Friday, March 25, 2011

MOCG Spring events - Sign up for your garden plot!

The Miller Orchard Community Garden is beginning its second growing
season at 815 Orchard St. (across from Planned Parenthood), and we
invite anybody who is interested in growing flowers or vegetables to
sign up for a plot and get growing! Meet your neighbors, learn about
gardening, and eat delicious produce this summer. 10'x10' plots are
available (you may sign up for more than one) for $10/plot. Beginning
gardeners are welcome. You don't need any special tools or equipment.
The garden has rain barrels (thanks to the kindness of Nancy at Dental
Ceramics); we are putting up a rabbit fence around the garden
perimeter; there are gardening tools and gloves in the shed on-site.
We will have group gardening hours Tuesdays from 5-7 p.m. and
Saturdays from 1-3 p.m. (this may change to early morning when the
weather heats up) for people who want to learn from each other or
socialize.

Art students from Sarah Kanouse's Art & Ecology class are going to be completing an entrance sign and beautification project in the next 6 weeks, so keep an eye out for a new entrance sign, and watch their plantings grow over the summer. They are also planning a vermicomposting bin for the garden. We are excited about their presence and their projects!

Worms make good soil. photo credit: Clare Snow, flickr.com

Our spring calendar of events (all events are free, and everyone is welcome):

****April 2, workday 10-1 p.m.****

• April 9th, Kick-off Party, 1-3 p.m. at the garden site Come
meet other gardeners, enjoy some snacks, drinks, and learn how to make
an insanely easy raised garden bed. (rain date April 16th) This is a
good time to sign up for a plot, but you can contact Katherine Parker
Bryden (phone: 319.466.9445, email: katherinecparker@gmail.com)
anytime between now and April 23rd to get a plot.
• April 14th, 5:15-6:30 at Roosevelt Elementary MOCG at Roosevelt
Roadrunner Club Family Night: "Spring Planting" seed-starting activity
for kids and families.
• April 23rd, time TBD, garden site FMC Youth group workday to lay
down mulch paths. *This is the last day to sign up for a garden
plot.*
• April 30th, Seed and Started Plant Swap, 1-3 p.m. garden site
(Benton Hill Park pavilion if the weather is bad) Bring some of your
extra seeds or plant starts and swap for varieties you don't have.
• Demonstration: Spud Stacks -- Learn to grow sweet potatoes inside a
stack of tires. date TBD, but look for advertising in the
neighborhood!

For plots (last day to sign up is 4/23) or questions, call Katherine
Bryden at 319.466.9445, or come out to the garden if you see people
working out there!