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Showing posts from December, 2009

"We made it through the depression because we had a garden..."

My grandmother this coming spring will turn 92. She grew up picking cotton on other folks' farms in "LA, Lower Al'bama," south Georgia and N. Florida. She continues to "farm" to this day. Her vegetable garden-- heavy on peas, tomatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and peppers during the summer and collards, mustards and turnips during the winter-- is one of the things that keeps her going. Born in 1918, she "didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday." Here she is in her garden harrowing a row with her five-year-old great-granddaughter, Mackenzie. Ever since I started growing vegetables when I was eight-years-old, food bearing plants-- and the eating that goes along with them-- have been one of the mainstays of our relationship. When we write letters, we always end up reporting on the state of our gardens, sharing things like the purchase of a new fruit tree or a bumper crop of collards. And when I visit her, the first thing after hugging is to dig i

New Community Garden

Orange Ave Apts community members, supported by Damayan volunteers, installed a 500sq.ft. raised-bed, community garden in their neighborhood. The beds are framed with recycled concrete and filled with mushroom compost. Damayan brought in a few benches. Children and volunteers planted blueberry bushes and a tangerine. Already, the garden in creating a new sense of welcome to a forgotten space in the neighborhood. When I pass through to check in with community folks, I notice people mlling around the garden to check on the growth of the newly planted collards, mustards, and flowers. Here are a few pictures courtesy of Michelle. Mr. Oliver overseeing the compost dump. Jacob busting up concrete. Mr. Oliver and the Man in Overalls talking plants after spreading compost. Trystann and William bringing over the plants. Planting collards. It's been an honor working with the children and adults in the Orange Ave Apartments community that are bringing food move

Food Garden Certificates

Certificates available for raised-beds, fruit trees, grape trellises, loads of compost, food garden consultations, and brute garden labor.... for your fam and buddies that say whimsically, "Gee... if only I had some help to get started..." Raised-Vegetable Gardens (4x10)  *Square Foot Garden *Assembled and Prepared for you to plant *DIY Kits (including lumber, compost, and seeds) *DIY 4x8 Economy Kits (including lumber, compost, and seeds) Herb Gardens Fruit Trees Grape Trellises Edible Landscape Mushroom Compost Delivered *(1/2 Truckload) Weekly to Seasonal Gardening Services Gardening Tutorials & Consultations Neighborhood Garden Workshops Send me an email with questions and/or to arrange a certificate exchange . ManInOveralls at gmail dot com (For additional services and prices, click here .) Redeemable in Tallahassee or Jacksonville areas. (Not valid without my signature)