Garden clean-up this Sat.: 9 to 12pm. We need your help!

Saturday, Oct. 8th
9am to 12pm

We've had a great summer. We grew more veggies than ever and learned a lot about how to use the space we have to its best advantage. Now it's time to clean up and get ready for next year. We really need all the help we can get. Jobs will range from the light, like picking up the irrigation tape, to the more active, like pulling out the trellises. We'll also be mowing and pruning our perennials. No expertise necessary. All you need are some clothes you don't mind getting dirty. We'll have drinks and snacks on hand to keep you going.

Please consider helping us out during this important time.

September is Hunger Action Month

Yes, the month is almost over, but it's not to late to act. The Mid-Ohio Foodbank has declared September Hunger Action Month. Their website offers information, videos, and ideas for ways to fight hunger every day of the month. We recently benefited from the donation of some fresh produce from the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and will be delivering it to the Johnstown-Northridge Food Pantry along with this week's harvest from the garden.

Some sobering news: "According to statistics organized by the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, 5 percent of the Delaware County population is living below the poverty line. There are 25,263 requests at food pantries." Requests at area food pantries are up 44% over the last four years.

Helping out in the garden, either through work or donations, is a simple way to help ease this difficult situation.

Driver needed Monday or Tuesday

Need someone to drop off veggies at the Johnstown-Northridge food pantry Monday or Tuesday. Who can do it? (It's a short drive and you can stop at Whit's for fozen custard on the way back.)

Driver needed Tuesday morning

Need a driver to drop off veggies at the Friends Who Share Food Pantry Tuesday morning around 9am. Takers?

Harvest report: 9/4

It was another great haul this weekend. This harvest was shared with the Johnstown-Northridge Food Pantry. There are still a few tomatoes to come as well as lots more beans and some peppers. Aphids have finished off the cucumbers and all of the summer squash succumbed to squash vine borer, but we did pick more than in previous summers.

There is still a lot to do in the garden, so please take some time to come out this Sunday night between 6 and 8pm to help us work. Your help is really needed.

Driver needed

I need a driver for the veggies either today or tomorrow. Let me know if you can do it.

Need a driver to take veggies to the food pantry in Johnstown

Contact me at nickposs@gmail.com if you can do it. Thanks.

Sunday recap (8/21)

We had a group of helpers from New Albany United Methodist come over to help, and we were able to get a lot done. We picked our largest harvest yet, including: two types of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and several types of beans. We also weeded and fertilized, and the garden is looking better than it has in weeks. The volunteers had just returned from a mission trip to Jamaica where for part of the time they worked on an organic farm. The farm trains people in organic methods and hopes to send several to school to become inspectors for other organic farms. I'm sure there is much we could learn from them and NAUMC hops to have one of the people from the organization visit in the near future.

This harvest will be shared as part of the Back-to-School Kick-off to be held at the Westerville Estates Clubhouse this Tuesday night beginning at 5pm. More info here.

Tuesday (8/23) @ 5pm: School Kick-off at Westerville Estates clubhouse

The SidebySide ministry will be holding a Fall Kick-Off on Tuesday, August 23rd at the Estates Clubhouse where kids and families can come to get school supplies, clothing, free dinner, and information on the school year’s activities in the. We'll also have fresh veggies from the 3 Sisters Garden and information about volunteering and getting your own plot. Kids and families will come over starting at 5:00 p.m.

Harlem Township Days - Sat.

We'll be at the Church of the Saviour table. Stop by and see us.

Link to more information.

Updates: harvest and more

Last week we had a nice enough harvest to make our first drop at the Johnstown/Northridge Food Pantry, and the beans, cucumbers, and squash are still coming in.

Also, I noticed that some helpful people have been out in the garden weeding and doing other work (including adding another level to the pole bean trellis.) Great work!

I saw this cross out in the patch that one of our volunteers has and thought it looked pretty nice. Turns out, it is the frame for a scarecrow. I'll post some pictures of it soon.

We had the kids from the summer program over for a day in the garden and a vegetarian lunch. More details on that later, too.

We'll meet again next Sunday night for more work. If you can't make it, come by any time and pull some weeds.

Sunday work recap (7/24): Quick harvest

The storm clouds were rolling in, so the youth group and I did a quick pick through the beans and cucumbers. We'll have to wait until next week to do some maintenance.

Work this week

While Sunday night will be the group night, you are welcome to come out any time to work on your own. In particular, coming out to do even a small amount of weeding (in the cool hours of the day) would really make a big difference.

Weeding: the tomatoes and beans are getting a little crowded and could both use some work.

Picking: The beans are starting to come in, so we'll be picking more Sunday night.

Posts: We have a few more fence posts to put in, so if you want some exercise (or can just stand still and hold a post), come on out.

Also, we need people to deliver the produce to the food pantries. If you are interested in driving, please contact me via Facebook or the Contact link on this page. I need to schedule this on a case by case basis, so I need your contact information if you can do it.

First harvest 2011: It's on

It wasn't the biggest haul of vegetables, a handful of beans and this nice summer squash, but it's a sign that our hard work has paid off. We'll pick more this Sunday and next week. By the end of next week, we should have enough beans and squash to make a drop at one of the food pantries.

An invitation to the garden

We're entering a crucial time for the garden. We've worked hard to make this our best year yet, and the garden is looking great.

If you haven't come out to see the garden yet, consider this your invitation. You are welcome to pull some weeds (the tomatoes are looking a little crowded with crabgrass), but you are also invited to just come out and spend some quiet time enjoying the grass, trees, and plants.

The garden is located at the end of the driveway as you approach the church. Be aware of the fishing line fence and look for the black mesh fabric where the gate is. There are two twine ties that secure the gate to a metal pole. Please tie the gate back up when you leave.

Mornings and late evenings are especially beautiful and peaceful. My favorite time in the garden is just after 8pm as the sun is going down. The swallows come out and the temperature drops. (Bring along bug spray if you are out toward sunset or the mosquitoes might interfere with your relaxed mood.) There is also a picnic table where you can just sit and enjoy the birds and fireflies as the light changes over the garden. You can even bring along the kids to play on the playground or the dog to run around the big open spaces.

Please take this opportunity to come and see what we have done and to think about the people around us who are in need. In the end, this garden isn't for us, but for all the people we hope will benefit from this fresh food grown in their own neighborhood.

Sunday work recap (7/17): Trellises are up

It was so hot in the garden that I waited about an hour to head out and work. The evening actually turned out pretty nice and I was able to get a lot done. In particular, I set up two trellises: one for the pole beans and one for some tomatoes that didn't have cages. They went in very easily and I think they will be something we can use for years to come. I got the idea for it here, if anyone else wants to try it. I used some fence posts we had laying around instead of bamboo poles and twine for the beans to climb. I'll add another couple layers later.

It made me think about how much I've learned working in the garden. I really didn't know anything about gardening when I started (and still don't know very much). But by trying things, and learning what works, I've made a lot of progress. For anyone who is interested in trying their own hand at it, this should give you hope. It doesn't take know-how, just a willingness to try.

Sunday work night - help needed

Tonight we need some extra help in the garden to put up some fence posts. In particular, we need a fence post driver. So if you can lend a hand, please join us.

Also, the harvest is fast approaching, so spread the word and stayed tuned for updates.

Sunday work recap (7/10)

Some of the children in the Souled Out youth group came out to help weed the garden. I stayed to mulch the peppers, fix some broken fishing line, fertilize, and spray Liquid Fence. There are some blossoms on the beans and squash and some green tomatoes are already on the plants. We'll be harvesting in no time, so stay tuned.

Need a volunteer from Harlem Rd. and New Albany UMC to be congregational liaison

We're approaching harvest time and communication between our congregations is going to be critical. I need someone from each congregation to be available via email or phone who can pass on messages to their respective congregations. You don't even need to be working in the garden to help out. If you can do it, leave a comment or send me an email via the Contact link on the side of the page. Thanks.

What we need to do this week (7/4)

The most pressing issue at the moment is weeding. The mulch is doing a great job in most of the garden, but the peppers really need help. At this point the grass is encroaching and we need to put down some newspaper underneath the edges of the hay. You can see this in the picture below.

You are welcome to come out any time and lend a hand. Just be sure to use the gate so you don't get caught in the fence. I've added another bundle of newspapers to the blue bin by the front door of the church that you are welcome to use.

In case you didn't know, the church installed a new playground this spring, so feel free to bring along the kids.

There is a work night scheduled for Thursday, but I won't be there. (I will be back for the Sunday night session.) But, again, you are welcome to come out anytime.

Sunday work recap (7/3)

It was a beautiful evening in the garden and I was able to get a lot done. I finished the fishing-line deer fence, mulched the beans with newspaper, and fertilized and applied Liquid Fence.

Some of the plants are looking really good. The tomatoes that were planted in compost are doing really great and there are some blossoms already.

 Someone came out during the week and did some great work mulching the tomatoes and squash with newspaper. Even this small amount of help really makes a big difference.

How to keep up with the latest news about the 3 Sisters Garden

If you are reading this, you probably are already familiar with how to find out the latest information about the garden, but just in case, here is a reminder.

Things are happening fast in the garden, but there are lots of ways to keep up with the latest requests for help and posts about what we are up to. We are trying to limit the number of announcements made in church since there is a lot of information to share. As harvest season approaches, our need for volunteers will increase greatly.

1. Subscribe to receive updates via email

We use our website (www.3sistersgarden.blogspot.com) to post detailed information on the garden. You can be notified by email every time a new post is made subscribing here: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=ThreeSistersCommunityGarden&loc=en_US

This is the FeedBurner service owned by Google (our blog is also hosted by Google.) Enter your email address and click the activation link the email sent to you by FeedBurner to start receiving updates. You can change your subscription preferences anytime. Also, your email is not shared with marketers or 3rd parties. 

2. "Like" our Facebook page

If you are on Facebook, you can receive updates through our page there, including links to the latest blog posts. Simply sign into Facebook, and like our page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/3-Sisters-Community-Garden/366765428809

3. Get updates via RSS

If you don't know what RSS, don't try this method. If you use a feed reader, you can subscribe here: http://3sistersgarden.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

The email list has been discontinued, but you are always welcome to contact the garden manager through Facebook or the email posted under "Contact" on the website. We've accomplished a lot this year, including sharing fresh peas and lettuce with the Souled Out youth group and the Wide Open worship service hosted by Galena United Methodist at Westerville Estates (more info: http://www.instastore.com/umcg/wide_open).

What needs done this week

Or if you are unfamiliar with the parlance of middle Ohio: What needs to be done this week.

Really, the biggest thing right now is mulching. Since no on has donated any straw, I think newspapers are our best bet. There is a small bag of them in the blue plastic bin by the front door of the church. If you can bring your own, even better. You can just tuck the pages in under the drip tape and weed barrier. My might want to avoid the row of beans that has not been mulched since I added some seeds that might not have come up yet.. Otherwise, the tomatoes and peppers, even though they already have straw, could use some newspaper to cover up the edges and in between plants.

There will be a work night Thursday. I'll be at church but will be inside if anyone has any questions.

Sunday will be more mulching, weeding, finishing the deer fence, and putting up the trellis for the tomatoes and beans.

Caution!: New fence and gate

The title might seem a little dramatic, but I really do encourage caution when approaching the garden. I have put up the first row of fishing line on the outer fence around the garden. The fishing line is very difficult to see until you get very close. The idea is that deer will bump into the fishing line and feel nervous about jumping over. There is also an inner fence with a visible row of twine which creates an optical problem for deer trying to figure out how far to jump. There were lots of deer prints visible last night, so I'm glad to get the fence started.

The only safe way to access the garden is the new gate which is on the the west end of the garden. It is really the old gate that provided access to the pea patch. The right side is a metal fence post and the left side is a wooden post that is attached with two pieces of twine to another metal fence post. To access the garden, simply untie the twine and lay the gate down.

Of course, it is very important to put the gate back up when you are finished. Just use a knot that is easy to untie for the next person. In this case below, I just used a bow knot.

As a bonus, here is a look at the new black plastic to keep the weeds off of the ends of the rows. While no one donated any new straw, I found an old mound of straw and borrowed some to create a little traction for walking on it. There is still a lot of mulching to do, but I'll save that for another post.

Sunday night work update

I worked from 6 until it was dark and was able to get a lot done:

• laid down black plastic over the unplanted ends of the rows
• used newspaper to mulch one of the rows of beans
• put up some of the fishing line fence
• took down the gate from the pea patch and set it up in the deer fence
• fertilized with Milorganite and Miracle Grow (not organic, but at least it's local)
• sprayed another coat of Liquid Fence
• stuffed my face with raspberries

There were some deer prints, so I really wanted to get most of the fence done. There is more to do this week for people who can come out on their own, but I'll post that later.

Work for this week (Thurs. and Sat.)

It's nice to see the buckwheat starting to sprout. We added it as a ground cover around the perimeter of the garden.

Here are the things we'll be working on the in garden. If you can't make it either of the nights, you are always welcome to come out on your own time to work as you please.

Thursday (6/23, 6pm):
I won't be out Thursday, but there are many things that we still hope to get done. The tomatoes and peppers are pretty well mulched with straw, but the beans need more mulch and mulch could also be better applied to fill in some of the space between the weed barrier and the plants. There is already grass sprouting up around many of the plants, so some judicious hoeing would really help. I've used up the straw that I brought and I have not heard of any donations, so you might need to bring a bale if you want to help. I'll post an update if anything changes.

Sunday (6/26, 6pm):

We'll be applying the fishing line to the deer fence, fertilizing, and adding black plastic to cover some of the parts of the garden we didn't use, including the parts of the rows that we didn't plant.

Our raspberries are really struggling so if anyone has any knowledge about growing them, it would be greatly appreciated.

Sunday night wrap-up

I worked alone in the garden for a few hours tonight and was able to accomplish a lot:

• set the rest of the posts for the second deer fence
• mulch the rest of the tomatoes, some peppers, and a few beans (all with the one bale of hay I brought)
• planted more pole beans
• stretched out some of the weed barrier
  
• applied another coat of Liquid Fence

The garden is of course very wet--it was drizzling for the first hour I was working--but it looks like most of the seedlings will make it. There will be more to do for Thursday and next Sunday, but I'll put up that information tomorrow.

No work tonight -- Work for Sunday

No work tonight -- too rainy. We will meet Sunday night. I won't be there until 7pm. If you show up early, the first task is to mulch the plants with hay. We'll also work on the deer fence and plant some more seeds.

Sunday work recap

To say the garden was muddy would be an understatement (note the boots below), but we were still able to get a lot of work done. Here's what we did:

• laid out weed control fabric
• planted a ring of buckwheat for groundcover
• put up the first of two deer fences
• added flower seeds (nasturtium and sunflowers)
• reapplied Liquid Fence deer repellant

Most of the seeds have sprouted, too, which is very exciting to see. Even with all of that done, there is still a lot to accomplish this Thursday. In particular, we need to add straw between the weed cover and add more straw to create a couple of paths at the ends of the garden. We'll also need to set up the 8' posts for the bean trellis and the outer deer fence. So if you do have even a little time on Thursday, we really hope you'll come out. I'll be there at 6pm but have to leave for a little bit for choir practice before I return.

Replanting the garden

For the first time we suffered some serious damage from deer. They ate most of the seedlings that were planted this Sat. Some hardy volunteers came out tonight to not only replant what was lost, but plant even more. They also worked to put in place some deer deterrents until we can work on a more permanent solution.

We've been fortunate to have some great volunteers who are willing to share not only their time, but also their expertise. Here is some advice on planting tomatoes and peppers from one of our garden mavens:

"Tomatoes and some peppers will form additional roots on their stem if the stem touches soil. So, if you have a leggy tomato seedling (which most are, by this time of year), the recommendation is to remove all but the top 3 or 4 branches/leaves and plant the tomato sideways in a trench with just the top 3 or 4 leaves above ground. This eventually gives the plant more root to gather nutrients and moisture.

Since 3 Sisters is so dry and the weather is so hot, I adjusted this technique and planted not only the rootball, but the first 6 to 9 inches of stem down into the ground. This got the rootball down into an area that still held some moisture and was cooler on the 90+ degree days.

The picture is of a couple of the tomato seedlings that we had to pull up because the deer had eaten them. Even only 3 days after being planted, you can see that roots are starting to form on the stem. The rootball has also started to loosen up and send out roots in all directions."

In the ground and underway

Thank you so much to everyone who showed up on Sat. to help get the garden planted. It has taken a lot of work and planning to get to this point, and your help is truly appreciated.

What do we have to look forward to?

• tomatoes
• peppers
• pole and bush beans
• butternut squash
• summer squash
• cucumber

Also, we had some ingenious volunteers work on the pump to get it to work without overheating and shutting down.

We'll start our regular schedule of maintenance next Sunday. After that, we'll have group work times Sunday and Thursday evenings. Volunteers are also welcome to come out at other times to help with things.

This Sunday we'll be finishing off planting some flowers, doing some more mulching, and laying down weed barrier.

Garden prep wrap-up

A big thank you to everyone who pitched in to get the garden ready for planting on Saturday. The rows were laid out and holes with compost were prepared for the tomatoes and peppers and other vegetables. The rest of the compost was spread along the rows for beans.

Word on the street is that hand held trowels would be helpful for the work on Sat. So if you have one or two, bring them along.

Garden prep work and planting

The garden was tilled on Tuesday night, so we are ready to plant.

Garden prep: Thursday, 2 June - 7pm

We need to get the irrigation hoses in place and mark off the rows. Then, we'll do some digging to get the compost into the ground for the seedlings. If you have a garden fork or a pitchfork, please bring it along.

Garden planting: Saturday, 4 June - 9am

We'll gather to get the seeds and seedlings in the ground and get the water running.

Hope you can make it.

First harvest: Peas and lettuce

The peas are ready to pick as is the lettuce. Some of the lettuce was used for the meal that is served as part of Wide Open, a worship service and dinner that is ministered by Galena United Methodist at Westerville Estates. The youth group, Souled Out, at Church of the Saviour will pick the peas and the rest of the lettuce to eat as part of their Sunday night meetings. Hopefully the rest of the garden will turn out this nice. It is a great way to start the summer.

We want your body! (To help move compost)

We just a handful of people for a short period of time this Tues. (31 May) at 7pm to help move an incredibly generous donation of compost. The compost is bagged so we just need to lift the bags into our wheelbarrows and move it over to the garden. Please contact me if you are free for this short period of time to make a big impact on the garden.

P.S. Should have an update on the tilling this Monday.

Planting update: waiting for the go ahead

Last Sat. we were able to accomplish all of our jobs except for the biggest: planting the seeds. It has just been too wet. None of the neighboring farmers have been able to till their fields either. With the hot dry weather, we could be ready to go any day and will need all the help we can get as soon as the dirt is turned over. Please watch this space for updates on when we will be meeting. It is likely that we will start planting one evening this week. Depending on how many people show up to help, we might need to work over a couple of evenings.

Remember, you can receive email updates when this website is updated by clicking the Updates by email link and supplying your email. It is a secure service and your email will not be shared.

Rain or shine - community day will go ahead this Sat. (10am)

We're still planning to meet this Sat. (21 May) at 10am in the garden, but due to the excessive rain, planting might not be an option. The soil has been too wet to till, even for all of the neighboring farms. There is still a lot to do, though. We'll set up all of the irrigation equipment, collect rocks, and put work into the much neglected grape and berry garden (setting up trellises, weed suppression, etc.) We will also do a small amount of planting to create a bed of trap crops to lure pests away from the garden itself. So please plan on joining us whether the weather cooperates or not. We look forward to seeing you.

How does our garden grow?

Our garden is funded by Church of the Saviour, Harlem Road, and New Albany United Methodist churches, but we rely on help from a variety of individuals and groups. If you would like to make a cash contribution, you can make a check out to Church of the Saviour - United Methodist and note that you would like the money to be deposited in the 3 Sisters fund.

We are also interested in donations of materials. Here is a list of things we need for the upcoming year:

• 3' x 50' opaque plastic tarps (usually used for landscaping) as well as several bales of straw for weed control
• Compost, mulch, or other soil amendments for clay soil
• Seedlings: tomatoes, in particular, but we are opening to other plants as well
• Garden tools and a container for holding them (currently they have to be left out in the open)
• 8' metal fence posts, 6'+ tall bamboo stakes, and wire for trellising pole beans

We appreciate the help we have received in the past and look forward to making this our best year yet. You can contact me through the link on the homepage of this website if you have any questions.

Rock and roll

Tonight we had some outstanding help from the youth group to gather rocks around the garden. The rocks will be used to hold down plastic tarps we hope will keep the weeds in check. Picking rocks was actually a lot more fun than it sounds. We found lots of wild strawberries and blackberry bushes we will return to later this summer.

(Pictured: the only two helpers who were brave enough to be pictured.)

Shoots and leaves!*

The peas and lettuce are up. We've also moved the water tank and set it up to collect rain water. It was completely full by last Sunday and sure didn't need any more of the rain we got this week. Photos soon.




*Bad joke referenced in the title:
A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and proceeds to fire it at the other patrons.

'Why?' asks the confused, surviving waiter amidst the carnage, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.

'Well, I'm a panda,' he says, at the door. 'Look it up.'

The waiter turns to the relevant entry in the manual and, sure enough, finds an explanation. 'Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.'

Community Planting Day: Sat. 21, May - 10am

We'll be joining together to put our garden in the ground this year on Saturday, 21 May from 10am to 12pm. Everyone is invited, regardless of experience. We'll need help with everything from planting seeds to laying out the irrigation hose to putting up fence posts. We do have some tools on site, but if you have things like shovels, trowels, hoes, etc., feel free to bring them along. You are also welcome to bring along seeds or seedlings to share.

Also, if you are interested in your own spot in the garden, you can fill out this form and email it to me or drop it off at Church of the Saviour. Plots are free, but we encourage gardeners to donate at least 10% of what they grow to one of the two food pantries we serve.

Peas and lettuce in the ground

While I've been working behind the scenes to get the new pump for the water system, a couple of our great volunteers have started a patch of peas and lettuce. The patch is planted in an area that was heavily composted last year to see how soil improvements would affect the plants. They have also added black plastic to stop the weeds, more compost, and some protection from the deer. We've been fortunate in avoiding problems the last two years, but some deer tracks were seen while they were planting. Can't wait to see how it goes.

Getting ready for our third year

Plans are taking shape for our third year. Improvements include the installation of a rain water collection system as well as a pump to irrigate the garden. Individual/family plots will also be available again. Stay tuned for more details.