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2026 July<\/strong><\/p>\n Our r<\/span>esident pet pea he<\/span>n wanders the garden grounds<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>She<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>was spotted\u00a0<\/span>resting in the shade of a sprawling pumpkin leaf vine planted with one seed brought from Cameroon<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Is she sitting on a nest of eggs<\/span>?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Watch for<\/span>\u00a0news\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0the August blog<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Regular resting water breaks and moving start times to 7:30<\/span>\u00a0a.m. help\u00a0<\/span>continue our garden work<\/span>\u00a0as summer temperatures rise<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Conversations under the shade of an ancient oak around our stenciled picnic table give us an opportunity to pace ourselves and better know one another.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0needed midweek harvests and pantry deliveries to keep up with the record tomato production after an unusually wet spring<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Our season total is already 350\u00a0<\/span>pounds<\/span>\u00a0and plants are beginning to slow production<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>It will soon be time to\u00a0<\/span>compost the plants and\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>rep plots for fall plantings<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>his morning 5 cubic yards of Texas Pure Compost\u00a0<\/span>was<\/span>\u00a0delivered by the City of Plano.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2026 June<\/strong><\/p>\n This time of year ou<\/span>r<\/span>\u00a0gardeners\u00a0<\/span>anticipate<\/span>\u00a0harvesting red heritage okra, butterfly peas,\u00a0<\/span>leaves<\/span>\u00a0and flowers, and Rampicante zucchini, a vine that will soon cover our arbor and provide long gourds that can be used like zucchini<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>We hope the squash bugs<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>won\u2019<\/span>t<\/span>\u00a0recognize them!<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our blackberry canes have been carefully watered, nurtured with\u00a0<\/span>compost<\/span>\u00a0and weeded all year<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Now pruned and tethered to the wires, they promise to provide our first strong harvest in several years<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>A bumper tomato crop is transforming from green,\u00a0<\/span>to orange and bright red<\/span>.\u00a0 Tomatoes<\/span>\u00a0of all breeds and sizes<\/span>\u00a0are the most fun to gather<\/span>\u00a0and present a\u00a0<\/span>gratifying weight at<\/span>\u00a0harvest.\u00a0<\/span>Collections of berry boxes saved\u00a0<\/span>throughout the<\/span>\u00a0year protect them during<\/span>\u00a0delivery<\/span>\u00a0to the pantry clients<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Figs are carefully watched to collect them as they\u00a0<\/span>approach a brief ripening time<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Have you noticed storing cardboard in your garage attracts roaches<\/span>?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Gardeners collect empty, flattened corrugated cardboard to suppress weeds around our plots<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Covering them with mulch keeps them in place<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>We welcome your donations just inside the gate.<\/span><\/p>\n 2026 May<\/strong><\/p>\n Community Earth Fest on April 25th brought 100 visitors to Community Unitarian Universalist Church grounds including Community Harvest Garden. Gardeners were eager to provide tours showcasing our best practices and produce grown for donation to God\u2019s Pantry. Volunteers walked children through 9 stations to practice gardener skills such as weighing produce, steering a wheelbarrow, looking for worms, sifting compost, checking soil moisture to make a decision about watering, and planting beans.<\/p>\n Fresh, organic radishes, lettuce, cabbages, spinach, mustard, Swiss chard, beets, onions, turnips, kale, and collards fill large bags headed for God\u2019s Pantry and tipped the scale to 133 pounds last week.<\/p>\n 2026 April<\/strong><\/p>\n March and April harvests have averaged 20 pounds a week comprised of leeks, Swiss chard, horseradish, radishes, and mixed greens: kale, collards, mustard, and turnip greens.\u00a0 Tomatoes and peppers have been planted for early summer harvests. Bulbing onions and garlic will be pulled and shared in May.<\/p>\n While we await the new growth, time\u2019s been found to clean out and organize tool bins.<\/p>\n Sunflowers re-seed generously.\u00a0 A forest would emerge overnight if we aren\u2019t selective in location.<\/p>\n A home-assembled Self-watering Propagator was demonstrated at our April social.<\/p>\n Visiting one another\u2019s gardens, we find new plants and techniques.<\/p>\n 2026 March<\/strong><\/p>\n While we wait for seeds to sprout and plants to grow for harvest, we are tending our grounds. Pictured here: a wren house is hung in a redbud tree, four trial solar motion sensor lights were mounted on our west side, an insect screen was placed to protect cauliflower plants, and Dallas Sai Center replaced their plot boards with treated and innovative planter wall block corners. Additional information: Wrens are insectivorous. The motion sensor lights are in place to deter rats from eating produce growing in our plots. The insect screen should protect these plants from the cabbage moth laying eggs for caterpillars. This 4\u2019x16\u2019x8\u201d raised bed was easy to assemble. We will watch to observe it over time to determine if the concrete corners are a more durable solution to use of screws in wood prone to rotting.<\/p>\n We were invited to participate in North Texas Food Bank\u2019s (NTFB) Empty Bowls fundraiser. We each got to choose a handmade ceramic or wooden bowl, but they weren\u2019t used for the food. We put them in our complimentary shopping bags from Kroger. There were about 15 food vendors\/restaurants serving a variety and ample servings of their soup specialties. Everything we tried was DELICIOUS so we had a great meal. Music was provided by a fine jazz band playing songs we really like. They had a simulation activity where each participant got twelve 100 paper dollars. You had to pay for rent, utilities, transportation, unexpected expenses (whatever card you drew). Whatever was left you could spend on food. Guess what! I had no money left! The NTFB guide said, \u201cThat\u2019s why we exist\u201d. A good exercise. Our NTFB Garden Specialist gave us lettuce plants and a tour of the NTFB garden.<\/p>\n 2026 February<\/strong><\/p>\n 2026 January<\/strong><\/p>\n Message to our gardeners from our harvest coordinator, Jim Binnings:<\/p>\n I wanted to share with you our 2025 harvest totals and remind everyone that while we all like to garden and play in the dirt, we are helping our community. We are providing good fresh produce to families who may not have many food options. Our 2025 total harvest was 2,535.25 lbs which was up 204 lbs from 2024 when we harvested 2,370.25 lbs of produce. Go team!<\/em><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.godspantryplano.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n In addition to their year-round work distributing food to 100\u2019s of clients three days a week, God\u2019s Pantry organized a Santa\u2019s Workshop shopping event in 2025.\u00a0 Families were able to shop the shelves of donated toys for their children.<\/p>\n Interviews by Kris Wieland with God\u2019s Pantry Clients: How does the Food Pantry help you?<\/strong><\/p>\n Kelin – ” I am grateful for the food because I’m a single mom and I don’t have help from anyone.”<\/p>\n David – “This is a great deal. Without this food, I wouldn’t be able to eat.”<\/p>\n Les –\u00a0 “They’re spot on and on time. They are good with their preparations. Also, I’ve tried food that I’ve never tried before.”<\/p>\n Marie – “I can’t feed my family without this food. God’s Pantry helps us to survive. I like the fresh produce.”<\/p>\n Alice –\u00a0 ” They have a wider selection of food than the 2 other pantries I went to. Some places don’t have produce. I like that this one does.”<\/p>\n Joseph – ” I lost my job, so I need this food to survive. I like the fresh tomatoes that I can get here.”<\/p>\n Jason – ” The people who work here are nice. The food is good. I can’t afford to buy fruit and vegetables, so I like that I can get that here.”<\/p>\n 2025 December<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite several evening freezes, our gardens are still providing greens! Seventeen pounds of kale, Swiss chard, mustard, arugula, and collards were bundled and shared with God\u2019s Pantry clients the first week of December.<\/p>\n Winter provides us time to plan repairs, sharpen and clean tools.\u00a0 A rusty pair of crosscut pruners was revived after soaking overnight in vinegar.\u00a0 Twelve hours later the rust could be wiped away, steel wool rubbed on the blades, and a light coating of oil applied.\u00a0 Ready to take on the next task!<\/p>\n First United Methodist Church of Plano volunteers spent 2 hours helping with four projects during their Mission Day!<\/p>\n 2025 November<\/strong><\/p>\n With our first freeze predicted Monday, November 10<\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span>, Saturday harvesters\u00a0<\/span>carefully searched for\u00a0<\/span>ever<\/span>y green tomato and small pepper<\/span>\u00a0to share with the pantry<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Herbs, kale, collards, arugula, and Swiss chard were bundled for distribution<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Microorganisms\u2019 work produces steaming compost, the result of weekly\u00a0<\/span>turning and watering<\/span>\u00a0dead plant<\/span>\u00a0material cut to 6-8 inches.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After 6 months, it\u2019s time to harvest worm castings from bio-digesters holding food waste scraps. This rich soil amendment is the work of local worms. It will be added to our plots with dried molasses, slow-release organic fertilizers, and compost before each planting.<\/p>\n 2025 October<\/strong><\/p>\n Sprouted seedlings and transplants are vanishing from our plots!\u00a0 Fences are not enough protection. Community Harvest Gardeners are finding innovative solutions at pest management while keeping our goal of using earth-friendly products.\u00a0 Wire cages have been made to exclude hungry critters, hardware cloth and tulle fabric are laid over mulch and seedlings, and plastic juice containers with bottoms removed are staked over plants until they become strong enough to defend themselves or are less desirable.<\/p>\n Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/safepestcontrol\/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles<\/a><\/p>\n 2025 September<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As 8 foot okra plants begin to slow production and basil seeds are clipped to dry for planting next spring, gardeners are adding compost, molasses, and fertilizer and planting plots for fall. New crops are fun to try. This year Green Magic Broccoli, green and purple kohlrabi, and jicama will be tested in our plots.<\/p>\n 2025 August<\/strong><\/p>\n In North Texas, it\u2019s time to begin preparing garden beds for fall planting.\u00a0 Community Harvest Garden gardeners clear spent plants, weeds and debris, then top dress plots with compost, organic slow-release fertilizers, dried molasses, and composted horse manure.\u00a0 Deep watering and a few weeks of rest help feed the soil microbes and prepare them to receive the new plants.\u00a0 Fresh kale, collard, Swiss chard, radish, beet and turnip seeds have been restocked. Several gardeners are raising plants at home to share including Green Magic Broccoli.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cutting spent plant material to 6-8 inches makes weekly turning the compost piles easier and helps them break down to a nutrient rich material within 2 months.\u00a0 This year we\u2019ve established a pile for volunteers to help cut vines and stalks to add to the holding bin to begin the process.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our newest gardener was thrilled to harvest her first watermelon!<\/span> 300 pounds of tomatoes, bagsful<\/span> of tomatillos and an abundance of okra have made their way to God\u2019s Pantry from our gardens this summer.<\/span> The pear tree is full of pears<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>Shaking<\/span> the branches dropped 19 pounds <\/span>for our first August harvest.<\/span><\/p>\n 2025 July<\/strong><\/p>\n Cardboard donations from our congregation and community allow us to lay cardboard between soil and mulch delaying weed growth to protect our plot production. Condren\u2019s Tree Service donates free mulch as needed.<\/p>\n Summer crops are prolific and require midweek picking to avoid spoilage: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and okra. Reaching through dense foliage can irritate uncovered arms. \u201cSkin armor\u201d protects against irritation and sun. This gardener plans ahead in dressing for the work of the day with hat, arm sleeves, and closed-toed shoes. Reusable bottles of water are essential for working once temperatures hit 90 degrees.<\/p>\n With only 90 minutes to pick, weigh, bag, load and deliver a fresh harvest, many hands are needed. Additional harvest duties include washing root vegetables, labeling bags of produce, recording weight using a fish scale, bundling greens and herbs for easy assembly by pantry volunteers, wiping down tools with vinegar water, and putting away the harvest supplies. It takes a community to get the produce out to the pantry clients. Total delivery rates often exceed 100 pounds. Join us on Saturday mornings at 7:30 to be part of this satisfying work! For more information contact: harvest@communityuuchurch.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2025 June<\/strong><\/p>\n We celebrated our first official fig harvest on a five-year-old Louisiana Yellow Fig Tree! Soft, lime green, tasty, about the size of a peach, six pounds were sent to the pantry. We cut and shared two softer ones for quality control and pronounced them melt-in-your-mouth sweet and juicy.\u00a0 Italy shared memories of summers in Mexico with her grandmother and cousins, harvesting figs from her tree.\u00a0 She climbed a ladder to reach the higher ones.\u00a0 June harvests at the garden will be filled with other fruits as well.\u00a0 Raspberries, blackberries, and pears are now forming.\u00a0 Tomatoes are ripening.\u00a0 Donated empty plastic grocery containers ensure safe delivery.<\/p>\n Not all plants in the garden are welcome.\u00a0 Though grateful for the regular rains in May, invasive weeds have thrived.\u00a0 Poison ivy requires more than one spraying to discourage it\u2019s growth and spread.\u00a0 We mix 1T of 45% vinegar, 1T dish detergent, and 1T salt with a gallon of water to keep our planting areas safe for gardeners. Pokeweed and hophornbeam copperleaf hide under okra and among tomato plants.<\/p>\n We invite you to visit our garden anytime to enjoy the sounds, sights, and fragrances. Make it a scavenger hunt to find these plants.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.communityuuchurch.org\/uua\/wp-content\/uploads\/Other_Images\/Harvest_Garden\/2026-07-a.jpg\")
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