Community Garden Workday for October (2019)

The morning was cool and cloudy

as we began our efforts at our monthly workday

for the Community Garden in Denver, NC.

There were still a number of beds with goodies yet to harvest.

broccoli

kale

sweet peppers

tomatoes

Doesn't this lettuce look scrumptious?

It looks as if a lot of the okra went unpicked,

but it will still get used.

One of our volunteers is using these mutant pods

to fashion holiday ornaments!

The loofah took its time producing fruit,

(it did the same in my garden),

but it's growing gangbusters now!

Soon they will be harvested so that we

can work on our fundraising project.

Our group creates soap scrubbies with them

and sells them to the public to raise money for the Community Garden.

One of our main focuses on this workday 

was to rebuild a few of our boxes that had deteriorated over time.

A handful of volunteers used saws, rebar and some wood

to save a few of our boxes from disrepair.

The rotted wood was removed,

and using these cement corner pieces,

replaced with new lumber.

The wood boards slide right into the side slots

on these corner blocks.

(I use these in my own garden.)

Hopefully, they will last a good, long time.

Aside from the usual weeding,

we also set out to plant a bed of garlic,

which will be donated to the local food bank.

The cloves were planted 2 inches deep,

about 6 inches apart,

then covered with straw for winter insulation.

We amended the bed with some worm castings

we found in the shed.

It'll be curious to see if it makes a difference.

Our chores are winding down in this garden,
but we look forward to any time spent here.
A dynamic work crew helps the job get done faster.

"Everyone is trying to accomplish something big,
not realizing that life is made up of little things."
~Frank A. Clark

Community Garden Workday for June (2019)

With sunny skies overhead on Saturday,

we had a productive workday at the Community Garden 

in Denver, North Carolina.

Our group gets together on the 3rd Saturday each month

to tend to the garden and enjoy fellowship.

The garden is bursting with color, texture and variety!

A handful of volunteers worked on a few specific tasks.

My first goal at these events, is to take pictures of what's growing.

Here's a look at the mid-June garden offerings.

The green beans look vibrant and healthy!

The crop is overtaking most of this bed.

This curly kale is spectacular!

It was so tempting to take a sampling,

but this bed is privately leased.

Folks from the community who may not have room to grow veg at home,

are able to rent beds in the community garden,

so that they can still enjoy freshly grown produce.

We were relieved to see how well the new irrigation system

is working.

It's taken some time,

but it seems that everything is getting watered evenly.

Flowers in a veggie garden are a good sign of things to come,

and this eggplant was ready for harvesting.

As a volunteer, I was able to take a few home

from one of the community beds.

It was grilled to perfection and every bite savored.

The okra along the perimeter fence

is starting to get some size to it.

No doubt these will be prolific producers,

providing those in need with ample food for their table.

Most of the crops in the community beds

are donated to the local food pantry.

It was wonderful to see the lavender doing so well.

Several types of squash are growing here,

including yellow summer and zucchini squash.

Oooops, this one got away.

The loofah is being grown in this corner bed

and will be used as part of a fundraiser for The Garden.

We have some growing at home that we will be able to donate as well.

It has recently taken off with the onset of summer-like heat.

Countless tomatoes could be found,

in all stages of ripeness.

Someone will be able to enjoy them right off the vine,

or collect them for freezing or canning.

Hoping I don't jinx anyone,

the fruit and foliage all look free from bug damage.

With a couple of us on weed duty,

we were able to tidy up almost all of the community boxes.

There will always be weeds,

we just stay at it each and every month.

Another group was laying out landscape fabric

in front of the tool shed.

This is an area where picnic tables occupy space for summer campers,

who participate in a number of activities.

Mulch was added on top of the fabric,

and we hope this will deter weeds in this area.

I'll get a picture of the finished project next month.

A gorgeous and gratifying morning's work.
It is so rewarding to spend time doing something for the greater good.
I really can't think of a better way to spend the day.

The East Lincoln Community Garden
is located at 1601 Forney Creek Pkwy
Denver, NC  28037
704-716-7300

Community Garden Workday for March (2019)

With temperatures finally breaking 50

and no rain in the forecast,

we had a productive day at the monthly Community Garden workday.

The beds have been sitting mostly untended,

and with the amount of rain over the winter,

there was plenty of weed-pulling to be had.

This Community Garden occupies space at the Y in Denver, NC.

(You can see it off in the distance.)

The garlic we planted in the fall is doing well,

regardless of irrigation issues.

Thankfully, the rainy winter took care of our watering.

A few of the other beds had some yummies growing.

These beds are sponsored by individuals

who pay $50 a season for the chance to grow their own food.

The cost covers soil and water,

they just need to add their veggies of choice!

There are several "community" beds as well,

and the food grown in these beds is used to support

the local food bank here in Denver.

Some folks end up renting a bed here

because they just don't have space

or the right growing conditions where they live.

This hardy lettuce has made it through the winter

and is still going strong.

In my garden at home,

I have watched the lettuce sit dormant for months,

and have just now been able to harvest greens.

It was a strange winter for gardeners.

For the most part,
we were all on weed duty.
The beds are tended by the renters,
so they clean up their own soil.
The walkways and community beds
were our target,
and there was plenty for us to do.

What a beautiful day to work together
making something better.
I feel truly blessed to be a part of this benevolent group.

It seems to be the season for shed cleaning.

One of the projects that several of us worked on last week

was cleaning and reorganizing the tool shed at the Community Garden.

Currently, it is shared by two separate groups,

but it will soon be solely the garden's storage unit.

We took out every single item in the shed,

and swept the shelves and floor thoroughly.

The right side of the shed is where we've been storing the garden supplies.

It's nice to see that we have room to spare on the shelves.

The left side is currently housing materials for a summer camp program.

The Y is making another area available for these supplies,

so the garden will have more space for our equipment.

The space under this shelf was ideal for the wheelbarrows,

and they can be safely tucked underneath and out of the way.

Once the camp materials are rehoused,

we will be able to use the entire shed for our purposes.

One of the most important components when organizing,
is to use as much of your vertical space as possible.
The hanging racks for the tools is the perfect example
of an efficient use of space.

Here are the befores (left) and afters (right).
I'd say it'll be a bit easier to find what we need from now on.

Another good day's work done.
Looking forward to next month's planting time.
It's an exciting time in the garden!

"Giving back creates a virtuous cycle
that makes everyone more successful."
~Ron Conway