Lots of updates

You'll be receiving this information in the mail but I felt the need to utilize these other outlets as well to reach everyone as efficiently and effectively as I can.

Dear Gardeners,
Just a few reminders as we head through July and into August.

• The community garden pays for the water we use, please make sure you mulch and turn the water off at the source: spigot or hydrant depending on your location.
• Please be considerate about the hoses, do not drag the house into other people’s plots, and you may consider installing short sturdy corner posts to prevent a hose coming into your garden.
• The hoses have been generously donated and repaired by your fellow gardeners, if you can repair them when they have leaks or replace them that would be a very generous gift to your community!
• Please remember this is an organic garden in that there should be no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.
• Please donate you Plant a Row for the Hungry or any additional produce to the food shelf:
The Goodhue County Food Shelf in First Lutheran Church at 615 West 5th St. in Red Wing. The Food Shelf entrance is on the West Avenue side and there is a canopy above the stairway that has “FOOD SHELF” written on it. The Food Shelf is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The next gardening class is on Canning, held in conjunction with the Farmer’s Market, on Fourth Street on August 8th at 9:00 am.
• There is a meeting for anyone interested in working on water improvements at the Spring Creek Garden, we are particularly in need of someone with some pex plumbing experience, if you or someone you know is a plumber please encourage them to join us, even if they are not a gardener, I’m sure we could get some fresh produce for them in exchange for their community service. Wednesday, July 22, at 7pm at Caribou Coffee.
• I have heard a few sparse reports of some vandalism or mischief, my best suggestion is to just be present, talk to your other gardeners, find out when few people are gardening, if you can make it during that time great. Also, greet on lookers, and let anyone you see know how to get involved next year, give out our email or website; exclusion is often a big reason for vandalism, even among teens.
• We will have a harvest gathering in Sept./Oct. and more information will come out soon about cover crops for the winter, I’m working on getting a pea and oat blend that will be available at the Harvest gathering for a nominal additional charge just to cover the seed, this particular blend has many benefits, more to come on winterizing later.
• Finally, it has been a particularly dry summer and a lot of water has been used or leaked and we are trying to create a permanent solution for the water at Spring Creek, so whether you are at Spring Creek or Bluff Garden I am asking you to consider donating some additional funds, I am hoping that the $20 or $30 plot rental was affordable and you would kindly make a donation this year, I would like to recommend $5 per single/$10 per double, this is purely a request for donation you may choose not to do this at this time for whatever reason(s).
I had hoped to keep this short, I hope you were able to bear with me, and please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns, that’s how I stay informed about what your needs are.
Happy Harvesting!
Becky Alsop: Garden Coordinator
515 Stanley Street, Red Wing, MN 55066,
651-380-5173, rwcommgarden@gmail.com rwcommgardens.org