This year has gotten off to a slow start. Too much RAIN! One would wonder if you can have too much rain. Yes you can! Seeds die in the ground and it is hard to work when you are being drenched with water. On the brighter side so much is happening.
Just before school got out we had a tour of the garden by the Kindergarten through 3rd grade students. They wandered through the paths wondering what would be growing in each of the beds. Some said they would be back later in the summer.
We were accepted to get another VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America) position for the community garden. William Berman will be working between the Community Garden and the Northport Schools educating and training up young gardeners. He will also be working with our Homeschool group as they want to grow herbs and flowers for Christmas, Easter and Mother’s Day. We are all very excited about his addition to our town. He has a two year degree in Agriculture and a wealth of knowledge about Greenhouse Gardening. Even though his year does not start till October 1st he has been actively working in the Garden and with a youth, Austin Dombrowski. Together they have built boxes for our raised beds.
The wood for the beds has been graciously donated by Robert Raught. George Snodgrass donated a day and built several boxes for us also. A $10,000.00 grant was accepted with Hidden Valley Ranch to develop the relationship between the Garden and the School. We will be putting the finishing touches on the greenhouse, vent, electricity, heater and water system. All the supplies have arrived for the drip irrigation system and Thursday July 1st we will be meeting with a Master Gardener from Colville to begin the assembly. (Yahoo, no more hand watering!)
We met with the President and CEO of the Washington Health Foundation (they gave us a grant for our greenhouse) in June. He came out to review our Greenhouse and visit with us. What an encouraging meeting. We asked him if he could give us any advice. He told us we are doing it. What intrigued him to come and visit us were the lessons we have learned. He said in our yearly review that came across loud and clear. I cannot say enough about those lessons learned. What we as a community have been through during the entire Horizon Process and working with WSU has given us the tools we needed to succeed.
Again, partnerships are the word of the day. Thank you to the ladies group at the Baptist Church for purchasing two plots for a single lady with children in town. As we were choosing her site her daughter told us “My mom has a green thumb!” Another single mom in town purchased two plots; the neighbor who graciously gives us our water purchased 4 plots to grow corn. Then said he will donate it to the senior meals program and/or the Food Bank in town. Another lady joined us purchasing 4 plots, someone bought a plot as a memorial to her and her husband’s moms, a family who just moved to town and is renting while they prepare their house purchased two plots, and the list goes on. Numerous plots have been planted some anonymously others by individuals who have said they are for those in need. What a giving spirit this little town has. So the garden is alive and beginning to thrive. With William and the students at the school it should continue well into the winter with some extended gardening practices and the use of the greenhouse.
Come by and see the progress. Hint, look in the greenhouse, we are growing Tomatoes vertically up to the ceiling. I am told they can grow 9 feet or more. While there check out the huge apple boxes. They were started with a lasagna gardening practice (layers of stuff to nourish the seedlings and then they have been companion planted. Soon we will have a poster up describing both processes. Finally, if your spirit just needs a little rejuvenating come, sit and just enjoy the smells, sounds (bees and growing plants) and sights.
Just before school got out we had a tour of the garden by the Kindergarten through 3rd grade students. They wandered through the paths wondering what would be growing in each of the beds. Some said they would be back later in the summer.
We were accepted to get another VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America) position for the community garden. William Berman will be working between the Community Garden and the Northport Schools educating and training up young gardeners. He will also be working with our Homeschool group as they want to grow herbs and flowers for Christmas, Easter and Mother’s Day. We are all very excited about his addition to our town. He has a two year degree in Agriculture and a wealth of knowledge about Greenhouse Gardening. Even though his year does not start till October 1st he has been actively working in the Garden and with a youth, Austin Dombrowski. Together they have built boxes for our raised beds.
The wood for the beds has been graciously donated by Robert Raught. George Snodgrass donated a day and built several boxes for us also. A $10,000.00 grant was accepted with Hidden Valley Ranch to develop the relationship between the Garden and the School. We will be putting the finishing touches on the greenhouse, vent, electricity, heater and water system. All the supplies have arrived for the drip irrigation system and Thursday July 1st we will be meeting with a Master Gardener from Colville to begin the assembly. (Yahoo, no more hand watering!)
We met with the President and CEO of the Washington Health Foundation (they gave us a grant for our greenhouse) in June. He came out to review our Greenhouse and visit with us. What an encouraging meeting. We asked him if he could give us any advice. He told us we are doing it. What intrigued him to come and visit us were the lessons we have learned. He said in our yearly review that came across loud and clear. I cannot say enough about those lessons learned. What we as a community have been through during the entire Horizon Process and working with WSU has given us the tools we needed to succeed.
Again, partnerships are the word of the day. Thank you to the ladies group at the Baptist Church for purchasing two plots for a single lady with children in town. As we were choosing her site her daughter told us “My mom has a green thumb!” Another single mom in town purchased two plots; the neighbor who graciously gives us our water purchased 4 plots to grow corn. Then said he will donate it to the senior meals program and/or the Food Bank in town. Another lady joined us purchasing 4 plots, someone bought a plot as a memorial to her and her husband’s moms, a family who just moved to town and is renting while they prepare their house purchased two plots, and the list goes on. Numerous plots have been planted some anonymously others by individuals who have said they are for those in need. What a giving spirit this little town has. So the garden is alive and beginning to thrive. With William and the students at the school it should continue well into the winter with some extended gardening practices and the use of the greenhouse.
Come by and see the progress. Hint, look in the greenhouse, we are growing Tomatoes vertically up to the ceiling. I am told they can grow 9 feet or more. While there check out the huge apple boxes. They were started with a lasagna gardening practice (layers of stuff to nourish the seedlings and then they have been companion planted. Soon we will have a poster up describing both processes. Finally, if your spirit just needs a little rejuvenating come, sit and just enjoy the smells, sounds (bees and growing plants) and sights.
