Fwd: CINCO DE MAYO UPDATE: St Francis Sustainable Gardens

Since the Spring Preparation Day of April 26, the following activity has happened:

• The east planter on church front steps was cleared or mulch and plants (I.e., 2 holly bushes were transplanted) and Erich and Ann Marie Jensen hauled 1200 pounds of top soil into the planter.
• Erich Jensen and Rose, Patrick and John Sherry added a new green metal "bunny/animal proof" fence to the internal perimeter of the main sustainable garden.
• The rectory garden has been planted with red twigged dogwood, autumn joy sedum, columbine, white spruce and a red bud.
• The first delivery of 3 bundles of rhubarb and 1 bundle of asparagus was made today (May 5)to Perry Nursery School.
• A lengthwise board (2" by 6" by 10') was replaced on one of the beds within the main sustainable garden.
• Spinach has germinated in the main sustainable garden

 
Regards,
Erich Jensen

UPDATE: St Francis Sustainable Gardens: We Got Started

Dear All,

I would like to personally thank the gardening team of the following volunteers, the biggest work crew yet for spring cleaning:

• Frank Fazekas
• John Sherry 
• Patrick Sherry
• Rose Sherry
• Susan Bass
• Kathryn Wissman
• Julie White
• Joan Meagher
• Mark Gawronski
• Erich Jensen
• Ann Marie Jensen
• John Schommer
• Tracy Nagy

This team of volunteers accomplished the following tasks (selected photos are attached) in just under 2 hours on a sunny, beautifully cool Saturday morning, 26 April 2014, a perfect spring garden cleaning and clearing day:

• Rake/gather the leaves from the interior and exterior perimeters of the main vegetable and herb garden (P.S. Susan Bass additionally pruned/trimmed all "deadwood" from the perennials and herb plants)
• Compost the leaves and other vegetative debris in the city and on site compost bins
• Deliver compost (special kudos to Tracy Nagy) just to left of bramble (and rhubarb) garden
• Edge, weed and de-stone the rectory backyard garden for native Michigan plantings (P.S.  Erich Jensen planted Autumn Joy Sedum (n = 5); white spruce (n = 2) and red twigged dogwood (n = 7) later that day)
• Clear/dig up most of excessive grasses, overgrown plants and buckthorn from the future educational native plant bed located bed uphill and south of Parish Office in the cedars/arborvitae hedge along Winchell Street (John Schommer and Ann Marie and Erich Jensen did this activity on Wednesday afternoon, 23 April 2014)
• Remove mulch from church front step "east" planter (P.S.  Erich and Ann Marie Jensen cleared the remaining mulch and all plants including the transplanting of 2 holly bushes on 29 April 2014)
• Repair of board(s) (i.e., donation from Fingerle Lumber)  for the main vegetable and herb garden
• Plant numerous rows of vegetable seeds in beds for the main vegetable and herb garden (P.S.  The Sherry family has been planting other vegetables; (e.g. spinach and peas have germinated) for several weeks already)
• Receive hoop house hardware from Ace Hardware (special kudos to Joan Meagher for outreach to local merchants) and replacement fencing for the interior of main vegetable and herb garden

Please note that although some individuals were cited specifically above, ALL volunteers worked diligently and completely on ALL tasks, no matter what they were assigned to do.  The results of the garden spring clean up are truly outstanding, and another small corner of the world is ready for crop production and native plant restoration/introductions.

With gratitude and blessings,
Erich Jensen
Co-coordinator, St Francis of Assisi Sustainable Gardens

Garden Update (Yeah!! the first of the year)

Hello All,

1) The Sherrys stopped by the garden this morning after church to get some seeds started. We cleared the leaves and needles from John (i.e., one of the four named beds in the main sustainable garden) and planted two rows of spinach, one along each long edge of the bed. This bed will be followed up by tomatoes in May, by then the spinach will be finishing up.  We marked the rows of spinach with the black plastic markers

2) The mulch (leaves and needles) we dumped in Luke (i.e., one of the four named beds in the main sustainable garden) for now. Currently that is the designated potato bed (with other potato companions). Potatoes are okay with a more acidic soil which we believe pine needles can cause. PLEASE DO NOT remove the "mulch" from this bed yet. I'm still trying to decide whether to use this natural mulch as just mulch for the potatoes instead of buying straw or use it for the potato bag. My intention is to remove the leaves and needles from the other beds and collect it for LUKE or the potato bag.
 
3) We planted half the crop of peas in Matthew (i.e., one of the four named beds in the main sustainable garden), the side with the good board so that fixing the broken board will not disrupt the crops. Patrick Sherry has pea plants started at home with the intent to translate these in Matthew when we get the board fix (which should be soon I hope) We will need to come back (possible next week) and erect the supports so that they will be there when the peas start growing.  We put a temporary fence up where the peas were planted. 

Rose

Spring is Here! Let's Get Started

Dear St Francis Sustainable Garden Volunteers,
 
We hope you haven't forgotten the Sustainable Garden Ministry and, we now need your time, talent and treasure for gardening.  The season is upon us!
 
It's been a long snowy cold winter and, once again, Spring is beckoning us to the gardens at St Francis of Assisi (e.g., the rhubarb is nosing up from the soil already):

• Vegetable, Fruit and Herb Beds (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Peter and Paul)
• Native Michigan Plant Beds  (to be named)
• Good News:  St Francis of Assisi was awarded a monetary grant earlier this year from the Wildflower Association of Michigan for Native Plants.

 
Check out the garden website: http://www.stfrancisa2.com/church-community/outreach/sustainable-garden
 
Please mark your calendars for the following definitive preparation dates:

1. April 26** (Saturday) 9 - 11 am: Bed Preparation and Compost Day (Bring a shovel and/or trowel, if possible, Meet at the Rectory)
2. May 11 (Mother's Day Sunday) after the 8:30 and 10:30 am Masses: Seed and Seedling Sale (Before, during, and after for setup, sales and tear down at the front of PAC)
3. May 17 (Saturday) 9 - 11 am: Planting Seeds and Seedlings; Meet at Rectory
4. Memorial Weekend until end of September (We need at least ONE volunteer for EACH day of week for ONE hour to water and weed, as needed, shifts can be shared/substituted as vacations arise)
5. April 21-25: Additional help is needed to prepare the new Native Michigan Garden Beds. Please contact Erich specifically to schedule (phone number is listed below). 

 
**Important Note:  Do any of you know someone who has a pick-up truck or equivalent vehicle to help us get a couple yards of compost from the city early (8 am) on April 26? 
 
Thank you in advance and please contact Erich Jensen or Rose Sherry with any questions, needed clarifications, concerns, and if and when you can come. 
 
We will welcome all of you, brand new and experienced gardeners, and will help you get oriented to the gardens for a fun and interesting time, too.
 
Please RSVP by phone or email, whenever possible.
 
In Christ,
Erich Jensen
734.771.8511
Rose Sherry
734.657.0197

Seed & Seedling Sale: Sunday, May 11, 2014

Feed Hungry Neighbors AND
Support Michigan Native Plants Initiative

St. Francis Sustainable Garden Projects

Annual Seed and Seedling/Plant Sale:
Sunday May 11th, 2014, after 8:30 and 10:30 am Masses (find our table near the PAC entrance).

 We sell organic seeds and plants from the church gardens and other local sources. Sale proceeds are used to fund supplies for these church gardens which are part of our Parish Sustainability Project.  One set of gardens provides fresh organic produce and herbs to Perry Nursery School Families, a program for at risk children of low-income single parents.  The second set of gardens is being developed for natural beautification, sustaining bird and butterfly wildlife, and education of the parish community.

Donations and volunteers are also welcome. Come learn about gardening!  Interested? Please contact Erich Jensen at: erichjensen@msn.com or (734) 771-8511.

St Francis Sustainable Garden: 2013 Summary

Dear All,

Congratulations on a stewardship well done this past garden season, and thank you for your efforts on the following:

THE TOTAL HARVEST OF ALL CROPS IN 2013 WAS 212 POUNDS, up significantly from (2012) last year's 97.9 pounds (due to drought) AND almost twice the harvest from 2011 which was 125 pounds! (see attached color coded chart from Patrick Sherry)

Additionally the Sustainable Garden treasury is solvent and comfortably in the black due to successful fundraising events (i.e., spring seed and plant sales) and donations (a special thanks to Joan Meagher for her outreach and persuasion of our donors). 

2013 Main Events Recap:

• Apr 6-7: Seed Sales after Weekend Masses
• Apr 20:  Compost Haul
• May 18: Garden Bed Preparation
• May 18-19: Seedling and Plant Sales after Weekend Masses
• May 23: Seed Potato Planting with St Francis 5th Graders
• May - Sep: Daily Watering and Weeding, as needed (Special thanks to Fazekas, Jensens, Sherrys, Julie, Joan and Katy)
• May - Sep: Biweekly Delivery of Produce to Perry Nursery School (Special thanks to Jensens and Sherrys)
• Sep 27: Potato Harvest with St Francis 6th Graders
• Oct 12: Fall CleanUp - Time, Talent and Treasure "Meet and Greet"

Additional Highlights

• First harvest of garlic (planted previous Oct) in early spring
• Earliest planting of cool crops of spinach and sugar snap peas
• Initiated Michigan native plant project with donations, sales and plantings
• Revitalized hillside garden bed south of Parish Office for potato and bush bean crops and Michigan native plants
• Removal of ice storm damaged cedar trees allowed expansion of bramble patch (red and black raspberries)
• Obtained City of Ann Arbor compost bin for weekly debris pickup (Thanks to Dave Barera)
• Involved St Francis school children in potato crop planting and harvest (Thanks to Wendy Lemke)
• Explored natural remedies for plant health (e.g., chive solutions for squash plant mildew)
• Donated extra flowering plants to Peace Garden near west front school entrance

Future Improvements

• Replace mesh barrier in main garden due to nesting, not eating bunny invasion
• Replace/reconnect a couple of wood boards of raised beds in main garden
• Set up/test hoop house (new donation of materials from Ace Hardware) next year in main garden
• Clear/convert second hillside garden bed south of parish office for plantings
• Use/plant cleared areas from fallen/removed cedar trees
• Involve St Francis School in Seedling/Plant starts in winter 2014
• Complete more grant applications/initiatives with local businesses and organizations

Thank You

• Donors:  Downtown Home and Garden, Ace Hardware, Meijer's, Turner's, Ann Arbor Native Plants
• Sponsors: Father Jim (and now Father James) and Scott Wright (e.g., communicating time and talent recruits and maintaining the blog: http://sustainable-garden-project.blogspot.com/ )
• Dave Barera and operations staff on equipment storage and retrieval
• Previous and new volunteers who have actively participated in garden activities and events.  Apologies for not specific volunteer citations/thank you on ALL the numerous other and behind the scenes activities.

God bless you, ALL.

In Christ,
Erich Jensen and Rose Sherry
Garden Coordinators
734.771.8511 (Erich's cell)

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THANK YOU to everyone who was involved in the harvest project!  The families at Perry Nursery School literally ate it up this year :-)  Everything was snatched up and used.  

Here is a great story about how your garden affects our families:

One afternoon a young mom came to pick up her daughter.  The girl went to the counter and pointed to the rhubarb and asked her mom if they could take some home to eat.  The mom picked it up, turned it over and over and looked very perplexed.  I asked, "Can I help you?"  She said, "What is this?"  I explained what it was and how it could be cooked and used.  She said she did have internet at home and I suggested that she look up some simple recipes and to have fun with it.

Here is why this story touches me.  A mom and daughter learned something new.  The daughter was excited over being able to take something home - something she had never seen before.  The mom gets to be a hero - she didn't just say "no" to her daughter, but explored the possibilities and was willing to try.  I never did find out the results, but that memory will stick with me forever.  Thank you!

Sandy Williams, Development Director at Perry Nursery School of Ann Arbor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Belated Thank You: St Francis Sustainable Garden: Oct 12 "Meet and Greet" Garden Clean UP

Dear All,

Many thanks to our volunteers, veterans and new, who came to cleanup the gardens on the cool and very sunny Saturday morning about 2 weeks ago.

John Schommer, Rose, Patrick and John Sherry, Erich and Ann Marie Jensen, Joan Meagher, Nora, Frank Jr, Julie, and Frank III Fazekas cleared and composted all annual vegetable plants from the garden beds, turned over the soil by shovel to mix in straw and bean plants (i.e., good source of nitrogen), and inventoried all the materials in the storage bin.  (see attached photos).

Erich Jensen returned this past week to empty the rain barrel, bundle the vegetable stakes, gather the 100 foot heavy duty hose (donated by Meijer's), store the watering cans in the bin, stack the tomato cages and generally gather all these materials in the garden for pickup and storage by the St Francis maintenance crew.

The Sustainable Garden ministry activities for most of the volunteers will take a winter break, and hopefully we will see/meet you in the early spring (i.e., email/call in March).  In the meantime, the garden and fund raising coordinators, Erich, Rose and Joan will continue our behind the scenes organization and plans for the 2014 garden and outreach/fundraising with community.  If  you would like help with any of these efforts, please let me know.

(P.S.,  Joan has just informed us that Ace Hardware will donate materials to build a hoop house for one or more of our garden beds). 

It is always great to hear the "good news" in more than one way.

In Christ,
Erich Jensen and Rose Sherry
Garden Coordinators
734.771.8511 (Erich's cell)