Dinner and a Movie?

Food-IncHungry?  Want to show off your harvest and toss something on the grill?  Feel like sharing your artichoke and cherry tomato kabob with some friends? This Sunday Christ Lutheran Church of Aptos (your illustrious garden host) is holding quite a shindig for the entire family.  Dinner is at 5:00, so if you have something you want cooked come a tad earlier.  At 6:00 they will be showing ‘Food, Inc.’ – - if you haven’t seen it this is a great opportunity to see this award-winning documentary about our nations food system.  After the movie they will be having an Ice Cream social and discussion.  

Hope to see you all there!

Recent Pictures of the Garden

Melanie sent me some wonderful pictures that she took this weekend.  I’d like to encourage anyone that would like to have some pictures up here to share them as well. We love ‘em!

gregsartichoke gregsgarden LarsonHarvest_01LarsonHarvest_04 LarsonHarvest_03 LarsonHarvest_05 sunflowers

Aptos Community Garden on Facebook

Just moments ago I created a Facebook page for the Aptos Community Garden. If you are a Facebook user it is a wonderful way to stay in touch with your fellow gardeners and promote our beautiful garden.  Facebook is very simple to use.

The page is not meant to replace our wonderful website, but it does have it’s advantages.

  • Pictures are easier to post and share
  • Discussions are much simpler to initiate
  • Updates to discussions, events, fellow gardeners daily lives easier to follow
  • Fellow gardeners can much more easily find each other, and communicate directly (privately even) if they wish

Here’s the link to the new page! 

 

Happy Facebooking!

Gene and Mickey on the Radio!

foodchainAs some of you may know we have a wonderful radio station here in Santa Cruz.  KSCO has been bringing great radio to the central coast for many years.  One of my favorite shows is The Food Chain with Michael Olson. Michael is the author of Metrofarm, as well as one of our board members here at the Aptos Community Garden.  Initially he had me scheduled to appear, but I had to go on a secret mission in Oakland, CA. Gene Sanden, our garden headmaster, took up the slack and showed up in person on behalf of the garden.  Mickey ‘Composter’ was also in the studio to talk about his efforts to help the gardeners turn their waste into gold for the soil.

If you missed the show this Saturday morning, don’t fret!  You can download the MP3 here (Show #689: ANTIDOTE FOR HARD TIMES) or sign up for the podcast (past and present) by clicking the icon at the left on the same page.

The Garden on Parade

ACG-parade On the 4th of July, the Aptos Community Garden celebrated our liberty by parading with other Santa Cruzans in our very own “Worlds Shortest Parade” in Aptos.  As you know our land is generously donated for our use by the Aptos Christ Lutheran Church.  When we had a lively group of beautiful ladies in bikinis making noise along the route, it prompted one man to say, “I want to join THAT church”.

In other news, Melanie Larsen sent me an update on the donation front:

Hi Trent,
We have some donations that need to be added to the grand total.
Please add $1,803.22 to the grand total.

The donations are from:
Big Creek Lumber $324.00 value for the lumber, two Knox Boxes
$1,217.05, and three shade canopies donor from CLC $262.17.

And speaking of donations, I should have a Donate Now button up and running soon!

Free Composting Classes in the Garden

globeguycomposting Aptos Community Gardens Presents “Mickey Composter”

Two Free Saturday Presentations
6/5 & 6/19 starting at 2:00 and ending at 3:00

Recommended for All Members-Especially New Gardeners

Come on by and meet Mickey a Santa Cruz County Certified Master Composter.

Mickey is passionate about the latest in urban/rural interface for sustainable gardening. Demonstrating the latest techniques with his unique composting system made from recycled materials. He will be focusing on zero waste through diversion at home and community gardens. Learn how to create and sustain improved soil for the healthiest organic produce. Discover how to divert home food waste with his unique system and extensive knowledge.

You are invited to become involved in building community through composting. Let’s join together to create and sustain a healthy, happy garden for all!  

Meet by the water tank 

Optional-bring snacks; seating; friends

Contact Mickey 429-7645 or mickeycomposter@yahoo.com

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Help is on the way…

One of those angels that tend to appear out of thin air has arrived on the doorstep of the Aptos Community Garden.  She’s here with an abundance of patience, understanding, and best of all, gardening experience!

So if you are one of those gardeners who is a first timer and needs help, or even if you would just like some advice to enhance your gardening knowledge, Pam Carrico has offered her help.  Pam owns her own business and helps people get organized (visit http://www.goddessoforganization.com/ for the skinny!), but she has had a passion for gardening for many years.

I come from generations of women who liked to dig in the dirt, but I was in my 20’s before I learned the value of Horticultural Therapy. I have been learning and growing ever since! 
I co-founded and installed the learning garden at Alianza School, teaching the kids how to grow and maintain a garden. I also worked at Sierra Azul Nursery, where I helped to design their annual County Fair Garden, and was Nursery Manager for The Home Depot.
My family recently moved to a farm where we are  attempting to grow more and buy less.  I love helping others to learn the benefits of digging in the dirt and am happy to offer resources, advice, and a helping hand to any Aptos Community Gardeners that might need it!

Yay!  Three cheers for Pam. If you would like some help, feel free to contact her via email or her mobile number below.

GoddessOfOrganization.com
Organizational Solutions for Home and Office
www.goddessoforganization.com
(831) 840-5870

Grand Opening - Thank You One and All

This Sunday was our Grand Opening in the Garden.  Everything was amazing!  The Register-Pajaronian arrived to take pictures and write an article, plot owners and the congregation from the church brought tons of food for the potluck, Guy Routley played bluegrass with friends to keep things lively, Surf City Growers handed out organic starts, and better yet, people broke ground!  We are now underway! ACG-GO_091

It was also a great opportunity to thank all of those that donated so much of their time, money and/or materials to make the garden a reality.  I do believe that we broke the $40,000 mark, so I need to remind myself to update the donation page. 

Remember that there are still some plots open, so spread the word to friends.  We would love to see the garden full as soon as possible.

New Board Member

I’d like to welcome fellow plot owner and gardener, Linda Swezey, to the Garden Board of Directors.  Linda is the first plot owner to step forward as a volunteer for the Board.  She has some great ideas and it’s wonderful that we have someone like her to directly represent the gardeners.  She will meet her fellow board members this afternoon for her first meeting.  Welcome aboard, Linda!

*A little birdie just told me that KSBW 8 stopped by the garden this morning and interviewed Gene Sanden. With the garden being in it’s infancy he had nowhere to hide, so check out the story tonight on the news!

Grand Opening Excitement!

Everyone is excited about the Grand Opening on Sunday, April 18 from Noon-3pm! It will be the first time that new garden plot owners, members of the board, sponsors, volunteers and mentors will be in one place!

Remember free organic starts will be given to new garden plot owners that day, so bring your gardening supplies if you want to use the time to garden and get some advice from gardening enthusiasts and experts! If you need a kick start, we posted great Gardening Tips a few days ago for you.

Of course, no celebration is complete without food and refreshments! Please bring a potluck item, if you can. The congregration is helping with the refreshments. We’ll all enjoy the blue grass music from Guy Routley!

You are welcome to attend the mass prior to the Grand Opening at 10am at the Christ Lutheran Church, our gracious host!

New Gardening Tips Posted!

If you don’t know where to start with your garden, we’ve put together a great list of websites that will be very helpful to you!

Check them out on the Gardening Tips page!