The Frederick Community Garden Association

Sign-up for the 2012 Season!

2012-01-29T10:50:00.000-08:00

It's time to sign up for the 2012 planting season!

Forms for membership are below. Please read all the forms carefully. We will not accept an incomplete packet. Dues are $60 per household for the entire growing season. Fee waiver and payment plan options are available.

The deadline for the application packet is March 17th. We will operate on a first come, first serve basis with priority given to previous members. If you don't get a space, you can be put on a waiting list until a plot becomes available.

Stay tuned for the time and place of an informational meeting. Come and meet fellow garden members! We'll have a short presentation about the garden with a Q&A afterwards.

Your completed packet should include the contract, waiver and photo release. A waiver and photo release should be filled out by each person that will be entering the garden. If you have completed a photo release or waiver in the past, we do not need another one.

Contract (one per family)

Waiver (one per person)

Photo Release (one per person)

We can take cash or check payable to Frederick Community Garden Association.

Please email Renee at Frederickgardeners@gmail.com with any questions.

Happy Planting, Everyone!

Do you have an idea for a Comm. Garden article?

2012-01-18T13:41:00.000-08:00

Or maybe you would like to share your garden art or photography? Or maybe you have a how-to piece for a creative garden project you want to share with the world?

Share it with American Community Gardening Association!

Call for Articles: 2012 Community Greening Review

The ACGA Community Greening Review is published annually for its members. Each issue addresses a theme, based on a broad relevant concept or idea affecting community gardens. ACGA encourages submission of articles and art work representing diverse perspectives and to highlight large and small projects that demonstrate this theme. The 2012 Community Greening Review theme is sustainability.

Submissions can be in the form of (1) a feature article proposal, (2) shorter articles in the form of reports, essays, case studies, interviews, or how-to pieces, or (3) photography and/or original artwork.

Feature article proposal, completed article, and art submission deadline is February 15, 2012. The committee will respond to all submissions by March 1, 2012; deadline for completing accepted feature articles is March 30, 2012.

Click here for further information.

The Ukulele Project Video

2011-11-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

The FCGA President is featured in this great video by Aaron Lee on The Ukulele Project

Do you know what your child had for lunch?

2011-10-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

Fall Plantings

2011-09-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share these great shots of the garden using the Hipstamatic app on the iphone.

FCGA Board Meeting!

2011-08-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

We invite all members to attend the meeting and get your voices heard. Thanks to Community FARE for letting us use their conference room. The meeting will be held next Tuesday, August 9th at 4 E Church Street, Conference Room B (the one on the right) in Kemp Hall at 7pm. I don't expect it will last more than 1 hour.

I promise I will bring delicious goodies!

Ukulele Concert to Benefit FCGA!

2011-06-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

Joannie's Carrol Street Cafe

124 S Carroll Street #1

Frederick, MD

July 1st, 2011

7:30pm

Hope you can join us!

More water? Yes please!

2011-06-14T04:38:00.000-07:00

As many of you may have noticed, we are quickly going through the garden's winter supply of water. We are happy to say that we have set up 3 more rain barrels to catch the rain water coming off the building. A huge thank you to Hunter Herrman for helping me set them up!

Why use rain barrels instead of just attaching a hose to the city's water system?

1. During the peak summer months a rain barrel can collect about 1,300 gallons of water, depending on where you live

2. Rain barrels help reduce erosion, storm water flow, pollution and flooding.

3. A rain barrel will help reduce the demand on the local water supply.

4. Rain water is naturally softer, oxygenated and more acidic than tap water. It doesn't have any chlorine, calcium or lime.

And best of all...It's free!

Now that everything is set up, we just need it to rain! Anyone know how to do the rain dance?

FCGA is Keeping Maryland Beautiful

2011-05-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

We used our Keep Maryland Beautiful grant to plant blueberry bushes, kiwi plants and an apple tree. We also cleared out a huge section of invasive honeysuckle vines.

A special thanks to Karen Buchsbaum and Eli Roth for all their hard work and Zac Rowe for lending us his tools! The northern wall of the garden looks wonderful, native and edible!

The pictures don't quite do it justice (I guess you'll just have to go check it out for yourself), but here are a few action shots:

Landscaping with Native Plants Class

2011-05-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

Here is the blurb about the class held at the Catoctin Creek Park and Nature Center in Middletown, MD:

No, you will not be planting these flowers, but you will learn about planting native plants in our “Intro to Landscaping with Native Plants”. There are still spaces available where you will survey some native plants that are particularly useful for home landscaping with an emphasis on spring interest. We’ll look at techniques for working with spring ephemerals, including companion planting schemes. Instructor Chris Pax is a landscape design professional with a graduate degree in sustainable landscape design and a keen interest in our native plants. She will share inspiring photos of area gardens as well as combinations found in nature.

18+yrs/ 1 day/ $18

Course #: 12608 Tu 7:00-9:00 pm 5/24

More to Plant!

2011-05-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to ANOTHER generous donation from www.mastergardening.com, a Frederick based company, we have a ton more to plant. I have put boxes and boxes of asparagus, elephant garlic, seed potatoes and rhubarb in the shed. Feel free to help yourself to any of them. There are even more that wouldn't fit in the shed so they are in my garage!

Check out their blog and "Like" them on Facebook. While you are there, send them a big Thank You for supporting the Frederick Community Garden!

Also, if you know of any Frederick-based garden groups or non-profits that need seeds, please let me know. We have a ton of seeds this year and FCGA needs to share the love :)

Gardens/Farms in the Community

2011-05-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

Did you see this article in the FNP today? Is this something the garden members would be interested? How about having a plot dedicated solely for the food bank? What a great way to give back to the community!

Celebrate Frederick - Garden Martketplace & Tours

2011-04-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

For the almost twenty years, several hundred garden enthusiasts descend upon downtown Frederick for the chance to explore the elegant, whimsical and inventive gardens nestled behind the gates of private Frederick homes each spring.

A favorite of residents and visitors alike, the Beyond the Garden Gates Garden Tour continues to grow in size and attendance. The annual tour has grown to draw over 800 visitors annually, raised thousands of dollars for local garden clubs and multiple beautification projects around Frederick.

And, in 2010, Celebrate Frederick and the Downtown Frederick Partnership introduced the Inaugural Garden Marketplace. Located at the Official Garden Tour Hospitality Center, the 2011 marketplace will again feature music, food and garden related wares for guests of the tour and Frederick.

Garden Kick-Off!

2011-04-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

Garden kick off and orientation is This SUNDAY April 17th from 11am-3pm. There will be two orientation sessions, one at 11am and the next at 3pm. If you are a new gardener, you MUST attend one of these sessions or make alternate arrangements with Renee. Otherwise, fee free to pop in for as long as you want, do some work and meet your new garden neighbors. We will be doing garden cleanup and you'll have a chance to open up you bed for spring, so bring extra tools, work gloves and plenty of drinking water as there is no source for drinking water. There is a bathroom nearby at Joanie's Carroll Street Cafe. Feel free to bring refreshments to share!

Volunteers are welcome, but please make sure you sign a waiver found in the forms section of the site.

See you Sunday!

Announcing the New Board!

2011-04-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

During our annual meeting we voted on the 2011-2012 FCGA Board. Congratulations to the following people:

President: Renee Bourassa

Secretary: Kara Sheehy

Treasurer: Brad Palmer

At-Large: Pam Bell

At- Large: Julie Martin Hayne

Thanks for volunteering your service!

All the best~

Karen ( Former president)

Garden Goodie Bags

2011-03-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a very generous donation from www.mastergardening.com, a local Frederick company, we have a plethora of seeds for FCGA members this year. We have boxes and boxes of seeds!

Many members will be picking up garden goodie bags today and in the next few days. Please email frederickgardeners@gmail.com if you would like some seeds.

The list of seeds includes (but is not limited to):

Beans...all different shapes, sizes, bush and pole

Kohl rabi

Brussel Sprouts

Mustard

Rosemary

Parsley

Beets

Lima beans (lots and lots and lots of Lima beans)

Okra

Flowers (a lot of varieties)

Coleus

Turnips

Radishes

Kale

Sweet corn (lot and lots and lots of sweet corn)

Eggplant

Cauliflower

Marjoram

Tomatoes

Basil

Sweet onions

Broccoli

Sage

Oregono

Terragon

Celery

Lavendar

Thyme

Lemon Balm

Green Onion

Lettuces (a variety)

Peppers (all shapes and sizes)

Plot assignments are here!

2011-03-26T12:13:00.001-07:00

Plot assignments are done!

We will be having a garden orientation April 17th at 11:00am and 3:00pm. Please come join us and meet your fellow gardeners. Family members and community members are welcome and even encouraged to come, but please make sure to bring a signed waiver for everyone that visits the garden.

Feel free to start your gardening before then....I know many of you are just itching to get your hands dirty!

Please click here to find out which plot is yours...and start digging!

Meeting Announcement ( click for full size)

2011-03-08T08:18:00.002-08:00

Meeting Announcement and Membership Forms

2011-02-19T12:18:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Here are links to all of the forms you need to fill out if you want a garden plot this year.

The deadline for Forms is March 17th. We will operate on a first come first serve basis, with priority given to previous members. If you don't get a space, you can be put on a waiting list until a plot becomes available.

Please read all of the forms carefully. We will not accept incomplete application packets. Dues are $60 per household for the entire growing season. Fee waivers and payment plan options are available.

Your completed application packet should include:

Contract
Waiver (one per person who enters the garden. You do not need to sign one if you filled one out last year)
Photo Release form (one per person who enters the garden)

We can take cash or check payable to Frederick Community Garden Assoc.

Once we get past all of this, the fun can begin!

2011 IMAGINE! Frederick Winter/Spring Sustainability Film Series | Friends of Frederick County

2011-02-11T19:14:00.000-08:00

2011 IMAGINE! Frederick Winter/Spring Sustainability Film Series | Friends of Frederick County

Community Swap March 6th! ( click on picture for full size)

2011-02-11T18:51:00.000-08:00

Gardening Classes at the Co-op

2011-01-18T19:52:00.000-08:00

Basic Organic Vegetable Gardening with Rick Hood

Thursday, January 20 6:30-8:30PM

Our favorite teaching farmer is out of the fields and back in the Community Room! Learn organic vegetable gardening from this experienced organic farmer. Join Rick Hood of Summer Creek Farm in Thurmont for a workshop on Basic Organic Vegetable Gardening. In this class, you will learn Soil Preparation, Nutrient Management, Planting, Weed Control, Pest Control and Harvest Timing. Rick will spend time giving you the basics and answering your questions.

$10 for Owners, $15 for non-Owners

Thinking about spring yet?

2011-01-11T06:31:00.000-08:00

I am! The weather report today (expecting somewhere between 0-6 inches of snow) is contributing to my cabin fever.

There was a great article in the FNP the other day about preparing your soil for a bounty of deliciousness and I for one cannot wait to get out there to make my green thumb brown!

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/art_Life/display_farmGarden.htm?StoryID=114964

In the meantime I will enjoy last years bounty of canned banana peppers. Yum!

I hope to see everyone soon!

-Renee Bourassa

Garden Update!

2011-01-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Blog Readers,

I have received emails from some of you wondering what's happened to the garden. I want to assure you all, that although it is now winter, the community garden is alive and well! Over the summer, we were awarded a grant from the Keep Maryland Beautiful Fund, and have a committee working with Ms. Raevsky's class from The Maryland School for the Deaf to build an arbor and plant native plants in the spring. The groundhog situation was brought under control, which allowed for a very productive growing season!

For those of you who have not heard the announcement, I have stepped down as president due to the fact that I am now working on my PhD. Along with that, I am also pursuing some other projects that will hopefully increase access to fresh, healthy foods for the residents of Frederick. I would also like to give the opportunity for fresh ideas and new leadership as we move into our third growing season. I have no doubt that the next president will be a wonderful asset to the garden and to the city of Frederick.

It's been a tremendous ride, and we could not have made this garden come to fruition so quickly without the support of the community.

We will have an annual interest meeting and elections for outgoing board members in February on a date TBD, so please check back soon! In the meantime please enjoy a few pictures from the summer courtesy of Mary Lou. Only 73 days until the first day of spring!

Cheers,

Karen

Garden Work Party

2010-07-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

We are full speed into summer, and my how those weeds have grown! It's time for a quick cleanup! If anyone has a gas powered weed whacker that they wouldn't mind loaning out for a few hours, please contact frederickgardeners@gmail.com

Novella Carpenter Comes to Baltimore

2010-06-07T13:20:00.001-07:00

Novella Carpenter, Author of Farm City will be speaking at the Baltimore Greenworks Sustainable Speakers series this Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Main Branch at 7 p.m.

For more information click here

What issues to you want to see addressed in our community?

2010-05-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hello out there!

I am in the very beginning phase of coming up with ideas for my doctoral dissertation for my PhD in Environmental Studies. The topic will be related to community food security and sustainability. I want my dissertation to focus on a real and current issue that we face in the Frederick community. Who better to help me brainstorm than a group of people who are interested in community gardening!

I'm looking for input from whomever wants to share an idea or who has a question that could possibly be answered by a research project in our town. Think big! Feel free to post comments on this page or email me at frederickgardeners@gmail.com

Cheers!
Karen

FCGA plot available

2010-05-25T04:02:00.001-07:00

The FCGA still has one plot left for the season. It's not too late! If you or someone you know are interested in gardening this summer/fall, please check out the "forms" section on the blog.

Thanks!

The Everything Guide to Urban Honey -- New York Magazine

2010-05-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

The Everything Guide to Urban Honey -- New York Magazine

Urban Chickens on NPR!

2010-05-13T20:52:00.001-07:00

Kojo must have read our blog (ha!) because the topic on the show today was none other than urban chickens! Click below to listen

Urban Chickens

Posted using ShareThis

Gardeners Sharing Their Harvest With Food Pantries using AmpleHarvest.org

2010-05-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

It's hard to picture it now, but pretty soon we gardeners are going to have squash coming out the ears! Instead of letting it go to waste, or trying to pawn it of on reluctant friends, please consider donating surplus produce through Ample Harvest. Ample Harvests helps connect home gardeners and community gardens with nearby food pantries. Good Stuff!

Chickens Downtown?

2010-05-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

An FCGA member recently contacted me asking if I knew about about anyone working to change the law banning farm animals (particularly chickens) downtown. I decided to do some research and found this blog:

http://urbanchickenunderground.blogspot.com

It was started by former Frederick resident Sarah Hempel Irani, who was also manager of the site eatlocalfrederick.com, which was sadly shut down this year when she moved away.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if anyone has more insight they want to share on this topic. I know Baltimore City allows residents to raise up to 4 hens (no roosters though)for eggs.

It seems that with Frederick's agricultural roots, they would be more open to the idea. I guess there is a bit of a stigma with chickens being noisy and smelly, but hey if it's working in Baltimore, why not give it a try?

Anyway, heres a few more links in case you're interested reading more about chickens as part of the Urban Agriculture movement.

http://www.urbanchickens.net/
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5900
http://urbanchickens.org/
http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/index.html

Community Free Swap!

2010-04-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

Hi All, Kara wanted me to pass along the message about he FREE SWAP going on tomorrow

Check it out!

Community Swap FREE FREE FREE Community Swap

Shop, Seize, Snag, Snare, Sequester, Salvage, SCORE SWAG!

Downsize, Declutter, Deep-six, Disencumber.
Ditch, Dump, Drop off, Divest yourself of what you no longer need.

Ananda and Kara’s Almost Famous Semi-Annual Community Free Swap
has teamed up with the
Monocacy Valley Montessori Schools First Ever Annual Earth Day Celebration

217 Dill Ave
Friday, April 16th 3 to 6

Please come and browse - pick up a gift for a friend or some swag for yourself.
Bring us what no longer serves you - books, games, plants, art, clothing, household items. Fabric, yarn, bath supplies, crafts. Anything goes that is not broken or toxic. Please try to bring your stuff earlier rather than later so we have a good chance of clearing it all by 6pm.
Please – whether you bring something or not, plan on taking something with you in the spirit of giving second life and reducing the pile for us at the end of the day. Bring an empty box, or a truck…

Call 301-676-0933 or email Kara at veggymama@hotmail.com if;

you have stuff you would like to drop off but can’t make it…

you have a truck (or a trunk..) and are willing to be available for a possible goodwill haul afterward or the following day

Work Day Recap

2010-04-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to our first work day of the year. The weather was gorgeous, and we accomplished quite a lot! Special thanks to Olde Towne Historic Landscape for donating and delivering compost. We also would like to extend many thanks to Alexis, Nick and the Common Market for donating supplies and lending a hand! We still have lots of work to get the garden set for this year, so if you weren't able to make it today, stay tuned for future work dates! Enjoy some pictures from the day!

The Windowfarms Project

2010-04-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

A great deal on Home Composters! April 17th

2010-03-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Frederick County Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) is hosting a truckload compost bin sale on Saturday, April 17, 2010, 9am-3pm.

The event will be held outdoors, rain or shine.

The bins being sold are Earth Machines, which regularly retail for $100 and will be offered for $40, including tax and a composting handbook. Kitchen compost collectors and compost turners will also be available for purchase.

The sale is being held in the FrederickTowne Mall parking lot. For more information, email acreamer@FrederickCountyMD.gov.

Free Gardening Workshops!

2010-03-18T15:43:00.001-07:00

Click on the picture for a better view of the flyer

2010-03-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

Not that we need any more reasons to grow our own food, but this is a great explanation about how our global food system works ( or doesn't work for that matter). Thanks Michael for sending me this link!

How to feed the world ? from Denis van Waerebeke on Vimeo.

What are you doing for Earth day?

2010-03-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Spring is quickly approaching which means Earth Day is also coming up soon.

Nowadays one Earth Day just isn't enough, so many organizations are putting on events during that whole week, or even through the whole month of April. Here is a brief list of Earth Day happenings around Frederick.

April 10th: The FCGA and the Common Market are joining forces to work on projects in the Garden. This will take place from 10-2pm.

Our Common Wealth is putting on a series of events that started last week

http://www.friendsoffrederickcounty.org/v2/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/POSTCARD-SPRING-2010.jpg

April 16th: Monocacy Valley Montessori Charter School is Holding an Earth Day fair from 1-4 p.m.

April 24th: EARTH DAY POLLINATOR GARDEN PLANTING AND LAKE CLEAN-UP WITH THE IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE

http://earthday.org/events/earth-day-pollinator-garden-planting-and-lake-clean-izaak-walton-league-0

Talk back! Let us know what your plans are for celebrating Earth Day in the comments section.

Interactive Planting Calendar

2010-03-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

If you have gardened before you know it can be a bit confusing to keep track of everything going on in your garden.

I have looked all over the internet for an interactive planting calendar that tells me when to plant what seeds. Since I couldn't find one that suited my needs, I decided to create one. Below is a link to an excel spreadsheet. You can put in the last frost date and it will give you dates for starting seeds indoors, sowing outside, transplanting, and harvesting. Please let me know if something is inaccurate and I will fix it.

Happy Gardening!

Interactive Planting Calendar

Sustainable Frederick

2010-03-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

Check out this great blog about sustainability!

Sustainable Frederick

Raised Bed Workshop

2010-03-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

I will be out in the garden on Saturday, March 20th at 12pm to assist anyone who wants to build a raised bed.

There's lot's of ways to build both, but if you need some guidance, here is a list of materials to purchase for a very simple design.

* please not that some of these items have been updated from the last post

Raised bed:

two 4' long pieces of 2"x6" 2'x8' or 2"x12" untreated wood. ( treated wood is highly inadvisable because it releases toxic chemicals into the food you are growing)
two 6' long pieces of 2"x6" 2x 6" or 2"x 12" untreated wood
four large "L" shaped brackets and screws
Box of 3-1/8" nails
Hammer

Mini-Hoop House

three 6' or 10' long 1/2" PVC pipes
12 pipe mounting brackets ( must fit your pvc pipes) and screws
enough clear plastic drop cloth or hoophouse cover to fit over your hoops( let me know if you are interested on going in on a roll together)
giant binder clips (not found at hardware stores)

Other useful Materials

a power drill if you have one - I'm bringing one, but it would be nice to have more than one.
a level

That's it. Easy as pie! If you have any questions about this feel free to email me. If you bring this list to the hardware store they can probably help you pick up everything you need.

Also check out these links for ideas

Hoop Houses:

this one give you a picture of the pipe brackets that I mentioned in the list
http://www.dropstonefarms.com/2009/04/on-hoophouses/

http://www.agrowingtradition.com/2009/10/building-mini-hoop-houses.html

Raised Beds:

http://organicgardening.about.com/od/startinganorganicgarden/a/raisedbed.htm

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/bed~const.html

Seed Bonanza!

2010-02-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

CLICK FOR SEED REQUEST FORM

APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED!

2010-02-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

Due to the inclement weather and the disruption of mail service, the deadline for dues and paperwork is extended until FEBRUARY 19, 2010. Please remember to turn in your:

1) Garden Contract
2) Waiver - All individuals including children, must have a signed waiver on file.
3) Photo release
4) Check, money order, or cash for dues ($60 per family)Your check will not be cashed until we confirm your space in the garden.

There are still spaces available, but keep in mind that plot assignment is first-come first-serve.

Forms are available on the blog

Enjoy the snow!

Quick Recap

2010-01-28T16:41:00.000-08:00

We had a great first meeting of the year! It was wonderful to catch up with old friends and to see so many new faces. Here is a very brief recap of the meeting. If you are on the email list, you'll recieve the meeting minutes. To get on the email list send an email to frederickgardeners@gmail.com

1. Fees will be $60 a family. Please remember that we do not wish to exclude anyone based on cost. The fee can be adjusted or waived if there is a demonstrated need.

2. Board Member elections were held last night. The results are as follows:

President: Karen Buchsbaum
Secretary: Mary Lou Reidy and Pam Bell
Treasurer: Eli Roth
At-large: Nancy Lewis
At-large: Kara Sheehy
At-large: Julie Hayn

Thanks to everyone who graciously accepted leadership positions.

3. Groundhog control: We will be hiring a wildlife removal service to trap and remove the groundhogs before they have babies. If you know of anyone who can provide this service at a reduced rate, please let us know!

Don't forget to get your applications in as soon as you can.Space is limited!

Thats it for now. The countdown to spring begins...

Membership Forms

2010-01-26T16:05:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Here are links to all of the forms you need to fill out if you want a garden plot this year.

The deadline for Forms is Feb 12th. We will operate on a first come first serve basis, with priority given to previous members. If we experience a high volume of applicants, new members will be selected using a lottery system. If you don't get a space, you can be put on a waiting list until a plot becomes available, or if we add an additional site.

Please read all of the forms carefully. We will not accept incomplete application packets. We will be voting on the dues at tomorrow's meeting so you will need to fill in where it says "fee"

Your completed application packet should include:

Contract
Waiver ( You do not need to sign one if you filled one out last year )
Photo Release form
A Check or cash for dues- Again, I will keep you updated on the amount we decide on at the meeting so please hold off on sending anything in until we have that information

Sorry, I know it's a lot of paperwork. Once we get past all of this, the fun can begin!

Gardener Survey

2010-01-26T09:50:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in joining the FCGA this season, please take a moment to fill out a quick survey. Returning members should also fill out the survey. This will help us determine plot spaces.

Click here to take survey

Thanks and I hope to see you all tomorrow!

Frederick community garden gears up for second season - The Frederick News-Post Online

2010-01-25T13:01:00.000-08:00

Frederick community garden gears up for second season - The Frederick News-Post Online

Bring a Bag For Change

2010-01-25T12:51:00.000-08:00

Our wonderful local food co-op, The Common Market, has selected the Frederick Community Garden as a recipient for "Bring a Bag for Change." For every re-usable bag you bring shopping, you get a wooden nickel that counts toward a 5 cent donation to your choice of the selected non-profits.

Bring a bag for the FCGA and feel good about reducing waste and helping out in your community... at no cost to you!

2010-01-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

Are you an avid Gardener? A Novice gardener? Just looking to spend more time outdoors?
Learn more about the Frederick Community Garden Association and join us for our Second Growing Season!

WHO: Anyone interested in participating in a community Garden located on East South Street in Downtown Frederick.
Come meet other members, and learn more about joining!
WHEN: January 27th, 2010 6:30 pm
WHERE: Joanie’s Carroll Street Cafe @ 124 South Carroll Street

For more information email frederickgardeners@gmail.com

2009-06-17T05:06:00.001-07:00

Work Party in the garden tonight at 6:30 pm. Meet at Joanies Carroll Street Cafe if it rains.

Be there!

Our First Season Slideshow

2009-05-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

Blog open For comments

2009-05-18T14:43:00.001-07:00

I changed the settings to allow for comments from everyone. We hope our members ( and non-members) will use the comments section to better communicate with everyone. Try it out to see if it works!

Emergency Groundhog Prevention Meeting

2009-05-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

First Harvest

2009-05-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so harvest is a bit of an overstatement...But we did have our very first ripe garden veggie. I pulled a radish out of the community bed this past weekend. It was spicy and delicious! We got a late start since this is our first year, but things are finally popping!

New Website

2009-04-30T05:01:00.000-07:00

The FCGA now has an official website!

One of our members has graciously offered to help us with our media needs. There isn't too much up there yet, but in the near future it will be a great place for information, pictures and more. Don't worry, we still plan on using the blog to chronicle our garden adventures!

To check out our temporary page follow the link below

www.frederickgardeners.org

Tis the Season!

2009-04-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

This week I had my first bout of poison ivy of the year. I also found my first tick. I think this means that spring is definitely full on! So just remember that with all of the fun that gardening brings, it can also bring some headaches. No need to panic, just be careful. A little education goes a long way! Below are some tips for identifying and avoiding potential problems. I also took a picture as a reminder for everyone of what Poison Ivy looks like. It is actually quite a deceptively pretty plant.

Poison Ivy

Toxicodendron radicans

The itchy red bumps you get from poision ivy are caused by your body's reaction to a caustic oil found in the leaves and vines. Caustic and toxic chemicals are an adaptation many plants have to protect themselves from potential predators.

Poison ivy prefers areas that have been recently disturbed like fields. It's also well known for its abundance along forest edges.

The physical characteristics of poison ivy are quite varied. It can appear as a climbing vine, small shrub or as a ground cover "creeper" The color can vary, as can the leaf shape.

If you remember the rhyme we all learned as kids, it can help you avoid it! "Leaves of three, let it be"

Some other clues to identifying poison ivy are it's "fuzzy" orange or reddish vines, and twinges of deep red found in the leaves early and late in the season.

How to prevent Posion Ivy:

Wear long pants and sleeves
Wear gloves
avoid touching your skin, especially your face, after weeding and clearing brush
Wash hands thorougly with soap and water to remove any potential oil residue.

Reactions to poison ivy can occur within hours or up to 10 days after exposure.

Contrary to popular belief, you cant spread poison ivy to other people or to other parts of the body, unless the oil from the Poison Ivy is still on your hands.

Ticks

Tick are often known for causing Lyme Disease and other pathogens. The deer Tick is one of the more common disease carrying ticks in the area. It is about the size of a freckle, so it can be hard to find.

Ticks live in moist and humid environments, particularly in or near wooded or grassy areas. You may come into contact with ticks during outdoor activities around your home or when walking through vegetation such as leaf litter or shrubs. Always walk in the center of trails, in order to avoid ticks.

You can help deter ticks by:

using insect repellent
wearing light colored clothing
wearing pants, long sleeved shirts and hats
for even more protection and a highly fashionable look, tuck your pants into your socks!

Always check for ticks after being outside. Ticks like warm, fleshy spaces like under arms, behind ears, and the behind knees.

For more information about ticks visit http://www.cdc.gov/Features/StopTicks/

Planting Party Recap

2009-04-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day everyone!

Saturday turned out to be a gorgeous spring day! About 16 members showed up and worked hard throughout the day. We also had a few visitors stop in to check things out and to see what we're up to. We managed to open most individual plots, trim trees, finish the fencing project, and plant the rest of the community beds. Tipsy, the garden beagle particularly enjoyed the potluck portion of the day, where she helped clean dishes and hunted for scraps. No such luck getting her to hunt for groundhogs.

This coming weekend March 25th, is shaping up to be nice and sunny. We hope to see you out there for another exciting day in the garden. Come celebrate Earth day by diggin' in the dirt with fellow gardeners.

First Saturday

2009-04-20T11:46:00.001-07:00

The FCGA will be participating in First Saturday on May 2nd, which is also Mayfest. We'll have activities for children and goodies for those who donate. If you are interested in volunteering at the table or helping with preparations, please email frederickgardeners@gmail.com Remember, these events count towards member volunteer hours! Location of the table and hours are TBA.

For more information visit http://www.downtownfrederick.org/play/Mayfest.htm

Planting Party and Potluck!

2009-04-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

Click on the Picture to view the invitation!

Another Busy Weekend

2009-04-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

We had another jam packed weekend! Saturday morning we spent several hours in the garden opening up beds, mulching the aisles, transplanting seedlings, and creating dry stack stone benches. That same evening, several members headed out to market street where we set up a table for "First Saturday." We had a lot of foot traffic, which was a great opportunity to spread the word. Despite the blustery wind, we managed to distribute brochures and plant seedlings without everything blowing away! Thanks to everyone who helped run the table. We will continue to pursue outreach opportunities as much as possible. If you know of an event/organization that would be interested in hosting us, please email frederickgardeners@gmail.com

Sunday was our registration and board meeting. The registration period for the 2009 season is now closed. We have 22 official members! Individual and group plots will be assigned by April 12th, and you will be notified via email. If we have any additional space after assignments are given, we will re-open registration on a first-come, first-serve basis... Don't worry if you would still like to participate , but did not register. We welcome volunteers. All you have to do is sign a waiver, which is available under the registration meeting announcement. We have an exciting season ahead of us, and we couldn't have come this far without such dedicated members and volunteers!

Cheers!
Karen

Stay tuned for more updates and improvements, such as an events calendar and links to the meeting minutes.

Spring Registration and Meeting

2009-03-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

The required forms can be downloaded below.
FCGA Application and Contract
FCGA Waiver

Weekend Highlights

2009-03-29T12:28:00.001-07:00

Despite the rainy weather, many garden members were quite busy this past Saturday. The Waste-Not Expo took place from 9:30am to about 2 pm. It was a great opportunity to share our story and to reach out to the community. We especially enjoyed doing the veggie stamps and basil plantings with the kids. Special thanks to Mary Lou, Andrea, Ed, Marti, Beth, and Eli who helped prepare, set up, and run the table. Here are some pictures from the event.

That same afternoon Eli, Mary Jo, and Ed helped repair and extend the fence. I went to the garden after the Expo and boy was it muddy! We need to get some more mulch to put in the aisles. If anyone knows of a lead on good mulch, we can really use it.

Friday afternoon, I finished cultivating one of the beds and put some peas, kale and radishes in the ground. Just in time for the fence improvements! There's still lots to do. I updated the To-Do list in the shed. Don't hesitate to contact me if you need further instruction. We will set up a watering schedule at our next meeting, which is April 5th at 3pm (details to follow) We haven't needed to water much these days because of all the rain, but it will be wise to get a good system up and running before it gets hot out. Thanks to everyone who helped make this weekend a success. Don't forget to get your forms filled out and your dues in by April 5th AT THE LATEST! We have a lot of interest, and limited space, so if you don't want to miss out, get your forms to us ASAP! Email frederickgardeners@gmail.com for more details.

Announcements

2009-03-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon Gardeners. We have a few announcements to share.

* The Waste Not Expo is this Saturday March 28th from 9:30 am- 2:30 pm. We still need volunteers to help with tabling the event. Email Frederickgardeners@gmail.com to sign up. You are not required sign up for the entire day.

*If you aren't working at the Expo, your help is really needed to extend and repair the fence. We will probably have work days on both Saturday and Sunday. Our groundhog friends recently helped themselves to our freshly planted Kale, so we need to get the fence finished before we plant again. Check back for work day details.

* Don't forget to get your applications and dues in before April 5th.
You must have both turned in to get a plot this season. Check your email for the application and waiver, which were sent by Eli.

In like a Lion

2009-03-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the begininng of spring this weekend, by opening up some new beds and planting some cold weather crops and flowers. We had quite a few people pitch in, which made the work get done a lot faster.

There's a lot to report these days. Sunday we had our board elections. The results of the elections are as follows:

President: Karen Buchsbaum

Secretary: Mary Lou Reidy

Treasurer: Eli Roth

Planning Chair: Brad Palmer

Location Chair: Beth Ramacciotti

Legal/Logistics Chair: Debra McKenzie

Education Chair: Marti Grib-Kachman

Congrats to everyone!

We had a brief board meeting following the election. There was a lot to cover! One of the issues we discussed was rain water collection.

The good news is... all of our rainbarrels are full! This is great, because we have enough water to get started with our cold weather crops. However, we are going to need to upgrade our system soon to make sure we're being as efficient as possible with our water collection. We are trying to get some help funding for a 1500 gallon tank. If you know of a potential donor please email frederickgardeners@gmail.com

Happy Spring!

Karen

Work Day!

2009-03-19T10:56:00.001-07:00

Lots of Progress!

2009-03-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure many of you noticed, there have been crocus flowers popping up all over Frederick. Crocus is one of the earliest flowers to bloom, and indicates that spring is just around the corner! This is exciting news. We had two great work days this past weekend March 14th and 15th. We accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. We got 3 rain barrels up, dug most of the trench for additional fencing, and laid out beds. As soon as the soil is dry enough to work, we can plant some cold weather crops like kale. Big thanks to everyone who came out to help. Special thanks to Mark Boggs of Boggs Environmental, who is donating soil testing services. If you couldn't make it out, don't worry, theres still lots of work to be done! I left a bulletin board up in the shed where we can post a To-Do List. If you haven't already, don't forget to sign a waiver and bring it to the next meeting, which is Sunday, March 22 at 3pm in the Trust Conference Room at the Library. We'll be officially electing board members.

Below are some highlights from the weekend

Cheers,
Karen

Thursday Night at the Garden

2009-03-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow gardeners!

I wanted to let everyone know that thanks to the generosity of Old Towne Historic Landscaping (Brad, Jared, & Matt), our garden site is now cleared, graded, and ready for tilling!

Last night Old Towne was nice enough to bring in a skid loader to carry away the piles of dirt and rocks, scrape and dig out weeds and roots, and level out the entire site. Those who attend the work days this weekend will be amazed! Hopefully we will be posting some pictures today or tomorrow on the blog for all to see.

Hillary also brought out a huge pile of mulch. Thanks Hillary!

Thanks again to Old Towne Historic Landscaping and our garden members Hillary, Brad, & Matt (and Jared, who is not a member but operated the machine for three hours straight in the cold last night).

A few extra notes:

BOARD ELECTIONS AT THE NEXT MEETING! (Be expecting a detailed email from me today or tomorrow)
We will need more mulch, and we need to start with rain barrels SOON so if you have barrels or equipment to donate, we now have a lock on the shed and we can store everything you bring.
Tasks for Saturday and Sunday include: Digging trenches around the fenceline, continuing construction of the dry-stack wall for our compost bin, laying out plant beds, moving some leftover dirt and rocks, and tilling the soil (if you have a tiller, bring it with you this weekend).

Hope to see you all tomorrow or Sunday!

-Eli-

More Work Days!

2009-03-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

Note: Please be sure to bring water as well as your waiver form if you haven't submitted it to Karen already. From what I hear, last week's work day gathered about five people who set to work removing the many rocks from the property. Oh, I also heard about a rock wall in progress! Very exciting. Things are moving along!

First Work Day!

2009-03-06T19:19:00.001-08:00

Next Steps

2009-03-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

Last week's meeting was very productive. Although I was unable to make it, Karen passed along the highlights of the meeting and it sounds like we are definitely making some good progress. Meeting highlights and action items are listed below:

- The Cannon Hill property has been selected as the garden site

- Current membership suggestion is $30/person with a sponsorship option as an alternative

- Planning for plots: please fill out the following survey in order to assist with the planning of plot assignments. Link to survey >>>>CLICK HERE.

- Garden Rules: This is our homework ....research garden rules and come to the next meeting prepared to give input on how best to govern our garden

- Committe leaders: Let know if you are interested in assuming the role of a committee leader. List of available committees will be provided to the listserv.

- Legalities: Non-profit status, property lease, and bylaws are all in the works. Many thanks to Deb Mckenzie for her work on these issues!

Many thanks to:
Boggs Environmental for volunteering to conduct a site check
Dan Lawton for his work in clearing the property of current construction debris

FIRST WORK DAY TO TAKE PLACE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7 AROUND NOON. PLEASE BE SURE TO SIGN THE WAIVER AND BRING IT WITH YOU ON SATURDAY!!!!

WORK DAY ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE:
-constructing rain barrels
- weeding
- removing rocks
- building a compost bin

Please bring any tools you have!!!! See you there!!!!!

Meeting Today!

2009-03-01T03:24:00.000-08:00

Needs/ Has list

2009-02-27T10:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of what we need, and who in the group has things they are willing to donate. Please check the list, and add anything you think we need or that you have and are willing to give under the comments section. Dont forget to put your name!

Needs:

Rain Barrels
Seeds
Compost bins

tomato cages
tiller

small green house
wheelbarrow

buckets

rakes, trowels, shovels, etc.

potting soil

Compost

Has:

Mary Jo & Ed: hand tools, soil, rain barrel

Beth & Matt: Manure, egg cartons, space for seedlings, chicken wire, tiller, labor for riggin barrel

Hillary: shovels, pond liner, preform ponds, tubing, mosquito dunks

Dan Lawton: tractor

Anna: rake, hoe, space for seedlings

Brad Palmer: tools to loan (rakes & shovels), irrigation components, woodworking equipment for sheds, trellis, fencing, buidling composting bins and irrigation systems, 3 trucks (one is a dump truck), and bricks for building a pizza oven on site.

Summer Creek Farms: Large bag of organic fertilizer

Karen & Eli: Hand trowels, seedling pots, seeds, Bioactivator for compost.

Second Meeting

2009-02-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

Our second meeting was slightly smaller than the first, but no less productive. After a brief discussion concerning the meaning of community, we then broke up into our respective committees and got to work laying the ground work for our garden. The primary key action items to arise from these discussions are as follows:

Legal Issues Committee
- Attain 501C3 status

Membership & Fund Raising Committee

- Create a budget
- Establish membership dues
- Establish treasurer
- Establish membership guidelines
- Identify possible donors
- Look into “wooden nickel” support from the Common Market

Tools & Supplies Committee
- Identify and gather necessary supplies

- Groundhogs were identified as major problem at Cannon Hill property (current supplies inventory soon to follow)

Logistics Committee
- Identify garden location

Much of our progress hinges on the selection of a garden site and establishing ourselves as a non-profit (501C3 stuff). We will then have a better idea of our budget as well as be able to solicit for possible sponsors.

Our next meeting will take place on Sunday, March 1st at 3pm (meeting in library community room). Provided we are granted access to the property, this meeting might involve a short field trip to check out the Cannon Hill property! Also, I believe there was a suggestion to push our meeting time back? I will be sure to keep you all updated should there be any changes in the above time.

Thanks again to everyone who came out! Things are definitely moving along!

photo credits: www.screensaver-download.info, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Small_tomatos.jpg, estatenumberfour.wordpress.com

Cannon Hill Property

2009-02-24T19:12:00.000-08:00

The slideshow below provides more photos of the garden site we are currently considering.

Meeting Tomorrow

2009-02-22T14:21:00.001-08:00

Prospective Site

2009-02-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

Today Karen and I paid a visit to a prospective site for our community garden. This plot of land is part of the Cannon Hill property which is located on South Street between Market and Carol. The owner of this property has graciously offered us the use of his land as well as some assistance in preparing the site for our garden. Some of the highlights of this property include:

- proximity to town

- building for rain barrels

- enclosed by fence

- easy access

- fairly secluded

Although it is not a very large piece of land (roughly 25' x 90'), it should be sufficient for a good beginning. This and other sites will be presented for consideration at our next meeting to be held on February 23 in the library at 6pm.

First Meeting!!!

2009-02-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

The first meeting of the Frederick Community Gardeners came to order at the community room in the C. Burr Artz Public Library on February 12, 2009. This meeting was made possible through the leadership and vision of Karen Buchsbaum who did a fabulous job of creating a focused and productive meeting agenda. We started off the meeting by going around the room and introducing ourselves, providing some basic information about who we are and why community gardening is important to us. Minutes from our meeting were recorded by Eli and an abbreviated version of our meeting agenda can be seen below:

I. What is a community garden?
II. Steps for creating a community garden

III. Create a vision, mission statement

IV. Group share:
V. Committees

Action Items:

- Send Karen your name, contact info, committee

- Contact Karen if you would like to host some seedlings in your home

- Please forward any photos of possible sites to Anna & Karen

- Continue to communicate with your respective committees. If you are not currently part of a committee, but would like to be, please contact Karen.

Next Meetings:

Feb 23rd 6pm

March 2 3pm

meeting location: C. Burr Artz Public Library

Hope to see you there!!!

Frederick Gardeners

2009-02-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

The Frederick, Maryland Community Gardeners are a group of over 25 community members who have come together in hopes of improving community cohesion and sustainability through the creation of an organic community garden. This blog creates a space for the exchange of ideas and experiences in that pursuit.

“We learn from our gardens to deal with the most urgent question of the time: How much is enough?” -Wendell Berry