How can you help the garden?  We are currently collecting plastic milk containers in the narthex area at House of Prayer to be used as starter beds for tomatoes, etc.  Please bring your rinsed-out containers on Sunday and leave them in the area designated for collection.  Thank you in advance! 

We have our first 2012 garden meeting scheduled for Sunday, March 4th at 10:40 a.m. in Parish Hall at House of Prayer Church.  Please join us and bring a friend! 

We learn, grow & support.

Our first learning opportunity of the 2012 season!  This will also be a chance to meet other community gardeners and share ideas and missions.   I will be registering to attend so let me know if you'd like to join me for the day!

 

When:  Saturday, March 31, 2012

time:     9:00am until 4:30pm

Description

The 8th Annual Community Garden Spring Resource Fair will be held Saturday March 31st, 2012 and will be keynoted by Karen Washington, President of the New York City Community Gardening Coalition. Washington, who is also a founding member of Black Urban Growers, which spo...nsors the annual Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners Conference, will address attendees of the Resource Fair about her work advocating for land permanence for New York City community gardens, and the importance of working in unity to achieve the Coalition’s goals. In addition to Mrs. Washington’s keynote, the days’ events feature 12 different workshops on gardening and urban farming topics, including urban livestock, co-op and swap models, addressing food justice on the local level, and growing superabundant gardens in small spaces. The emphasis of the day is on bringing together community gardeners from across the Twin Cities metro area to encourage shared learning and increased connection, which contributes to community garden sustainability. More information, including a detailed agenda and workshop descriptions is available at www.gardeningmatters.org

Planting Seeds of Hope

As I sit and watch the snow flurries trying to organize themselves, my thoughts turn to warm sunshine and the tremendous potential for this years' community garden.  At our end-of-the-year luncheon last Fall, it was decided that the goal for this years' garden should be to produce abundant harvest to share with our neighbors and garden helpers.  Our two 5 x 30 beds will be enough space to concentrate on crops that will produce larger harvests than our individual plots could achieve.  I am visioning whole beds of carrots, radishes, cucumbers, lettuces, beans and tomatoes. 

I have also had an opportunity to meet with Flynn Rico-Johnson with the do.TOWN campaign in partnership with Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  Flynn is helping to find interested participants for the garden this season and beyond.  We will be spending time door knocking and sharing information on what the community garden has done and how they can become involved.  The Girl Scout troop has also expressed interest in helping with the garden.  More details as they surface.

I admit it.  I am an accidental gardener.  This journey has been a learning experience from the very beginning, but if you will continue to support this worthwhile investment of your time and energy, I promise to keep asking questions and seeking new ways to reach into Richfield.  May God bless this garden place and all who enter it.