Ready to deliver one of the carts
This basket was filled with chard – twice!
3 varieties of tomatoes
- Volunteers from Redeemer, First Parish, Pilgrim, Hancock and a few others from the community
- Harvest included tomatoes, eggplant, swiss chard, broccoli, beans, parsley, dill, mint, beets, kale, radishes and zucchini
The usual report covers how the garden is progressing, who worked, what and how much was picked and new things learned. But not often enough do we reflect on another aspect of this project—and that is the building of community that happens as people work together on an endeavor for the benefit of others. I was thinking of this when the morning tasks were done and no one left. As I looked around there were a number of small groups of people who were chatting and in no rush to leave. The garden can be a place to meet new people or catch up with old friends, such as the former preschool teacher of your kids. It can be a place to compare what you’ve experienced, learn about a recipe or get a referral for a tree guy. And just as easily it can be a quiet space where you work alongside others, peacefully enjoying the productivity of the soil. But what we understand from our volunteers is the garden is a space to which they look forward returning.
Volunteers not quite ready to go home
Recently Maria, a volunteer, asked if she could bring home some broccoli leaves to try cooking as she does with other greens. This was a new idea to Carla and the others working that day. Until then, the broccoli leaves had gone to the chickens, or home with a volunteer for their rabbits, or onto the compost pile. Maria reported back that they reminded her of a milder version of collard greens. So we sent some over to the pantry to see if clients might like to try them. And there were plenty left for Maria to take more for another sauté at home.Planting garlic—a chore for the fall. This garlic’s bed was prepped by the Tuesday volunteer group. The planting process was easy. Take a garlic head and break it into the individual cloves. Plant each clove about 2 inches deep, with the root down and the pointed end up. Cover with soil.
Working in the broccoli patch
Working in the broccoli patch
Planting Garlic
Taking a pause from cutting flowers
Asters?