I got a chance to get into the garden to plant some of the plants in 103 and started to remediate 54. Due to limited windows of opportunity this weekend, my only opportunity to do so was after work on Friday, and during some very inclement weather.
I hope to get in there the next few days. At the least, I’ll need to stop for a few minutes on Monday/Tuesday, as the temperatures will reach the 70s (and 103 is now under cover.)
As for 54, although it was pretty free of tap-root weeds, I might just do another weed burn to be on the safe side. We’ll see.
I got a chance to take a look at my second plot, number 54.
This is the first association I have when I think of “54”:
(Glory was a great movie, by the way. 1989. If it’s before your time, make a point to see it. It was also where Denzel Washington (and Morgan Freeman, though driving Miss Daisy hit the theaters just a month prior,) made a name for himself.)
At any rate, I’ll be hitting the garden after work on Friday, so I needed to check the plot to see what I’ll need to take with me to get this bed prepped and ready.
On the plus side, one of the other garden leaders was able to make several stops to the garden this week to spread most of the bark chips, so I’ll have more time to focus on plot FIFTY-FOUR!
Another plus is that it is centrally located. I don’t know how its location is affected in a feng-shui or some other energetic sense, but in my mind, I’m going to give it good vibes.
The new season officially began as the Peterson Garden gardens officially opened this week. Due to inclement weather last weekend, tge garden clean-up didn’t start until this weekend and will rely in those that pitch in.
I had an opportunity to volunteer at tge cool-weather plant sale on Saturday, held at 1101 W. Lawrence (across from the Aragon ballroom.) Here are a couple pics I managed to take.
It was a lot of fun and I’m definitely volunteering for the warm-weather plant sal in a few weeks, and for a longer bracket of time. It felt good to participate.
In the garden itself, I decided to get some experience using a cold-weather tunnel. The plan was to have a cool weather planting this year- spinach, early-start carrots and cilantro, and possibly some lettuce, and start the pole beans in a few weeks or so. Since peas and pole beans are already coming up, I’ll include those in the tunnel and take it from there.
I’ve also volunteered myself to be a garden leader, seeing as how much I’ve vested myself in the garden. What exact details are involved, I’ll find out.
As mentioned, the weather was uncooperative last weekend, so there’s a basket of tasks to do: marking the plot numbers, replacing rotted bed boards, weeding, and spreading this pile of bark chips around. Personally, I feel to get at least two inches of total coverage, we need twice as much. I’m thankful that we got anything, so I’ll make the best of what we do have.
Oh- no microgreens/sprouts, no farmers market this year. When o tried to embrace the idea, all I felt was resistance. I very much understand the mantra of “follow your bliss.” A farmers market venture produced nothing but feelings of having to make myself do it. So not this year. I’d happily produce FOR someone to sell, but I don’t want to grow then have to retail it myself. I still want some free time.
Video commentary and pictures below.
Enjoy and be well, Everyone.
Welcome! PSA
FYI
The plot layout
Here’s 103
#103
A panoramic view of opening weekend
The brown gold
I was able to weed and place bark chips in “my” corner
My corner, opposite angle
The worms are back, and so are the birds looking to eat them
Pole beans!
I guess I’m growing peas along with the pole beans
As I’m assessing my situation with starting up the farming operation, one of the things I’ve encountered is the question of what equipment I would need to operate at a given scale of operation (based on total area of productive land.)
I looked up what kind of area different sub-acre sized lots would occupy, just to get a better sense (I’m a strong visual learner.) I came across a UK website that had some great examples (with dimensions) that I felt would be handy, so I figured I’d share it here.
A good presentation where Curtis covers the many aspects of urban SPIN (Small Plot Intensive) farming and how they can be implemented into our value systems, our agricultural systems, the food supply chain, and our everyday lives to have a beneficial impact. Worth a listen.
Green Pitch Farms Blog 