2009 Gardening Season Begins

Today was spring clean-up, and the first day to sign up for 2009 UU Adopt-a-Spot. Lots of folks, long-time members and newcomers, families with kids of all ages, joined in the fun and worked hard on a beautiful, summer-like afternoon. They were rewarded with pizza, courtesy of Building & Grounds. The RE Committee did a fabulous job of promoting the clean-up at the showing of Wall-e on Friday night. Photos (left to right) from the day include Susan and Lea weeding the kitchen garden with Ken working the garden cart, Don and Erin raking up debris by a parking area, and the new load of compost from Lewis Farm.

Adopt-a-Spot News

If you adopted a spot last summer, and would like to keep the same spot this summer, contact Fran Phillipe ASAP. Starting Sunday, April 26th, Fran will ask for interested volunteers to sign up to adopt a space on the UU grounds to beautify and maintain over the course of the growing season. Other options include purchasing hanging baskets for the covered walkway adjacent to Fellowship Hall, and contributing $ for the purchase of plants for others' spots.

At right, see members of the Forziati family working on their Adopt-a-Spot, June 18, 2008.

Garden Planning News 2009

In her "My Turn" opinion piece published in the Concord Monitor on March 30th, Cheryl Bourassa describes some of the history behind the Concord UU Pantry Garden, and invites other religious institutions to "Uproot Your Lawn to Help Feed the Hungry."

Cheryl reports that a load of compost has been ordered for delivery next week.

Cheryl also is planning ahead for summer weedin' and eatin' parties...keep reading for more info.

Garden Parties
Weeding and Eating: What could be more fun?
As the gardening season gets into gear once again, your gardening group has a fresh idea on keeping the garden free of those pesky weeds. We plan to host weeding parties every three weeks through the early summer, and then less frequently as the summer moves on.
So, you've never been to a party with a weeding theme? Are you wondering just how much fun a weeding party might be? We are planning on fantastic fun. Come over to the church sometime around 5:00 and we'll weed or an hour or so. If you are a novice weeder who has always wanted to be a bit more secure in your weeding style, we'll pair you up with one us big time weeders. After we've made decent headway, we'll move on to the second stage of the party: eating.
If you want to, bring something for the grill, and bring something to share. Starting around 6:00 we'll wash our hands and get to work eating our pot luck dinner, while we admire our newly well kept garden. It would be a big help if everyone brought their own dinnerware to avoid lots of waste.
Thanks so much for considering a brand new way to have fun.

DATES:
Thursday, May 28 Thursday, June 11 Friday, June 26 Thursday, July 9

Late summer dates to be posted later: keep your eyes peeled so you don't miss out!

Putting the Pantry Garden to Bed

Both adults and children helped prepare the pantry garden (and others) for the upcoming cold dark months of winter during an Ocober 19 garden clean-up work party. Over the course of the summer and fall, produce from the pantry garden was given directly to refugees, to St. Paul's Church food pantry, and to Merrimack Valley Day Care.

Another Spot Transformed!

This spot, one of serveral adopted by Ken Koerber, was formerly occupied by a trash barrel and an overgrown yew.

Former Lawn in Bloom

Quite a transformation from lawn to a productive place of mid-August beauty. Even the grass is green, thanks to what seems like nearly daily rain.

Pantry Garden Producing

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Cheryl and Jane tend to the Pantry Garden in this August 7 photo (left). In June, church attendees who were interested in helping to weed and water the pantry garden signed up to be responsible for checking on the garden once or twice during a particular week.

Cheryl and Chris brought loads of sea grass which washes up on the beach at Plum Island to the garden to use as mulch to retain moisture and reduce weeds. See July 8th photo (above right) of sea grass mulch around pepper plants.