Community Gardening in the time of Covid 19- part 2

 

Nov. 3, 2020

This is an update to the previous post written last spring during Shelter in Place. 

Initially, none of us could have imagined this situation would last as long as it has. In the spring we thought it might only be for several weeks. As noted in the previous post, the garden was in maintenance mode for a time, but in May we reopened under phase 1 guidelines which allowed up to ten persons to gather in an outdoor space while maintaining social distance. Basically that continued all summer until the fall, as we never really opened to the public. About fifteen gardeners have contributed in some way to the effort, with a core group of eight or so who have been most active. This was about half as many gardeners as we had in 2019.

In spite of everything that happened we have managed to continue through the year and had some good crop yields which allowed us to continue donating produce to the food pantry almost every week. And it has been on a week-by-week basis, of just staying focused and doing what needed to be done at the garden.  The garden is large enough that it is easy to work while maintaining social distance. 

We have the reward of being outdoors in a pleasant environment and also the satisfaction of doing something productive to help others by donating many pounds of fresh produce. For that opportunity we are grateful. All of us miss being able to move about freely and spend time with friends and family, and activities that we were involved in and perhaps took for granted prior to covid 19. Working together in the garden also provides the benefits of some social interaction with others in person that we otherwise might not have.

Sweet Potato Time

This year's sweet potato harvest was a smashing success. Sweet potatoes are one plant that seem to thrive in hot weather, so they were not phased by the intense heat this summer.  Nevertheless, we weren't sure how the flash drought that came in September would affect them. We watered them as much as we could, and then when a cooler day came we tried a few hills with a fork to see if they were ready.  

We are very pleased and thankful for the results of our effort.

Spring Dreams

It's been a while since we posted.
Much has happened, including a couple of major hurricanes passing through the region, though not so directly impacting our area of the Piedmont, except for some flooding here and there.
But our garden is still alive, and we're making plans to get started.
Checking our conditions at present-- the weather has been mild, but with a lot of rain.
Our garden is located on high ground, so we have fairly good drainage. Checking the beds this weekend they seem to be fairly wet, perhaps too wet to begin planting just yet.
We're making plans and getting ready though. First up is some maintenance needing to be done after the winter storms. We'll first be planting some snow peas and onions next month. Possibly putting in blueberry plants on our slope, which has been a long-term goal.
Starting in February we're resuming our work times, which will be Saturday afternoon from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Stop by for a visit if you're in the neighborhood. 

Spring in the air

Hi,
Today was a great day to garden. Despite short notice, 5 gardeners came to the garden and got started preparing the soil for spring crops.
Cover crop of oats cut down, and snow peas were planted in Bed 16 (former pepper bed) and plans were made to build a support using bamboo so that peas can grow up strings.
The clover cover crop that had been planted in the former corn bed and our winter cover crop was mowed and plowed under and left to rot.
Lots of weeding and weed suppression (using paper and mulch). Broccoli harvested. 
--Kris

Garden experience: getting your hands in the dirt...

 I have a cousin who lives in Maine, and often I can hear a phrase resonating from him to me--
"You gotta get your hands in the dirt".
He has been growing things his whole life; most of them are legal too. Anyway I am just getting acquainted with his phrase now. I have recently become a member of the Koinonia Garden, which first attracted my 12-year-old daughter when she passed the sign on the road. "Mom we should go check it out this week what do you think?"
Well all I needed was that invitation from her, and soon my nine-year-old boy chimed in ..."sure I'll do it too mom."
For the last several months we have tried to come each Saturday morning, and I have alternated time there with each of  my children. They have participated in the planting from the very start, helping to prepare the beds, setting up the hydration system, planting the seeds and now getting to harvest the wonderful bounty.
I don't know who has been more excited to see each of the seedlings sprout and grow every week and see the final product of everyone's labor.
For me I have always loved to be outside and working. I recently lost my mom in January, and I have found that being outside in my yard connecting with nature has been the most therapeutic thing I could ever imagine. I have also planted my own garden, of course with much guidance from my noble comrades from the garden who have guided me with their wisdom.
Not to mention I have loved getting to know each and every one of them and working side-by-side with them. For me I have had several moments of Zen just being there-- I even enjoy the sound of the cars passing by and different sounds coming from the garden tools clanking and voices about comments of the new week's activity, feeling welcomed every week by friendly kind faces who want nothing more than to see me happily existing in the garden with my family and to share as much as they can of the harvest already.
So now I know a little bit more at the meaning of getting my hands in the dirt, which too can cleanse the soul.
--A.S.

One year ago, we planted our first seeds

 

 "Be joyful in God, all you lands; sing the glory of his name; sing the glory of his praise.
"Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds! All the earth bows down before you, sings to you, sings out your Name.'" --Ps. 66:1-3

We have much to celebrate this week.  It was just about a year ago that we made our first plantings at Koinonia Garden.  Much has transpired in the past year, and God has blessed us richly in this endeavor. Countless volunteer hours and gifts have already been contributed to Koinonia before we picked our first greens last fall.  It came about by faith, love, and hard work combined.

We are thankful that our garden shed is nearly complete. It looks great!
At this time we have an overabundance of produce including peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant and even sweet corn that we didn't have a year ago.  We have so much harvest now and work to do, that we could actually use some help.  So if you've been away or haven't had time to get out to the garden recently, your help would be greatly appreciated.
As you can see from the picture above, we did have some storm damage to the sweet corn this week, that we had to attend to, and we also picked sweet corn from the downed plants that was ready.
We have shared much produce to the pantry at Evergreen and the Benevolence at Christ Church.
This month we will begin planting some crops for the fall season.
We welcome you to join us and look forward to seeing you soon at the garden.
-- D

Steamy Saturday

There is a time for everything, and a time for every purpose under heaven.
A time to plant, and a time to uproot. -- Eccl. 3:1

Several of us worked in our garden this morning, arriving just as a brief shower passed through.

Continued work on the lasagna bed which is being built with layers of discarded grocery produce, and partially composted manure. Trimmed and tied tomato vines, thinned corn seedlings, and harvested root veggies.

Harvested and brought beets and carrots to the food pantry, and we were done.

Happy Fourth of July to all.
--D

June harvesting and planting

Our garden is beautiful and bountiful these days, as spring gives way to summer.
As the days grow longer and the temperature rises, it is good to go early in the morning to work before the heat builds. This morning was nearly ideal, as the early morning temperature was down into the 50s overnight. So when we got to the garden it was still pleasantly cool.
As spring gives way to summer, we are blessed with an abundance and variety of early produce-- lettuce, beets, peas, and spinach that we have been harvesting already.  Tomatoes, Swiss chard, carrots and herbs are growing.  Tomato supports have been set, and some sweet corn is planted and coming up now.
--Deborah

Spring planting

Spring this year has continued to be cool and wet here in North Carolina. Our earlier planted crops have been growing well.  In between we also weeded and mulched the blueberry patch near the church on a Saturday morning in April when the garden beds were too saturated to work in.

Blueberries starting to form

Finally the weather permitted us to get the tomatoes in this

month.

Tomato plant

Planting Tomatoes

Why garden?

Why Garden?

I suspect the answer to that question may be different for each of us.  I grew up in a city and lived in an apartment as a child.  I remember going to visit my aunt and uncle every summer who lived in Michigan. They had a small hobby farm, complete with a big red barn and a haymow, apple trees for climbing and a large organic garden with compost pile.

At the age of seven, I was set down in this space and taught to pull weeds.  It was all so amazing-- tomatoes growing on vines, zucchini squash, carrots and strawberries!  From that came a lifelong love of gardening and growing my own whenever possible.  So now, being retired and living in an apartment, I jumped at the chance to join a community garden. --Deborah G.

So, why do you garden?

Share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Looking Back at 2015

2015 was an amazing year at Koinonia Community Garden. In October we celebrated our garden with a dedication service. 

Dedication Prayer

"The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg. Dreams are the seedlings of realities."-- James Allen

This past Sunday afternoon a group of people from two congregations came together on a brilliant October day to dedicate the Koinonia Community Garden.  The ground where we stood overlooking beds of kale and collards was a wooded area one year ago.

Honey bee visiting flowering buckwheat

Much was accomplished by many people who worked together over the past year to bring this day into reality. There were many gifts and donations given by generous, caring people in our churches and community. It could not have come about except for the efforts of many who joined together, youth and adults.

Youth work day installing deer fencing

But it all came about because of a vision that one woman had thirty years ago. Pat Horton is a local gardener who shares much of her own garden produce with others.  But Pat was concerned
about those in our area who are living in a "food desert."
 One purpose is to provide fresh produce for the church food pantry that serves persons in a food desert.  Yes, hard to believe in 2015 but one in four households in our counties are lacking enough food.  One of five children in our schools are hungry. Just google "hunger in North Carolina" to get an idea.

"But he (Jesus) answered, 'You give them something to eat.'" --Mark 6:37

Thanks be to God for the bountiful harvest, the blessings of our working together, and the opportunity to serve our community. Koinonia is a labor of love and the witness of our faith.

Bok Choy and Chinese Cabbage

Raised beds

Cucumbers and Spinach