We Wait in Joyful Hope!

The best fertilizer is the gardener's shadow. ~Author Unknown










Here we go! Trying something new this year. Just planted some seeds directly into the raised bed. Snap Peas, Spinach, Marigolds, Swiss Chard and some mesclun that Ellen started for us in the milk container. Wish them luck!

I may need to cover the bed at night. We'll see. You can, too! I'll post it's progress.

We have a beautiful design for an expanded garden, thanks to Master Gardener, Roberta Kressel. She is a great asset. She and I look forward to working with
our Green Teens to create a beautiful, useful garden.

See you at the library.

Peas,
Michelle

Seeds for Solidarity

http://www.seedsofsolidarity.org/

Check them out. Deb Habib(a HPHS grad!) was here and gave a very inspirational talk about what they are doing in Mass. We can do it, too. One step at a time. Sustainable Highland Park and the Edible Gardens Project are making things happen.
It is very exciting - jump on board!

Judging by the turnout there is clearly a large interest in this in HP and surrounding communities.
We hope this is the first of many such workshops and discussions.

Check back for more.

Mark you calendars for the Earth Day Event, April 22nd at the high school. Focus will be on food and agriculture. We will have a table there! Let me know if you want to help out there and with our library garden.


Best,

Michelle

Grow Food Everywhere!

"Grow Food Everywhere," program led by Deb Habib, EdD
Founder and Executive Director of Seeds of Solidarity, Orange, MA
This program is for parents, students and community interested in local
food and gardens for health, education, community vitality, and justice.
Monday, March 1, at 7 pm
Highland Park Public Library
31 North Fifth Ave., Highland Park


Learn...
* Why we must--and how we can--grow more food in all of our communities,
from schools to lawns to lots
* Exciting and accessible sustainable gardening techniques used at Seeds
of Solidarity Farm to build soil through no-till practices and solar
greenhouses
* How to help mitigate climate change while cultivating delicious and
abundant food
* About youth agriculture, school and community wellness gardens, and a
successful art and agriculture festival, which inspire and explain
approaches to increasing community-based food self-reliance

Participate in a roundtable discussion to delve more deeply into issues
and ideas, and generate next steps toward fresh food for all and community
food security.

Program jointly sponsored by the Edible HP School Gardens Project and the
HP Public Library. The School Gardens Project is a joint school/community
program supported by a grant from Sustainable Jersey.


Hope to see you there!

We Grew it Here!

Can you imagine what we can grow when we start adding our own compost!

We had a wonderful composting workshop here last night.
We had 2 wonderful presenters, Roberta Kressel and Judy Wagner. They are recently certified as Master Gardeners through the Rutgers Cooperative Research and program.
They were delightful - informative and engaging.

We learned how to get started, what to add, (and what not to add) and how to solve any problems. I'm sure we won't have no stinkin' problems. Especially if we make sure not to add any meat products.

Dead leaves, vegetable scraps, fireplace ash, shredded b&w newspaper - all good.
The right level of moisture and air are important as well. Turning your pile often is good. I can't wait to get started. Tonight my garden gets turned into the beginnings of my compost pile.

You can purchase a compost bin for $25 from the Middlesex County Improvement Authority. Hours are 1st and 3rd Wed. of the month 11 am - 2 pm. 55 Edgeboro Road.
Or just make your own with chicken wire. This is my plan for my own garden but I'm hoping the library will purchase the much more attractive bin.

For the flyer cut and paste the link below:
http://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/planningboard/Compost%20bin%20sale.pdf

Any questions? Stop in, we have flyers and info available to you.

Have a group that would like to host a workshop? Visit their website and call the Rutgers Extension
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/extension/

A big thank you to Roberta and Judy. They'll be back in the spring to get us ready for gardening! Be there.




Michelle

Our Garden

It was a wonderful summer project. Thank you to Edible Gardens Project for the great idea and the assistance. Click their link on the right to see what other good things they are up to.

We got off to a rough start but our garden it finally thriving. Tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs abound. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but it looks good.
We made a delicious gazpacho with our largest "harvest" and a little help from my home garden and the farmer's market.

We have some interesting workshops lined up for fall.

Composting - presented by 2 local Master Gardeners. Ages 12 and up are welcome, including adults. Please register for this October 19th event to be held at 7 pm.

Sustainability - Tina Weishaus, Anne Barron and Irene Marx will be here to play a game with us that will help us learn about sustainability. November, details to follow.

Send me pictures of your garden and I'll post them here...free zucchini to anyone who sends me a picture. mreasso@hpplnj.org

Pumpkin patch for the fall. See me if you want to help.

Cheers, Michelle

Our first tomato!

Does Our Garden Grow?

Not so much....



The cucumbers were delicious. Small...but yummy ;)


My garden at home is growing wildly with zucchini and tomatoes. I'll post a photo Friday. Send me photos of yours and we will create an album of HP gardens!

Roberta Kressel, board member and our resident Master Gardener, thinks the library garden does not get enough sun. We will consider moving it to another spot next year. I have a call into Rutgers Cooperative Extension to see if they can offer any advice.

Soil testing again Friday to see if our fertilizer application did any good or we need to add more.

Lab partners needed. The only requirement is that you can read and follow directions ;)

Stay dry.

Michelle