Gardening Classes at Riverside Farm

Thanks to Walli for finding these course opportunities at Riverside Farm, East 29th Street at the East River.

Preparing planting beds, seeding and transplanting

Description: Learn how we get soil ready for planting and when to direct seed vs. starting plants ahead of time for transplant. Time: 9am – 12pm Dates: March 31, May 12, June 23

Plant Maintenance: Watering, feeding, mulching, pruning and weeding

Description: Here we’ll show you all the basics and teach best practices for successful growing. Time: 9am – 12pm Dates: April 14, May 26

Composting

Description: Learn how we turn kitchen scraps and farm trimmings into healthy soil for our plants. You’ll learn the basics and how to start your own systems. Time: 9am – 12pm Dates: April 28, June 9

Upcoming Events from Greenthumb

Here are a couple of events recommended by Greenthumb:

Planning Your Garden for Seed Saving – Monday, June 27

It is with great pleasure that we announce a lecture and discussion with Seed Savers Exchange: “Planning Your Garden for Seed Saving” presented by GreenThumb, Horticultural Society of New York and New York Restoration Project. We hope that you will help us reach the New York City urban agriculture community by sharing this invitation with your colleagues as well as the communities that you work with.

Seed Savers Exchange curator Shanyn Siegel will lead an informative presentation and discussion on the seed saving movement and guide the audience through the basic knowledge that is needed to begin saving your own seeds. Light refreshments will be served.

This event will be held on Monday, June 27, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Horticultural Society of New York.

Please RSVP to events@nyrp.org by June 24 to reserve your seat. We look forward to seeing you there!

More Information

Register now for the American Community Gardening Association 32nd Annual National Conference
“Community Gardening Works!” – August 18-21

August 18-21, 2011
Columbia University

The conference includes, Keynote Speakers, Workshops, Garden Tours, Networking Events, Film Festival Gala Dinner & Silent Auction, Garden Bookshop

$300 Early Bird Registration until July 15, 2011 (includes ACGA membership)

First 200 registrants receive a free copy of the book “Restorative Commons. Creating Health and Well-being through Urban Landscapes,” edited by Lindsay Campbell and Anne Wiesen. 

Volunteers are eligible for $100 off registration fee.  Limited scholarships are available.

Please register at: www.communitygarden.org

Jazzmobile Monday Night‏

Attn: GARDEN MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS

What? Jazzmobile sponsored by DEBNA, returns to Duke Ellington Blvd. for one of its
final FREE musical events of the summer

Where? W. 106th St. between Manhattan Ave. and CPW in the street

Who? Jazzmobile Allstars featuring Gregory Generet

When? 8/23/10, Monday at 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Bring a chair or pull up a piece of curb.

Tell your neighbors.

See ya there.

Jean Jaworek
DEBNA Treasurer

Wed. July 8th 6pm: Garden Workday

Dear West 104th Street Garden Members,

Our July Garden Workday is this Wednesday evening at 6pm. There is a
lot to talk about and do so, please mark your calendar.

Here are some of the items on the agenda to date:

Discussion with Peter Bazeli regarding the building of new garden
plots on the west side of the garden. Peter sent a detailed email
earlier this weekend with a plan attachment.

Jean Jaworek will report on her findings regarding access to electricity.

Compost needs more frequent attention. Also, do we need a trash can
for finished compost?

Volunteer(s) needed to pick up grass seed and fertilizer

Vote: Yes or No to accept Susan Archambault and Alan Tenney to the
Steering Committee

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday,

Janice Vrana
Steering Committee Member

July Garden Events

Hello all – and hope you’re dried out in time for the first July event!

SATURDAY, JULY 4, AFTERNOON Members only Annual BBQ-licious get-together. Potluck — so bring your favorite picnic items!

To volunteer to set-up, clean-up, call Lou (212-666-7733) . Full details on fence flyer.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 6 pm- DUSK : First EVENING WORKDAY. Raindate, Thursday, July 8, 6pm – dusk.
Meeting 6PM, at which the projects to be announced.

SATURDAY JULY 25, 11am till done (??? — depends on Mother Nature’s ripening timetable) Peach Pie Pickin’ Day! Bring a basket in which to tote those peaches home!
Check fence bulletin boards / garden e-mail for exact date TBD at a later follow-up time.

SATURDAYS, 8am- Till sold out,, EACH WEEK through the Season, FARMER’S MARKET, Strangers’ Gate, 106 & CPW Sponsored by CCENYC & DEBNA, selling local farmers produce (fruit, vegetables, greens) and musicians to boot!
DEBNA members include Jean J., and Veronica W., so it’s a joint endeavor to enjoy!

KUDOS to:

Jean Jaworek for picking up summer garden supplies (garbage bags, water hoses, wheelbarrow, gloves) from Green Thumb giveaway two weeks ago.

Robin Mace & Lou Ludyny for transplanting the (mulberry?) tree from the rear of the Wet Garden community entrance bed to the lawn in the East Garden last workday.

Whomever returned the missing Rose Garden elbow-length glove to our Rose Caddy. Also, one of the missing bypass rose pruners was also retrieved. Please ALWAYS return tools to the shed and container from which you obtained them for your use. That includes gloves. Otherwise, these implements are ‘gone’ to the next gardener’s need.

Green Thumb for finalizing the 2009-2011 License Agreement, received this month.

OTHER:
What with all the rain, weeding/deadheading/pruning your individual bed plantings probably need a thorough looksee/ lookdo ASAP, before plants flop over into pathways. Also, please weed the pathways around your bed?

Lucille

June 21: We need Volunteers for Make Music NY1{

{Please note corrected date!}

The Make Music New York Event is coming up on Sat., June 21th! In order for it to be a success in our garden, we need volunteers for the following positions:

Music coordinator: Someone to interview and book musicians for the day – 6 groups have contacted the garden expressing interest.

Activities coordinator: Someone to bring other activities to the garden (ie. contact Vita Wallace).
Publicity coordinator: Create a flyer and make sure it gets distributed before the event.

June 21 Volunteer coordinator: Lou Ludyny has agreed to be the contact person for the day of June 20th, but he will need atleast 5 gardeners assisting him with set-up, clean-up, etc.

Please let me know if you would like to take on any of these responsibilities.

THANK YOU! Paula

April Events

SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1pm –3pm, 7th Annual Easter Parade & (for kids through 8 yrs. of age) Egg Hunt. FREE — bring your kids and grandkids to participate in games, sing-a-long, crafts (anyone to make a basket?), and snacks. Perhaps you might help to decorate, supervise wandering youngsters, lead a game, etc.,: call Lou 666-9733 to volunteer?

SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 1pm ,Opening Season Garden Meeting: Progress, Treasury, Green Thumb reports; Election of 2009 Steering Committee, Signup for monitor shifts, check working committee assignments, and meet and greet new and old friends! It’s our annual Potluck brunch, so bring a dish to share as well.

OTHER:

MACY’S FLOWER SHOW, Sunday, April 5 thru Sunday April 19. It’s usually a rare treat in sight and fragrance. Broadway window displays and floral arrangements throughout the 34th St. store itself. Regular store hours.

ALERT;

We’ll probably experience the renovation of the West garden site’s retaining wall toward the end of our season (Fall), so you might not want to plant anything other than annuals/vegetables (no bulbs) in your beds — or in community beds along the front and inside east side fences — in case any of the beds have to be upset in the doing. We’ll receive advance notice of when, exactly, later.

KUDOS to:

The two dozen-plus gardeners who worked devotedly on our first workday March 29 to clean up both East and West gardens; rebuilt individual beds with new planking; pruned the Peach trees; and spread the last of the woodchiips mulch! The garden is in grand shape going forward into our new season.

See you on the 19th?

Lucille