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

Greetings to Current Garden Crew:

Welcome to New "Time and Talent" Recruits:

Thank you very much for your past and future efforts with the St Francis Sustainable Gardens.

Our next event will be a combination "meet and greets with treats" and "fall clean-up" day for Saturday, October 12 (NOT a home Football game Saturday) at 9:00 am.

We will welcome the new time and talent recruits for a quick garden tour and then proceed with fall cleanup of the gardens.  Fall cleanup should be only 60 - 90 minutes or less depending on the number of volunteers.

As usual this activity will involve removing and composting the existing "annual" plants and turning over the beds (Please bring a large shovel and/or pruning shears, if you have these tools available).

If leaves have fallen, we will also mulch and add to the plant beds.

Lastly, we hope to empty the rain barrel and clean out, inventory, and repackage the storage chest of materials and equipment.

Once again, many thanks to the 2012 - 2013 volunteers.   The harvest was bountiful throughout the summer (Patrick Sherry is currently tabulating the final numbers) basically finishing with 36 pounds of red and Yukon gold potatoes from the potato dig with the St Francis six-graders who helped last Friday.(see example photos including "hugging carrots").

Dress for work and weather!

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

Picture is worth a Thousand Words: Garden Harvest: August 5:

This picture highlights the result of your hard work!

Many thanks,  Erich and Rose

                       

Garden updates

Garden updates - August 5

Hello, The garden harvest seems to be in full swing.  Today, the following was harvested and delivered to Perry Nursery School:

• 6 containers of tomatoes (roma and cherry)
• 2 cukes
• Yellow Squash
• 4 onions
• 4 containers of pole beans
• Dill, Thyme, and Chives

 
Everything was well watered today.  Yellow and brown leaves and other debris were removed.  Dill plants and one tomato plant restaked.   Note:  The tomato plants are heavy with fruit, and the added weight is causing the cages to tilt, so take care.
 
All potato plants have been mounded with additional top soil.  (Thank you Erich and Joan).
 
Also:  HAS ANYONE SEEN THE SECOND PAIR OF PRUNING SHEARS?  HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
 
The beds are weed free....thank you to the many hands for removing these plants!
 
Regards,
Erich

Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 

Hello, Patrick has written a very nice summary.
 
Ann Marie and I met Rose this morning, and assisted (a little) with the pole bean supports.
 
Other activities included substantial cleanup including:

• Deadheading daisies and comfrey, and some, but not all of the day lilies on the perimeter
• Completing the peas harvest and removing most of the dried peas vines
• Removing dead rhubarb leaves
• Harvesting, packaging and delivering cherry tomatoes, onions, yellow squash, zucchini, lemon thyme, oregano, and dill for Perry Nursery school
• Transporting city compost bin for Tuesday a.m. pickup
• Watering compost bins and most of main garden with rainwater only
• Noting good healthy fruit on cucumber vines and tomato plants

 
Because of Vacation Bible School, watering and weeding was not done for the potato and native plant garden.
 
Thank you to everyone for your continued hard work, in particular, the weeds are always at a minimum.
 
In Christ,
Erich Jensen
 
P.S.  The cedar tree stumps have been ground up and/or removed.  The black and red raspberry bushes are thriving, and we should have a very nice bramble patch (and harvest of berries) next year.
 

Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 
Hi everyone, this is Patrick!

On Friday, we harvested over a pound of peas. That finishes the pea season. In order to keep nitrogen in the soil, which is one reason to plant peas, the peas must be removed by clipping the stem at the bottom, instead of pulling the root up. The root eventually decays and makes the soil nitrogen-rich. I saw 1 cherry tomato red-orange and almost ripe and a few not far behind. If you see pear tomatoes, they never get red, they are ripe when they are yellow. The cucumbers are supposed to get 8" - 10" long, which we harvested 7 on Friday already, including one from Matthew. We harvested a few peppers, including a bright red chill red one. 

Mom spotted two baby bunnies in the garden. The first was found near Luke and the other jumped out of the nest she found among the tomato plants. We also temporarily fixed the pole bean supports. They were starting to tip over and come apart. 

I also looked back at the notes on Monday and noticed that pole beans were harvested. I was wondering if you harvested pole beans or if you harvested beans from Paul. The ones that are ripe in Paul right now are the ones near the short white fence. The ones that are near the white fence I am saving for seed. We also found a yellow squash in John too. There should be a couple more yellow and a zucchini ready to pick by Monday.

Mom is planning to stop by the Garden Monday morning after dropping us off for VBS. She's planning on working on strengthening the pole bean supports and help with the peas. 

Thank you,  Patrick

St Francis Sustainable Garden Update

Dear All,   Ann Marie and I, Erich, went to the garden today [July 1, 2013].

Activities:

• Harvested peas and recorded; two small containers and one small cuke and delivered to Perry.
• Did NOT water any of the gardens (rain barrel is overflowing; imagine that)
• Weeded main and potato gardens
• Trimmed more branches and invasive trees along row of cedar/arborvitae trees
• Opened up and stirred compost bins to get rained on
• Filled city compost bin and hauled to street
• Trimmed back several clump of yarrow in perimeter
• Trimmed comfrey in perimeter and composted across 3 bins
• Trimmed daisies inside fence and outside (fallen on other plants like dill, marigolds, iris, etc
• Cleaned up dead/yellowed leaves of rhubarb plants
• Repositioned tomato branches within cages

Regards,
Erich

From: Erich Jensen - Mon, Jul 15, 2013.
Subject: Belated Spring Summary of St Francis Sustainable Garden Activities

Dear All, Belated and continued thanks to our volunteers (and the church management) for a great start to the 2013 garden season!  The spring has been wet and warm and the gardens including the new potato and native plant beds are thriving as well as the main garden and its adjacent beds of rhubarb and brambles (raspberries and black raspberries).  Here is a brief recap of the activities (with attached photos) to date:

20 Apr 2013:  Compost Day

Bob and Joan Meagher borrowed their friends pick up truck again and were met by Frank Fazekas and Ron Yonkoski at the Ann Arbor Compost Center on this early Saturday morning.  Delivering the compost to St Francis within an hour, they were joined by Erich and Ann Marie Jensen and Rose and Patrick Sherry who helped haul and shovel most of it onto the newly cleared existing bed just south of the parish offices.  Some compost was piled and stored near the compost bins for use along the main sustainable garden perimeter.  It was a clear, crisp, and collegial morning, and many thanks to all, in particular, for Meaghers for the truck, and Erich for the extra wheelbarrow from a neighbor.  Dave Barera supplied a current city water bill, so the load of compost was free.

18 May 2013: Potato - Michigan Native Plant Bed Preparation Day

On another beautiful sunny and warmer Saturday morning, Erich and Ann Marie Jensen, Julie White, Frank Fazekas, Joan Meagher and Katy Derezinski removed all weeds and spread and tilled the compost from 20 April  into this recovered bed.

18-19 May 2013 Plant and Seedling Sale

After the Saturday mass and Sunday 8:45 and 10:30 masses, Patrick and Rose Sherry, Erich and Ann Marie Jensen, Joan Meagher and Katy Derezinski displayed  and sold many plants including tomato, pepper, herb, native Michigan plants and more from volunteers home gardens, the sustainable garden and donations from former garden volunteers (e.g., Tracy Nagy) and local merchants (e.g., 5 flats from Turner's nursery and a variety of native plants from Ann Arbor Native Plants) outside the PAC main doors.   Vegetable seeds (from Downtown Home and Garden), wildflower seeds (from Ann Arbor Native Plants) and seed balls (from Perry Nursery School) leftover from the seed sale in April were also sold.  Sales and enthusiasm from parish members exceeded expectation and recorded a new high of nearly $225.  All remaining native plants were planted in the new Michigan native plant bed prepared on May 18.

23 May 2013 Seed Potato Planting with Mrs Verhines 5th graders

On a beautiful cool Friday morning one of the 5th grade classes joined Rose and Patrick Sherry, Erich and Ann Marie Jensen and Steve Lavender, chair of the Sustainability Committee to plant 2 types of seed potatoes donated by Ann Arbor Home and Garden.  After an introduction and background information on the purpose of the Sustainability garden and how to plant potatoes the students enthusiastically planted many seed potatoes.   In the fall these same students will return to harvest and deliver the potatoes to Perry Nursery School.  This activity was recently featured in an article written by Steve Lavender in the Sunday Forum.  Companion planting of lemon thyme and bush beans was accomplished, and all plants are thriving in the new beds

April- July 2013: Other Activities

The weeding and watering schedule was established and the team of volunteers visit the garden almost daily, as follows: Mondays, Erich and Ann Marie Jensen, Tuesdays, Julie White, Wednesdays, Julie and Frank Fazekas, Thursdays, Katy Derezinski, Fridays, Rose and Patrick Sherry, and Saturdays, Joan Meagher.  Because of the abundant spring rains, the garden has thrived, and mostly only required vigorous weeding by the volunteers.  Crops of rhubarb, spinach, sugar snap peas, garlic and now beans and cucumbers have been harvested and delivered fairly routinely to appreciative Perry Nursery School by the Jensens on Mondays and the Sherrys on Fridays.

 

• Dave Barera was able to obtain a city compost bin which has been used regularly for excessive vegetative debris and is located near the other three stationary black compost bins.  Note: City empties this bin on Tuesday mornings.
• Several cedar/arborvitae trees (destroyed in a March snow/ice storm) were removed along the fence line and have provided more space for rhubarb, red and black raspberries which are thriving and spreading for future crops and produce harvest.
• Father Bosco has the rectory patio full of tomato and pepper plant pots from the May plant sale.
• Joan Meagher successfully obtained donations from Meijer's, Downtown Home and Garden, Turners, and Ann Arbor Native Plants which also included a new 100 foot heavy duty hose, garden gloves, pruners, watering wand, stakes, and a rake. 
• Funds from seed and seeding/plant sales allowed purchases of new colorful tomato cages and straw mulch.
• Lastly, the main garden has been routinely visited by a bunny or two as a refuge (we think), as crops seem to have been merely flattened not eaten.  Holes in fence are getting plugged and anti rabbit organic natural deterrant spray has been used, too.

Sincerely and thankfully submitted,
Erich Jensen
Co-coordinator of Sustainable Garden

Potato Planting Project ... June 16, 2013, Forum Sustainability Corner

June 16, 2013, Forum Sustainability Corner:

(Written by Stephen Lavender)

Sustainable gardens require a sustainable supply of gardeners. Fostering a growing awareness of sustainability's importance, the St. Francis School community has embraced the parish's gardening program. The 5th grade students of Ms. Kim Verhines' class recently participated in the St. Francis Sustainable Garden's potato planting project. 

With background and instruction provided by Sustainable Garden coordinators Erich Jensen and Rose Sherry, the 5th graders spent an outdoor class session learning the basics of gardening and the specifics of planting potatoes. Working in groups of two, the students received sprouted potato sections and planted them in the garden's prepared soil.    

All gardeners know that planting is only one of many early steps in a long growing season. Individuals and families from the parish have volunteered to water and weed our sustainable gardens throughout the summer. In the fall a mature potato crop will be greeted by an equally mature group of gardeners. The 5th graders who planted in the spring will return as 6th graders this fall to experience and enjoy the harvesting of their sustainably grown produce. 

Erich captured the thoughts of our community when he commented that "sowing seeds in the garden hopefully means sowing seeds of sustainability in young minds for lifetime commitment." Wendy Lemke from St. Francis School and Patrick Sherry have also been instrumental in supporting and organizing the potato project. We thank them for their efforts and look forward to an abundant harvest this fall for distribution to Perry Nursery School families!

Garden Update

Garden Update for Friday May 31, 2013. 

Written by Rose Sherry

Hello everyone,

The Good Lord is helping to water the garden this week. 
The spinach and rhubarb have been getting harvested and delivered already (thanks Erich and Ann Marie!!)
The potatoes have been planted in Paul along with some melons this year. We will be companion planting some bush beans in Paul in the near future. We are waiting until the potatoes come up some so that hopefully they will keep the bunnies away from the beans.

Speaking of bunnies:

Patrick stopped by the garden before Mass this morning and found a bunny burrowing between the peas in Matthew. He maneuvered around to coax it out to see where it would go to get through the fence. It went through the sides of the bottom of the gate. I thought that those looked kind of large. After Mass he went back again and it had returned. The second time he tried to it jumped over the lower fencing through the posts between Matthew and Luke.

When I got to the garden I saw two bunnies near the rectory patio.

So we put the white bucket in front of the gate opening and a watering can in front of the other gate opening. Don't know if they can jump over the lower fencing anyway. 

So we need to keep our eyes open for these critters while we determine how best to keep them from the main garden.

Good news:

We Harvested spinach and rhubarb...It took me a couple of tries to get it right. 

I put the rhubarb leaves in the city bin. Erich can we put them in our compost bins??

Patrick transplanted a couple of potatoes that sprouted in Luke and John into Paul and added some more sprouts.

The entire bed should be watered. You'll notice there are black hoses there. Those are soaker hoses (incase you didn't know) and we are planning on setting those up soon that that it will be easier to water Paul. More on that soon.

We will be at Mass on Monday to sub for someone and are planning on bringing straw for the beds and fixing the bean poles. I think that they will be fine until Monday, although they are sprouting as well as the squash. :-) We will also bring more Journal pages. We can also address what we want to do with the hoses for Paul.

That's it for now.

Rose

Garden gate Update Mon, 3 Jun 2013.

Written by Rose Sherry

Hello all,

A quick update on our bunny invasion. We came to the garden this morning to find that something (we thinking the bunnies) had chewed through the plastic netting attached to the bottom of the gate. As an interim solution, we have installed the short white plastic edging in the gate entrance to see if this keeps them out of the bottom of the gate and thus the garden. 

You will have to step over this short edging to enter the garden until we can engineer a solution that can be moved. So far we don't think that the bunnies are eating any of the crops but it appears that they have burrowed a hold in the Matthew bed. Please be on the lookout for any suspicious activity of this nature and report back to us if you see anything.

We will be adding straw this week as mulch to the beds and hopefully hooking up the soaker hoses in Paul. There are melons planted in Paul so don't worry about weeding there yet until they come up. They should probably look like the squash plants that are coming up in John. 

Ann Marie pulled all the spinach in Matthew since it was starting to bolt. Also in Matthew, Patrick has planted cucumbers among the peas (they will use the same supports). 

On the west side there is an egg plant growing, it is marked with a craft stick. He will be planting melons on the East and South sides where the spinach was before.

There is parsley growing near the asparagus, we would like to just let that grow since we didn't get to grow seedlings this year.

In Luke, there were beets planted between the onions and peppers, they are coming up now. It also looks like there are nasturtium plants growing among the peppers in Luke, we'd like to let them grow. I'll take pictures tomorrow when we are there so that you can identify them.

That's it for now. If you have any questions please ask.

Rose

Seedling/Plant Sale: May 18-19, 2013

Feed Hungry Neighbors, and new this year:

Support Michigan Native Plants Initiatives.

St. Francis Sustainable Garden Projects

       Annual Seedling/Plant Sale:  May 18-19, 2013.  Sale proceeds are used to fund supplies for 2 on site gardens.  One garden provides fresh organic produce and herbs to Perry Nursery School Families, a program for children of low-income single parents.  

An additional brand new initiative is our Michigan Native Plant Garden,

part of our Sustainability Project.

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