We had a great first day out in the garden! Sunshine+wind+blue skies+friends is a recipe for happiness, for sure (and it sure helps with getting that daily dose of Vitamin D). Every season brings new adventures and challenges and the most recent one was the discovery that a majority of the community garden is now covered in a pretty thick layer of partially composted leaves (several feet deep in places). We spent a couple of hours yesterday moving them to the edge of our garden plots while we took turns guessing the purpose of the leafy distribution. In the final count, we decided that it might have been a case of good intentions tempered by the logistics of composting (ie composted leaves need a lot more time to become healthy, plantable soil)! The county schedules a pre-season tilling of the ground for gardeners any day now, so we'll see how it goes. We're hoping it doesn't make it any harder for any of our fellow gardeners to plant but we've left a few of our plots as-is to see how it goes.
In other news, everyone's been starting seeds and here is a little sample of what we've got going: Greek tomatoes, Jalapeno peppers, Red Russian Kale, Lemon apple cucumbers, Kohlrabi, Mache, Leeks and Celery. We are also planning a great medicinal herb garden and the Feverfew, Chamomile, Echinacea, Calendula, Lemon Balm and Organo are already on their way. There are so many ways we can be connected to the earth for healthy eating and healing and we hope to highlight that in this year's garden!
an especially large leaf pile on the edge of the garden
In other news, everyone's been starting seeds and here is a little sample of what we've got going: Greek tomatoes, Jalapeno peppers, Red Russian Kale, Lemon apple cucumbers, Kohlrabi, Mache, Leeks and Celery. We are also planning a great medicinal herb garden and the Feverfew, Chamomile, Echinacea, Calendula, Lemon Balm and Organo are already on their way. There are so many ways we can be connected to the earth for healthy eating and healing and we hope to highlight that in this year's garden!
chamomile in full bloom (ETA: this summer)
And it seems we keep hearing about more and more research on the benefits of gardening, so here's today's installment. A recent study indicates that gardeners are more likely to eat fresh vegetables than non-gardeners, regardless of how much time and energy they actually spent out there in a garden. This particular study focused on older adults, so if you are lucky enough to have one in your life, bring 'em on down to the garden to acquaint them with some yummy veggies! It just goes to show you that nobody can resist a fresh-picked tomato or carrot straight out of the garden.
Hope you have a great week and get out there for a little sunshine or time with a friend. We can all vouch for the fact that it definitely makes life so much more beautiful! :)
~Marykaye
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