Monday 31 December 2012

TOMATOES IN CALGARY? You bet!

TOMATOES IN CALGARY? You bet!
Find out from tomato king Jeff Casey about growing from seed, successful growing in our challenging climate, and heirloom diversity.

Saturday, February 16 10am-12pm
Mid-Sun Community Centre
50 Midpark Rise SE
The $5.00 admission supports your local Mid-Sun Community Garden

Saturday 10 November 2012

Garden of life

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING
PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be patient
Lettuce really love one another
NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another
TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME
Thyme for each other
Thyme for family
Thyme for friends
WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
Author unknown.

Monday 22 October 2012

Foodbank Finale!

WOW!

What a fabulous season of growing for the foodbank!
With our last harvest of
purple potatoes,
purple carrots,
and (white) onions...
harvested by the folks from Options Calgary...
we add another 67.4 pounds of produce
bringing our total foodbank harvest to 180.4 pounds!

Woohoo!

Thursday 18 October 2012

final foodbank harvest

Today our Food bank potato plot was harvested by the kind and hardworking crew from Options Calgary!
 
We braved the cool morning and soon warmed up with all the digging and hunting for PURPLE potatoes.
Added to that, carrots and onions...and we have another bumper crop.
Harvesters were keen and eager to think of all the fun next year!
Thank you Options Calgary for your hard work in the garden this year.

Saturday 13 October 2012

more garden blessings!

Our garden has been blessed again with the donation of
a wheelbarrow
hose
hose reel
and
weedeater!
 
WOW!  WE are so thankful and delighted!

Tuesday 2 October 2012

A surprise in the garden!




Look what was delivered to our garden today!

 Wonderful and exciting for our next Work Bee!!!

Saturday 29 September 2012

Garden Tips and ideas from the Harvest Celebratio​n

What a grand Harvest Dessert Celebration evening we had! 
Festive decor with tablecloths!  (thanks Kerry)
and table centres! (thanks Lisa)
We enjoyed a review of Garden activities and areas of Garden Gratitude.(thanks Karyn)
This has been our best year yet in many ways!
We signed-up to reserve our first plot and tentatively our second plot for the next season (thanks Coreen)
 
The Garden Photo Contest entries looped on a big screen. Sumptious desserts! (thanks everyone!)  Great coffee (thanks Kerry)
Everyone won a door prize!! (thanks Lisa and Karyn)
Certificates were presented to the winners of the Photography Contest. (thanks Devin for Judges comments) 
Special Mid-Sun Community Garden certificates were presented to the following for their extra-special contributions this season:
  • Heart of the Garden Award to Karyn
  • Mr. Fix-It Award to Kerry
  • Designer Extroidinare Award to Sheri
  • Compost King Award to Chris
  • Helping Hands Award to Options Calgary
  • Supportive Staff Award to Kiara and the Mid-Sun Administration team
For award winners who could not attend the Celebration event, you can pick up your certificates at the Mid-Sun Admin Office.
 
One of our actiities involved posting notes on three topics.  Here is what gardeners shared:
 
Gardening Tips
  • Sow thinly & map well.  Sow earlier than you think.
  • Kale was yummy!
  • Grow sweet peas
  • I learned that cucumbers can be grown staked raather than taking so much room in the garden.
  • Water regular - harvest often
  • planta carrots & garlic in the Fall
  • Share/swap perennials & bring stuff for our Garden
  • For healthy tomatoes, add a little milk in water & give it to the plant.
  • For avoiding ants or pests, add a little Tumeric in water and spay.repare and plant zucchiini very early to get a harvest.
  • store your unused seeds in the fridge - makes for a better germination rate.
  • Tenerelong carrots
Positive Experiences in the Garden
  • Compost
  • Met lots of great gardeners!
  • Love the Gmail and the Blog
  • highlight - spontaneous garden donations
  • Thanks to May who drove all the way home to get Maureen sometomatoes XXX
  • Meeting other gardeners in the garden - social serendipity!
  • Enjoyed Work Bees
  • Get to know so many new people
  • Work bee & snacks & the people I met
  • highlight - wedding in the garden
  • How everyone came together & made it a community garden
  • Chatting with gardeners
  • Karyn is so positive & listens well & acts as needed
  • Thanks May for the seeds
  • Zucchini and spinach grew with almost no watering
  • Loved making & seeing garden signs - especially the quotes
  • Meeting new people
Ideas and Suggestions for the Garden
  • We should plan a strawberry social for next June as a fund raiser
  • Good it we could fall plant
  • Work Bee could be on an evening not Saturday just for change
  • Can the Food Bank plots be in one corner?  Makes it easier to  water all the FB plots.
  • A sprinkler for the perennials would be great
  • A shed will be great & cleaning up
  • Maybe growing something by the rain barrels
  • Next year a Food Bank competition between SE Community Garden
  • Have snippers and an actual shovel by the compost bins (I can donate if you want them :) 
  • Need some instructions to plant bulbs i.e. water or not?  How to protect them from squirrels?
 
-- Well done everyone!

Friday 28 September 2012

2012 Community Garden photography contest WINNERS!

Mid-Sun Community Garden presents
 2012 Community Garden photography contest WINNERS!
Congratulations and thank you for your entry!
 
We hope to have the slideshow of all photos on the blog soon.
 Please pick up your certificate at Mid-Sun
(Thurs, Oct 4 morning it will be there)
 if you were not able to
 celebrate at the Dessert night.
Please sign the photo release at the Mid-Sun office. 
We'd love to use your photos for promotional or fundraising projects.
Thank you to our judges, Mid-Sun board members,
and gardeners for organizing the contest.


Garden for all seasons categoryDianne Reed-First Place
Pamela Lester-Second Place
Jennifer Solem-Third place

 Blooms & Blossoms CategorySandra Calder-First place
Katherine Matiko-Second place
Katherine Matiko-Third place (tie)
Vivienne Dodd-third place (tie)  

Critters in the garden Category Darlene Romashenko-First Place
Darlene Romashenko-Second Place
Jennifer Solem-Third Place

Fruits of our Labour Category Pamela Lester--First Place
Lori Wood-Second Place (tie) 
Jennifer Solem-Second Place (tie) Fern Marusiak-Third Place
 
Photo taken with a phone Category Barbra E. Burton-Smith-First Place  
Tyrone Lester-Second Place

Kids in the garden Category Riya Bidani-First Place
Riya Bidani-second Place
Riya Bidani-third Place 

Thursday 20 September 2012

Fall Bed Clean Up hints

Even though the weather is summer-like,
 some have begun putting their plots to bed...
It's important to clean up your plot(s) no matter your
intentions for renting that plot again...
prepare the garden bed this fall the way you'd want it done for you
for a tidy winter and spring
 
WEED!
Please weed the bed, especially the sides...this makes the spring growth spurt for the weeds slow down.  2012 spring saw 4 gardeners weeding empty beds for 3 hours...let's not repeat that.

**You can leave peas and beans in your bed--just chop and mix them into the soil**
CHOP!
If we all chop what we put in the compost, it will break down MUCH faster and our compost king will have a much easier job.
If you're not sure what to do with your compost contribution, you may add it to the black bins.


ADD COMPOST! 
Add compost from the spring pile OR the ready to use pile in the compost bins. 
This will add nutrition to your plot 


 MIX!
Use one of the many tools we have and mix the compost and yoru garden bed soil so that the soil is loosened and the "good stuff" is mixed through.  Notice the height of the soil?  That's what you should aim for.
 


CBC Radio Gardening Show

Check out this site http://www.cbc.ca/homestretch/columnists/gardening/

It lists weekly topics & audio segments from CBC radio conversations about gardening in Calgary!

Tuesday 18 September 2012

POTTING TABLES!

WOW!
Our gardeners never cease to amaze!
Here is some serious creativity--
new potting tables! 
 talking tables!
chopping tables!
awesome.
 
Thank you Kerry and ????
 


Wednesday 12 September 2012

September Garden Gratitude

It's not even Thanksgiving and there's much to be thankful for...
sunflowers

   labelled benches
hoses without huge leaks
 donated shovels
 foodbank bounty!


Happy Harvesting!

Saturday 25 August 2012

August Workbee Buzz! wow!

What a day!
Our most attended workbee yet! 13!
We worked hard and accomplished much!
Thank you for all who came out and enjoyed the sunshine, and for bringing the snacks and the smiles!
 
Remember this bushy, shady tree that was blocking sun to the gardens?
Well check it out now!
Our pathways are clear!  Thank you! 
The perennial bed is hosting a more diverse population all the time! 
Thanks for your donations Kerry!


Checking out the potatoes!

Transplanting raspberries!


Theresa cleaned up the U Pick bed!
Snacks, smiles, and stories! 




Storing your onion harvest

Soon it will be time to harvest the onions...
what a great way to use pantyhose, runs and all!
Have you done this before?

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Some encouragement for trying days...

Dear Gardeners.
Despite the frustration and sorrow we/you feel about the destruction of your crops, trellises, and signs...and the theft of your crops...we beseech you to continue on.
We hope the efforts in cleaning up, contacting the police and media, and Garden Watch, encourage you.
In the meantime...
 

Friday 3 August 2012

Foodbank donations: we've only just begun....!

Today's donation with Calgary Interfaith Foodbank's Felicity!
Are you inspired?
Let's keep growing!

Our Fairy Gardener left a watering wand!

Thank you!
A Fairy Gardener left us
a wateringwand to use!
Thank you for blessing us
with this handy tool!

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Keeping up with the seeds...

Remember this?
One of our gardeners started this box,
many contributed for our garden to share...
but wait there's more...


a chunk of these seeds were from a gardener outside of our community.
We have acknowledged this gift with a formal thank you, but we would also like to give an end of season report.

So, if you know if you grew some of these seeds...could you

take pictures
email some comments from your dinner table about the tasty dishes you've made...
share some of the learning/new veggie ventures you've had
any other garden gratitude you may have about these seeds

We'll compile what you send us and present the generous gardener with a "happy" harvest.

Thanks for your help!

Saturday 28 July 2012

Love...in our garden--really!

While we were working in the garden at the workbee...
we noticed an interesting set up...

and so we posed...
and wondered...
and thought, wouldn't it be fun to have a wedding in the garden!

and so, YOUR little garden  (sniff, sniff)
was the special spot for a wedding vow
renewal ceremony....
(ok, ok, so I was curious, this is from across the street...I asked the bride )
But really...this is a HUGE credit to all gardeners for their hard work!

Foodbank signs!

Sheri, our resident artist came with some signs! 
Yes!  We have some signs!
She deserves an Olympic medal for these, they are fabulous!

July workbee...love, yes really!

Wow!  What an exciting day!
We had a great workbee with 11 hardworking gardeners helping out!
THANK YOU!
Check out this transformation since May 2012! 
Good work gardeners...these workbees are fantastic!


the Garden under the sign...May 2012



the garden under the sign July 28,2012
 Thank you for the tomato cages and stakes...
watermelon, scones, cheese, and meat!
A delicious break, great fellowship...
and maybe we'll see you in August?



Sunday 22 July 2012

Mid-Sun Community Garden Blog: GARDEN WATCH

Mid-Sun Community Garden Blog: GARDEN WATCH: Launching Mid-Sun Community Garden Watch We have some reports of vandalism in our community Garden! Gardeners please be awar...

Yea team!  Fabulous launch of our Community Garden Blog!  Let's get growing and learning about how to join the bloggers... P

Wednesday 18 July 2012

GARDEN WATCH

Launching
Mid-Sun Community

Garden Watch

We have some reports of vandalism
in our community Garden!

Gardeners please be aware of who is around the garden when you are there
and introduce yourself

Consider making and installing a wooden sign for your plot
Report incidents of vandalism to midsungarden@gmail.com

We have police contacts to request surveillance and investigation.



Tuesday 10 July 2012

Mid-Sun Stampede Breakfast = our first fundraiser and MORE!

Yahoo - we did it!  Mid-Sun Community Garden hosted a plant and bulb sale at the Stampede Breakfast...and raised $120 buckaroos for the Garden!!!
Big thanks to gardeners who donated plants...
Big 'pat on the back' to Karyn,Lisa and Sheri who 'staffed' our table!

AND did you see the fabulous CUP & SAUCER BIRDFEEDERS for sale????
THANK YOU to our designer Lisa!!
A treasure for yourself and a wonderful gift to favourite family & friends.... a couple may be left - if you missed out, 

Saturday 7 July 2012

Garden Gratitude

You may have noticed another fine gardener has trimmed around the beds! 
This really makes the garden look great, and so quickly!

BOUQUETS of thanks to Rose-Marie...
(I saw her do this in the hot hot sun!)
If you know Rose-Marie,
please express your thanks to her too.

Happy Gardening! (and watering!)
The Garden leader team