Dec 8 - Dec 14, 2014 CVG Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Last week's 64 lbs of harvest donations:
to the Salvation Army= 45 lbs
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 19 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 3,237 lbs

Salvation Army harvest of Collard greens, turnips, chinese cabbage, onions, mustard greens:

 Food Pantry harvest of turnips, mustard greens, and radishes:

Upcoming Week's Organized Work Opportunity:
Thursday Dec 18:  8:00 am - 9:30 am -- Christmas Harvest for Collierville Food Pantry and deliver

* Looking for any hotel sized toiletries, toothbrushes, kid's jackets and socks, new kid's underwear (all kid sizes, gender). We'll send on anything we receive with our produce donation to the Salvation Army on an ongoing basis.... So clear your shelves/drawers/closets!


Wish List for the Garden/Opportunities easily done on your own time:

*  Yard bags of pine needles for the cinderblock walkways and mulching garlic
*  Clean, sharpen, and oil the garden tools located in the shed in the compost area
*  Pick up Starbucks (on Poplar) coffee grounds a couple of times per week (mid morning after breakfast rush or early afternoon after lunch rush) for composting
*  Old bird feeders
*  Bat house / Robin nest platforms/Bird bath
*  Meal worms for bluebirds

Garden Maintenance To Do List:

* Figure out how to shred the huge pile of oak leaves to speed up the composting process....
* Weed in cinderblock beds and wooden raised beds, plot 3 and plot 6 along fence line

Last week's Work Progress:

On Monday, Twila and Stephanie reattached the frost covers in plots 1 and 4. Kathy weeded in plots 1 and 4. Twila, Stephanie, and Carl discussed holding a garden planning meeting in early January.

On Tuesday, Kathy, Carl, and Stephanie harvested 45 pounds of mustard greens, chinese cabbage, turnips, onions, and radishes for the Salvation Army. Patree delivered the produce as well as an additional 15 pounds of donated toiletries and new kids' sundries. (Thank you Arlene, Schilling Farm Middle School Junior Beta Club, and Kathy Robinson!)

On Thursday, Kathy, Arlene, Twila, Carl, and Stephanie harvested 19 pounds of mustard greens, turnips, and radishes for the Collierville Food Pantry. Carl delivered. Kathy weeded in plot 3. Arlene, Twila, Teresa, Stephanie, moved remaining delivered promix into the zinnia raised beds. Sophia delivered some coffee grounds and 5 gallon buckets from the Donut Hutt. Thank you, Sophia!

On Saturday, Twila, Teresa, and Stephanie raked any available pine needles on the church property and spread them in the cinderblock bed walkways. Troop 56 scouts moved a huge, huge amount of oak leaves on the church property back next to the compost area. Stephanie talked with an Eagle Scout candidate about possible projects at the Garden.

Kathy and Stephanie harvesting tender green mustard:

Troop 56 church property Fall clean-up:

Dec 1 - Dec 7, 2014 CVG Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Last week's 25 lbs of harvest donations:
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 25 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 3,173 lbs

This Week's Organized Work Opportunities:

Monday Dec 8:  8:30 am - 9:30 am -- Prepare frost covers for possible light freeze this week and other garden maintenance

Tuesday Dec 9:  10:00 am - 12:30 pm -- Harvest for Salvation Army and deliver, garden maintenance, secure frost covers if necessary

Thursday Dec 10:  8:00 am - 9:30 am -- Harvest for Collierville Food Pantry and deliver

* Looking for any hotel sized toiletries, toothbrushes, kid's jackets and socks, new kid's underwear (all kid sizes, gender). We'll send on anything we receive with our produce donation to the Salvation Army on an ongoing basis.... So clear your shelves/drawers/closets!
Wish List for the Garden/Opportunities easily done on your own time:

*  Yard bags of pine needles for the cinderblock walkways
*  Clean, sharpen, and oil the garden tools located in the shed in the compost area
*  Pick up Starbucks (on Poplar) coffee grounds a couple of times per week (mid morning after breakfast rush or early afternoon after lunch rush) for composting
*  Old bird feeders
*  Bat house / Robin nest platforms/Bird bath
*  Meal worms for bluebirds

Garden Maintenance To Do List:

* Set aside pine needle mulch on zinnia beds, fill with promix, and top back with the pine needles
* Pull comfrey seedlings around beets in plot 1
* Weed in cinderblock beds and wooden raised beds, plot 3 along fence line

Last week's Work Progress:

On Thursday, Arlene, Teresa, and Stephanie harvested 25 lbs of mustard greens, turnips, collard greens, napa cabbage and radishes. Stephanie delivered to the Food Pantry.

On Saturday, despite the muddy conditions, Twila, Arlene, Carl, and Stephanie assisted 11 hard-working Schilling Farms Middle School Beta Club students while they weeded in the wooden raised beds of plots 1 and 4, moved compost from the barrel composters to plot 5, added promix to some cinderblock holes in plots 2 and 5, added promix to plot 4 wooden raised beds, planted garlic in plot 4, started new compost in the barrels with oak leaves and comfrey leaves, moved about half of the freshly delivered promix pile (Thanks Jim Gafford!!) from the parking lot into the garden, and donated lots of toiletries that will be delivered to the Salvation Army this week. Kathy continued weeding the plot 4.

Nov 24 - Nov 30, 2014 CVG Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Last week's 51 lbs of harvest donations:
to the Salvation Army = 51 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 3148 lbs

This Week's Organized Work Opportunities:

Thursday Dec 4:  8:30 am - 10:30 am -- Harvest for Food pantry, prepare for Saturday's Junior Beta Club visit

Saturday Dec 6:  8:30 am - 10:30 am (rain delay time 2:30pm-4:30pm)-- Work with Schilling Farms Middle School Junior Beta Club students to:

-Fill empty plot 4 raised bed with available promix and plant garlic and/or
-Begin topping off empty cinderblock holes with available promix
-Weed plots 1 and 4 wooden raised beds and plot 3.
-Empty barrel composters into garden then begin refilling them with remaining comfrey and donated leaves
-Add sand beneath Plants for Habitat plot containers, where needed
-Maybe colorfully paint some donated windows (weather dependent) for future cold frame use.

* Looking for any hotel sized toiletries, toothbrushes, kid's jackets and socks, new kid's underwear (all kid sizes, gender). We'll send on anything we receive with our produce donation to the Salvation Army on an ongoing basis.... So clear your shelves/drawers/closets!

Wish List for the Garden/Opportunities easily done on your own time:
*  Yard bags of pine needles for the cinderblock walkways
*  Clean, sharpen, and oil the garden tools located in the shed in the compost area
*  Pick up Starbucks (on Poplar) coffee grounds a couple of times per week (mid morning after breakfast rush or early afternoon after lunch rush) for composting
*  Old bird feeders
*  Bat house / Robin nest platforms/Bird bath
*  Meal worms for bluebirds

Garden Maintenance To Do List:

* Set aside pine needle mulch on zinnia beds, fill with promix, and top back with the pine needles
* Pull comfrey seedlings around beets in plot 1
* Split uprooted comfrey plants and maybe re-plant elsewhere
* Weed in cinderblock beds and wooden raised beds, plot 3 along fence line

Last week's Work Progress:

On Monday, Twila, Patree, and Stephanie harvested 51 lbs of mustard greens, turnips, and cabbage. Patree delivered the produce and some donated hotel toiletries and kid's sized jackets and clothing to the Salvation Army. Eric Olson delivered 5+ donated hay bales to the garden. (Thank you!!) Carl weeded the empty plot 4 wooden raised bed. Teresa and Stephanie moved promix into the plot 4 bed and moved some donated windows to the compost area for storage. 3.5 hours.

On Tuesday, Carl repaired the wheelbarrow wheel and donated suet cake/holder and a goldfinch sock/feed (thank you!!). Twila cleaned out the plot 5 "corner" cinderblock beds. Stephanie sprayed a little BT on the growing cabbages. Twila and Stephanie planted more elephant and some unknown variety garlic in the prepared plot 4 bed. 1.5 hrs.

Nov 17 - Nov 23, 2014 CVG Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

This week's 165 lbs of harvest donations:
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 165 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 3097 lbs

Next Week's Organized Work Opportunities:

Monday Nov 24:  8:00 am - 10:30 am -- Harvest for Salvation Army*, clean out/weed beds in plot 4 and 5 and add available promix, maybe plant a little more of remaining garlic, plot/plan/"construct" cold frames using hay bales and donated window panes, apply BT to any remaining cabbages.

* Looking for any hotel sized toiletries, toothbrushes, kid's jackets, kid's size (new) underwear and socks (all sizes, gender). We'll send on anything we receive with our produce donation to the Salvation Army on an ongoing basis.... So clear your shelves/drawers/closets!

Wish List for the Garden/Opportunities easily done on your own time:
*  Yard bags of pine needles for the cinderblock walkways and yard bags of leaves for composting
*  Clean, sharpen, and oil the garden tools located in the shed in the compost area
*  Pick up Starbucks (on Poplar) coffee grounds a couple of times per week (mid morning after breakfast rush or early afternoon after lunch rush) for composting
*  Old bird feeders
*  Bat house / Robin nest platforms/Bird bath
*  Goldfinch nyjer seed sock/feeder, Meal worms for bluebirds

Garden Maintenance To Do List:

* Clear out weeds in empty plot 4 raised bed, add promix
* Set aside pine needle mulch on zinnia beds, fill with promix, and top back with the pine needles
* Continue pulling/disposing of spent plants-- plot 2, 4 (cinderblock) peppers, marigold
* Pull comfrey seedlings around beets in plot 1
* Split uprooted comfrey plants and maybe re-plant elsewhere
* Harvest seeds off of butterfly weed plants
* Seek out and destroy the pesky cabbage worms..... reapply BT on Monday
* Weed in cinderblock beds and wooden raised beds, plot 3 along fence line
* Empty, clean, and refill bird (seed) feeder/ add mealworms to bluebird feeder "tray"

101 lbs of "just right" turnips donated to the Collierville Food Pantry this week:

Some of the Savoy cabbage and mustard greens donated to the Collierville Food Pantry this week:

This week's Work Progress:

On Monday, Twila and Stephanie checked frost covers and added some frost protection to plot 3.

On Wednesday, Twila, Leah, Carl, Teresa, Stephanie removed all frostcovers. They moved promix into plot 4 northernmost raised bed and planted "Redneck Wild" garlic. They cleared the half of southernmost plot 4 raised bed, added promix, and planted "Chesnok Red" garlic. They moved promix into the central plot 2 cinderblock bed and planted Chesnok Red and Elephant garlic. They then refilled all the emptied large containers in the garden with the promix from the parking lot.

On Thursday, Carl, Patree, Twila, Stephanie, Teresa, and Kathy harvested 165 lbs of turnips, mustard greens, cabbage, radish, and loose leaf lettuce. Patree delivered to the Collierville Food Pantry. Teresa and Kathy added promix to the northwestern "corner" cinderblock bed and planted elephant and "unknown variety... but pretty" garlic. Twila and Stephanie prepared two rows in plot 6, ringed them with a thick layer of sand in an effort to redirect any runoff, and planted Kilarney Red garlic.  They covered all garlic plantings with a layer of straw/hay. Stephanie picked up 20 lbs of Starbucks grounds and added them to the barrel composters.

This week's Beauty in the Garden:

Nov 10 - Nov 16, 2014 CVG Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Last week's 138 lbs of harvest donations:
to The Salvation Army = 55 lbs;
to the Collierville Food Pantry and Harris Cove = 83 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 2,932 lbs

This Week's Organized Work Opportunities:

Wednesday Nov 19:  8:30 am - 10:30 am -- Pull back frost covering/protection, prepare beds for garlic and begin planting
Thursday Nov 20:  8:00 am - 10:30 am -- Harvest and deliver to Collierville Food Pantry then continue work on "to do" list

Wish List for the Garden/Opportunities easily done on your own time:

*  Yard bags of pine needles for the cinderblock walkways
*  Clean, sharpen, and oil the garden tools located in the shed in the compost area
*  Pick up Starbucks (on Poplar) coffee grounds a couple of times per week (mid morning after breakfast rush or early afternoon after lunch rush) for composting
*  Old bird feeders
*  Bat house / Robin nest platforms/Bird bath
*  Goldfinch nyjer seed sock/feeder, Meal worms for bluebirds

Garden Maintenance To Do List:

* Level and Start planting garlic in empty plot 4 raised bed
* Add promix to empty plot 2 (south) cinderblock beds to ready for garlic planting
* Fill large plastic containers with pro-mix on the parking lot and move them into side walkways of the Garden for future use
* Set aside pine needle mulch on zinnia beds, fill with promix, and top back with the pine needles
* Spread last straw bale along "front" edge of plot 3 (this year's tomato/zinnia plot) on top of black plastic. (Assuming fire ants have "moved along".)
* Continue pulling/disposing of spent plants-- plot 2, 4 (cinderblock) peppers, marigold
* Pull comfrey seedlings around beets in plot 1
* Split uprooted comfrey plants and maybe re-plant elsewhere
* Harvest seeds off of butterfly weed plants
* Seek out and destroy the pesky cabbage worms..... reapply BT on Monday
* Apply homemade garlic spray/ Witch hazel spray to greens and cabbage
* Weed in cinderblock beds and wooden raised beds
* Empty, clean, and refill bird (seed) feeder/ add mealworms to bluebird feeder "tray"

The Salvation Army's 55 lb donation:

Collierville Food Pantry and Harris Cove Residents 83 lb donation:

Carl during last week's WKNO's The Family Plot: Gardening in the Mid-South episode.... confirming CVG garlic repels vampires:

Last week's Work Progress:

On Monday, Patree, Twila, Leah, Stephanie harvested 55 lbs for The Salvation Army. Patree delivered. Twila and Leah pulled zuke, zinnia and some pepper plants and disposed of them and pole bean vines. Stephanie sprayed BT on all cabbages. Val cleaned up the tomato cages and disposed of vines and stored the cages.

On Tuesday, Carl picked up and delivered the last 4 donated straw bales and moved more promix from the parking lot into the garden.

On Wednesday, Stephanie picked 4 lbs of peppers and covered plots 1 and 4 before the winter weather arrived.

On Thursday, Twila, Leah, Teresa, Kathy, Stephanie harvested another 79 lbs and delivered the Food Pantry. Carl picked up what wasn't distributed at the pantry and delivered to the residents of Harris Cove. Stephanie worked on the MAMG 2015 budget proposal for CVG. Carl, Twila, Teresa, Amy, Val, Jane, Stephanie attended the MAMG monthly meeting.

On Saturday, Stephanie pulled back the frost covers on plots 1, 4, and 6.

On Sunday, Stephanie and husband John replaced the frost covers in preparation for the winter weather over the next couple of days.

Last week's Beauty in the Garden:

Last of the peppers

Gorgeous radishes

Beautiful mustard greens

Snow in the Garden

Nov 3 - Nov 9, 2014 CVG Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

Last week's 137 lbs of harvest donations:
to The Salvation Army (multiple facilities) = 86 lbs;
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 51 lbs
Total YTD harvest donation = 2,794 lbs

This Week's Organized Work Opportunities:
Monday Nov 10: 8:00 am - 10:00 am -- Harvest for The Salvation Army (particularly mustard greens, lettuce, radish) then continue work on "to do" list
Wednesday Nov 12:  8:00 am - 9:30 am -- Any last minute frost covering/protection/garden readiness for freeze
Thursday Nov 13:  8:00 am - 10:30 am -- Harvest and deliver to Collierville Food Pantry then continue work on "to do" list

Wish List for the Garden/Opportunities easily done on your own time:

*  Yard bags of pine needles for the cinderblock walkways
*  Clean, sharpen, and oil the garden tools located in the shed in the compost area
*  Pick up Starbucks (on Poplar) coffee grounds a couple of times per week (mid morning after breakfast rush or early afternoon after lunch rush) for composting
*  Old bird feeders
*  Bat house / Robin nest platforms/Bird bath
*  Goldfinch nyjer seed sock/feeder, Meal worms for bluebirds

Garden Maintenance To Do List:

* Ready sensitive plantings for this week's freeze
* Start planting garlic in empty plot 4 raised bed
* Fill large plastic containers with pro-mix on the parking lot and move them into side walkways of the Garden for future use
* Set aside pine needle mulch on zinnia beds, fill with promix, and top back with the pine needles
* Move donated hay bales to ends of the side walkways for future use
* Spread last straw bale along "front" edge of plot 3 (this year's tomato/zinnia plot) on top of black plastic. (Assuming fire ants have "moved along".)
* Continue pulling/disposing of spent plants-- plot 3 tomatoes, zinnia, marigold; plot 2, 4 (cinderblock) peppers, marigold, eggplant??
* Split uprooted comfrey plants and maybe re-plant elsewhere
* Harvest seeds off of butterfly weed plants
* Seek out and destroy the pesky cabbage worms..... reapply BT on Monday
* Apply homemade garlic spray/ Witch hazel spray to greens and cabbage
* Weed in cinderblock beds and wooden raised beds
* Empty, clean, and refill bird (seed) feeder/ add mealworms to bluebird feeder "tray"

Monday's 65 lbs to The Salvation Army (Thank you Patree and Zoe for delivering!):

Thursday's 51 lbs of harvest to the Collierville Food Pantry:

This week's Work Progress:

On Monday, Jan, Patree, Teresa, and Stephanie harvested 65 pounds of mustard greens, turnips, peppers, and eggplant. Patree delivered to The Salvation Army. They pulled back the frost covering, put BT on all cabbages, pulled zinnias out of the front raised beds and disposed, and moved tires into the garden.

On Tuesday, Carl delivered 2 hay bales and some shingles. He pulled remaining zinnia stubs out of the raised beds and disposed of them, picked up trash that the weather blew in.

On Wednesday, Carl was a guest on PBS WKNO's "The Family Plot: Gardening in the Midsouth" and talked about garlic! Please check out the show (maybe this Thursday at 8 pm!)!

On Thursday, Arlene, Teresa, Kathy, and Stephanie harvested 51 lbs of mustard greens, turnips, radishes, peppers, and eggplant. Stephanie delivered it to the Collierville Food Pantry then started pulling the spent zinnia and marigold plants out of plot 3. Lauryce harvested an additional 21 lbs and delivered to a TSA Rehab Center on Kirby Whitten.

Arlene harvesting the plot 1 mustard:

Teresa harvesting the plot 3 mustard:

On Friday, Lauryce weeded in plot 1.

On Friday/Saturday, Carl delivered another 6 donated bales of straw to the garden and cleaned off all the trellises.

This week's Beauty in the Garden:

Maybe the last of the eggplants, peppers:

Purple top turnips:

Bonnie Hybrid Cabbages and Mustard Greens in plot 3:

Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2014 CVG Progress and Upcoming Opportunities

 This week's 124 lbs of harvest donations:
to The Salvation Army = 64 lbs;
to the Collierville Food Pantry = 60 lbs

Total YTD harvest donation = 2,657 lbs

Monday's 64 lbs to The Salvation Army (Thank you Patree for delivering!):

Next Week's Organized Work Opportunities:

Monday Nov 3: 8:30 am - 10:30 am -- Harvest for The Salvation Army then work on "to do" list
Thursday Nov 6:  8:00 am - 10:30 am -- Harvest and deliver to Collierville Food Pantry then work on "to do" list

Wish List for the Garden/Opportunities to work on your own time:

*  Yard bags of pine needles for the cinderblock walkways
*  Clean, sharpen, and oil the garden tools located in the shed in the compost area
*  Pick up Starbucks (on Poplar) coffee grounds a couple of times per week (mid morning after breakfast rush or early afternoon after lunch rush) for composting
*  Old bird feeders
*  Bat house / Robin nest platforms/Bird bath
*  Goldfinch nyjer seed sock/feeder

Garden Maintenance To Do List this week:

* Start planting garlic in empty plot 4 raised bed
* Fill large plastic containers with pro-mix on the parking lot and move them into side walkways of the Garden for future use
* Pull/Prune back to ground level the raised bed zinnias and dispose....
* Set aside pine needle mulch on zinnia beds, fill with promix, and top back with the pine needles
* Spread last straw bale along "front" edge of plot 3 (this year's tomato/zinnia plot) on top of black plastic. (Assuming fire ants have "moved along".)
* Split uprooted comfrey plants and maybe re-plant elsewhere
* Harvest seeds off of butterfly weed plants
* Seek out and destroy the pesky cabbage worms..... reapply BT on Monday
* Apply homemade garlic spray/ Witch hazel spray to greens and cabbage
* Weed in cinderblock beds and wooden raised beds
* Empty, clean, and refill bird (seed) feeder/ add mealworms to bluebird feeder "tray"
* Move tires to ends of side walkways

This week's Work Progress:

On Monday, Twila, Patree, and Stephanie harvested 64 lbs of turnips, mustard and salad greens, peppers, green tomatoes. Patree delivered to The Salvation Army. Carl moved yards of promix into the garden. Teresa and Stephanie continued the clearing and disposing of the zinnias and helped Jim load the Plants 4 Habitat plants into his trailer for transport to the new Habitat for Humanity houses.

On Tuesday, Carl delivered 20+ lbs of Starbuck's coffee grounds and tires for future planters and moved more containers into the garden for temporary pro-mix storage. Teresa, Twila, Barbara, and Stephanie landscaped two Habitat for Humanity houses with FedEx volunteers and witnessed the dedication of the houses.

On Thursday, Patree, Twila, Teresa, and Stephanie harvested 60 lbs of turnips, mustard, eggplant, peppers, red romaine and green tomatoes. Patree delivered to the Collierville Food Pantry.  Jan, Twila, and Stephanie then attended an MAMG budget planning meeting.

On Friday, Jan, Twila, and Stephanie applied frostcover to most of plots 1 and 4 and the eggplants/peppers in plot 5.

This week's Beauty in the Garden:

photo courtesy of Chuck Lajeunesse:

 Frost on the red and Bonnie Hybrid cabbages:

 Bonnie Hybrid Cabbage patch:

Savoy (and red) cabbage patch:

"Just Right" Turnips coming along, well, just right: