Tuesday, May 21, 2013

My Little Farm

My plot at the urban community garden (the one in the foreground, with the little Tibetan flags).  This is about a five-minute bike ride from my house.

This year's intended crop:  Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, beets, carrots, chard, kale, radishes, green beans, cabbage, onions, butternut squash, garlic, basil, parsley, chives ... and cappucines, cosmos and marigolds.  Yesterday I sectioned out six planting-beds and tramped down paths between them.

Imagine, your own little farm, for only $12 rental a year! (includes tools, equipment, soil testing, fertilizer prep,  always-full water barrels, full sun and expert advice from fellow community gardeners.  Any produce not consumed at season's end is collected and given to the soup kitchen behind the little white tool shed.  (That was the case last year when I'd gone a bit overboard on the chard again and couldn't manage to eat it all, running out of neighbors to give it to. I ended up with two gigantic lawn bags full.)

You would think people would  JUMP at the chance to have a mini farm in the city.  (As of yesterday, there are six plots still available). Check back in late August and this big empty field of dirt will have become a veritable jungle of veggies. 

Due to cold weather, most people are holding off planting until next week.  I hope the kale comes up this year.  Tried twice before but it never even sprouted.  Transplants did fine but seeded directly into the soil did not.  Will try again ...   Summer:  Bring it on!!!