April 15, 2011  

Welcome Gardeners and Welcome Spring!  Welcome gardeners returning and new to another season with the Bloomington Community Gardening Program! Whether you’re joining us for our first season at the brand new Butler Park Community Garden or for our twenty-eighth season at the Willie Streeter Community Garden, we’re pleased to be starting the season with you. The gardens open on Saturday April 16th and will remain open through October 31st. We trust you will enjoy this beautiful weather and the wonderful new beginning that is spring planting.

IN THIS EDITION OF THE GARDEN BEET 

Meet the Garden Staff  Garden Hours 

People’s University Gardening Classes Collaboration 

Plot and Path Maintenance 

Garden Maintenance 

New Tool for Improving Soil Aeration and Drainage:  The Broad Fork 

How to Save Time, Control Weeds, and Improve the Soil:  Mulch or Cover Crop 

Plant and Seed Swap for Community Gardeners 

Communicate with Your Fellow Gardeners:  Google Groups 

Community Gardening Organic Guidelines Reminder 

Composting in the Community Gardens 

Season Extension Plots 

Being a Garden Leader:  Growing Community 

Join the Garden Staff:  Garden Supervisor Sought 

What to Plant Right Now 

Cover Cropping 

One Gardener’s Success with Soil Amending 

Free Composted Leaves at the Gardens 

Accessible Gardening 

Plant A Row For the Hungry 

Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market—A Place to Buy Plants 

Thank yous 

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard and the Community Gardens 

Volunteer Garden Coordinator Sought for New Homeless Shelter 

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Meet the Garden Staff Garden Manager: Robin Hobson is very happy to have returned to the Parks Department after several years to serve as the Garden Manager as well as the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market Market Master. The Garden Manager oversees the entire operation of the Bloomington Community Gardening Program. Robin has twenty years experience as a home and market gardener and has rented a plot at the Butler Park Community Garden this season. Robin may be reached by e-mail at hobsonr@bloomington.in.gov or by phone at (812) 349-3704. Message from Robin: “There is so much to learn from each other as we work side by side in our plots. Be sure to introduce yourself to other gardeners you may not know throughout the season and ask questions or share answers with others. May the community aspect of our program be as fruitful as our gardens. Here's to a great upcoming gardening season!” Garden Supervisor: Jessica Williams will start the season as the Community Garden Supervisor. Jessica will be leaving the Parks Department in late May to pursue a degree in Organic Agriculture Systems at Washington State University. Jessica’s replacement is currently being sought. If you or someone you know is interested in this position, please see the job description later in this newsletter. The Garden Supervisor oversees the on-site coordination of the Community Gardening Program and will be available to give advice on planting and maintaining garden plots. She will also facilitate volunteer efforts in the gardens, including individual volunteers and volunteer groups. The Garden Supervisor may be reached in the gardens during Garden Hours (more information below), by e-mail at communitygardens@bloomington.in.gov, or by phone at (812) 327-9795. E-mail is the preferred method of contact. Gardeners are encouraged to tap into the Garden Staff’s horticultural knowledge. They are happy to answer questions about your plots and plants. If they don’t know an answer they’ll likely have a resource to point you towards. Please also feel free to contact the Garden Staff with any suggestions or comments.

Garden Hours The Garden Supervisor and Garden Leaders* host Garden Hours throughout the week at Willie Streeter and Butler Community Gardens, weather permitting. Tools from the garden shed will be available for gardeners to use during this time. The Garden Supervisor’s garden hours are also a great opportunity to ask questions of the Garden Supervisor, meet and work with other gardeners, and contribute to communal areas in the gardens. Gardeners are always welcome and encouraged to help with maintaining communal areas, turning compost, and other garden tasks. Interested in volunteering or in hosting additional Garden Hours? Contact the Garden Staff. *Garden Leaders are participating gardeners who take on a leadership role by providing support for other gardeners by coordinating garden programs, events, or projects. See more information in this newsletter about how to be a Garden Leader.

Garden Hours Weather permitting 

Garden tools are available during these times Butler Park Community Garden Hours Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30 pm schedule confirmed only through May 11th (Garden Supervisor) Fridays, 9-11 am schedule confirmed only through May 13th (Garden Supervisor)

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Willie Streeter Community Garden Tuesdays, 5:30-7:30 pm schedule confirmed only through May 10th (Garden Supervisor) Wednesdays, 8-10 am (Garden Leader Ijah McCulley) Wednesdays, 6-8 pm (Garden Leader Kristi Montooth) Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 pm schedule confirmed only through May 12th (Garden Supervisor) Saturdays, 9:30-11 am (Garden Leader and Master Gardener Bill Anderson) Sundays April 17-May 29, 11 am-1 pm (Garden Leader Katie Bartunek) Sundays June 5-August 28, 8-10 am (Garden Leader Katie Bartunek) Sundays September 4-October 30, 11 am-1 pm (Garden Leader Katie Bartunek)

People’s University Gardening Classes Collaboration The Bloomington Community Gardening Program has partnered with People’s University to offer four courses specifically focusing on gardening in the Community Gardens. Breaking New Ground: Soil Preparation for New Gardens In a new garden site, initial soil preparation is the key to a successful gardening season. The class teaches participants how to evaluate, prepare, and amend soil that has not been previously used for gardening. Topics covered include soil testing, evaluating and improving drainage, addressing nutrient deficits, soil structure improvement and maintenance, and creating planting beds. Weather permitting, there is an opportunity for hands-on instruction and practice.

Saturday 5/7 · 2-4 p.m. Banneker Community Center, 930 W. 7th St. and Rev. Ernest D. Butler Park, 812 W. 9th St. (weather and soil conditions permitting) $7/in-city, $8/non-city ― Register by 5/2 (Code 87610-A)

Pest and Disease Prevention and Control Learn how to prevent pest and disease problems in the garden and how to control them if they do occur. Topics covered include preventive strategies, identification of signs and symptoms, and use of sustainable methods of control. The class has a field demonstration component. Rain date is 7/9. Participants will be contacted if rain date is necessary.

Saturday 6/18 · 2-4 p.m. Willie Streeter Gardens, 2120 S. Highland Ave. $10/in-city, $12/non-city ― Register by 6/13 (Code 87616-A)

Weed Prevention and Control Weeds are plants out of place. They can compete with your crops for sunlight, water, and nutrients. They also can harbor plant pathogens and insect pests. Learn how to put weeds in their place with improved garden management strategies. The class covers weed identification, preventive techniques, and eradication methods. The class includes a field demonstration component. Rain date is 7/9. Participants will be contacted if rain date is necessary.

Saturday 6/25 · 2-4 p.m. Willie Streeter Gardens, 2120 S. Highland Ave. $10/in-city, $12/non-city ― Register by 6/20 (Code 87618-A)

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Fall Gardening and Cover Cropping Fall is a wonderful gardening season in Bloomington. Many cool-season crops perform better in fall than in spring. The challenge is in getting fall crops started in the heat of summer. The class prepares participants to start and maintain a productive fall garden. It also reviews cover crops and their uses and includes a field demonstration component. Rain date is 7/23. Participants will be contacted if rain date is necessary.

Saturday 7/16 · 2-4 p.m. Willie Streeter Gardens, 2120 S. Highland Ave. $10/in-city, $12/non-city ― Register by 7/11 (Code 87615-A)

Wonderfully informative and affordable gardening classes are offered year-round through People’s University. For more information or to register for these or other People’s University Gardening Classes, visit http://bloomington.in.gov/home-and-garden or call (812) 349-3737.

Plot and Path Maintenance Here is a review of your core responsibilities as a community gardener. For a full refresher course, review your Garden Contract. Think of these points below as garden etiquette. These policies were created to help keep the gardens looking great and functioning well.

Keep your plot and surrounding paths weeded. All the time, all season long. Add wood chip mulch from the pile in the parking lot to your paths as needed.

Dispose of your plant waste (weeds or other plants that you’ve pulled from your plot) in the designated composting areas or remove them from the site. Do not throw plant matter in the paths or against the fence line.

Only store things in your plot that you use regularly. Don’t store anything that might blow away and become trash. This applies to your plant markers too.

Remove all of your trash from the gardens. If your trash is small and the trash cans in the park have room you may dispose of it there. If your trash is large or the cans are full, please dispose of your trash appropriately elsewhere. Do not leave anything other than tomato cages and garden stakes outside the garden shed.

Be kind; rewind the hose neatly when you’re done using it. Make sure that you don’t drag it through another’s plot too. Do not leave hoses spread out in the paths or in a tangle.

Close the gates upon entering and exiting—every time. Going on vacation? Find a garden sitter—you’re still responsible for your plot even when you’re away.

Ask your plot neighbor or use the googlegroups (more information below) if you need help finding a garden sitter.

Do not fence in your individual plot. Update your contact information with Garden Staff within one week of a change.

Garden Staff will contact gardeners renting unmaintained plots and those gardeners will be given two weeks to comply with all guidelines. If the gardener does not comply by the end of this period, the gardener will be charged a maintenance fee and the Garden Staff will clear the plot(s) and reassign.

Garden Maintenance You maintain your plot and we maintain the community garden infrastructure! Let us know if tools or other items are in need of repair or other attention.

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New Tool for Improving Soil Aeration and Drainage:  The Broadfork Late last fall we purchased a broadfork for gardeners to use in their plots. The broadfork is a wonderful tool. It’s easy to use and helps loosen soil to allow for better aeration and drainage. It can also be very helpful in loosening the soil before the harvesting of root crops or the adding of soil amendments. For more information about how to use the broadfork or to simply use it your plot, come to Garden Hours. The broadfork will travel back and forth between the two gardeners until we have the opportunity to purchase a second one.

How to Save Time, Control Weeds, and Improve the Soil: 

Mulch or Cover Crop Our number one recommendation for gardeners is to cover your soil with some kind of mulch or cover crop. Weeds can overtake a garden, especially in mid-summer, and an effective way of controlling weeds is to prevent them from growing in the first place. Mulch also keeps moisture in the soil. If it’s a mulch of organic matter (straw, leaves) it also improves the health of the garden and adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes. In brief: Mulching is covering the soil around plants with organic material. Cover cropping is planting a crop that has a beneficial impact on the soil. Planted densely enough, cover crops can double as a mulch. Suggested mulch: Straw, leaves, wood chips (not recommended for the average vegetable garden), grass clippings. Suggested cover crops: depending on the time of year, buckwheat, clovers, field peas, oats, rye, and sorghum-sudangrass. See more information about what to plant now later in this newsletter. Tips for mulching Weed soil thoroughly before putting down mulch. Lay down a thick layer of mulch to discourage weeds (4” to 6” of mulch may be needed in full sun). Don’t put organic material directly at the base of vegetable plants; this encourages slug and rodent damage. Sources of mulch: Leaves – we are working to obtain leaves. Be on the look out for them in the parking lot of each garden. Bales of straw - available at White River Co-op or Bloomington Hardware. Wood chips for the paths will be available at the garden as often as possible. Please do not use wood chips

from the garden paths as mulch for your garden! The path mulch is thick to prevent weeds from growing. Tips for cover cropping: Plant something seasonally appropriate (See recommendations later in this newsletter). Plant densely if intending for the cover crop to double as a mulch against weeds. “Harvest” it and turn it back into your plot at the appropriate time in the plants life cycle. Consider intercropping—planting a cover crop between the plants you are growing for food or flowers. Sources of cover crop seeds: White River Farm Coop Numerous seed catalogues such as Johnny’s Selected Seeds, High Mowing Organic Seeds, and Peaceful

Valley Farm & Garden Supply, and Fedco Co-op Garden Supplies

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Plant and Seed Swap for Community Gardeners All Community Gardeners Are Welcome Saturday, May 7th 4:00-6:00 pm The Willie Streeter Garden Shed Rain location: The Winslow Woods Park Shelter just across the parking lot from the garden Hosted by your fellow gardener Sarah Pearce Do you start too many tomato seeds every year? Do you wish you could trade in a few of those brandywines for a mortgage lifter or two? Many community gardeners start their own seeds, collect their own seeds, or just plain buy too many plants for their plot! You may even have thinnings to share by this time in the spring. Let's get together and share our extras with each other. This will also be a great opportunity to meet your neighboring gardeners and share tips for the planting season. **Note: if you would like to give or take seeds, you may want to bring some extra small envelopes, plastic baggies, or a card board box if you won't be planting right away.***

Communicate with Your Fellow Gardeners:  Google Groups Willie Streeter Community Garden Google Group Again this season there is a Willie Streeter Community Garden Google Group, maintained by your fellow gardener Kristi Montooth. Like most e-mail discussion groups, should you chose to subscribe you have the choice of receiving messages in your e-mail inbox or if you have a gmail account, checking them online on the group's website. In past seasons the discussion group has been very low traffic. Messages may only be viewed by subscribed group members. Gardeners may use the group to communicate with the entire garden community about such things as finding a plot sitter while away, coordinating group purchases of garden supplies/soil amendments, asking or sharing advice, etc. *Googlegroups is not for contacting Garden Staff. Please contact Garden Staff via the contact information listed elsewhere in this newsletter. To subscribe to the discussion group: Send a message from the e-mail account you would like to subscribe to willie-streeter-growers+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You do not need to have Gmail or a Google account to use Google Groups. The advantage of having a Google account is that you can use their web interface to post and view, rather than posting and receiving messages just through email. This link has information on what you can do with and without a Google account: http://groups.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=46438 Butler Park Community Garden Group Communication Interested in being able to communicate with your fellow gardeners? Volunteer to facilitate some form of group communication. Google groups, Yahoo groups, a Facebook page, whatever you’re inspired to use. Contact Garden Staff for more information or to volunteer.

Community Gardening Organic Guidelines Reminder Organic gardening emphasizes working with nature, soil building, preventing problems before they occur, and using only natural, non-toxic or minimally toxic substances if intervention is required.

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Bloomington Parks and Recreation encourages all community gardeners to follow our Community Garden Program Organic Guidelines. We require all gardeners gardening in organic plots to do so. Most plots at Willie Streeter and all plots at Butler are considered organic plots and must follow the Community Garden Program Organic Guidelines. The only conventional (non organic) plots within the community gardens are Willie Streeter plots 0 through 5 in rows A through E. The guidelines exist to make our gardens safe and healthy for all participants. The guidelines are specific to the Community Garden Program and are not the same as the USDA Organic Standards. The guidelines cover both recommended not recommended and prohibited fertilizers and pesticides. Synthetic herbicides of any kind are prohibited in the organic plots of the community gardens. A copy of the guidelines can be found online at http://bloomington.in.gov/media/media/application/pdf/6407.pdf. If you would prefer to have a copy mailed or e-mailed to you, we’d be happy to do so. These are basic guidelines. For more detailed information on or support with gardening organically please contact us.

Composting in the Community Gardens All of our garden locations offer a place to compost the plant materials that come out of your plots. Thus from time to time we end up with composted organic matter which is made available for gardeners to add to their plots. Please note that due to the number of people using the compost bins while we do our best, it is not possible for us to prevent weed seeds or diseased plants from entering the compost. The intention of our composting system is to have a way to sustainably dispose of organic waste created by the Community Gardening Program. Any usable compost created from this system is a welcome bonus. Look for signs on the compost bins at each garden which will provide instructions for bin use. What to place in our compost bins: plants and most things plant-based (fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds, weeds—no seeds), egg shells, bread, baked goods without frosting. If you are putting anything with a thick stalk into the compost bins (sunflowers, Brussels sprouts, etc.) please cut stalk up into smaller pieces (roughly a foot or shorter) before placing them in the bins. What not to place in our compost bins: weeds with seeds, aggressive weeds such as bind weed, liquids, animal-based products (meat, dairy, fats, eggs), compostable “plastic” packaging, woody or thorny plant materials. The compost bins at Butler are coming soon. We hope the installation to be completed later this spring. At Willie Streeter, our bins are ready for your compostables. We encourage gardeners to bring food scraps from home to add to the garden compost! Please make sure to cover food scraps with a layer of carbon-rich material (found in a separate bin). Contact communitygardens@bloomington.in.gov or 349-3704 if you have questions or are interested in helping maintain our composting system.

Season Extension Plots Select plots in both gardens are season extension plots. This means that gardeners, with permission from garden staff, may use those plots year round and thus may also plant perennials. In exchange for this extended use of the plot gardeners must fully maintain their plots and paths year-round.

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The season extension plots are: Willie Streeter rows A, B, C, GG, HH, II, JJ, KK, and the raised beds Butler all plots If you are a season extension gardener, look for a special edition of the Garden Beet all about season extension gardening coming soon.

Being a Garden Leader:  Growing Community Interested in the COMMUNITY aspect of community gardening? Working together to help improve and maintain the gardens and connections between gardeners is a great way to build community. Volunteer or become a garden leader! Garden leaders are participating gardeners who have taken on a leadership role by providing support for other gardeners and coordinating garden programs, events or projects. There are many ways to be a garden leader. Here are just a few: organize garden potlucks, coordinate Plant a Row for the Hungry donations, coordinate the composting system, host additional garden hours when Community Gardening Program tools are available for gardeners use, or coordinate a Butler Community Garden listserv. Interested in learning more about taking on a leadership role in the gardens? Please contact Garden Staff by phone 812-349-3704 or email communitygardens@bloomington.in.gov. The garden staff is excited to support gardeners interested in community building!

Join the Garden Staff:  Garden Supervisor Sought  Description The City of Bloomington Community Gardening Program is looking for a Garden Supervisor for the 2011 season. Responsibilities include: assisting with ongoing garden maintenance, such as marking of garden plots; coordinating composting efforts of gardeners; coordinating groups volunteering at gardens; communicating/enforcing rules and policies with gardeners; maintaining positive relations with gardeners and providing advice when requested; maintaining garden equipment and supplies; and maintaining overall appearance of all Community Gardening Program sites. Experience/Special Skills Applicants should have relevant experience with gardening/farming, genuine enthusiasm for outdoor activities and physical labor, demonstrated ability to work well with the public, ability to work independently and take direction from the Program Specialist, ability to exercise good judgment and excellent communication skills. Hours May – November, 25 hours per week, evenings, holidays and weekends as frequently required. Salary $10.20/hour To apply or for more information, contact Robin Hobson at (812) 349-3704 or hobsonr@bloomington.in.gov. Applications will be accepted through Friday, April 29, 2011.

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What to Plant Right Now As with virtually everything about gardening, the dates on the following page are a guide, not a rule. Further, the plants listed below are some common things that can be grown in south central Indiana, but certainly this is not an all inclusive list of what can be planted here and now. TP next to a plant indicates that these are dates for transplanting, not for starting a seed in the ground. A question mark next to a date means that the information available to us mentioned a time of year or a season, but not an exact date. We converted this information into an estimated date.

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Cover Cropping 

Cover crops or green manures are crops grown for the improvements they can make to your garden plot. If you have an area in which you are not currently aren’t growing, a cover crop can be a way to improve your soil while also blocking out weeds. Some cover crops take a long time to grow and others have a shorter life span. There is a lot to learn about each one, the best times and places to use them, whether they die on their own or whether you have to mow them or turn them in, and how to prepare your plot for planting after your cover crop is done. Below is just the tip of the iceberg of information about the particular cover crops listed on the chart above. We encourage you to learn more by asking questions and doing further reading. Much of the information below was gleaned from the book Building Soils for Better Crops Second Edition by Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es, published by The Sustainable Agriculture Network.

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Oats-Mix with clover, peas, vetch, or other legumes Suppress weeds, add biomass Red Clover-mix with small grains, vegetables Nitrogen source, soil builder, weed suppressor, beneficial insect attractor Annual Ryegrass (not cereal rye grain)-mix with legumes, grasses weed suppression, improve tilth, organic matter, quick growing, as a living mulch under solanaceas (tomatoes peppers) to help prevent soil splashing and thus disease spreading. Warning: annual rye grass can take up a lot of nitrogen in its own growth. Berseem Clover-mix with oats, ryegrass, with small grains as nurse crop (A nurse crop is a fast growing crop which protects slower growing crops while they get established.) Suppress weeds, Nitrogen source, biomass Buckwheat-mix with sorghum-sudangrass Quick soil cover, weed suppressor, topsoil loosener, phosphorus scavenger Cow Peas-mix with sorghum-sudangrass, millet Suppress weeds, fix Nitrogen, build soil Crimson Clover-mix with rye & cereals, vetch, annual ryegrass Nitrogen source, soil builder, reseeds itself (interrow ground cover) Foxtail Millet Drought tolerant, quick growing, biomass Sorghum-Sudangrass-mix with buckwheat, cowpeas, sesbania, sunn hemp Soil builder, weed & nematode suppressor, subsoil loosener Recommended Cover Crop Mixes: May: Berseem Clover & Sorghum Sudan Grass May & June: Buckwheat & Sorghum Sudan Grass Cowpeas & Sorghum Sudan Grass May, June & early July: Cow Peas & Foxtail Millet

One Gardener’s Success with Soil Amending Every gardener has their own unique set of experiences and education to share with other gardeners. Gerry Girman, a Willie Streeter gardener, writes below about his successful efforts to amend his soil last season. Gerry’s hard work paid off with a beautiful gardener. His plants thrived during last year’s drought and were impressive in their resistant to pests and diseases. If you have a success story you’d like to share with gardeners, let us know. Here’s Gerry’s experience in his own words: I worked the plot keeping in mind ideas found in the book named Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. In particular the information on soil structure and organic fertilizers is very useful. My aim has been to make the heavy clay soil more friable without upsetting the basic soil structure. Ideally this endeavor will allow for deeper

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root growth and the possibility that plants can grow into their full potential along with increasing the likelihood that they can access a full spectrum of useful minerals. More minerals are involved in growing healthy plants than just nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. If I was limited to choosing one relatively inexpensive fertilizer it would be Alfalfa - in meal or pellet form. It has an NPK rating of 5-1-2 and it contains trace minerals along with triaconotal, a natural growth stimulant. I didn't do a soil test, but I think that it is likely that this clay soil naturally contains some essential minerals. Yet, without a soil test, it is hard to tell which minerals may be lacking or excessive... So, I basically just guessed which minerals to supplement and how much to use. I began by double digging the bed, reaching a depth of over two feet of loosened soil. Before I replaced the top one foot of soil I mixed in some alfalfa meal along with either coconut coir or expanded shale (I switched to the shale after doing some research). Those last two organic amendments are useful in a way similar to peat moss without being so high in acid or possible fungal infection. In the top foot of soil I mixed alfalfa meal, rock phosphate, green sand, kelp, compost from my home garden (which included earthworms), and more expanded shale. I then spread mulch on the bed. Alfalfa meal is supposed to be an attractive food for earthworms. And earthworms are one of the best things one could wish for to be included in their soil. The mulch is important for maintaining a more consistent moisture level in the soil, which should benefit both the plants and the earthworms while reducing the need to water as frequently when conditions are dry. The minerals that I have added, with the exception of alfalfa meal and compost, should benefit the soil for a few years because they are slow acting in becoming available to the plants in a useful manner.

Free Composted Leaves at the Gardens Thanks to a generous donation from the City of Columbus, Indiana we are please to offer composted leaves for community gardeners to use to amend their plots this spring. Some of this wonderful organic matter has already been added into the new Butler garden. The rest is piled outside each garden for gardeners to use themselves. At Butler the pile is between the garden fence and the railroad tracks. At Willie Streeter it is in the parking lot. This amendment is available first come first serve, so if you’re interested, please don’t wait. Please note that while we are grateful to the City of Columbus for their generosity and very pleased to be able to offer this product to gardeners this season, soil amendments are not a service promised by the Community Gardening Program.

Accessible Gardening Adaptive hand tools are available for gardeners to use during Garden Hours. For more information about the adaptive tools please contact communitygardens@bloomington.in.gov or call (812) 349-3704. For information about Parks & Rec’s other accessibility options please contact Inclusive Recreation Coordinator Amy Shrake at shrakea@bloomington.in.gov or call (812) 349-3747.

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Plant a Row for the Hungry The Plant a Row for the Hungry Program encourages gardeners to plant and harvest extra produce to donate to Hoosier Hills Food Bank (HHFB), which distributes food to roughly 100 local agencies, including emergency food pantries, daycare centers serving low-income children, youth programs, shelters, residential homes and soup kitchens. As you are planting your gardens, consider planting extra to donate. Produce can be dropped off at the Saturday Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market, Hoosier Hills Food Bank, or Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard. For more information on drop-off locations and times, go to hhfoodbank.org/plantarow.htm. Beginning mid-May Garden Leader Ijah McCulley will coordinate a weekly Willie Streeter Plant a Row collection on Wednesdays from 8am-9pm. Look for more information closer to that time. Coordinating community garden donations to Plant a Row is a wonderful Garden Leader opportunity! For more information contact Garden Staff. Plant a Row for the Hungry partners: Bloomingfoods, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, Hilltop Garden and Nature Center, and Worm's Way.

Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market—A Place to Buy Plants Find great plant starts at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market Saturday mornings from 8am-1pm in the Showers Common (City Hall) parking lot. Many local vendors sell vegetable and flower starts and can also provide great growing tips.

Thank yous Our most sincere thanks to the following folks who have made contributions to the gardens already this season:

For their hard work preparing our garden fences and our garden paths by shoveling and mulching them: o Volunteer Gardeners: Stephanie Ritrievi, Morgan Hough, and Eric Hultgren o Volunteers: Betty Sawyer and Erin Heuer o The ladies of the IU Rowing Team o Volunteers from IU’s Helene G. Simon Hillel Center o Monroe County Community Corrections Road Crew

For their generosity and leadership in being Garden Leaders: o Willie Streeter Garden Hour Hosts: Bill Anderson, Katie Bartunek, Ijah McCulley, Kristi

Montooth o Willie Streeter Plant Swap Hosts: Sarah Pearce o Willie Streeter Gardeners’ Googlegroups Coordinator: Kristi Montooth

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard and the Community Gardens Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard (MHC) is a community food pantry whose mission is to provide healthful, wholesome foods to people in need, as well as nutrition and gardening education. MHC cultivates garden plots at Butler Park Community Garden, Crestmont Community Garden, Banneker Green Thumbs Garden, and the Harmony School Garden. The produce grown in these plots is distributed for free to those in need through the MHC food pantry.

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This season the Community Gardening Program and Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard Food Pantry will trial an alternative method of community gardening at the Crestmont Community Garden. Replacing the individual rental plots of past seasons, MHC will coordinate a collaborative garden in which all gardeners at this site will garden the entire space together. The harvest will be shared by gardeners and Crestmont community members. Surplus harvests will be distributed through the MHC Food Pantry. For more information about gardening with Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard contact mhc@mhcfoodpantry.org or (812) 355-6843. MHC also holds weekly garden work days at Crestmont April-October on Tuesdays from 5:00-7:00 pm and Fridays from 9:00-11:00 am. MHC would welcome the help of community gardeners! For more information please contact Stephanie at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org or 812-355-6843. Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard offers an array of gardening and nutrition classes. Current courses can be found at http://mhcfoodpantry.org/indexevents.html. Here are some of their upcoming offerings: Pots and Plots: Community and Container Gardening with the FSSP Saturday, April 23rd noon-2pm (Rain Date April 30th) Crestmont Garden Join the Family Self Sufficiency Program and MHC to learn the basics of container gardening and about the opportunity to garden in the Crestmont Community Garden. We’ll discuss the basics of growing vegetables and herbs in pots as well as how to start growing fruits and vegetables with Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard. To sign up contact Stephanie at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org or 355-6843. MHC Maple Valley Farm Tour Thursday, April 21st 5:30pm-7pm (Rain date Thursday, April 28th) Location: Maple Valley Farm Carpool out to one of Monroe County's most innovative farms, Maple Valley Farm, where cows, lamb, rabbits and chicken are raised on nutrient rich pasture. Hike the farm (be prepared, some parts are a bit rugged!), visit with the animals, and hear from farmer Larry Howard and his family about their farming techniques. Also learn about the Weston A. Price Foundation, and how farmers are learning to grow and raise food to benefit the health of their communities. Let us know if you need a ride or are willing to drive. To sign up for this farm tour contact Stephanie at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org or 355-6843. Introduction to Vegetable Gardening Thursday, May 5th 6pm-8pm Banneker Community Center Kitchen and Garden Learn how to start your own vegetable garden for the coming season. We'll talk about a variety of gardening methods from bio-dynamic and bio-intensive to permaculture. Learn the basics of crop rotation, companion planting, soil building, and cover cropping. This class is open to the public, with priority given to MHC patrons and volunteers. To register for this class contact Stephanie at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org or 355-6843. Landscaping for Homeowners with BHA Saturday, May 7th noon-2pm (rain date 5/14) Crestmont Community Building Join the Family Self Sufficiency Program and MHC to learn the basics of “green” and budget friendly home landscape design. We’ll talk about how to landscape in order to save money on energy bills and to reduce the need for mowing and other costly and time intensive yard work. This class will also include an overview of

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edible and native landscaping techniques. To register for this class contact Stephanie at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org or 355-6843. Wild Edibles Thursday, May 12th 5:30-7:30 Location: Banneker Center Kitchen Join Lucille Bertuccio of the Center for Sustainable Living to learn how to identify and prepare wild edible plants common in the Midwest. Participants will tour the Banneker garden to look for wild edibles, and then prepare a snack for tasting in the kitchen. This class is open to the public, with priority given to MHC patrons and volunteers. To register for this class contact Stephanie at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org or 355-6843. Herb Gardening Thursday, June 9th 6pm-7:30pm Location: Banneker Community Center Garden Join MHC staff to learn about growing and cultivating herbs, as well as their many culinary and medicinal uses. See our permaculture inspired herb spiral and learn about starting and propagating your own herbs. To register for this class contact Stephanie at stephanie@mhcfoodpantry.org or 355-6843.

Volunteer Garden Coordinator Sought for New Homeless Shelter New Hope Family Shelter, Inc., which will open in summer 2011, seeks an intern or volunteer who will lead a vegetable garden program to provide recreation for shelter residents, gardening skills for children and adult residents who want to take part, and vegetables for families living at New Hope. Manage all stages of a garden 10 feet by 20 feet or slightly larger. Email nhfsinc@gmail.com for an application. Be prepared to describe your previous gardening experience and your vision for a shelter-garden project.

SEE YOU IN THE GARDENS!