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

Creation Care

"the land is mine...you are but aliens and tenants... you must provide for the redemption of the land."-- Lev. 25:23,24

As the Koinonia Community Garden, we are called to be partners with God in caring for creation in this place, being good stewards of the land, taking care to replenish and preserve it.

To that purpose, as the seasons turn, and the harvest of our summer crops is nearing completion, we planted some new crops for fall and winter-- carrots, kale, broccoli and onions.

As we clear out the summer plants from the beds, we are adding composted leaf mulch and planting cover crops to the beds for the winter. This will prevent erosion of the soil while adding humous and a green manure in the spring.
--DG

Got okra?

What's so great about okra!

 First it's from the north east of Africa and fits in perfect with our hot humid southern summers, having not problem producing it's green lady finger pods right up to the first heavy frost. The plant easily grows over your head no matter if you are 5 foot or 7 foot! Once the green pods start to form they literally grow over night!  Optimum picking size would be that of your little finger. When sliced a mucus like liquid is produced. This mucus combined with the fiber of the pod make great digestives. Okra is also high in folic acid, vitamins A and B with healthful minerals zinc, and calcium.

Favorite preparations are to slice into coins or spears for gumbo, soups, and fritters or leave whole for your best pickle recipe. I like to cut up the pods, soak in sour milk, batter in cornmeal/flour/salt/pepper and fry in oil. I can't eat this way all the time, it's a real splurge! So while the okra's fresh we indulge!

 --Pat H

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

Pruning, planting and summer tomatoes

Recently the garden has been blessed with timely rains, and our crops are responding with rapid growth.

We've been pruning and supporting our lanky tomato vines every week, and today we harvested the first of the regular tomatoes.  Cherry tomatoes have been ripening for a couple of weeks now.  We're trying to control fungus by cutting off lower branches that touch the ground.  It seems every time we come back there are more branches in need of cutting.  Behind the lower branches is where we've discovered ripening tomatoes we couldn't see from other angles. Our efforts are bearing fruit.

The first planting of sweet corn is now higher than our knees, and the second and third plantings are coming along.  The first beans are up, and more will be added once the ground dries a bit.  Cucumbers are growing, okra is just starting to come up.