Sunshine Weekly Weeder Newsletter
5 February 2014
www.sunshinecommunitygarden.org
Calling all Sunshine Gardeners
Our Annual plant sale will be held March 1, 2014
This is our most important fund raiser and requires many gardeners to swing into action to help with all of the preparations and activities during and after the plant sale. Most of the volunteer activities are during the plant sale (9:00 am-2:00 pm), but there are before and after tasks also.
Prior to the actual plant sale preparations, we clean up our "house" for guests. It is not too early for each of you to get your garden in shape and clean up the area around your plot and help tidy up the garden.
On the day of the sale there are two shifts - AM 8:30-11:30 and PM 11:30 to 2:30. Additionally, you have the option of working the entire day or if you can only work overlapping shifts that is fine.
Jobs include the following with a brief description
- Setting up - Prior to March 1 Time to be determined. This included unloading and organizing plants. Fairly strenuous. Gardeners form a living conveyor belt.
- Sign Placement - Signs need to be placed on the street for directions before sale and picked up after. Signs identifying the various tents need to be hung - probably Friday.
- Gate/Greeting - Stand at the gate, hand out plant list, greet customers, answer questions
- Compost Sales - Bagging compost (we try to have as many bags as possible bagged prior to the sale) Heavy lifting is required. $5/5 gallon bag
- Haulers - Helping our customers carry their purchases to their cars. Some heavy lifting
- Receipt Writers - Customers select their purchases and you write out a receipt and give it to them to bring to the cashiers. Plant transplants and Herbs are $2/each. The only exception is pass along plants. They are priced as marked.
- Regular Cashiers - collect money/checks. Gail Reese is in charge
- Music Set up - Need 3-4 people from 7:45 Sat until 8:30 to set up stages and chairs and at 2-3 to break setup down Charlotte Jernigan in charge
- Tomato tent - become familiar with the varieties for sale and help customers
- Eggplant/Peppers tent - become familiar with the varieties for sale and help customers Marge T and Adriana in charge
- Pass along Plants - become familiar with the varieties for sale and help customers
- Ornamentals - become familiar with the varieties for sale and help customers
- Herbs - become familiar with the varieties for sale and help customers
- Stroller/Go to Person - help volunteers and /or customers as needed
- Breakdown/Closing - organize remaining plants (hopefully not too many)
- Kitchen Set up - Refreshment set up for volunteers
Needed:
Boxes for the plant sale. Can everyone start collecting boxes for buyers to carry their purchases out of the garden?
Lists to varieties to be included in the sale
Have you paid your plot rental Fee?
Any questions contact Jack at scgtreasurer1@gmail.com.
Here is the paypal "button".
Kudos to Linda Francescone and Susan Hoberman
For the hard work they've done on the Micah 6 project.
Micah 6 of Austin (a non-profit) works to identify and meet the needs of the homeless and impoverished in the University of Texas campus area. It is a network of 11 faith communities within the UT district. In 2012 the Food Pantry served 3,602 households. The Pantry is open two days a week. Sunshine Gardens contributes fresh vegetables grown in the beds in front of the trailer. For more information on Micah 6 visit www.micah6austin.org.
If you would like to help contact: Linda Francescone or Susan Hoberman.
Which Vegetables Tolerate Frost and Which Don't?
Cold tolerance depends somewhat on preconditioning. For instance, if broccoli has been growing in warm conditions and temperatures drop below 22 degrees F., it will probably be killed. If these same broccoli plants had already experienced cool weather, they would probably survive the sudden cold.
A frost (31-33 degrees F.) will kill beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumber, eggplant, okra, peas, pepper, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes and watermelon.
Colder temperatures (26-31 degrees F.) may burn foliage but will not kill: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, mustard, onion, radish, and turnip.
The real cold weather champs are beets, Brussel Sprouts, carrots, collards, kale, parsley, and spinach.
The Difference Between GMO and GEO
Many people are confused over the terms "Genetically Modified" and "Genetically Engineered" as they are often used interchangeably in the media. A genetically modified organism can happen in natural mutations, open pollinated reselections and in traditional hybrids. The crops that are of real concern are those that are genetically engineered. They do not happen in nature and are produced in the laboratory. A good source for the USDA's definitions of the various terms used in agriculture is contained on the United States Department of Agriculture's website (usda.gov). Look for the Glossary of Agricultural Biotechnology Terms.
Buck Moore Feed
Buck Moore has been a long time supporter of Sunshine gardens and is located around the corner from Sunshine Gardens at 5237 North Lamar. It is a great store that carries a variety of gardening supplies including a very wide assortment of gardening gloves and tools. They sell seeds both in bulk and packages. Also for sale are seed potatoes for planting. Stop in to check out this Austin tradition that has been in business for over 40 years.
Events
Composting for the Home Garden
Thursday, February 6, 2014, 10:00 - 12:00
Travis County AgriLife Extension Office
The first class in a series 'Dealing with Drought Conditions', will deal with the value of compost in building and maintaining healthy soils. Cathy Wood, Master Gardener and compost specialist, will teach attendees how to build an effective compost pile, and how to use its contents as an aid to increase water retention in soils of all types.
This presentation is part of the Texas AgriLife Extension Water Conservation Series Register or by phone 979-845-2604. $10 fee, $15 at site. Class is limited to 40 people.
VFIC Conference
When: February 25 - February 26
Where: Texas A&M AgriLife Center,
556 John Kimbrough Blvd,
College Station, TX 77843
Contact Person Connie Sebesta, Vegetable & Fruit Improvement Center, Ph 979-862-4592, email
The 2014 Conference of the Vegetable & Fruit Improvement Center will address future challenges of increasing the consumption of healthy vegetables and fruits. This conference will provide useful information from leaders in research, industry and government entities pertaining to research efforts to increase health promoting compounds in fruits and vegetables. The audience will gain information in a format that reaches a wide range of interests. The conference will consist of presentations, open dialogue and round table discussions.
To register and find more information go to the website
Vegetables to plant in February
Early to mid-month: Asparagus crowns, Broccoli plants, Cabbage plants, Caufiflower plants, Carrots, Chard, onion bulbs, Peas, Potato, Spinach.
All month: Lettuce, Radish, Beets, Collards, Kohlrabi, Turnips
Middle to end of month: Mustard
Officer and Zone Coordinator Contacts - Sunshine Garden
Officers
- President - Ila Falvey ila.falvey@gmail.com
- Vice-President - Janet Adams jartdaht@gmail.com
- Secretary - Berk Bettis dolrsdad@aol.com
- Treasurer - Jack Reynolds scgtreasurer1@gmail.com
- Director - Michael Hall fibercable@austin.rr.com
- Director - Kay McMurry scg.plots@gmail.com
- Director - Emily Tisinger etisinger@gmail.com
Zone Coordinators
- Zone 1, Jody Trendler jody.trendler@gmail.com
- Zone 2, Katy Davis katydavis@austin.rr.com
- Zone 3, Ludmila Voskov lvoskov@austin.rr.com
- Zone 4, Ila Falvey ila.falvey@gmail.com
- Zone 5, Mary Gifford mgifford@austin.rr.com
- Zone 6, Charlotte Jernigan charlotte@cybermesa.com
- Zone 7, Jing Li jingli.80@yahoo.com
- Zone 8, Irina Kaducova irina@austinshrooms.com
- Zone 9, Cheryl Hazeltine cph@austin.rr.com
- Zone 10, Christopher Schroder christopher.s.schroder@gmail.com
Other Coordinators
- Weekly Weeder Newsletter - Margaret Powis purslane2013@gmail.com
- Plant Sale - Michael Hall fibercable@austin.rr.com
- TSBVI Liason & Volunteer Coordinator - Janet Adams jartdaht@gmailcom
- Plot Rental - Kay McMurry scg.plots@gmail.com
- Carpentry & Repairs - Robert Jarry r.jarry@sbcglobal.net
- Water Leak Repairs - Stewart Nichols sgwater@math.austin.tx.us
- Tools & Wheelbarrows - Bob Easter beaster1@austin.rr.com
- Website Coordinator - Sharon Rempert scgardenweb@gmail.com
Record Service Hours Online - the Virtual Green Binder
