Dates and Updates

Mark your calendars

Sunday, October 16, 1:00                               Sunday, evening, November 13

Fall Work Day in the garden                           Annual Meeting, Lake Park Lodge

Fall Work Day--

      Compost will be the main focus of the day. Plant material in the south bin needs to be chopped, stomped and turned to make room for more. Plant material in the north bin needs to be moved to the south bin. Underneath, there should be beautiful finished compost. We can distribute this, along with what remains of the compost pile by the road, to all the plots in the garden.

      If there is time and energy left, we can repair some of the paths with newspaper and chips.

      So--polish up your wheelbarrows and shovels and choppers and mark your calendar for October 16

      A note about the compost bins: Wayne has stapled hail cloth around the bottom edge of both compost bins to keep out voles (It actually worked pretty well). He has cut one end of each bin to allow access into the bins. Instructions for moving one side are posted on each bin. 

      Please continue to use restraint on filling the bins. After the work day we should have one whole empty one to use. 

Water-

      You have probably noticed that the city has begun working on the new water line. There is supposed to be a hydrant on the line that runs along the north side of the garden. This should make hooking onto the garden easy for next season. I'll keep people posted as I get more information. 

      The City will pull our connection, read the meter, and bill us sometime in mid-October. Last year the bill was about $135 and it should be close to that this year. 

      Next year rates are going up. I can't remember exactly how much, but a lot.

Garden Notecards--

      Cards go to the printer the first week of November. Order forms are in the shed,or contact Jan for an email copy. Return orders, along with payment, to Sue Burnett (address is on the form) or bring it to the Fall Work Day.

      Orders by October 31 will be much appreciated. That will give us some idea of how many to print. 

Annual Meeting of the Community Garden--Plans are still forming, but the major topic of discussion will be about finances. We are operating in the red at the present and need to figure out how to make ourselves, first solvent, then sustainable. The board has discussed raising the annual plot rental or assessing an upfront contribution to be repaid when volunteer hours are completed. We don't want to become prohibitively costly, but we need to be able to cover expenses. Input from everyone on this subject is encouraged.  Come to the meeting and share your ideas. We will also be electing new board members. If you are interested in becoming involved, let us know.

The Winona Post-had a lovely article about the garden last Sunday. I will put up a copy on the shed bulletin board.

Cover cropping--Oat seeds are available in the shed for cover cropping. Sprinkle some on your plot when when you have cleared a section for the season. Some may sprout this fall, some in the spring. Fall-sprouted oats will die and make lovely compost for you plot. Spring-sprouted seeds will suppress the weeds until you get something planted, then make lovely mulch around your new plants. Isn't nature wonderful?