The Sun is shining

(Strawberry plant)

(Lady Natalie)

(Roberto)

(Carolin)

(Stacey)

At our two main sites we planted giant 12 foot sunflowers, lettuce, mesclun lettuce, snap peas, snapdragons, yellow tomato, cucumber, broccoli, eggplant, radishes, 2 concord grape vines, a peach tree, watermelon, calendula, Italian parsley, bell pepper, cherry tomato, Early girl tomato, Red Chadwick cherry tomato, Jet star tomato, basil, kale, carrots, beets ,mustard greens, tatsoi, rhubarb chard, chamomile, alyssum & daisies. We continue to seed start indoors and await the delivery of 20 flats of seedlings(800 plants). We began work on the mural for E. 6th St. by first applying primer to the cinder block wall and drawing the outline for 4 of the 6 panels. On Monday we will buy the paint and will finish drawing and painting in 1 or 2 weeks. Cynthia, Tara and Stacey worked on the mural project. It looks nice so far and will look even better when painted. We planted tulip narcissus bulbs at Iyana House so hopefully their back yard will look nicer in the future as these are perennials. We also harvested the work wormbin for the 5th time and I harvested my home wormbin for he 4th time and have added the worm compost to the soil around the blooming plants. With the shining power of the sun increasing day by day we water both on work days and various members of our team come on our off days to both sites to water to make sure the plants receive sufficient water. Goodbye.

More Pics from E 111 St.

Here are more pics:

(Tara)

(Carolin)

(Carolin & Stacey)

(Worker and Stacey shoveling)

More Pics from E 111 St.

Here are more pics:

(Stacey with the shovel)

(Stacey)

(3 Ladies hard at work)

(Joyce and a wheelbarrow)

(Strawberry plant)

More Pics from E 111 St.

Here are more pics:



(Seedlings)

(Caroline)

(Chris at work)

(Tara with one of the tools of the trade)

(Chris hammering away)

Work begins at E 111 St.

(Joyce & Natalie)

(John C. hammering away)

(The difference between the old soil and the new soil)

(Joyce)

(Natalie)

The topsoil was delivered to E.111 St. today so we added it to the existing soil and now have a very fertile garden that is almost ready to be planted. We planted some potato pieces with eyes directly into the soil and hopefully will have a potato crop this season. Here are some pictures:

Beginning to Work

(Growing strawberry plant)

(Growing Potato ?Roots?)

(Blooming Magnolia Trees)

(Growing garlic)

(Kale that was planted last season that somehow survived the winter snow and the March rains)

With the coming of sunshine we have begun to work outdoors. Continuing the tradition that began last year, students from Cornell University came and helped us to remove the red rocks from the E. 111 St. site which significantly increased the size of the garden there. We have turned over the entire soil at the Morris Ave. site. We have made beginning plans on the two maps and have estimated where we will plant nearly all of our seeds and seedlings. We are almost finished laying out the bricks for our paths which are between the beds. Finally, we have planted beets, lettuce, arugula, squash, swiss chard, zucchini, collards, black-eyed peas, a tri-color sage seedling, a feverfew seedling, 2 strawberry plants and summer squash and black zucchini in planter boxes.

Our Off Season Activities and the Coming of Spring

During the Winter Off Season we remained very busy by learning skills that will benefit us wherever we find ourselves in the future.
Crafts:
1. Once again we made glycerin based soap mixed with dried herbs, like lavender and calendula , and essential oils, like Peppermint, Bergamot and Rose.
2. We made paper out of colored and black & white paper.
Social:
1. We went to the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
2. We went to a NYCNEN General Meeting on Urban Farming in NYC.
3. We went to the annual Horticultural Society of New York Conference.
Cooking:
1. We cooked a vegetable quiche.
2. We cooked a vegetable stir-fry over bulgar wheat with roasted pine nuts.
3. We cooked an egg, onion, potato fritatta.
4. We cooked banana, apple muffins.

With the coming of the warm weather we have begun making plans for this season. We have bought supplies, ordered seeds, made maps/plans for Morris Ave. and E. 111 St.. We turned over most of the soil at Morris Ave. We planted potato seedlings indoors which are sprouting so we will have a potato crop this season. Finally, we will plant tulip narcissus bulbs, which are perennials, at the Morris Ave. site and the E. 111 St. site. Welcome Spring, Welcome garden.