2024 March

A generous donation by a local cedar supply company provided inspiration to build a sturdy prototype for a raised bed garden plot.  Richard Coker designed the plan.  Patrick Bowler assisted with construction.  16’x2”x6” cedar planks were cut in half to facilitate delivery by the gardener.

A support “scab” was fastened inside at the connection of the 8’ planks.  For a deeper raised bed, 4’x2”x2” pieces were secured to the top edge.

1’x 4”x4” cedar posts were placed and secured at each corner for durability.  Come visit and stop by to have a look at plot 15!

March brought spring cleaning season.  Label posts found a new spot at the Little Free Library.  Our bin of nutrients and supplies welcomed tidying.  The plots are now ready for harvest to resume. Robust turnips, cilantro, collard and kale leaves await delivery to God’s Pantry.

2024 February

This month gardeners are planting and preparing plots for seeds and transplants.  Donations of pine needles and bald cypress leaves have been put to use as mulch.  They add color and acid as they break down to balance the pH of our clay soil.  Photos show a close-up of the bald cypress leaves and the asparagus patches ready for sprouting spring spears.

 

 

With weekly turning and moisture management, the active compost piles are producing usable compost every two months.  Once screened over a wheelbarrow, twig-free and light local compost is ready for the garden. Compost keeps clay soil aerated, holds moisture for plant roots, and encourages beneficial microbial and fungal networks in the soil supporting roots and plant life.

2024 January

Our January garden social opened with a delicious vegetarian potluck and a chance to meet two new gardeners. We spent time reflecting on what it is we love about the garden: a sense of community, surprises in sprouting seeds and wildlife that appear, working together towards providing food for those in need, learning from one another, sharing plants and ideas, expanding our routine vegetable selection, spending time in a peaceful, positive, and hopeful place, being there because plants don’t talk back, stress-release for some folks, creating a positive stress for others, getting help from one another.

Our next two socials will be held in Founders Hall at Community UU Church 9:30-11. These meetings are open to the public if you’d like to join us.

Saturday, February 10 Founder’s Hall View an inspiring film: “The Biggest Little Farm”

Saturday, March 9 Kris presents: Everything You Need to Know About Seeds But Were Afraid to Ask: GMO vs Non-GMO seeds, Heirlooms, Seed Sources, and Seed Quality.

The gabion planter is complete and will hold Swiss chard this spring! Community Harvest gardeners make Saturday morning produce deliveries to God’s Pantry.

It will take a few months to recover from these long, hard freezes. Bulbing onions will soon be planted.

One and a half plots are currently up for adoption in 2024. Join us in our work to provide year-round fresh, organic produce to those experiencing food insecurity.

Our gardeners have delivered 15.5 tons of food over the past 15 years. Community Harvest Garden provides mentoring, compost, seeds, horse manure, fertilizers, water, tools, and organic pest control products. Contact harvest@communityuuchurch.org for more information.

 

 

2023 December

Cabbage, collards, Swiss chard, spinach, radishes, arugula, chives, cilantro, green onions, sage, thyme, oregano, parsley – December plots still yield a bounty harvest for our Saturday deliveries to God’s Pantry.

This fall gardeners have gathered native pecans from ancient trees surrounding the garden to supplement harvest deliveries.  Raking through the layers of yellow leaves, we’ve found pounds of nuts untouched by birds, squirrels, or insects.

Three plots are currently up for adoption in 2024.  Join us in our work to provide year-round fresh, organic produce to those who experience food insecurity.  Our gardeners have delivered 15.5 tons of food over the past 15 years.  Community Harvest Garden provides mentoring, compost, seeds, horse manure, fertilizers, water, tools, and organic pest control products.  Contact harvest@communityuuchurch.org for more information.

How will this structure help repurpose scrap brick and provide additional growing space for garden harvests?  Stay tuned for more information.

2023 November

After many hours and problems solved along the way, Logan Parker’s Eagle Scout project is complete! The center column has been filled with horse manure and compostable fruit and vegetable scraps. The soil cone has been prepped with dried molasses and slow-release organic fertilizer, planted with turnips for the winter, and mulched with coastal hay.  Logan’s project is now recorded on our recognition plaque.

Gardens are full of surprises.  This squirrel tree frog was nearly delivered to the food pantry when it emerged from the bag of basil.  Harvesters relocated it to a garden plot.  We suspect it was as surprised as we were!   It’s the first squirrel tree frog we’ve seen in our garden the past 15 years.

 

 

2023 September/October

Eagle Scout Candidate Logan Ting has accepted the project of demolition and rebuilding our 15 year old keyhole garden. Keyhole gardens create nutrient-rich soil, are ideal for hot and drought climates, and are accessible to those who cannot bend over a garden. https://insteading.com/blog/keyhole-garden/

Logan has found stacking stones that have spaces allowing re-bar to be set several feet into the ground. He’ll add some perforated support poles for internal support, and a self-turning vertical compost tumbler for the center! He’ll make use of some of the broken brick to fill ¼ of the container and some of the material from our open wire compost bins to fill another ¼ before adding compost and building the soil around the center column. He earned funds for the project by selling bags of mulch through his troop and will receive a discount for materials at Lowe’s. He plans to begin work on the project on October 9th so you might see him there the week of spring break.

2023 August

Three plant pest contractors have joined our forces this month.  Stunning argiope spiders have taken up residence.  Two are inside our shady Italian gourd arbor and one along the blackberry path at eye level.  To protect them and prevent our gardeners from suddenly finding their faces covered by webs, caution tape has been placed.

Production is slowing after bountiful May-July harvests totaling 1630 pounds.  It’s time to restore the nutrients in the soil with slow-release organic fertilizers, dried molasses to feed the micro-organisms, sifted homemade compost from our new stacking bins, and composted horse manure while we plan our fall plantings.

 

2023 July

TOMATOES!  TOMATOES!  TOMATOES!  Many varieties, sizes, and colors have been the majority of our harvest weight since mid-June.  One record morning we picked and shared 161 pounds of sweet, fresh tomatoes with pantry clients.  Adding mid-week harvests and deliveries have reduced spoilage and waste.  Some gardeners “rescue” ripe ones as they water their plants and bring them back Saturday for delivery.  One new gardener declared harvesting tomatoes was a lot like an Easter egg hunt.  Sometimes a speck of red amongst the green takes you on a search.  A harvester is not unlike a yoga practitioner when challenged to reach high and low through the dense jungle of vines.  The required focus transforms the hunt into zen practice.  It’s great satisfaction to feel your bag get heavier as you work.  Now is your chance to show up for harvest at 7:30 a.m. to see for yourself what fun awaits!

Our first attempt at building and managing a hot compost pile has been an amazing success after just 3 months!  Weekly turning and watering is easier with stackable walls.  A second bin has just been built and donated by Scott Overman and his son.  A screen stacked on a wheelbarrow allows a gloved hand to work the compost back and forth through wire grating to reveal the soil nourishing finished product.  It’s garden gold!  Any larger pieces left on the screen will return to the new pile to break down in the next process.  Scott has left his compost thermometer in the bin to show the temperature can rise to 160 degrees as the micro-organisms work.

 

2023 June

The huge kultur mound greets visitors with a healthy cover of yellow blossomed cantaloupe plants.  Look closely and you’ll find blossoms transforming into fruits.

Some of our gardeners sprouted eggplants from seed to share, yielding many shapes, sizes and colors.  Fairy Tale eggplant pictured below is ready to pick at 5 inches and unique in design.

The fragrance of bitter gourd blossoms demands your attention as you pass by.

Squash bugs have been outsmarted this spring as zucchini-like Italian gourds produce fruit up to 24 inches long on our arbor.

Stop by to see if you can locate these spectacular points of interest!

2023 May

Garden production has soared with warmer weather.  Average 80 pound harvests are arriving at God’s Pantry on Saturday mornings in time for sorting for their clients. After the designated team selects, clips, pulls, and rinses produce for an hour, it is bagged, labeled, and weighed on a fish scale, before being loaded into the delivery vehicle bound for God’s Pantry.

Scott has built a sectional compost bin to demonstrate how to manage a hot pile ready for application in just two months.  Today the thermometer read 140 degrees!  Come visit and check it out.

2023 April

Gardeners seem to be life-long learners.  This month we had two learning opportunities beyond the usual spontaneous plot-side chats.  Kiki Boyett hosted our social in her McKinney backyard, introduced us to her chickens, told about their care and feeding, and explained her strategy of enriching soil in her raised beds with winter nitrogen fixing crops.

The following week, North Texas Food Bank  hosted a tour for member gardens at McKinney Roots.  https://www.mckinneyroots.org/  This nonprofit 6 acre farm near Custer off 1461 is funded by grants, tours, dinners, and fundraising.  They donate produce, eggs, and honey to 9 agencies.  A structure is under construction to house 400 day range chickens.  A mobile fenced area allows the hens to feed, help clean a section that has been harvested, and fertilize it.  Rotation of crops permits growing of squash without squash vine borer infestations.  Nutrients and beneficial nematodes are fed into the irrigation system.  Disposable plastic (black on one side, white on the other) is used to control weeds, maintain moisture, cool or heat soil depending on the season.  Rye grass is seeded between planted rows and mowed before seed heads appear to discourage weeds and prevent muddy paths.  Allganic products are used https://www.7springsfarm.com/products/allganic-nitrogen-plus-15-0-2-50-lb-bag/ for nutrients, a clay based product Surround https://www.novasource.com/en/products/surround  and Neem are used to prevent pest damage.  He warned that Neem affects beneficial insects as well and should be sprayed at night to prevent burning.  Their greenhouse has two long rows of hydroponic lettuce growing.

2023 March

Over ten years, even cedar border plots begin to crumble and rot. Corner and edge repairs extend their life temporarily, but this year supply chain issues raised the cost to $250 for one plot, 25% of our annual operating cost. Our newest garden team next door neighbor First United Methodist Church adopted plot 3, sorely in need of replacement. They offered to fund the expense! Scott and Martin engineered a sturdy 4’x16’ border in time for spring planting. Note the corner supports at the weakest point.

In the meantime, research led us to Oklahoma cut stone available in approximate 2’ sections for half the price of cedar. One spring break Monday morning Patrick led several volunteers in creating an attractive and durable raised bed border. Over the next 10 years, we’ll be able to compare wear and durability of these two borders built within weeks of one another in 2023.

2023 February

Five Community Harvest Gardeners were able to meet with Executive Director Sylvia Martinez February 11th  to learn about the changes at Gods Pantry since their move to 1896 Ave. K, Ste. 200, Plano, TX 75074.  Parking, visibility, and space for an office, storing donations, and for volunteers to assemble boxes are huge improvements for their operation.  75 clients are served on average each day with pre-packed boxes.  (Quick in-out service helps prevent behavioral issues from clients stressed by their situation who are apt to act more aggressively.)  This new location is accessible by bus, seniors living in Plano Community Home (subsidized housing), Afghan refugees in the area, and many more people without homes.  Homeless clients are given “no-cook” bags with cans that open with pull tabs, packaged plastic ware, small bottles of liquid soap or soap from motels, and prepared “camping” food.  (If they do not create a behavior problem, they are permitted to use microwaves at 7/11s for soup.)

Sylvia has networked with the Local Good Center https://www.localgoodcenter.org/ sponsored by Chase Oaks Church (north of Tino’s Too, a block and a half away) which provides education, job readiness, advocacy for foster care and mental health awareness, and wellness through cooking classes, vaccine fairs, health screenings, and exercise programs.  She is in contact with Custer Road Methodist Church Bedstart https://www.crumc.org/bedstart/ program and helps make their resources of furniture available to clients.  With a shower and two restrooms in the building now, becoming an over-flow warming center when the Salvation Army facility is full is a goalhttps://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/plano/weather/2022/02/01/plano-overnight-warming-station-in-need-of-donations-before-expected-freezing-weather/ A kiosk inside the door holds food information and recipe cards in Spanish and English produced by North Texas Food Bank.

When asked about preferred crops we should plant, Sylvia reported kale, beets, and carrots seem to be very popular now because of TikTok promoting smoothies.  Clients appreciate all of the fresh, organic produce we provide and smile when a ladybug or spider shows up knowing it was safe for them too.  All of the greens we grow, collards, mustard, turnip, and Swiss chard are welcome as are herbs, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

To help fund their program, two spare rooms will become resale shops for clothes and household goods.  Donations for these projects, small bars or bottles of soap, plastic grocery bags, and reusable shopping bags are needed in addition to food.

Sylvia is in the office 8-1p.m. Monday through Saturday.  Donations may be brought Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during these times or by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

2023 January

Community Harvest Gardeners are working on resilience and flexibility as we try to adjust to global warming.  We expand the parameters of our North Texas planting guides and try to take advantage of the warming trends to increase our production of vegetables and herbs for God’s Pantry.  In spite of freezes over several months at the beginning of 2022, we’ve contributed 2,500 pounds of fresh organic produce this year and a grand total of 28,500 pounds since the garden began.  Bulbing onions will be finding places in our plots this month.

Garlic, cilantro, leeks, and henbit weeds survived our recent extended freeze. Green onions and a few young, hearty kale plants seem to be coming back to life. Though water was shut off and lines drained, there were a few connection and sprayer casualties requiring replacement.

A Saturday morning of labor by several volunteers resulted in the expansion of our horse manure holding bin.  We’ve been researching safe management and seasoning methods to increase the nutrient value of our compost piles and soil for our plants.

Have you noticed The People’s Garden sign at the gate entrance?  Our garden is now registered with the USDA.  This blog is one way our garden teaches about sustainable practices.  Conversations between gardeners often are a rich source of garden solutions.  Stop by after Sunday services.  You will often find someone working a plot ready to chat.

There are a few plots up for adoption in 2023.  If you’d like to learn how to grow vegetables in North Texas and join us in our work for the community, write to harvest@communityuuchurch.org.

2022 December

Gardeners visited Vikram’s Murphy backyard to learn about winter gardening. Fragile plants over winter in the well-lit garage. Hoops hold heavy duty plastic over outdoor plants and are easily uncovered during sunny days. Each raised bed is paired with sturdy cattle fence panels to support vertical gardens of summer squash, gourds, cucumbers, and bean vines.

Winter is a surprisingly busy time for gardeners. Decisions are being made about 2023 commitments to the garden. Mustard, kale, turnip, Swiss chard, cilantro, and collard seeds are sprouting and needing to be thinned. Winter cover crop seeds of red clover, hairy vetch, and Austrian winter pea have been broadcast in empty plots and spaces. They will fix nitrogen in the soil over winter and provide mulch protection. Communications are going out to the public about opportunities to adopt a plot through our electronic sign and church announcements.

Are you ready to reap some of the benefits found in a garden? Studies have shown these advantages to gardening: Improved health with organic diet, exposure to vitamin D and exercise tending the garden, reduced grocery bills, increased mindfulness and strength, lower blood pressure, improved mood and memory.

We welcome all skill and experience levels to the garden! Join us for Saturday morning harvests, work parties, or adopt and tend a plot for a year.

· Water, compost, fertilizer, organic pest control products, hoses, tools, and seeds are provided.

· We ask for a commitment of 4-6 hours per month. · Read through the Adopt-a-Plot Agreement Form for more information or view the interactive Online Adopt-a-Plot Agreement Form.

2022 November

A plan for a pumpkin carving party sprouted early one harvest morning.  Sculptors brought tools, newspapers, and pumpkins and enjoyed creating and visiting on a lovely fall day.

It’s been a tough month finding a local pantry to receive our produce while God’s Pantry relocates.

Allen Ministerial Alliance pantry behind St. Jude’s Catholic Church agreed to accept our deliveries but needed them by 8:30 before their clients arrived at 9:00.  Delayed morning daylight created difficulties in finding peppers and eggplants hiding under leaves.  Even headlamps didn’t help.  Now that we’ve returned to standard time, harvest teams will find light for hunting produce much easier.

Remember you are welcome to join us in gathering our food to share on Saturday mornings at 7:30.  We provide gloves, tools, and mentoring.  (Harvests are cancelled for rain, temps below 40 degrees, or holiday weekends when pantries are closed.)

2022 October

New connections make things happen in all aspects of life!  A September garden social guest mentioned success growing vegetables using his neighbor’s horses’ manure. We decided on a convenient location and built a holding pen.Last week Lucas resident and horse owner Stephen Freeman delivered a pick-up truck load of horse manure to our garden!  (Stephen is eager to share this bounty with anyone who can use it and will deliver locally.  Send your request to harvest@communityuuchurch.org for his contact information.)

In the meantime gardeners are researching best practices.  We plan to add some directly to existing compost bins and compost the rest for 6 months before adding it to our plots as we prepare to plant for the spring.

After receiving information from the North Texas Food Bank on The People’s Garden Project through the US Dept. of Agriculture, I completed an application for Community Harvest Garden.

People’s Gardens empower communities to participate in local food production and provide diversity and resiliency to the food supply chain. They also teach about the benefits of sustainable, local agriculture and how gardening can foster community collaboration, provide green gathering spaces, and benefit the environment.

People’s Gardens are different sizes and types based on the needs of the community. School gardens, community gardens, urban farms, and small-scale agriculture projects in rural and urban areas can be recognized as a “People’s Garden” if they:

  1. Benefit the community by providing food, beautification, wildlife habitat, education site, etc.
  2. Are a collaborative effort. This can include groups working together with USDA agencies, food banks, Girl Scouts, Master Gardeners, conservation districts, etc.
  3. Incorporate sustainable practices, such as using native plant species, rain barrels, integrated pest management, xeriscaping.
  4. Educate the public about sustainable gardening practices and the importance of local, diverse sources of healthy food.

People’s Gardens can be located on federally owned or leased property, at schools, faith-based centers and other places within the community. They cannot be located at private residences. People’s Gardens are different sizes and types based on the needs of the community, such as improving access to fresh food or planting milkweed and nectar sources for Monarchs and other butterflies:  https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden/what-pg/usda-hq-dc-pg-farmers-market

Our application states Community Harvest Gardeners:

  • have sponsored tours for other local gardens
  • have held classes for the public
  • partner with North Texas Food Bank and receive volunteers through them from corporate, education, and community groups – volunteers are trained in the tasks needed
  • donated 28,000 pounds of fresh, organic produce to local pantries
  • provide a monthly blog for education https://www.communityuuchurch.org/uua/social-action/social-action-projects/community-harvest-garden/whats-new-at-the-garden/
  • planted and care for native plants to increase pollination and food production
  • created and tend a butterfly garden
  • use organic techniques to build soil and control pests
  • work to create community within the garden

2022 September

The garden air space is buzzing with activity!  Hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and dragonflies are attracted to our colorful native plants this time of year.  Have you been thinking about adding some color and low maintenance plants to your landscape?  Now that temperatures are beginning to cool, it’s a good time to think about planting perennial native plants. They require little water once established and provide color all summer. Planting now will give them time to get established before freezing temperatures.  Visit the garden to hunt and find these plants up close.

Vegetable production slows as the heat dissipates.  Gardeners remove plants which no longer produce and prep their plots for fall planting of roots and greens.  Those that are still bearing fruit are:

Want to plant vegetables in your backyard?  Here are some planting windows for North Texas:

  • Beets 9/1-9/15
  • Sugar snap peas 9/1-10/1 (transplants 9/15-10/1)
  • Kale 8/25-10/11
  • Turnips 8/25-10/15
  • Lettuce 8/15-9/1 (transplants 9/1-9/30)
  • Spinach 9/15-10/15 (transplants 9/15-10/15)
  • Beans Bush 8/1-9/15
  • Garlic cloves 10/1-10/30

2022 August

Our challenges this summer: protecting our crops and stretching our budget to pay three digit water bills.

These standard operating procedures are part of the solution:

  • Enrich the native clay soil by applying 2 inches of compost (organic material) each planting season. Compost holds moisture and makes it available as the plants need it.
  • Water deeply early morning, about twice a week during peak heat. Apply water directly to the soil.  Allow water to pool before moving the sprayer to another spot.  As the water is absorbed, repeat the process in each area three times.
  • Cover bare soil with 2-4 inches of mulch to prevent evaporation and discourage weeds. Coastal hay breaks down easily and allows air and light to reach seedlings. Wood chips last longer but should not get mixed in with the top layer of soil.  Pine needles will help neutralize the clay soil.

  • Regularly pull weeds to prevent water from being stolen from the intended plants .
  • Use soakers and drip irrigation to direct water into the soil.
  • Provide shade when heat is excessive.

Heat-stressed plants are more vulnerable to pests.  Gardener, Master Naturalist, and Horticulturalist Christina Hill sent this observation and advice:

It looks like red spider mites are on the eggplants and tomato bushes.  Spray the leaves well (both tops and especially underneath) with water twice a week. It will help a lot to keep them in check. The spray disturbs them.  To verify a Red Spider Mite infestation, hold a white piece of paper a few inches under some leaves and tap on top of the stem a few times. Some of them will drop to the white paper and you and see the tiny specks running to the sides of the paper. They are tiny and move fast so you have to look quickly.

 

 

 

2022 July

Come out to the garden dawn or dusk, sit on the bench by our butterfly preserve, and enjoy the peace.

Gardeners are trimming and pruning weary indeterminate tomatoes with wishes for continued fall production. Five cubic yards of rich, dark compost is waiting for prepping beds for fall plants.

July’s social included a spray painting party to add fun and life to rusty wheelbarrows. Magnolia leaf prints inspired Patrick Bowler to create this striking, one-of-a-kind design.

 

 

 

 

 

2022 June

Our native plants blooms welcome butterflies, pollinators, and YOU this season. Stroll through the garden and see if you can locate these plants: Gregg’s Mist, Henry Duelberg, Lantana, Salvia Greggi, and Texas Sage.

We are thrilled to see ice box watermelons appear on the plants in our mound garden! Cardboard shields the fruit from soil-based predators. Tomatillos show off tiny green lanterns as the fruit begins to form. Harvest for this native Mexican fruit is late August. The paper-like husk will need to be removed for food preparation. Pumpkins make their debut in the garden this year! Anticipation builds!

2022 April

Five reasons to visit Community Harvest Garden this season:

  • View two productive and tidy examples of square foot gardening in Ina McBride’s plot 17 and Karen Oakes plot 5. For more information check out https://squarefootgardening.org/
  • Watch hearty asparagus spears emerge along the east edge of the garden.
  • Check out the buds leafing out on the blackberry canes on the north edge, the figs in the SE corner, and the potatoes in plot 14.
  • Browse the public side of our new bright orange Little Free Library, take some books or magazines home, and leave some you are ready to share.
  • Watch for bright green anoles darting around in search of insects.

Square Foot Gardening

Square Foot Scaled

Potatoes Peeking thru

Little Free Library

Bashful Anole
Bashful Anole

2022 March

Our urban farmers have been moving forward after many freezes amending each bed with compost, dried molasses, and slow-release organic fertilizers. Planting has once again begun. First onions and potatoes, and now seeds for collards, mustard, Swiss chard, kale, lettuce, spinach, turnips, carrots, beets are finding their places. Rotation of crops helps minimize pests and diseases. Optimizing growing space in raised beds is possible through square foot and vertical gardening.

Come visit and find inspiration for your backyard garden. Stop at our Little Free Library and you’ll find a healthy recipe to take home from North Texas Food Bank.

Vertical Gardening

Mound Planting

2022 January 23

A Fig Tree Farm Emerges:  Five gardeners arrived early Saturday morning with tools in tow.  We pruned each of our four fig trees to two leader trunks and planted more than 100 bud-laden branches in gallon pots.  Once our hoses thawed, we watered and mulched the pots with dreams of fig tree saplings to sell this spring.

 

2022 January 17

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service brought family volunteers from Holy Covenant United Methodist Church in Carrollton to prune our many native plants.  Data over the years shows our harvests have increased significantly as a result of intentionally attracting beneficial insects and pollinators through these plantings. The children within the 6 families were totally engaged in the efforts.  Watching the wheelbarrows move with kid power was precious!  I heard one young boy exclaim “I really like it here!” His parents left talking about installing a raised bed in their backyard.  The grounds look so much better and these plants are ready for spring.

2022 January 4

We had a dilemma in the garden: The staff at God’s Pantry took a break after a busy holiday of sharing meals and children’s gifts and didn’t plan to open until January 6th. Gardeners realized we would lose many of our crops in the freeze expected by the evening New Years Day.

Resolution: Five gardeners came to the garden at 7:30 a.m. on January 1st to harvest 88 pounds of fresh organic produce for the residents of the Samaritan Inn, shelter for the homeless in McKinney. Large bags of Swiss chard, collard greens, cabbage leaves, kale, lettuce, spinach, turnips, radishes, and green onions were rescued, shared, and delivered!

Harvesting mustard greens

Labeling for Samaritan Inn

Green onions

Harvesting arugula

Collard Greens

88 lbs fresh organic produce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021 December 9

Studies have shown gardening gets your creative juices flowing, improves your memory, and helps you become more mindful and present.  Consider adopting a plot in 2022 at Community Harvest Garden.  For more information, contact Deb Bliss at harvest@communityuuchurch.org

2021 December 2

Take up gardening in 2022 and join Community Harvest Gardeners in raising fresh, organic produce for your home and those in need in Collin County.  Growing your own produce saves money and puts healthy food on your table.  For more information on adopting a plot, contact Deb Bliss at harvest@communityuuchurch.org.

 

2021 November 29

Our Little Free Library still provides access for the public and a private side which allows us roomy storage space for seeds, resource books, plant labels, and our moisture meter.  It has a coat of primer and will soon receive a coat of paint.

 

 

2021 November 21

If you’d like to make the most of your food waste, recruit your resident worms and consider the use of bio-digesters. We have several at the garden.  The 6 gallon trash cans are available for about $15 at the big box stores The City of Plano provides a thorough learning module at http://www.learn2livegreen.com/CompostingFoodWaste/story.html

If you’re ready to try a home worm bin, contact Deb Bliss at harvest@communityuuchurch.org for composting worms and an orientation.

2021 November 15

Healthy greens are abundant in our plots during fall and usually survive mild freezes: mustard (pictured), kale, cabbage, Swiss chard, and collards are dependable winter crops.

 

 

 

2021 November 8

Safety is a priority at the garden.  Fire ant mounds are marked with a landscape flag and treated with Terro bait of boric acid.  We will recheck in a week to see if another treatment is needed. Comfrey plant leaves soothe bites and stings when crumpled and rubbed on the skin and can be found several places around the garden.  Our hose trees have become garden art but are important in preventing tripping hazards from hoses left on the ground.

 

2021 November 1

Colorful blooms at the garden still attract bees and butterflies this time of year.

The aster suddenly draws our attention too after a year of blending into the greenery.

Flame acanthus is well-named for its small shocking bright orange blossoms.

 

 

 

 

2021 October 25

Our plentiful, flowering native plants and butterfly preserve regularly welcome local and migrating butterflies.  The preserve is registered as a Monarch Way Station through www.MonarchWatch.org. Master Naturalist and horticulturalist Christina Hill has nurtured the preserve and “no harvest” zone on a hugelkultur terrace garden.  The plants are intentionally selected for their ability to provide nectar, nutrients for caterpillars, and safe space for developing chrysalides: penstemon, coneflower, autumn sedum joy, boneset, lyre leaf sage, several kinds of milkweed, parsley, fennel, sunflowers, calendula, flame acanthus (hummingbirds like this too), Henry Duelberg salvia, gaillardia, prairie verbena, and cilantro (honey bees love the flowers).    https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/monarch-butterfly

2021 October 18

One of Community Harvest Garden’s blessings is our diversity.  Gardeners from India have introduced us to several prolific producers, rich in anti-oxidants:

Bitter Melon

Loofah Gourd

Moringa Tree

Loofah Flowering Vine

2021 October 11

Summer crops are still producing abundantly as we fill in spots for winter cole crops https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/cole-crop-plants.htm and greens.

Okra, peppers, and eggplant supply the bulk of our fall harvests. Fragrant cuttings of herbs rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, oregano, and mint accompany the weekly deliveries and are eagerly welcomed by the God’s Pantry clients.

 

 

 

2021 October 4

Nepalese Lion’s Club
Workday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirty Nepalese Lion’s Club members and their families gifted our garden several hours of their time and labor on September’s last Sunday morning.  They weeded boundary areas, laid cardboard, and applied mulch to keep our plots safe from invasive plants that would usurp space, water, and nutrients from our crops.  Our mountains of mulch are nearly gone and ready to be restocked.  Thank you to gardener and Sai member Roshani Shreshtha for her organization and recruitment efforts!

2021 September 27

We are grateful that the Sai Congregation has been an active partner in our garden for ten years raising produce in two plots, participating in work days and harvest teams, and organizing their youth to help with garden maintenance and projects twice a year. This year Roshani Shreshtha has also engaged her Environmental Group through the Lions’ Club to spend a Sunday morning to keep our grounds weed-free, productive, and welcoming.

Introducing our CUUC member gardeners: Jo Howser, Heather Powell, Mary Jennings, Linda Payne, Anna Cox, Ninhda Nosavon, Tricia Lewandowski, Deb Bliss, and Andy Giamis. If you’ve been thinking about adopting a plot in 2022, speak with one of these folks to learn more.

2021 September 20

Swiss Chard

Some summer plants are dying back but we still pick a peck of peppers each week for the food pantry. Swiss chard can be biennial often returning in cooler weather after being cut back at ground level this time of year. Gardeners are making room for autumn leafy greens and root crops: mustard, collards, kale, cabbages, turnips, and beets.

2021 September 13

Former members Sam and Jay Hall built a fine Little Free Library (LFL) for Community Harvest Garden many, many years ago. Designed with a public side for sharing books and magazines, and a separate side for the gardeners, it served us well as a safe place for storing resource material, seeds, labels, and a few tools. It was a destination spot and point of reference for visitors. We’ve painted and patched it along the way, but years of baking in the Texas sun finally took its toll. When our frequent garden volunteer Boy Scout Max Tennyson suggested he’d like to earn his Eagle Award with us, we had a project in mind.

Six months later, we now have use of more protected square inches, sturdy walls (built from scrap pallets), a tin roof (from Max’s aunt’s shed demolition project), secure doors, and three shelves in each of the private and public sections. We are grateful for Max’s listening skills and patience through multiple meetings with us to understand our needs, his careful planning, construction, and constant communication as the project took shape.

Next steps: Gardener Tricia Lewandowski plans to paint it. Come to the garden to appreciate our new addition and have a peek inside!

2021 August 28

We celebrate the completion of two Scout projects at the garden this month! Maira Padani’s Girl Scout Gold Project rebuilt a demonstration hugel kultur mound and planted two seasons to produce cucumbers and squash.  Max Tennyson’s Eagle Project gifted us a larger, sturdier Little Free Library for supplies and resources.  A plaque at the tool area recognizes the work of Scouts who have helped the garden flourish.

2021 August 21

Spotting critters brings surprise and delight to our garden visits.  The plots are blessed with dozens of colorful argiope spiders helping control insect pests.  A zig zag pattern in the center of the web reminds us to avoid disturbing them.  Two inch black toads jump near our feet as we water reassuring us this space is a safe habitat.  A large raccoon was spotted during a twilight watering visit.  Solar sonic devices emitting a high pitched whine discourage critters from sampling our produce as they wander through the garden.

2021 August 14

It takes a village to keep a community garden running smoothly.  Regular repairs are required to tools, hoses, and wheelbarrows.  Planting, watering, pruning, weeding, fertilizing, adding compost, treating fire ant mounds, removing wasp nests – all these efforts contribute to maintaining a safe and productive operation resulting in our bountiful Saturday harvests.  You can help us with weed control by bringing large, flattened cardboard boxes and stacking them on the pallets just inside the gate.

2021 August 12

Pears!  94 pounds of pears!  While I was in the garden this morning, I heard laughing and pears pounding the ground.  Lucinda was climbing the tree, shaking branches, and Marisa was jumping out of the way as they fell.  They’ve left us bags full in the harvest shed for Saturday’s delivery.  There are still more to collect.  The Pear Procurer Team plans to try a rake next time.  A shout out to Marisa whose research, pruning, fertilizing, and care is responsible for this bounty.  This is the biggest production we’ve ever had on this ten year old tree.

 

2021 August 7

Israeli melons are thriving in our patch.  Heirloom seeds saved from last year were sprouted in time for planting this summer.  Each melon has support off the soil and is watered regularly by the melon team.

2021 July 29

It’s time to start planning fall plantings.  Sow seeds and tender transplants in the shade of existing plants that will soon stop production.  If you plan to start a fall garden consider these planting windows for North Texas.

North Texas Fall Seed planting calendar:

  • Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage 8/1-8/15 (transplants 8/25-9/15)
  • Carrots and Kohlrabi 8/1-8/20 (kohlrabi transplants 9/1-9/30)
  • Bok Choy 8/10-9/1 (transplants 8/25-9/15)

2021 July 22

Two to four weeks prior to each planting season, Community Harvest Gardeners refresh the soil and nutrients in their plots and feed the microbes.  Slow release organic fertilizers and dried molasses are sprinkled on the gardens, covered with an inch of organic compost, then watered in.  We practice “no-till” and try to not disturb the hyphae filaments that distribute moisture and nutrients to plant roots.

2021 July 15

Grasshoppers’ exquisite decoration catches our attention, but if not controlled, their presence makes quick work of crops this time of year.  Covering bear soil with mulch can discourage them.  One of our gardeners has had good results scattering cut cloves of garlic around her plants.  Removing nymphs to a jar of soapy water can prevent future problems.

2021 July 8

Ninety-five percent of insects are beneficial. Those that draw our eye are often causing critical damage to our plants and crops.  Checking on the garden each week and catching problems early can make a difference in helping your plants survive.  The gardener’s shadow is the best defense.  Handpicking pests and placing them in a jar of soapy water works when there are just a few.  Spraying the plant with a potion of jalapeno pepper, garlic, water, and a few drops of soap deter many problems.  Remove damaged leaves and place them in the trash rather than the compost bin.

2021 July 1

Wise use of water is primary on gardeners’ minds throughout the year, especially in the heat of the summer.  The ground hydration is checked using a moisture meter probe.  Water is applied deeply to the soil near each plant twice a week if needed.  Water buddy partnerships allow us to share the work and reduce trips to the garden.  Adding 3-4” of mulch over the soil using coastal grass or wood mulch reduces evaporation and weeds which compete for water, nutrients, and space.

2021 June 12

Faces! Full faces! Gardeners voted to make masks optional at the garden for now. Just in time for working in the heat. We are already planning our fall plantings, considering crop rotations, plant families, and companion plants. Fall seedlings are sprouting indoors. Weekly plot visits help us find and address problems early. Tomatoes: keeping yellowed leaves removed, leaves trimmed from the bottom, and pruning for air flow has helped increase production and reduce disease. Community okra and melon patches are thriving. Tulle netting is currently protecting the melon plants from hungry rabbits. Grasshopper nymphs have been sighted, reminding us to mulch bare soil to discourage them from settling in. Come visit us when you’re in the area. There’s a lot going on at the garden!

2021 May 10

Community Harvest Gardeners held our May social in person at the garden for the first time in more than a year.  We got to know the new gardeners, share healthy, delicious food, talk plants, and enjoy a beautiful day.  Sylvia Martinez, Executive Director of God’s Pantry stopped in after our meal.  The number of clients served has doubled (from 450/mo. to more than 800/mo.) and increased in age and cultural diversity in COVID times.  While many pantries had to shut down, God’s Pantry was able to set up safety precautions and locate more donating partners.  The facility is open 10-1, three days a week, and practices an open door policy, turning no one away.  Clients may come for help as often as they need to.  Client data is not shared and proof of citizenship is not required.  Clients who have returned to work are now donating their time and money to support the pantry’s operation.  There is currently a need for volunteers able to lift heavy cartons.  Sylvia reports their clients love to receive our produce.  If they see a few holes in leaves or spot a ladybug of spider, they view those as signs of proof it’s organic.  They are especially fond of receiving mint, rosemary, basil, and the herbs.  Sylvia thanked us for our weekly contribution to their mission.

2021 April 7

Water, wait, and watch for greening.  That’s been our patient mantra as we assess the February freeze damage at Community Harvest Garden.  The resilience of many plants has amazed us, particularly deceptively delicate appearing cilantro.  Each year we allow some cilantro plants to go to seed.  The fern-like foliage provides beneficial insect nurseries (think ladybugs) and the resulting coriander seeds are useful in cooking.

We’ve created new community beds for okra and melons.  These crops take up a good deal of space in our 4’x16’ plots and this effort helps to avoid paths clogged with tangled vines and shade on other plants.  After spreading a blend of soil and compost, adding nutrients, dried molasses, and water, we wait several weeks to plant giving the micro-organisms a chance to multiply and prepare a welcoming habitat for our seeds.  A soaker hose aids in summer watering detail.  Keeping bare soil covered with mulch will reduce weeds and evaporation.  We use bales of coastal hay.  Shredded leaves also work well and eventually breakdown to add organic matter to our thick clay soil.

While the weather is pleasant this month, bring your family and friends to stroll through the paths.  We have benches and tables for your picnic!

2021 March 18

The garden is at its best when gardeners have spontaneous encounters.  Conversations sharing tips for the best plant varieties, recipes for tonics from the weeds that are being pulled, ways to use kitchen waste to feed the soil are bonding and enriching times.

As I write this update, Community Harvest Gardeners are expecting lots of assistance from youth tomorrow, Sat. March 20th.  A Girl Scout Gold Project will begin restoring our 15 year old hugel kultur mound garden led by a young woman who has been with us for several years.  She has recruited another high school aged gardener and two members of her troop who will spend two Saturdays taking it apart, rebuilding it, and planting it for the spring.  In the afternoon, the Sai congregation will have teens and their parents planting their two plots and doing some additional maintenance around the garden.  A Collin College student, has expressed an interest in beekeeping and efforts are being made to arrange for him to assist our resident beekeeper.

Butterflies have been spotted and the native plants will soon be blooming.  Come visit.  If you’d like to try your hand at growing fresh, organic produce, we still have one plot available.  Mentoring is provided if needed.  Contact Deb Bliss at harvest@communityuuchurch.org .

2021 March 1

Community Harvest Gardeners are grateful to two gardeners who have led us to new heights in our public presence and brought us a safer, better organized, and eye-pleasing campus these past twelve years.  Mary Ann and Mike Owens are soon moving to Driftwood, TX to enjoy and provide support to their children and grandchildren.  They will be missed and fondly remembered in our garden community. 

Mary Ann had the proactive idea that the garden needed a web site, so she learned how to create one and has managed and funded it.  https://www.communityharvestgarden.org/  She’s written our monthly church newsletter articles and established our Instagram presence.  She and Mike worked many hours on a community fundraising campaign sending letters to green businesses in the city. 

We first met the Owens on a community garden tour for prospective church members.  Mike signed up as a gardener immediately!  His enthusiasm and can-do approach has raised our spirits and helped add color to our space with hose tree posts.  Mike re-engineered our rotting picnic tables, developed a unique plan to mend rotting plot corners with recycled plastic edging, straightened our harvest shed, repaired a damaged gate post, righted a toppled concrete bench using a water bottle as a level, built two benches from a design he observed on his travels, and transformed some wooden crates into an orderly storage area for tomato cages and chicken wire.  He’s kept us updated on the status of our dedicated funds, monitored our summer water bills, reworked hose connections to make them more user-friendly, and repaired leaks as soon as they were reported to keep us functioning as responsible stewards of our water and financial resources.  (I know I’m forgetting something!) 

We’ve been blessed by their time with us and wish them well!