Calling All Tryon Farm Gardeners

For Saturday, May 3, 10 am

Calling all Tryon Farm Gardners and volunteer gardeners.
The week before Mother's Day is a good day to assess our garden needs before planting.
Here is a preliminary agenda of action and cooperative thought:

1. Rebuild 4-6 garden boxes. The wood will be available, hopefully cut to size.
2. Set up and assess the sprinkling equipment and hoses.
3. Recruit 2008 garden committee members and stewards for community boxes not spoken for;
4. Assess mulch piles for now and future management;
5. Discuss community planting and harvesting;
6. Determine gardener interest - speakers, master gardeners, pests, organic techniques, soil testing, etc.;
7. Answer questions or create questions.

TF Garden Committee Oversight to date: Looking for volunteers.
1. Watering schedule and monitoring
2. Community box planting
3. Stewards - Harvest schedule/steward reports

News:
1. We may have a tiller to use provided it checks out mechanically.
2. It has been suggested by Colin that we prepare and cultivate an area for baby trees so we can supply the changing forest in the future. The area thought to be most productive is where Farmer Werner kept his pigs. Father Noonan, as of this weekend, has ok'd the place and idea for it was in his vision as well. International Friendship Gardens has had a huge donation of bareroot trees as of Arbor day (this past weekend) from the Foresters of Jasper State Park. Shall we take them on???
3. We NEED a person to volunteer as steward for the Grape arbor -- who is willing to do a little research on grape horticulture to further the gift we have to manage.

Preparation:
Bring your tools this day. At least we can raise them to the sky. Power tools, like power screw drills (is that what they call them?) might be helpful in building boxes.
See you there!!
Debra & Rebecca

Comments

[Scott Kuchta]

Is the manure still available from Sharon? Do you still need a wagon/trailer to be brought over to Sharon's to collect it??

[debra]

Yes Scott. We would like to collect more manure and compost it in the bins. If we have a wagon to leave at Sharon's, she can fill it up as they go.
Are you aware if someone turned the bins?
Thanks. We appreciate the help.
Debra

[Scott Kuchta]

I spoke with Father Noonan this afternoon, and while he remains 110% in favor of Father Tennent-Brown raising newborn trees at Tryon, he would like to brainstorm more about the "best" place for them --- now and for the future.

Basically, a "garden-like" new tree nursery would be fine for a while at the old-pig location, however he thinks that there must be a better place that would work for all of eternity...

[Claudia Geise]

I will be hosting guests on Saturday & unable to attend the garden meeting. Please add my name as a volunteer for the watering schedule this summer.

I also have a water challenge for the garden volunteers this season. We have had three rainbarrels in the farmstead for at least four years that have never been set up properly or used for water conservation. One is located outside of # 12 & the other two are behind the garages of # 23, 24, and 25. Wouldn't it be a great project to get these rainbarrels operational, and use them to supply some of our water for our garden plots? Please visit www.rainbarrelguide.com for instructions and more information. I'm looking for two volunteers to help Meg and I with this project. It is a very Tryon Farm-like endeavor. Anyone?

[J. David Coldren]

May I suggest an item for the Garden Committee's agenda?

Today, on my rounds, I found the side door of the shed where the garden sprinklers, hoses, etc. are stored wide open. I tried to close the door from my scooter, but it wouldn't close. There was also no way to latch it against the wind.

I don't know who put in the door or when it was installed, but it might be a good volunteer project to fix it and save TFHA a lot of money on repairs (and the replacement of "disappearing" equipment).