly time consuming, but Gardeners are required to help set out the Garden for three hours on Saturday, April 6, 2017 starting at 1 p.m. or Saturday, April 13, starting at 9:30 a.m. and to close the Garden on a Saturday in early November. Gardeners must also volunteer for three chores to perform for one month over the summer (like watering flowers, tending the food pantry plot, pulling weeds in the paths, mowing our lawn, picking up litter, etc.)     Between the chores and keeping your plot planted, weeded and watered, you should plan on spending on average an hour each week at the Garden during the growing season.  

When you garden and perform your chores is up to each individual gardener because the only group work days are April 6 and 13 and our Closing Day(s).  Some prefer to garden in the mornings, some in the afternoons, some in the evenings, some during the week, some during weekends, and some pick all of the above.  

Gardeners may begin planting as soon as the plots are staked out on April 6.   The Garden Manager has already started tomato and pepper seedlings (which have already sprouted), to share with the gardeners.  It’s already time to plant peas and potato season is not far behind.  Our Opening Day and Earth Day celebrations are the best (and sometimes only) times to get to know all of the gardeners.

So, if you or someone you know likes to get your hands dirty and grow your own food, you are welcome to join us at the SACG.  Plots will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis, with preference being given to gardeners from last year who volunteered at the opening and closing work days.   Snooze and you lose.  When the Garden is full, we will put names on a wait-list (and we ALWAYS have people drop out by June when it starts to get hot and weedy).  We are generally able to supply all of the seeds, seedlings, tools, gloves and water that a gardener could need, but you know what they say about best laid plans . . . .

The SACG Board met last week for its annual organizational meeting.  This will be our first year having running water available in case our rain cisterns run dry or if there are elderly or gardeners with disabilities who find it to difficult or exhausting to walk several hundred feet carrying watering cans.  Until we incur $200 in water bills, the water will be free to gardeners when the cisterns run dry or the gardener is over the age of 70 or provides a doctor’s note showing a need to use our water hydrants.  For the first year at least, all gardeners will still be required to use watering cans, except in special occasions.

SACG Opens for 11th Growing Season on Saturday, April 6, 2019

Daffodil leaves are starting to peek out of the ground, which can only mean one thing.  The Stoddart Avenue Community Garden is gearing up to open for its 11^th growing season.    In like a lion and out like a lamb?  We hope so.  To avoid a repeat of last year when we opened with snow on the ground, we will not start working this year until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 6.  Like last year, we will be joined by a group of energetic OSU students from the First Year Leadership Group to help us spread wood chips on our paths and around our fence lines, pick up litter, etc.   Gardeners and volunteers who cannot make it on April 6 may help us on the morning of Saturday, April 13 when we will also be celebrating Earth Day and transplanting raspberry bushes and planting an apple tree (and hopefully a service berry tree).   On both days, we also hope to make progress and finish our fence straightening project and transplant kale, collard and cabbage seedlings in our neighbor plot.  There will also be compost to turn and a compost bin gate to repair. 


Gardeners who are interested in reserving their own plot to grow their own vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers should complete, sign and return an Application/Agreement along with $10/plot (preferably by check made payable to the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden).  Families in the Stoddart Avenue neighborhood are eligible for a full scholarship if the fee presents a financial hardship.  Agreements may be mailed to the SACG at P.O. Box 91106 Columbus, Ohio 43209.

Gardeners’ participation is subject to the SACG Garden Rules as well as some rules by the City of Columbus (prohibiting, for instance, being in the Garden at night, and bringing alcohol onto Garden property, etc.). Gardeners are also encouraged to donate a portion of their produce to area food pantries and shelters, like Faith Mission, Lutheran Social Services and the Salvation Army.  To date, we have collectively donated over 4,800 pounds.

The more the merrier because many hands make light work. You need not reserve a plot if you would just like to volunteer to help.   Refreshments will be served (and you should feel to bring some yourself to share).

Joining the SACG is not terribly time consuming, but Gardeners are required to help set out the Garden for three hours on Saturday, April 6, 2017 starting at 1 p.m. or Saturday, April 13, starting at 9:30 a.m. and to close the Garden on a Saturday in early November. Gardeners must also volunteer for three chores to perform for one month over the summer (like watering flowers, tending the food pantry plot, pulling weeds in the paths, mowing our lawn, picking up litter, etc.)     Between the chores and keeping your plot planted, weeded and watered, you should plan on spending on average an hour each week at the Garden during the growing season.  

When you garden and perform your chores is up to each individual gardener because the only group work days are April 6 and 13 and our Closing Day(s).  Some prefer to garden in the mornings, some in the afternoons, some in the evenings, some during the week, some during weekends, and some pick all of the above.  

Gardeners may begin planting as soon as the plots are staked out on April 6.   The Garden Manager has already started tomato and pepper seedlings (which have already sprouted), to share with the gardeners.  It’s already time to plant peas and potato season is not far behind.  Our Opening Day and Earth Day celebrations are the best (and sometimes only) times to get to know all of the gardeners.

So, if you or someone you know likes to get your hands dirty and grow your own food, you are welcome to join us at the SACG.  Plots will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis, with preference being given to gardeners from last year who volunteered at the opening and closing work days.   Snooze and you lose.  When the Garden is full, we will put names on a wait-list (and we ALWAYS have people drop out by June when it starts to get hot and weedy).  We are generally able to supply all of the seeds, seedlings, tools, gloves and water that a gardener could need, but you know what they say about best laid plans . . . .

The SACG Board met last week for its annual organizational meeting.  This will be our first year having running water available in case our rain cisterns run dry or if there are elderly or gardeners with disabilities who find it to difficult or exhausting to walk several hundred feet carrying watering cans.  Until we incur $200 in water bills, the water will be free to gardeners when the cisterns run dry or the gardener is over the age of 70 or provides a doctor’s note showing a need to use our water hydrants.  For the first year at least, all gardeners will still be required to use watering cans, except in special occasions.

Thank You For Your Support in 2018 as We Look Foward to 2019's Growing Season

 I am writing to express the appreciation of the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden for the community's support during our last growing season in 2018.   Community gardening is often exhausting, frustrating and relentless because it always involves a lot of work and challenges. We could not accomplish all that we do without your generous support. Gifts to the SACG are tax-deductible because the Garden is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity.  As we shivered during last month’s polar vortex and celebrated that Buckeye Chuck saw his shadow on Saturday, we wanted to share some of our great memories over last summer.

In February, we celebrated when we won a bicycle that Staders Garden Centers had donated to the Greater Columbus Growing Coalition and held a raffle fundraiser for the Garden to fund our activities (and a liability insurance policy) for the year.   The winning ticket was drawn at the conclusion of our Earth Day celebration in April.

April saw us break ground for our 10^thgrowing season and arriving to find the ground covered with snow and a group of OSU college students from the Pay It Forward program coming to help us despite the weather.  Because we could not see the ground under the snow, we focused on turning the compost in our bins until the snow melted, when we picked up litter, transplanted flowers and raspberry brambles, and started weeding.  As we would each weekend for the rest of the month, we found a number of hibernating garter snakes.   For our Earth Day celebration, we planted more plum and peach trees as well as two elderberry bushes and a black cherry tree donated by Earth Day Columbus (along with mulch).  We also weeded and transplanted and prepared garden beds. 

Earth Day was also the first week that the Franklin County Municipal Court sent us community service volunteers, who helped to pick up neighborhood litter, mow the community lawns around the Garden, consolidate our compost from our four bins and weeded our paths.  Over the rest of the month, we picked up the  cedar wood donated by Trudeau Fence to start our fence straightening project, painted some of the lumber to match our front picket fence,  dug post holes, weeded the fence rows, repainted the rain barrel and spinning compost bin in matching paint, dug up our wood chip paths, narrowed and edged the paths and spread more wood chips,  mowed the three corner lots (i.e., our lot, and the two Block Watch lots at the corner of Stoddart and Main) and replanted our weedy strawberry patch.  These court-ordered volunteers came almost every week until September and also helped us to distribute and relocate 10 cubic yards of com-til compost donated by the City, watered the food pantry plots and flowers, picked up neighborhood litter, mowed the corner lots, created a patio for us around our picnic table with donated pavers, dug post holes to switch our metal fence stakes for 4x4s and attached cedar and pine braces to straighten out our wire fence, prepared for and cleaned up after our water line capital improvement project, planted apple trees, and, of course, weeded.  We also had them help out some of our neighbors, like planting and weeding at next-door Kimball Farms and mowing and weeding at Urban Connections for their neighborhood youth program. 

We had two capital improvement projects this year.  The first project was to straighten our perpetually leaning wire fence (which can be a bit of an eye sore over the winter when the raspberry brambles die and are cut back).  The challenge, of course, is that we have a limited window to complete the project because raspberry bushes grow on both sides of the fence.  We cannot dig and fill post holes after mid-May or we would not have much of a raspberry crop and we cannot really cut them back too early for the same reason.   The City donated most of the supplies for this project.  We were able to complete about half of this project because our volunteers disappeared and the weather turned against us.

Our second project involved an Urban Agriculture Grant which we were awarded in May by the Mid-Ohio Food Bank through the USDA to pay for the installation of water lines and water hydrants to help us survive dry spells or another drought (like the one in 2012) when our rain cisterns run dry.  This will also make it easier for elderly and disabled gardeners to join us so that they will not have to walk hundreds of feet to get water for their plants from our rain cisterns collecting water off of the nearby J. Jireh ministry house.   Of course, ironically, last year was the wettest year in recorded history for Central Ohio so we have not used a drop of our new water.  This project did not go smoothly, but unlike a few other community gardens, we completed it within six weeks of breaking ground (whereas some other gardens have never gotten their water turned on).     I anticipate that we will need our new water source in 2019 because the drought of 2012 followed the second wettest year in our history (2011) and there is a hot El Nino currently predicted for this summer.  

We had an abundance of volunteers assist us this summer.  In addition to the court-ordered volunteers, an international group of United Methodist Women assisted us in May with volunteers from both North and South Korea as well as Florida, California, and Iowa.   They helped us weed and to plant our food pantry tomatoes and sweet corn.   A group of Ohio After-School All Star middle-schoolers returned in June and helped us to water and to plant pole beans (both in rows and near the corn planted a couple weeks earlier) as well as some squash for our three-sisters plot.  OSU students returned in August to help again with our fence straightening project by painting donated lumber, weeding, watering, etc.   Capital University students then helped in September with much of the same.  

In July, we were for the first time part of the annual Old Town East Neighborhood Association Historic Home and Garden Tour, which focused this year on the Franklin Park neighborhood where we are technically located.  Sadly, it was very hot and most tourists opted to stay on the bus when it drove by the Garden.  However, Cathy made some awesome mint iced tea (with mint from our Garden) which made stopping very worthwhile.  One of our neighbors also volunteered and obtained donated plants to install a native plants flower garden at the corner of East Main and Stoddart in time for the Tour.   We held off on breaking ground for the water line installation project until after the Tour so that we could look as pretty as possible.

Although we have had a relatively mild winter until very recently, early November was freakishly cold and, for the first time in our history, we had to postpone our closing day because it was too cold for man and beast.  (That is saying something considering that we worked in the snow on our 2018 Opening Day).   

Our food pantry donations were down a bit this year.  First, we were affected by a late freeze in April and May that hurt our peach, cherry and raspberry harvests.  Second, the water line installation project meant taking a food pantry plot out of cultivation for most of the summer because of the mid-season timing of OTENA tour. Third, having a new group of volunteers every week meant that our kale/collard plot had trouble getting established when the inexperienced volunteers kept killing the new seedlings while weeding.   Another weird aspect this year was that the primary recipient of our fresh produce donations (the LSS Food

pantry) closed without us knowing and we are having to re-think how and where we donate our fresh produce.  Faith Mission became overwhelmed this summer with all of the produce donated by us and a few other sources and most of the other pantries are too far away to be convenient or are not open on Saturday afternoons when I typically deliver the produce (after the court volunteers leave).  We do not have electricity or refrigeration available or weekday volunteers.  Accordingly, this year, we are likely to focus our food pantry crops on those that can safely be stored in a root cellar and be donated on Mondays.   This will mean growing mostly tomatoes, squash and beans instead of kale, collards and lettuce, etc. which must be refrigerated within two hours of harvest.

We are only able to overcome our various challenges because of the generosity, well wishes and material support from generous folks like you.   Thanks again and feel free to stop by and mock us while we work.   

P.S.  One of our benches fell apart when a volunteer put our giant (20 gallon) canteen of water on it and we are in need of repair or replacement.   Franklin Park Conservatory donated an old bench to us in 2009, so it is a miracle that it lasted this long when exposed to the elements all year.   If you know anyone looking to upgrade a garden bench, we would be delighted to take their old one off of their hands and put it to good use.  

For that matter, September’s tornado also destroyed our patio umbrella (that we use to shade the picnic table when we have volunteer groups, etc.).  It had been donated to us back in 2012 and, again, if you know anyone upgrading their patio umbrella, we could certainly put their old one to good use. 

Thank You For Your Support in 2018 as We Look Foward to 2019's Growing Season

 I am writing to express the appreciation of the Stoddart Avenue Community Garden for the community's support during our last growing season in 2018.   Community gardening is often exhausting, frustrating and relentless because it always involves a lot of work and challenges. We could not accomplish all that we do without your generous support. Gifts to the SACG are tax-deductible because the Garden is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity.  As we shivered during last month’s polar vortex and celebrated that Buckeye Chuck saw his shadow on Saturday, we wanted to share some of our great memories over last summer.

In February, we celebrated when we won a bicycle that Staders Garden Centers had donated to the Greater Columbus Growing Coalition and held a raffle fundraiser for the Garden to fund our activities (and a liability insurance policy) for the year.   The winning ticket was drawn at the conclusion of our Earth Day celebration in April.

April saw us break ground for our 10^th growing season and arriving to find the ground covered with snow and a group of OSU college students from the Pay It Forward program coming to help us despite the weather.  Because we could not see the ground under the snow, we focused on turning the compost in our bins until the snow melted, when we picked up litter, transplanted flowers and raspberry brambles, and started weeding.  As we would each weekend for the rest of the month, we found a number of hibernating garter snakes.   For our Earth Day celebration, we planted more plum and peach trees as well as two elderberry bushes and a black cherry tree donated by Earth Day Columbus (along with mulch).  We also weeded and transplanted and prepared garden beds. 

Earth Day was also the first week that the Franklin County Municipal Court sent us community service volunteers, who helped to pick up neighborhood litter, mow the community lawns around the Garden, consolidate our compost from our four bins and weeded our paths.  Over the rest of the month, we picked up the  cedar wood donated by Trudeau Fence to start our fence straightening project, painted some of the lumber to match our front picket fence,  dug post holes, weeded the fence rows, repainted the rain barrel and spinning compost bin in matching paint, dug up our wood chip paths, narrowed and edged the paths and spread more wood chips,  mowed the three corner lots (i.e., our lot, and the two Block Watch lots at the corner of Stoddart and Main) and replanted our weedy strawberry patch.  These court-ordered volunteers came almost every week until September and also helped us to distribute and relocate 10 cubic yards of com-til compost donated by the City, watered the food pantry plots and flowers, picked up neighborhood litter, mowed the corner lots, created a patio for us around our picnic table with donated pavers, dug post holes to switch our metal fence stakes for 4x4s and attached cedar and pine braces to straighten out our wire fence, prepared for and cleaned up after our water line capital improvement project, planted apple trees, and, of course, weeded.  We also had them help out some of our neighbors, like planting and weeding at next-door Kimball Farms and mowing and weeding at Urban Connections for their neighborhood youth program. 

We had two capital improvement projects this year.  The first project was to straighten our perpetually leaning wire fence (which can be a bit of an eye sore over the winter when the raspberry brambles die and are cut back).  The challenge, of course, is that we have a limited window to complete the project because raspberry bushes grow on both sides of the fence.  We cannot dig and fill post holes after mid-May or we would not have much of a raspberry crop and we cannot really cut them back too early for the same reason.   The City donated most of the supplies for this project.  We were able to complete about half of this project because our volunteers disappeared and the weather turned against us.

Our second project involved an Urban Agriculture Grant which we were awarded in May by the Mid-Ohio Food Bank through the USDA to pay for the installation of water lines and water hydrants to help us survive dry spells or another drought (like the one in 2012) when our rain cisterns run dry.  This will also make it easier for elderly and disabled gardeners to join us so that they will not have to walk hundreds of feet to get water for their plants from our rain cisterns collecting water off of the nearby J. Jireh ministry house.   Of course, ironically, last year was the wettest year in recorded history for Central Ohio so we have not used a drop of our new water.  This project did not go smoothly, but unlike a few other community gardens, we completed it within six weeks of breaking ground (whereas some other gardens have never gotten their water turned on).     I anticipate that we will need our new water source in 2019 because the drought of 2012 followed the second wettest year in our history (2011) and there is a hot El Nino currently predicted for this summer.  

We had an abundance of volunteers assist us this summer.  In addition to the court-ordered volunteers, an international group of United Methodist Women assisted us in May with volunteers from both North and South Korea as well as Florida, California, and Iowa.   They helped us weed and to plant our food pantry tomatoes and sweet corn.   A group of Ohio After-School All Star middle-schoolers returned in June and helped us to water and to plant pole beans (both in rows and near the corn planted a couple weeks earlier) as well as some squash for our three-sisters plot.  OSU students returned in August to help again with our fence straightening project by painting donated lumber, weeding, watering, etc.   Capital University students then helped in September with much of the same.  

In July, we were for the first time part of the annual Old Town East Neighborhood Association Historic Home and Garden Tour, which focused this year on the Franklin Park neighborhood where we are technically located.  Sadly, it was very hot and most tourists opted to stay on the bus when it drove by the Garden.  However, Cathy made some awesome mint iced tea (with mint from our Garden) which made stopping very worthwhile.  One of our neighbors also volunteered and obtained donated plants to install a native plants flower garden at the corner of East Main and Stoddart in time for the Tour.   We held off on breaking ground for the water line installation project until after the Tour so that we could look as pretty as possible.

Although we have had a relatively mild winter until very recently, early November was freakishly cold and, for the first time in our history, we had to postpone our closing day because it was too cold for man and beast.  (That is saying something considering that we worked in the snow on our 2018 Opening Day).   

Our food pantry donations were down a bit this year.  First, we were affected by a late freeze in April and May that hurt our peach, cherry and raspberry harvests.  Second, the water line installation project meant taking a food pantry plot out of cultivation for most of the summer because of the mid-season timing of OTENA tour. Third, having a new group of volunteers every week meant that our kale/collard plot had trouble getting established when the inexperienced volunteers kept killing the new seedlings while weeding.   Another weird aspect this year was that the primary recipient of our fresh produce donations (the LSS Food

pantry) closed without us knowing and we are having to re-think how and where we donate our fresh produce.  Faith Mission became overwhelmed this summer with all of the produce donated by us and a few other sources and most of the other pantries are too far away to be convenient or are not open on Saturday afternoons when I typically deliver the produce (after the court volunteers leave).  We do not have electricity or refrigeration available or weekday volunteers.  Accordingly, this year, we are likely to focus our food pantry crops on those that can safely be stored in a root cellar and be donated on Mondays.   This will mean growing mostly tomatoes, squash and beans instead of kale, collards and lettuce, etc. which must be refrigerated within two hours of harvest.

We are only able to overcome our various challenges because of the generosity, well wishes and material support from generous folks like you.   Thanks again and feel free to stop by and mock us while we work.   

P.S.  One of our benches fell apart when a volunteer put our giant (20 gallon) canteen of water on it and we are in need of repair or replacement.   Franklin Park Conservatory donated an old bench to us in 2009, so it is a miracle that it lasted this long when exposed to the elements all year.   If you know anyone looking to upgrade a garden bench, we would be delighted to take their old one off of their hands and put it to good use.  

For that matter, September’s tornado also destroyed our patio umbrella (that we use to shade the picnic table when we have volunteer groups, etc.).  It had been donated to us back in 2012 and, again, if you know anyone upgrading their patio umbrella, we could certainly put their old one to good use.