Concord Seed Lending Library presents, "What's the Fuss about Heirloom Seeds?" by Dr. Deborah Bier

What's the Fuss about Heirloom Seeds? during Seed Lending Library Reopening Day
Saturday, 2/1, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm @Fowler Library
Dr. Deborah Bier [register here]

To celebrate the reopening we are proud to present, “What’s the Fuss about Heirloom Seeds?” with keynote speaker, Dr. Deborah Bier from 2:00-4:00pm in the lower level conference room at Fowler. Reopening is at 9:00am and other exciting events will be happening this day as well. See here for more info.

Grow Your Food 101 - talk by Meighan Matthews and Linda Ugelow, Wed. 1/29, 7:30 - 9:30.

Hello Gardeners,

If you'd like to listen to a great talk on growing food, check out this event at the Fowler Library, Wed. at 7:30pm. Registration is at the concordlibrary.org site here. 

GARDENING FOR LIFE 

Gardening for Life and the Concord Seed Lending Library are pleased to present---

Grow Your Food 101 

Meighan Matthews, Growing for Good founder and Linda Ugelow, Dancing Tomato Farmer

Wednesday, January 29, 7:30 to 9:30 PM @ Fowler Library, West Concord.

Discover the joy of growing and eating from your own food garden! Meighan Matthews and Linda Ugelow will help bring your garden dreams to reality! last year their presentation was a crowd pleaser with information and handouts to inform and inspire …and it was filled to capacity. Back by popular demand in a two hour format, they will help you begin planning your food garden before the growing season has begun. Learn what to plant and when, soil health and management, composting, building the garden site, season extenders, seed saving and starting, and lots more. -- Details to follow at www.concordfood.ning.com. The program is free, though donations to cover costs are welcomed.

Hello Cousins Field Community Gardeners, 
Here is some info. I thought I'd pass along from our friends at Gardening for Life. 

See everyone at the Garden cleanup on the Oct. 19/20th weekend.Kitty

According to the Farmers Almanac, we can expect a first frost by October 14 (Columbus Day!). There is lots going on this month. Here is a sampling of programs to consider! If you know of similar events open to the public, please forward to me deb01742@comcast.net (Debbie Barr) to alert our gardening friends. Join the Farm and Garden planning team, come hear about carbon sequestration at a local organic farm, and learn why and how to identify the Asian Long-horned Beetle at a program offered by our friends at the Walden Woods project. 

Coming Up:

Food, Farm and Garden Fair Planning Meeting

Meeting TBD the week of October 21

Based on the success of the Farm and Garden Fair, you are invited to share your expertise and time in creating a new and improved Food, Farm and Garden Fair. Join our well organized and enthusiastic team at a time to be determined the Week of October 21. What programs will we offer? What is our timetable? Where can we find funding?  Complete the doodle scheduler and let us know what works best for you.  Go to: http://doodle.com/73utat5974eaz23v

Tour of Meadow Mist Farm

Sunday, October 20, 2-4 pm.

Meadow Mist is a small organic farm and a site for the Carbon Sequestration Project, otherwise known as carbon capture and storage. How does this affect you?? When you know how much carbon your landscape generates, then you can begin to create a 'carbon budget' and ways to reduce the overall emission of greenhouse gases. The carbon sequestration project aims to measure the amount of carbon the Farm sequesters annually. Limited space. Please RSVP by October 18 to deb01742@comcast.net

Talking about Invasives: MOST WANTED LIST--- Invasive Forest Beetles

October 17, 7 pm at the Thoreau Institute, Lincoln

Presented by the Walden Woods Project and SuAsCo Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area and featuring Jennifer Forman-Orth, PhD, State Plant Pest Survey Coordinator.

According to Columbia University, the Asian Longhorned Beetle  "has the potential to cause more damage than Dutch elm disease, chestnut blight, and gypsy moths combined, destroying millions of acres of America’s treasured hardwoods, including national forests and backyard trees. The beetle has the potential to damage such industries as lumber, maple syrup, nursery, commercial fruit, and tourism accumulating over $41 billion in losses. This is the highest priority to control, as ALB has the potential to alter North American Ecosystems."   Come learn what WE can do to identify this pest. See invitation below: 

The Walden Woods Project October 7, 2013

Seedling Sale At the Food Project in Lincoln Memorial Day Weekend

Fellow Gardeners!
We have word of a HUGE plant sale going on in Lincoln Memorial Day weekend. The sale supports the efforts of the non-profit and very cool group The Food Project. Join them at their farm in Lincoln, Mass., for a three-day seedling sale on Memorial Day weekend. They will be selling over 60 varieties of vegetable, flower, and herb seedlings, including 21 varieties of tomatoes!
See you there!
WHEN:
Saturday, May 25 - Monday, May 27 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. each day Rain or shine
WHERE:
The Food Project's Lincoln Farm Under the Big, White Tent Route 126 & Baker Bridge Road Lincoln, MA 01773
PRICING:
4- or 6-packs: $5 each Singles: $3 each or two for $5
- Dave Stacey

Concord Seed Lending LIbrary now open!

The Concord Seed Lending Library has opened it's doors and is available anytime the Fowler Branch Library is open:

M - 9am - 7pm
Tu - 9am - 6pm
We - 9am - 6pm
Th - 1pm - 6pm
Fr - 9am - 5pm
Sa - 9am - 5pm

How does it work?

1. Come in to Fowler, go downstairs and browse through the seed cabinet to see what we have. Pick out some packages to "borrow" from the Super Easy or Easy seed drawers (if you'll be returning seed) or some packages from the Difficult drawers (but do not return these for now until we've developed seed saving classes for these types of plants). You may see some new varieties you've never grown before!

2. Sign them out on the sign out form. Bring them home and plant them. Grow them out and enjoy your harvest of a few of your plants then let a couple of your best plants go to seed. 

3. At the end of the season when your plants have gone to seed, gather the seeds from those plants and "return" some of your seeds for the library to restock their cabinet, keep the rest of the seeds for yourself for the Spring. Not sure how to save seed, see here. Next year,  come back and borrow some more seeds to start the cycle again! 

Why should you do this?

It's economical, you get to try new varieties that you've never tried before, you are supporting a community effort which is encouraging seed saving and you can feel good about keeping the seeds locally adapted to our Concord environment and weather. Please note that we're supplementing your regular garden plantings, we're not a store as we have only so much donated seed. 

Please come on by and take a look and choose some new varieties that you'd like to try today!

CSA Farm Tour this Sat. June 9th, 9-11am

Hi Cousins Field Community Gardeners,

Here's an invite to a CSA Farm Tour by our friends at Gardens for Life. RSVP below if you'd like to join them!

Thanks,
Kitty

Hello Garden/Life members and friends

Looks like Saturday will be a beautiful day for a CSA Farm Tour and Talk Sat June 9, 9-11 AM!  There is room for 4 more...so for those who leave things to the last minute...here is your chance! Both farms have gorgeous greens and unique stories of how they started PLUS why CSA's are good for them...and for us.

Come on your own, or bring a friend. Please RSVP to deb01742@comcast.net so we can plan accordingly.

See you there!

Debbie Barr

Request for gardeners to work with the next generation!

From our friends at Gardens for Life. Hope you'll consider this nice opportunity!

Kitty

 

Volunteers are needed to help second grade students plant 'the three sisters' garden: (corn, squash and beans) and much more at Battle Road Farms.  

Here are the dates: Alcott on May 18, Thoreau on June 1, and Willard on June 8.  Each of those three days will host 2 classes in the morning, 9:30-12, then 2 classes in the afternoon 12-2:30.

Here is a chance to work with the next generation of "food and garden enthusiasts" in a terrific program between the Concord Public Schools, The Farm School, the Farm-Based Education Association and the Minuteman National Historical Park!

Volunteers help with about 15 kids at a time, with their teacher, a parent chaperone and the farm educator. It is all very well organized, and a fun way to share the most basic information on gardening.  Sign up ASAP with Brooke Redmond, at brooke@farmbasededucation.org

The  farm visits are structured so all students move through a 'round-robin' experience through 3 stations.

After the welcome and introduction:
Station A  2 groups (~20 students)  1 hour of 'field management' with Farmer Dave from the Farm School
Station B  1 group (~10 students)  30 min. vegi farming with Laura of First Root Farm
Station C  1 group (~10 students) 30 min. Three Sisters garden with Park Ranger Judith

There are NO rain dates.  Punctuality and proper dress / footwear are paramount.

Volunteering with the Concord 2nd Grade program at Battle Road Farms is a great way to spend a spring day!

Visit FOOD FOR THOUGHT at: http://concordfood.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Happy Gardening!
Debbie Barr

Red Wiggler Kits and Open Discussion 4/12 from 7:30-9pm at HWCC

Hello Cousins Field Community Gardeners,


Please consider yourself a friend of the Garden for Life group below and see Debbie's invite below. Hope you can make it!


Kitty



GARDEN/LIFE friends and members:

LAST CALL for Red Wiggler kits and Open Discussion to share what we know about gardening basics on THURSDAY APRIL 12 from 7:30 -9 PM.  Enid Boasberg and Emily Wheeler will facilitate the meeting and Ray Pourali will be there to deliver red wiggler kits and talk about vermi-culture. For more info on related events and the Film Screening/Discussion of Greenhorns on Friday April 13, go to www.concordfood.ning.com.

Open Discussion: Share info about the Concord Food Assessment, Seed Library and other food initiatives. Bring your questions!...no matter how basic. Here are some member questions: I'm short on time: What are the easiest veggies to grow? How long does it take for seeds to germinate?  How close should rows be planted? What is square foot gardening? How do I build raised beds? Where do I get good compost? When should I prune?

Vermi-culture

Ray Pourali, Green Planet vermi-culture expert, will bring the kits (about 1/2 lb) and compost tea for pick up on April 12. Place your order: youwillrememberit@gmail.com directly or at the meeting. In order to judge how many kits you will need to create a working compost heap... let him know roughly how many lbs of material you expect to recycle (compost) and if you have an outdoor or indoor compost.

See you on Thursday, April 12 at 7:30 PM at Harvey Wheeler Community Center.

Happy gardening

Debbie Barr

HOW TO PLACE YOUR RED WIGGLER ORDER

What are red wigglers?? What can I compost? If compost smells...what am I doing wrong? By popular demand, join our group order for red wigglers from Ray Pourali, environmental engineer by day and Green Planet Vermi-culture guru all the time! (scroll down for ordering information). Red wigglers are great at making compost out of kitchen and garden scraps. I plan to get two kits (they last well into the fall outside but do not over winter). He also provides a handout on vermi-composting.

Ray will deliver the kits (about 1/2 lb) and compost tea for pick up on April 12. PLEASE EMAIL HIM DIRECTLY to place your order: youwillrememberit@gmail.com. In order to judge how many kits you will need to create a working compost heap... let him know roughly how many lbs of material you expect to recycle (compost) and if you have an outdoor or indoor compost.

Ray says: I have exactly what you need to start a new compost bin, or to boost an existing one.  The key is the micro-organisms that go along with the worms. I will increase the worm quantity based on the expected available "food" scraps for the worms.

By using a compost bin, you will have a great control over the population and general well being of the worms. Please let me know if you need any help with making your compost bin.  I have tried a few designs and can share the info with you.  The total cost for having a very good compost bin is $9, compost tea $5. Please let me know if you have any questions and I will be glad to provide all the information you may need. 

All packages include care instructions and I provide long term support to ensure you have a successful experience. Looking forward to hear back from you, 

Cheers,  Ray

Happy Thanksgiving Poem from Helene C.

Let us give thanks...

For generous friends...with hearts as big as hubbards 
and smiles as bright as their blossoms;

For feisty friends as tart as apples;

For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us we had them;

For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;

For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn -- and the others -- as plain as potatoes, and so good for you.

For funny friends, who are as silly as brussels sprouts and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes, and serious friends as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;

For friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who -- like parsnips -- can be counted on to see you through the long winter;

For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time, and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;

For loving friends, who wind around as like tendrils, and hold us despite our blights, wilts, and witherings;

And finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past, that have been harvested - but who fed us in their times that we might have life thereafter;

For all these we give thanks.  

Amen. 

Upcoming Events

Hello Gardeners,

It's about time to put our gardens to bed, but it's not time to stop learning about gardening. I'm forwarding along a couple of events that are sponsored by Gardens for Life and Debbie Barr, that I thought you may be interested in. Hope you can make it!

Hello Gardening friends,

Our fall calendar is ready for garden lovers to enjoy! Among the
topics members have requested is a tour of root cellars, and we are
following  up some leads, but if you know someone, please let Debbie
Barr know! (deb01742@comcast.net)

COMING SOON: GARDEN TOUR, 10/2, 3-4:30 PM
Don't miss the tour of Black Brook Farm tour with Hasso Ewing on
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 3-4:00 PM in Carlisle. Hasso is a landscape
designer and farmer, and we will see newly installed hoop beds, learn
more tips for extending the season, harvesting and putting the beds to
rest for the winter. If you heard Hasso's standing room only gardening
presentation at the Concord Library last year, you know we are in for
a terrific conversation!

SPACE IS LIMITED, so RSVP by September 30 to deb01742@comcast.net.
Directions will be provided when you sign up.

NEXT UP: COMPOSTING TIPS -- JUST IN TIME TO DO NOW.....AND ENRICH
YOUR  LAWN AND GARDENS NEXT SPRING!
Our October Garden/Life program is on COMPOSTING, with Mark Hanson,
experienced gardener and true composting fan, on Tuesday, October 11,
7:30-9 PM at Harvey Wheeler Community Center in West Concord (note the
7:30 time, which will make it easier to have dinners/tend to kids etc
and still come to enjoy our speaker!). Mark's presentation at the
Concord Library speaker last year also wowed the crowd!

PRESERVES: SUMMER IN A GLASS JAR
Check out this website with great photos and recipes for jams and
pickled veggies from Treehugger
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/09/summer-in-a-mason-jar-3-recipes-and-tips.php?campaign=weekly_nl

SAVE THE DATE: We are joining all three community garden members in a
joint potluck on Friday, October 21 at 6:30 PM at the Thoreau
Birthplace. Details to follow!

Happy Gardening!
Debbie Barr

In Memoriam of Dan Farmer

Some of you know Dan as the husband of Jeanne Farmer, the former Coordinator of the Cousins Field Community Garden, before Pamela H. and I. Dan passed away on Aug. 18th, 2011 and in memory of him a Mum has been planted in the planter at the front of Cousins Field Community Garden. Dan had been gardening many years at Cousins and I know he enjoyed many beautiful tomatoes and basil over the years.  I'm sure I can speak for all when I say we will truly miss his wit and humor around the garden. See here for more.

Please take a moment to pause at the planter and enjoy the newly planted Mum and remember Dan and his enthusiasm for gardening, his love of West Concord, and his friendship.

Ken McKenna

Ken D. McKenna, a longtime gardener at Cousins Field Community Garden, and friend, died on May 24th, 2011.  He will be sorely missed by all. I remember Ken because he always wore a smile and had kind words to say to all that met him.

I learned Ken was an avid Lily gardener, and hope that we can soon create a long lasting tribute to Ken at CF Community Garden.

More details on that to come...