The snowstorm that hit Quimper Peninsula just before Thanksgiving took everyone by surprise, including the last of the plants still growing in the Pea Patch. The arugula and some of the kale is still soildering on, despite the snowcover and there are still some beets in the ground that can continue to be harvested throughout the winter months for the food bank.
The snow and chilly temperatures make it ever more evident that our food bank plots would really benefit from a few solid cold frames. A cold frame is a small, basic "greenhouse" that keeps vulnerable plants warmer and more insulated by trapping passive energy (i.e. sunlight) rather than using electricity to generate heat as many big greenhouses do. This month I'll be constructing two coldframes with the help of Sean Austin who works with 4-H and Sunfield School. We're going to try to do it as cheaply and simply as possible, and then teach a workshop to other interested winter gardeners when we master the design. The workshop will probably happen in early January, but keep your eyes peeled for more details!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Change is in the Air!
It's official: The season has shifted from fleeting summer, and the smell of fall is in the air. And with the change of seasons, there are a lot of changes happening in the garden. Perhaps the biggest change is that Cali, the very dedicated garden coordinator who has been with the Pea Patch almost since its inception in 2009, has left, and a new Americorps volunteer has come to take her place. Ellen moved all the way from northern New England to take the Americorps position at the Pea Patch, and is very excited to put her community garden and farming experience to the test in the Northwest!
To contact Ellen, send her an email at esabina@olycap.org or call her at (360)302-1221.
To contact Ellen, send her an email at esabina@olycap.org or call her at (360)302-1221.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Work Party - June 19th
What: Work Party at the Pea Patch
When: Saturday, June 19th, 10am—1pm
Where: OlyCAP Pea Patch
10632 Rhody Drive, Port Hadlock
What to Bring: Gloves, water bottle, clothes to garden in, and a smile.
All ages welcome.
For more information, e-mail ckeck@olycap.org or call 360.302.1221.
When: Saturday, June 19th, 10am—1pm
Where: OlyCAP Pea Patch
10632 Rhody Drive, Port Hadlock
What to Bring: Gloves, water bottle, clothes to garden in, and a smile.
All ages welcome.
For more information, e-mail ckeck@olycap.org or call 360.302.1221.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
March in the Pea Patch
The old saying describes March weather as, “in like a lion, out like a lamb,” however we had the opposite this year. Unseasonably warm February weather continued into March and the gardening bug bit everyone.
March Milestones:
Eleven additional plots were added to the Garden. John Gunning tilled to get the soil ready for us. On March 20th, volunteers installed irrigation to our new plots. The following weekend, we built the fence around the new plots. Teamwork paid off, and the fence went up in a few hours. Plots are getting snapped up quickly, though we still have a few available.
Fence Building Work Party, March 27th.
March also marked the return of harvestable veggies in the garden. The over-wintering broccoli is producing side shoots, as well as the kale and cauliflower. I’ve harvested 20 pounds of produce so far this spring, and I’m eyeing the rhubarb. Speaking of fruit, a dozen strawberry plants, five rhubarb, and five artichokes were donated to the garden this month. The rhubarb and artichoke are in a plot that wasn’t utilized last year, and the strawberries are on the hill next to the raspberries. Potential, thy name is Pea Patch.
The New Raspberries.
March Milestones:
Eleven additional plots were added to the Garden. John Gunning tilled to get the soil ready for us. On March 20th, volunteers installed irrigation to our new plots. The following weekend, we built the fence around the new plots. Teamwork paid off, and the fence went up in a few hours. Plots are getting snapped up quickly, though we still have a few available.
Fence Building Work Party, March 27th.
March also marked the return of harvestable veggies in the garden. The over-wintering broccoli is producing side shoots, as well as the kale and cauliflower. I’ve harvested 20 pounds of produce so far this spring, and I’m eyeing the rhubarb. Speaking of fruit, a dozen strawberry plants, five rhubarb, and five artichokes were donated to the garden this month. The rhubarb and artichoke are in a plot that wasn’t utilized last year, and the strawberries are on the hill next to the raspberries. Potential, thy name is Pea Patch.
The New Raspberries.
As March wound down, we were the focus of a front-page article in the Peninsula Daily News, featuring a color photo above the fold of the paper. Hooray! I brought out our new sign and it looked great for the picture. Unfortunately, two days after the article came out, a storm pulverized the sign and washed its beautiful paint job onto our newly tilled dirt. Big time bummer. To read the entire article, visit http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100331/news/303319983
Sunday, February 28, 2010
February Happenings
Ack, February is already over. What did I do, what did I do? I know, I pulled weeds. Well to say I pulled weeds undervalues the rejuvenative effects of bringing an abandoned garden back from the brink. As our garden plots are in stasis, my attention has focused on the overgrown herbs adjacent to the Pea Patch. This month, I discovered two established rhubarb plants. Two! This brings our rhubarb patch up to seven big glorious plants. With less weed competition and more mulch, all are expected to thrive.
Speaking of fruit, we got raspberries! We had a couple little canes from back in the day and their fruit was much cherished, though 3 berries a day isn’t going to make a pie for anyone. One afternoon, our Food VISTA, mentioned seeing raspberries on FreeCycle, so I tracked them down. After an initial disappointment, (showing up at the garden on bicycle only to find an empty yellow bucket) I got a call back for the second round of plants. The raspberries at the Christian Science Church Community Garden in Port Townsend did very well, and they donated their extras. We now have 40 plants, both everbearing and summer bearing. I dug out the sod on the hill beside our herbs to create the raspberry patch. This spot gets good morning sun, as well as makes use of a slope that would otherwise not be utilized. I also created steppes between the canes to reduce run-off and make harvest easier. These canes were fertilized with worm castings from the worm bins that were donated to the garden last year.
Speaking of fruit, we got raspberries! We had a couple little canes from back in the day and their fruit was much cherished, though 3 berries a day isn’t going to make a pie for anyone. One afternoon, our Food VISTA, mentioned seeing raspberries on FreeCycle, so I tracked them down. After an initial disappointment, (showing up at the garden on bicycle only to find an empty yellow bucket) I got a call back for the second round of plants. The raspberries at the Christian Science Church Community Garden in Port Townsend did very well, and they donated their extras. We now have 40 plants, both everbearing and summer bearing. I dug out the sod on the hill beside our herbs to create the raspberry patch. This spot gets good morning sun, as well as makes use of a slope that would otherwise not be utilized. I also created steppes between the canes to reduce run-off and make harvest easier. These canes were fertilized with worm castings from the worm bins that were donated to the garden last year.
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