The Community Garden was born in 2012, thanks to the efforts of a group of members led by Kevin Shelley and an ELCA Hunger grant for construction of two raised beds. Vacation Bible School children planted the first seeds. The garden is a way to contribute fresh vegetables to the Deerfield Community Center Food Pantry during the growing season. With a memorial gift from the family of Mabel Dodge, two beds were added in 2013; two more were added in 2014. Volunteers constructed the beds and, coordinated by Darcy Loy, have planted, watered, weeded and harvested. Run-off rain water from the roof, captured in a holding tank, is used for the garden. Two compost containers recycle garden waste.
Garden Team - Once again, (June 12)we had timely response to our request for help! Jerry Brown picked up over 400 seedlings from Oakhill Correctional yesterday morning and delivered them to our lot. A half dozen planters came last evening and got them in the ground (we have a few lefover. Thanks to a crew consisting of Michelle Krueger (who showed up over an hour early to help get the soil prepared (i.e. get the weeds out),
Melissa Owens, Kevin and Simon Shelly, Mary T. and me, the entire
garden was planted in about 2 1/2 hours. I continue to be impressed with
the special skills that people bring to this project at just the right
times. Thank you, thank you.
Depending on the weather, we may need volunteers to water the garden and the boxes in the coming days, and those who signed up to weed will have no trouble finding somewhere to work!
- Volunteer Wrangler Arlie
FENCING GROUP -- JUNE 2ND
A huge thank you to the fencing group who showed up at 8:00 am this morning. The crew included Brad S, Todd M, Dick B, Pastor S, Gary B, and myself with Mary T. for photography and some weeding. Some of the pictures are enclosed. (Gary got diverted helping Fred Wagner cut branches off a Black Walnut next to the shed.) So it is now safe to plant the seedlings, which will be picked up this next week. Please let Darcy or Jerry know if you are interested in helping out. The next concern is the water. The tank we have isn't collecting enough rainfall and the hook-up isn't finished. For now we are carrying water to the new plantings and it is a long way to carry with the sprinkling can! But progress is being made - Thanks again, Arlie
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Memorial Day Evening
When the rains stopped, delivery of topsoil and compost was completed, overseen by Darcy Schenkel and Jerry Brown, and the material was spread and prepared by Al Pulvermacher and Jeff Moerke. Kevin Stevens and the Boy Scouts repaired a garden box; Darcy and Kevin Haas are getting a separate water meter installed. Despite a hot and busy Memorial Day weekend, with members volunteering hours at Brat Fest and involved in graduation parties, the first planting was done by Jen Lees, Michelle Krueger, Darcy, Liz Sexe and Mary Turnquist while Pastor Larry and I staked out the boundaries of the big garden for fencing. A crew is scheduled to put up the fencing on Saturday morning (June 2). We will then pick up seedlings for planting along with the additional seeds we already have. Thanks to a timely rain, watering is not an immediate issues. But we need to dig a trench for a hose to get water from the tank or faucet to the garden. We'll need volunteers this week (June 4-9) and next to help with these tasks.
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REMEMBER THE CHART ON THE BOARD IN THE NARTHEX. Sign up and indicate how you would like to be involved! Call 764-5566 or 556-3809 if questions!
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The expanded DLC Community Garden project is underway! Thanks to a grant from the Madison Community Foundation, we have significantly increased the size and scope of this ministry, which will benefit the Community Center's senior meals program and food pantry. A good deal of organizing and work has already been done by the planning group. It is going to take a lot of volunteer time to ensure a good harvest. During the upcoming weeks the soil preparation, planting and fencing need to be done. There is a chart on the board in the narthex. Please sign up and indicate how you would like to be involved! I'll be in touch with you when your help is needed. Questions? Call me at 764-5666 or 556-3809. - Arlie Turnquist
