Sunshine Weekly Weeder Newsletter
14 July 2016
www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org
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Spring 2016 Service Hrs - Invoices & Special Make-up Workdays
Makeup Workdays:
- Saturday 7/23 8:00 - 10:00 am
- Sunday 7/24 8:00 - 10:00 am
Invoices for unworked service hours for Spring 2016 season will be going out this week. Payment will be due August 1st and can be made by check or credit card. The link to the PayPal account is provided on the invoice.
There will be special workdays Saturday (7/23) and Sunday (7/24) 8:00-10:00 am for gardeners who would like to make up unworked Spring 2016 service hours. Gardeners will be able to make up both TSBVI and regular service hours. The Sunshine site rules authorize the board to conduct pilots relating to completing and recording service hours. These workdays are part of those pilots.
The conditions for making up the hours are:
- Gardener must participate in the organized makeup workdays conducted on Saturday 7/23 and Sunday 7/24.
- Gardener will have to sign in and sign out at the workday.
- Signup sheet will be used to credit the hours. Gardeners will not be able to enter hours directly in the Green Binder.
Notice - Common Path Encroachment
Sunshine site rules prohibit encroach on common paths with either plants, plot borders, or structures. Gardeners must keep the paths clear of hoses, garden equipment, etc. Common paths are designed to provide gardeners with wheel barrow access to their plot as well as convenient access to a faucet/hose station and normally 4 feet wide. Sunshine site rules also require gardeners to maintain a two-foot strip of any common paths adjoining their plot.
Last January, the board identified common paths and asked gardeners whose plots were encroaching to rein in their plot borders when planting for spring season. While significant improvement has been made there is still some encroachment. The board is again asking gardeners to check their plots for encroachment on common paths and to try to eliminate that encroachment when planting for the fall season. Gardeners should consider mature plant size when planting along a common path. If crops such as okra or tomatoes are planted right along the common path, they will encroach as they grow.
As a general rule, north-south common paths run along the faucet/hose stations. East-west common paths are laid out as needed to provide wheel barrow and faucet/hose station access. Normally, there is at least one (frequently only one) major east-west common path in each zone, and it will usually run the entire length of the garden. Common paths south of the road between compost area and chicken coop are the least well defined. To see a map of Sunshine Gardens showing major common paths, click here.
Almost every plot will border at least one common path. There are several ways to identify if a plot may be encroaching. A plot is probably encroaching if:
- the plot border crosses an imaginary line drawn between two or more faucet/hose stations
- the width of plot measuring from common path is more than 20' (10' if half plot) (measurement should include width of any non-common paths on a border shared with an adjoining plot)
- width of common path is less than 4 feet (one/both of the plots bordering path is probably encroaching)
If encroachment is less than a foot, common path is not unduly narrowed, and a permanent border (wood, brick, etc.) exists, then gardener should check with zone coordinator whether necessary to adjust before changing these permanent borders.
Reminder - Wood Chips and Leaves Satellite Station
Gardeners on Sunshine's north end are reminded of the wood chips and leaves satellite station located in the first "drive-in" area west of the parking lot. As plots are cleared of spring crops, covering the plot with leaves is a good way to protect the soil and suppress weeds until plant fall crops. The satellite station has been set up on a trial basis to make Sunshine's supply of wood chips and leaves more convenient for gardeners on Sunshine's north end.
A Celebration of Nature, Gardens, Farmers & Figs
All Sunshine Gardeners are invited to an evening of poetry,music and stories celebrating Nature, Gardens, Farmers and Figs. Featuring Thom the World Poet and musician Darrel Mayers, and storyteller Linda Anderson. This Friday,July 15 at 8 p.m. at the Green Man Coffee House,
6501 Linda Lane, 78723. A free event.
Contact: internationalrain@yahoo.com
Micah 6
Deliveries:
- Thursday - 3:00 pm
- Saturdays - 9:00 am
If you are available to assist with harvesting or delivering, please let Dana Kuykendall (kuykendall@austin.rr.com), 512.496.6575 or Mary Gifford (mgifford@austin.rr.com), 512.453.9742 know if you can help in any way. Volunteer hours count towards service hours. More volunteers are needed!
Rat Baiting Volunteers
Thanks to all who volunteered for replacing the rat bait. Two gardeners will be doing it and the Flahives have graciously agreed to show them what to do.
West Nile Virus
With all the media attention on Zika lately, not many people are discussing (or are concerned with) West Nile Virus. This disease is still around and may become a concern later this summer due to the hot, dry conditions we are currently experiencing in Central Texas.
Cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) are generally seen in summer and increase throughout summer and into fall. According to the Centers for Disease Control, most people (70-80%) that become infected with WNV show no symptoms. About 1 in 5 people develop a fever or other symptoms such as headache, body aches, vomiting or diarrhea; this is called West Nile fever. Less than 1% of the people infected develop serious neurological illness such as encephalitis (inflammation/swelling of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation/ swelling of the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord); this is called West Nile neuroinvasive disease.
West Nile is generally transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become carriers by feeding on infected birds and can then transmit the virus to other animals, including humans. Multiple species of mosquitoes have been found carrying West Nile Virus, but it is predominately transmitted by Culex mosquitoes. Unfortunately the Southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, is fairly common here and is many times found coming into homes (hence it's common name).
WNV can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, transplants and mother to child via pregnancy or breastfeeding. It is NOT spread through touching or kissing. People over 50 are at a higher risk to get severe illness, so they should take care to avoid mosquito bites. If someone spends a lot of time outdoors, they are more likely to be bitten and should pay attention while outside and try to avoid mosquito bites.
Tips for avoiding mosquito bites:
- Stay indoors during peak mosquito hours - dawn & dusk
*please note that some Aedes mosquitoes are day time feeders while some Culex are night time feeders in addition to being active at dusk and dawn, so precaution should be taken whenever outside - Eliminate standing water
- Dispose of old tires or cover them with a tarp to keep off rain
- Clean out gutters and downspouts
- Bird baths, pet water dishes, etc. should be emptied and refilled twice a week
- Store containers so they do not hold water
- Keep grass mowed to a proper length & vegetation trimmed (mosquitoes like to rest in thick vegetation)
- Repair leaky faucets or A/C lines that produce condensate
- In permanent standing water areas, use things like mosquito fish or Bt israelensis (dunks)
- Keep window screens in good repair
- Use repellents when going outside (follow label instructions).
Weeder Content
Should you have any content to add to the Weeder email your articles or suggestions to pporter_scg@austin.rr.com.
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 - Bill Cason wccason@gmail.com
- Director - Lori Dobbin loridobbin@gmail.com
- Director - Randy Thompson jartdaht@gmail.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, vacant
- 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
