Message From Matt Cooper

Hope everyone is doing well. This Sat. is our last workshop. It would be very helpful if people can join this Sat. from 10:30am to begin clean up and putting the gardens to bed. If this Sat. is not conducive to your schedule I really need to stress please do your part and at least get the weeds down. The town of Boone gets upset if the community garden is not cleaned up during the winter months. This means anything erected; weeds, stakes, cages, etc. must be removed otherwise the slap on the wrist comes to me and I have had enough of that from the past.

I would like to take this opportunity to update everyone that anyone interested in renewing their space has first dibs. I like to know by the 1st of Jan. who is going to renew. If I do not hear from you in Jan. I will assume your space is free to anyone else interested. I will send out a request in Jan. as a reminder and put adds in the press.

Anyone that likes garlic or flowering bulbs this month is the last to plant them. For garlic you want to plant each clove 1-2inches deep and 6inches apart and then cover with a leaf or straw mulch 2-5inches thick. Then in March you will see the garlic begin to sprout. As for flowering bulbs I will try to get some from Lowe's to give away. Otherwise, buy what you may already like or want.

The grant I got for the Community Garden will allow for me to build 4 handicapped raised beds this winter, 3 more dumb truck loads of top soil amended with compost from Highland Landscaping, and to collect horse manure.

We got a generous donation from being Friends of the Month with Earthfare. I plan to purchase seed trays, seeds, straw, tools, and compost in the spring to help us get started next year.

Also, next year we will be constructing a cob shed in the spring for the community garden to house tools and other resources.

I am grateful to all of you who have joined in on getting your hands in the dirt. Feedback is always welcome.

Have a wonderful winter and see you next year if not sooner.