Sunshine Weekly Weeder Newsletter
28 April 2016
www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org
NEW Feature - Gardener's Picture page
If you are signed up to receive the Weekly Weeder and have not been receiving it, please let Sharon at scgardenweb@gmail.com know. Thanks.
Board Elections
Sunshine board elections are coming up again, and we're asking for nominations of people to fill three director slots and the role of Secretary. If you're interested, or would like to suggest a gardener who would be a good candidate, or would like more information about what the job entails, please contact Ila Falvey <ila.falvey@gmail.com> or Katy Davis <katydavis@austin.rr.com> as soon as possible.
More info can be found at here.
Work Day - Weeding TSBVI Granite Pathways
Sunday May 1st
2:00 - 4:00 pm
The rains have made the weeds grow so there will be a Special Workday to weed the granite paths in the TSBVI Garden. The work will count toward the required TSBVI Service Hours every Sunshine gardener must complete for the spring season. Come out Sunday to help get the TSBVI Garden in shape and earn your required service hour(s). Note that required hours are based on the number of the number of plots you have.
Bulk Compost Sale Continues!
We still have plenty of compost for purchase and use by Sunshine gardeners. We are selling it at our cost, not as a fund-raiser. To simplify the process, we are using five-gallon buckets as the unit of measure. One bucket will cost one dollar. Buckets and shovels will be available, but we ask that you leave the buckets at the pile and use a wheelbarrow to transport the compost - just fill up as many buckets as you want to buy and dump them into the wheelbarrow. Since there is plenty of compost left you can take as much as you want. There is a cash-box in the greenhouse for you to leave payment in cash or check.The compost is "Dr. Gobbler" brand turkey compost, a product that has produced good results for the gardeners who have been using it so far at Sunshine.
If you have any questions, please contact Jeff Monks (garden@jeffmonks.com).
Free Plants!
There are some old fashioned Iris, multiplying Shallots and GIGANTIC four o'clock tubers on the porch for your planting pleasure.
It's a bird... it's a plane... No! It's an herb garden!
Have you noticed some changes happening near the front of the trailer? With all of the lovely spring weather, people have swung into action to make improvements around the garden. Up by the front of the trailer, there is a new butterfly garden with an assortment of sages, salvias, butterfly weed, and more to attract our winged friends. Keep an eye out for Swallowtails, Monarchs, and Gulf Fritillaries. In addition, a community herb garden is being installed. The McCallum High School Key Club helped to clear the Bermuda grass and four o'clock tubers - a BIG thanks to them! A "lasagna" garden approach was then used to help keep the Bermuda from returning. The soil was first amended with compost, and then covered with layers of newspaper and mulch. The herb garden will be filled with perennial (and some annual) herbs that all of the gardeners can share. So far there is rosemary, chives, sage, lavender, oregano, stevia, curry plant, thyme, chamomile, parsley, and lemon basil. In the space by the ramp, there will be an herb spiral installed in the coming weeks. So if you have any herbs that you would like to see planted in the space, please consider donating a plant or cutting. Since this is a community space, please help share in the upkeep. Hours worked to help maintain the herb garden will count toward your TSBVI service hours. Thanks to those that have helped with all of the work for both the butterfly and herb garden!
If you have questions, please contact Jen Woertz (jen@enjeneer.com).
Micah 6
16 lbs of produce donated last week despite the Micah plot not having anything ready to harvest!
How Can You Help?
April 2 we donated 33 lbs and April 9th 18.5 lbs. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
- DO NOT let the vegetables from your garden go to waste!
- If you can't harvest because you are out of town or busy, complete the signup process below and allow the Micah 6 volunteers to harvest your produce.
- If you are harvesting to make room for spring plants and can't use it all, donate your produce.
- How to donate your produce:
- If you are harvesting vegetables from your plot for donation, place them in plastic bags available in the "cool room" and put them in the refrigerator in the trailer.
- To sign up for someone to harvest in your plot, follow the directions posted in the "cool room" in the trailer or on the bulletin board outside the tool shed. You are asked to place a flag (located in the "cool room") in the plot and then post your specific directions on what can be harvested on the white board in the "cool room" along with your plot number. Also, use a "green dot" which is provided to locate your plot on the map located on the wall next to the white board. More details are provided on the posted directions.
- Harvesting is done on Thursdays and/or Fridays. Depending on the number of donations, deliveries are made Thursdays from 3:00 to 3:30 PM and Saturdays from 9:00 to 9:30 AM.
- Volunteers:
- We need planters, harvesters, weeders and deliverers.
- Contact Mary Gifford (mgifford@austin.rr.com / 512-453-9742) or Dana Kuykendall (Kuykendall@austin.rr.com / 512-496-6575) if you would like to volunteer. You will find find Mary in her garden. It is in front of the tool shed. Stop by and talk to her if you have questions.
- Volunteer hours count towards service hours.
Potluck
Potluck to highlight our partnership with Micah 6
Sunshine Community Gardens
Sunday, May 1st, 5:00 pm
Mark your calendars for a 5 pm potluck on May 1 at SSG to highlight our partnership with the Micah 6 Food Pantry and consider joining out team of volunteers. We have been making contributions of fresh organic vegetables to the University area food pantry since 2003. This food pantry is one of the largest distributors of food from the Capitol Area Food Bank. Our fresh produce comes from the garden plot in front of the trailer, and in large part, from individual donations by fellow Sunshine gardeners. Volunteers are needed to assist with all aspects of the project- gardening, harvesting, preparing vegetables for delivery, and delivering to the nearby food pantry. We harvest on Fridays and make a delivery every Saturday around 9 am. This is a very rewarding project and remember this service counts toward your volunteer hours. Stay tuned for more details as the date becomes closer. We hope to see you then!
Gardening Events
Celebration of Gardens
Yard Farm 7204 Shelton Road, 78725
Saturday, April 30th, 7:30 PM
A free picnic concert celebrating farmers, gardens & nature. Music by Bucolics Anonymous, with Thom the World Poet, and speakers George Altgelt, Joe Diffie and Mike Quinn. Bring a picnic, a blanket to sit on, and some drinks.
Potluck to highlight our partnership with Micah 6
Sunshine Community Gardens
Sunday, May 1st, 5:00 pm
There will not be a signup sheet. Paper plates, drink cups, utensils and some beverages will be provided.
We have been making contributions of fresh organic vegetables to the University area food pantry since 2003. This food pantry is one of the largest distributors of food from the Capitol Area Food Bank. Our fresh produce comes from the garden plot in front of the trailer, and in large part, from individual donations by fellow Sunshine gardeners. Volunteers are needed to assist with all aspects of the project- gardening, harvesting, preparing vegetables for delivery, and delivering to the nearby food pantry. We harvest on Fridays and make a delivery every Saturday around 9 am. This is a very rewarding project and remember this service counts toward your volunteer hours. We hope to see you then!
Quarterly All Gardeners Meeting
Sunshine Community Gardens
Saturday, May 14th, 10 a.m.
The meeting is to vote on positions for 3 directors, secretary and nominating committee. More info can be found at here.
Officer and Zone Coordinator Contacts - Sunshine Garden
Officers
- President - Jeff Monks garden@jeffmonks.com
- Vice President - Jim Willmann jhwillmann@gmail.com
- Secretary - Shannon Posern shannonposern@gmail.com
- Treasurer - Caroline Limaye scgtreasurer1@gmail.com
- Director - Vacant
- Director - Kay McMurry scg.plots@gmail.com
- Director - Katy Davis katydavis@austin.rr.com
Zone Coordinators
- Zone 1, Martin Morales marmoral512@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 jingli80@yahoo.com
- Zone 8, Irina Kadukova irina@austinshrooms.com
- Zone 9, Kerry Howell casonhowell@gmail.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@gmail.com
- Plot Rental - Kay McMurry scg.plots@gmail.com
- Compost Coordinator - Janet Adams jartdaht@gmail.com
- Compost Tea - Jennifer Woertz jennifer.woertz@urs.com
- Education Committee - Shannon Posern shannonposern@gmail.com
- Carpentry & Repairs - Robert Jarry r.jarry@sbcglobal.net
- Water Leak Repairs - Steve Schulz sschulz784@aol.com
- Tools & Wheelbarrows - Bob Easter beaster1@austin.rr.com
- Compost Tea - Jennifer Woertz jennifer.woertz@urs.com
- Website Coordinator - Sharon Rempert scgardenweb@gmail.com
Record Service Hours Online - the Virtual Green Binder
