Happy Monday everyone,
I hope this finds everyone adjusting to and maybe even enjoying their new schedules. Staying in good health physically and mentally. Out in the garden the seedlings and weeds are growing great. It brings me solace to see them doing so well and makes me truly grateful for all of you who have been able to make it out to the garden and everyone who has offered to come help us out. It warms my heart to know the world is so full of wonderful people who want to help their neighbors and us. Thanks to all the individuals and teams from Enjoying Life More, Valley HS, Boy’s Team Charity, Young Men’s Service League, and the Girl Scouts, who have been out in the last couple weeks to help.
We have been busy out in the garden, come rain or shine, YAY RAIN!! Keep up those rain dances everyone! It feels so good to take a walk in the rain and do some puddle stomping. We have been able to harvest 380 pounds of delicious fresh produce to share with our neighbors, including broccoli from our second and third plantings. The first September planted broccoli plants are ready to go to flower so we are letting them, bees have to eat too. It is great to see the succession planting system in action.
I have to hand it to the weeds. Despite our efforts, we pulled weeds from another 2,100 square feet of them, the weeds are growing beautifully and loving the sunshine and rain as much as our plants.
The GSA bee team and SB installed another hive in the garden and the new bees and old bees seem to be playing well together. THANKS for keeping the garden full of pollinators. The new ‘Don’t worry, Bee happy’ hive just makes me smile every time I see it.
Before the rains, BT and VT shared a joyful planting dance to sow the wildflower seeds out in the orchard. The lupine seeds have started to sprout and I suspect the columbine and poppies will soon follow. VJ started more flower seeds in the old garden wagon that SW gave us. Both sets of bees will love the resulting flowers as much as we will.
The spring seedlings are growing great and we have started to move seedlings over to the Livermore High greenhouse, many thanks to JM for helping us out again this year. All that extra space, allowed us to start 848 cucurbits, including 210 cucumbers, 164 melons and 474 squash. The seeds have started to germinate and are looking healthy. With the extra LHS greenhouse space we had room for all them plus the 317 tomatoes, 454 peppers, and 227 eggplants we potted up and the hundreds of herbs, greens and lettuces we pricked out into their own pots. Yes, indeedy there are lots of seedlings almost ready to go out into gardens all over the county.
Even in these trying times, there is a lot to do in the garden. None of it would get done without wonderful volunteers like you. You are all truly amazing human beings. GARDENERS ROCK! THANK YOU ALL! for enabling us to continue to TEACH, GROW, and GIVE.
I am looking forward to seeing all of you soon. I really hope that you all will be able to come back and see how your efforts helped the garden to grow and change with the seasons. Please know that you are in our thoughts and that the garden misses you almost as much as we do, but will always be there to bring us all joy and healthy food.
Until next we meet, please do take care of yourselves and stay healthy by washing ‘the tops, the bottoms and in-between’ and repeat.
Happy gardening everyone. Have a great week loving those around you.
With sincere gratitude and big ol’ cosmic hugs
Brenda
