Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Saturday's Harvest

There was a small but lovely group of gardeners, wanna-be gardeners (me), families and council members that came to the garden to wrap-up of our first growing season.  We marveled at the still-growing bounty this tiny garden continues to turn out.  The melons and cucumbers are on fire, so it was decided with the help of our dearly beloved pemaculture expert,  Kirby Fry, to let those and any other happily producing plants to continue happily producing with minimal water from our still half-full cistern.  We'll be watering 3 days per week through the summer, please contact me if you'd like to help out.

The attendees took home basil, chard, eggplants, edamame and peppers.  And we picked and tasted a very strange "Stars and Moon" gourd which was a cross between a cucumber and a melon.  Good for facials or perhaps a cocktail? 

We pulled out the squash that never quite took, we think, due to overwatering.  Something to pay attention to in the next season and sprinkled buckwheat seeds in the beds to promote nitrogen production.  

Barry helped put together a small composter where all the cleared-out produce and melon rinds will decompose and give us yummy nutrient-rich soil for the next growing season.

All-in-all it's been a great first run.  I have so enjoyed the opportunity to meet neighbors and work together towards a common goal.  I truly hope it's been a positive experience for everyone.  Thank you so much for your participation and support.  I look forward to cooler fall gardening with you all!

Cole and his friend Butternut

Kirby, his daughter, Ananda inspect garden with Abigail

Garden Maidens-Laila, Abigail and Shanti

Garden Nymph-Ananda

The big green alien is captured!

Boys had a full on photo shoot, I edited

Paxton and Alien


Callum the Cute

The moment of truth?

A brave and bewildered Jordan tries the Stars and Moon melon

Kirby, Jordan and Barry christen the composter

The Harvest

Me and Ananda posing for M.S. Living