Living in Season

Plant a Row for the Hungry in Great Falls

When you're planning your garden for the season it's important to consider what you're going to do with everything. Putting in a veritable Eden seems like a good idea when there's still a blanket of snow on the ground, but it's overwhelming when the zucchini are maturing before your very eyes or you have a bushel of beans to eat. This is the time to develop a backup plan besides dropping it off on your neighbor's porch at night.  

When I sat down with Gayle and Pam at the Great Falls Food Bank yesterday we discussed spreading the word on where gardeners can take their extra produce, as well as encouraging home growers to join the "Plant a Row for the Hungry" campaign, a national program hosted by the Garden Writers Association. Gayle is working on acquiring seeds from different organizations to hand out to gardeners willing to grow for the food bank. At this point in time we're planning on having the Cascade County Extension Office be the central location to pick up seeds (although Wade, our illustrious ag agent, is off basking in the sun somewhere so the decision isn't completely finalized). Anyone in Great Falls can pick up the free seeds, grow the produce, and drop it off at the food bank. The food bank is also more than happy to take the extras from anyone who isn't officially part of the effort.

I'm going to encourage our plot people at the River City Harvest community gardens to join the program, as well. We already plan on having several plots for charitable organizations, but if people designate specific rows I can add those to our harvest list. This way whoever is harvesting will know what they can pick. And Gayle said she can send over her volunteers to pick up the veggies so I'm hoping the process will go much smoother this season.

I told Gayle it would be wonderful if we reached a point where they were saturated with produce, but I think that's going to be a tough goal to meet. If Gayle can't use it, she has plenty of resources such as Meals on Wheels, the Mercy Home, Great Falls Mission and many other food pantries that will. While I'm glad it won't go to waste, it's unsettling that there are so many in need just in our little area. If nothing else, hopefully we can make a small dent.

It's raining seeds

Despite at least 6 inches of snow on the ground and the fact the wretched rodent saw his shadow and predicted 6 more weeks of winter weather, I'm in full blown seed glory.

I enjoyed thirty minutes of peace and quiet the other morning while the boys slept to finish my seed orders. I maintained control with Territorial Seeds and Totally Tomatoes, but got a little click happy with Seeds of Change. Their site is just too gorgeous. I think I have everything I need for various articles I'm planning on writing this year. It's always better to have the photo shoot in the back yard since lighting and other conditions are so variable.

This has also been a productive week as far as setting up connections for the community garden effort. I attended the board meeting at the Salvation Army on Tuesday, the same morning I placed my seed orders. They're considering starting a garden for their family services program since they provide food for so many families in the Great Falls area. It's a fantastic location, and would be a tremendous benefit to local people. I was there to let them know what River City Harvest can do to help, and I think I'm now on the Salvation Army board! Funny how that happens, but I'm happy to do what I can. Hopefully, we'll have a final plan in March so we can move forward as soon as the weather permits. The greatest obstacles are securing water - the city of Great Falls charges $1500 to hook up a meter - and erecting a fence around the lot to discourage vandalism or theft. I'm confident we'll have something growing this year, though.

When I returned home from the board meeting, I was shocked to find a box from Seeds of Change on my porch. My initial thought was "Dang! They're good!" But I quickly realized it was the 100 packages of seeds I requested through their seed donation program for the community garden. Oh, what fun! I've sorted through the seeds to decide which ones need to be started ahead of time, and what we can direct seed. It's a good start to what I believe is going to be a highly productive year.

Busy year for the Great Falls' community gardens

It seems that building community gardens is like planting perennials. The saying goes, "The first year they sleep, the second year the creep and the third year they leap." Well, we're right in the middle of creeping and leaping if everything pans out this season. Here's a synopsis of what we have planned so far with River City Harvest:

Park Place Gardens - Last year was our first year at Park Place Health Care Center, and we've been granted permission to double the size. This means we'll have approximately 17,000 square feet at this location. Last year we had over 14 plots for our renters, and a couple for Meals on Wheels. The greatest drawback, besides the invasion of the gophers in June, was sharing one faucet with everyone. Thankfully, we had a wet summer so it wasn't a huge problem, but if we would've had a typical hot, dry stretch in July and August, it would've been ugly. This year we'll have a faucet for every two plots.

To help make the Park Place Gardens a showcase for other community gardens throughout the state, Ace Hardware is stepping up to help us with improvements. They're going to install a water line with spigots down the middle of the garden so we have plenty to handle the water needs of everyone. Plus, they're supplying the materials to build a pergola and benches so the elderly residents at Park Place can come out and relax near the activity. Many of them are retired farmers or lifelong gardeners, and we heard that they enjoyed watching our progress. A couple of times I was able to speak to some of them, and share a few handfuls of the first grape tomatoes of the season.

Electric City Conservatory - For the two previous years, Our Saviors Lutheran Church youth group had a garden at Electric City Conservatory in downtown Great Falls. Casey, the youth director, is absolutely swamped with his work on his own farm so RCH is taking over the garden. We're going to keep this one organic since there are several people who want an area free of synthetic pesticides and herbicides.

This space is roughly 10,000 square feet (maybe a bit more), and we'll divide it between renters and charitable plots since the Meals on Wheels and Food Bank are right down the road. It's also completely fenced, which will provide us with easy trellises for pole beans and peas. And since it's located on the corner, we want to plant plenty of flowers to make it attractive as well as productive.

University of Great Falls - Part of our mission statement at RCH is to help other groups start community gardens, which is what we're doing with UGF. They want to have it primarily for students and staff, along with a certain percentage dedicated to charitable organizations. I believe the first garden will be 100x150 feet with the possibility to expand to four acres.

Salvation Army - We've been talking with the Salvation Army since last summer, and will hopefully have a plan to go ahead this year. They have a wonderful vacant lot (except for a perfect garden shed) next to their main office. We're hoping to plow, fertilize and get them started so they can grow for their own families. They have an excellent food storage faciility, and already care for the needs of many people. This will expand what they can do.

CMR High School - There is a new Agricultural Academy starting at CMR High School, and RCH is helping as much as we can. Jodi Koterba is the powerhouse behind the program, and secured a grant from the Montana Farm Bureau to construct a 1500 sq ft greenhouse. She and her students will plant greens and other veggies for the school's salad bar throughout the fall, and hopefully winter.

We're going to help by plowing and preparing the site for the greenhouse, as well as create outside gardens where we can plant for the food banks in the spring and summer. The students will use all of them for science and math classrooms as part of the academy. It should prove to be a fantastic project.

Even though it's still months away from working the ground, all of us are very busy. Deb is working hard to finalize our non-profit paperwork (no small task - it's a beast); Sheila is helping us with grants; Wade is lining up materials and people to build the structures we need this year ( four sheds might also be on the to-do list); I'm contacting companies for seed donations and trying to plan what we'll need to be able to supply more fresh produce to Meals on Wheels and other programs.

But our greatest need is probably volunteers. Deb and I struggled last year trying to keep up with harvesting the veggies for Meals on Wheels. The plan this year is to have teams assigned to each garden to take care of such things so nothing goes to waste. The need is great, and hopefully we can make a difference.

Loving that Squash!

Samuel is a pumpkin nut. Since the pumpkins ripened he's been hauling one around the house setting it on the table, and even taking it to bed! I thought he would really get into carving this year, and I was right. The boy was right in there scooping out the guts. He loved carving the face on the front, and was thrilled when I lit the candle inside. Fire and a pumpkin? Jackpot!

I'm a fan of the squash, too, although I don't go as far as taking one to bed. I roasted the seeds from the pumpkins we carved, as well as cooked a few of the pie pumpkins I grew in the garden. They smell fabulous roasting in the oven, and it's so handy to have pumpkin puree on hand for mufins and cakes. Cooking a pumpkin, or any squash, is very simple. Cut it in half or quarters, depending on the size, clean out any seeds, and bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. I turn off the oven once the time is up,then let it cool before scooping out the meat. I typically measure it out into 2 to 4 cup amounts so I'm ready to grab one and bake.

So far we have a half dozen packages of pumpkin, plus about eight bags of butternut squash. The butternut grew in my plot at the River City Harvest community garden. It was nice to have a space where I didn't have to worry about the plants spreading out, and the squash did well. I like to use the butternut for a butternut/chicken soup (with kale), and would like to try a pasta with a butternut squash filling. At least now that it's in the freezer, I have it on hand to experiment this winter.

Square Foot Gardening

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of talking with Mel Bartholomew, the author and inventor of Square Foot Gardening. Dad gave me his book when I was about 12 years old, and we often turned on his PBS program when I was over at his place on the weekends. Both of us thought it was pretty impressive of how much Mel could grow so much in such a small area. It caused me to start thinking about gardening in a different way.

During our chat, I was surprised to learn Mel didn't start out in the garden. Actually he was a civil engineer with a successful consulting company. When his business reached the point where the next logical step was to grow, Mel said, "I retired when I was 42. I sold the company, and took up gardening as a  hobby."

He worked in the local community garden for awhile learning the basics from the county agent, but kept questioning why things were done they way they were. Why were the rototilling when they walked behind it, compacting the soil? Why did they plant in single rows with so much wasted space? It inspired him to travel the country asking these questions and looking for a better way. What resulted was a revolutionary way of gardening.

Square foot gardening utilizes every bit of useful space, and it doesn't matter how awful your garden soil might be since you're growing in a raised bed with a specific growing mix. Mel recommends 4 x4 -ft beds since most people can reach in the middle from any side. In his All New Square Foot Gardening, he recommends filling it with a mix of compost, peat and course vermiculite creating the ideal combination.

On top of the box, Mel says to set a solid grid to mark off since foot-square sections. In there you plant a specific number of seeds or plants in amounts of 1,4,9 or 16. For instance, you can plant a single tomato in a square and 16 radishes in another. If this doesn't seem like much, keep in mind you are to pull and reseed or replant as one crop is finished. This means turning over crops many times throughout the season.

Tami, a lady at our community gardens, is doing a wonderful job of growing in her square foot beds. She went by Mel's book to the letter, and it's paying off. She has 5 boxes all together, and it seems to be plenty for her family of four. I interviewed her for the Great Falls Tribune article, too, and she couldn't be happier with the results.

Call for Volunteers on KRTV

This afternoon I finally got my act together to harvest a few of the veggies at the Park Place garden for River City Harvest, and take them over to Nancy Wilson at Meals on Wheels. There were maybe a pound of the grape tomatoes, plus a half dozen cabbage, and (to my surprise) four zucchini quickly growing out of control. We're going to be overwhelmed quickly if we don't have folks picking on a regular basis.

So I was delighted when when Katie Stukey from KRTV called while I was en route to Meals on Wheels, and met me at their door. It's wonderful that she's enthusiastic about promoting the need of the food banks, as well as helping at River City Harvest spread the word that we need volunteers to keep up with the 60+ tomatoes, 120 cabbage, 50 peppers and numerous squash plants. I hate to have anything go to waste, which won't happen if we have enough people to keep up with it. Many hands make light work, and I'm grateful KRTV was willing to help us spread the word!

Here's their story:

http://montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10862924&nav=menu227_5

Gopher Wars!

Oh, we're having a devil of a time with the gophers at the community garden. They counted coup on the lettuce the first night, and by the end of last week I was fielding calls from upset gardeners. There was a big, old tabby out there last night, but he's skinny enough that it's obvious he's not making a dent in the rodent population.

Here's my latest post on Planters Place blog concerning dealing iwth these voracious critters: http://www.plantersplace.com/Community/ViewBlog.aspx?BlogId=4

Opening Day at the Community Gardens

After a rough start we finally have our first gardens organized by River City Harvest up and growing. The spring weather was less than cooperative with heavy snows in the most inopportune times, and when we tried to work the ground with a tractor and tiller it was completely ineffective. Same with a rented tractor and duck foot plow. Eventually Wade from the Cascade County Extension office rallied a friend, and was able to plow it with a 100 HP tractor and chisel plow. That did the trick! Grant tilled it twice last weekend with a tractor and tiller. We had a proper garden!

Since things didn't go very smoothly all spring, I decided I better measure and stake the plots before everyone was there. The standard plots were supposed to be 20 x 30 - of course that didn't hold true. On the south side they were 20 x 34 or so with one plot being only 12-ft wide instead of twenty. On the north section, I had to restake several times trying to squeeze in 10 plots. One plot was the standard 20-ft, while the others varied from 15 to 17-ft wide depending on how long that particular section was since it too ranged from 32 to 40-ft. I managed 9 full plots and one half plot in that half, which seemed okay to me since I was dealing with a migraine from the previous day and 80+ degree heat. My mind wasn't the sharpest to be calculating anything! It turns out I created one extra, albeit short, plot - we were only planning on fourteen plots, not fifteen! Oh well, we'll use it for the food banks if no one comes forward to rent it.

We're also able to provide a plot for the Park Place residents, many of whom are retired farmers or lifelong gardeners. The director came out to chat, and it sounds like the folks are excited to have an opportunity to work the soil again. I'm happy because I know how I would feel if I didn't have a garden, plus I can only imagine the wealth of knowledge behind those walls!

When I arrived, I had to off load the rototiller. Grant showed me how to start it and back it down two skinny boards, but that looked downright dangerous. I simply turned te machine around in the back of the truck, wedged the boards into the ground, and wheeled that bad boy off the tailgate. It rolled smoothly with no problems. (Later, a friend of Deb's in Park Place said they were watching me wrestle it off.)

The first few folks that showed up helped me finish measuring and marking the plots, then when Deb directed each to their garden, they did a great job of clearing the rocks and clumps from the plots. It was wonderful to see everyone enthusiastically working. A few ladies even planted peppers, squash and tomatoes. Others seeded different crops. Our greatest challenges are going to be the wind and sharing water, but I think it's going to go just fine.

Tips on Starting a Community Garden

The "Victory Garden" concept is undergoing a resurgence in this country where more people are interested in growing their own food, whether to cut down the grocery bill or to ensure they're consuming healthful produce that hasn't traveled thousands of miles. For those who don't have a decent place to garden in their back yard, community gardens are a wonderful way to go.

When we moved to Great Falls a couple of years ago, I assumed I could rent a plot locally since we were living in a rental home and didn't exactly know when we would find a house. I was a bit surprised none existed, which is why I thought it would be a good idea to see if they would be needed in this area. Thankfully, there are several other folks who think along the same lines, and as a mentioned early, we came together and formed River City Harvest to start community gardens throughout Great Falls.

Our first location is at the Park Place Health Care Center, and we're excited to prepare the site as soon as the weather cooperates. In the meantime, we're sending out membership applications for anyone interested. Our blog site is: www.rivercityharvest.blogspot.com and email is rivercityharvest@yahoo.com for anyone interested.

I also have an article on what it takes to create a community garden in this month's issue of Hobby Farm's newsletter: http://www.hobbyfarms.com/crops-and-gardening/community-gardens-1.aspx

It details some of the nuts and bolts on what it takes to organize one, and will hopefully encourage others to give it a try in their own areas.

River City Harvest

Slowly, but surely, we're plugging away to make community gardens a reality in Great Falls. I called in to Wade at the county extension office the other day to chat with him and Deb, who has taken on the mountain of paperwork involved in acquiring the non-profit status, and our efforts look promising.

We had a couple of disappointments earlier in the process because land that was offered ended up either not working out, or no longer being available. But there are a couple of pieces that will make a great beginning if everything works out with the various entities. Hopefully we'll know for certain within a few weeks so we can start working as soon as the weather breaks in the spring.

It's our goal to provide gardens for families to grow their own produce throughout the season to mitigate grocery costs and provide nutritious fresh vegetables. With fresh veg prices going through the roof, this will hopefully be a big help to local families. Education is going to be an important part of this program, too. I'm excited about teaching newbies how to play in the dirt. We also intend to set aside plots to grow specifically for charitable organizations such as the food bank and Meals on Wheels. I interviewed the gal who runs the Meals on Wheels program, and she said her elderly folks really appreciate the fresh veg, especially when they know it's locally grown. If such a small thing can bring joy to these folks, I think it's a very worthwhile effort. And, as throughout the country, our food banks are struggling to keep up with demand so if we can help out at all, it's a worthwhile endeavor.

There are so many good things to do when it comes to involving the community and gardening - hopefully our early struggles will smooth out so we can get to the business of gardening and feeding those who need it.