Garden Corner
Lots of good work has been in done in the garden this summer and our yield certainly shows it! We have had a bumper crop of orange and red cherry tomatoes and many pounds of red potatoes. This has also been the best year for our crop of red Bell Peppers. We have planted a bed of fall crops; kale, Romaine lettuce and radishes. Soon we will prepare the strawberry bed for the winter and hope for a good harvest next summer.
The Cluster has been very appreciative of our fresh, organic produce. This year we are delivering the produce at 9:00 AM on Thursday mornings, just as doors open to customers. This way the produce has a better chance of being taken that day and not refrigerated overnight.
A hardworking crew gathered to reinforce the UUFP garden fence at ground level. After being invaded several times by a crafty groundhog it was decidedto move quickly to fix the fence. Not only did the fence need repair but all of the growth which sprung up over the past 10 years had to be removed and cut back. Please take the time to check out the good work that was done to make our garden more beautiful and safe from opportunistic invaders.
Thank you to Harry, Allan, Mary, Kim, Matt, Kay, Annie, Faith and Bev for their hard work (sweat) and expertise this summer.
Fun Fact: Our UUFP Garden is now 10 years old!
| INTREPID WEEDERS! The UUFP gardens are getting a much needed facelift. Kim and Mary are clearing out much of the overgrowth that clings to our garden fence. Now you can actually see into the garden without entering through the gate! Many thanks to these championship weeders for their hard work and positive energy! You’re invited to join the Wednesday Weeders! During the growing season a hardy group of weeders/gardeners have been meeting Wednesday mornings to weed, water, plant and harvest in our fellowship gardens. So far Allan, Mary and Kim have been showing up and working hard during some of the hottest days of summer to take care of our vegetable gardens, and the Monarch Sanctuary. If you would like to join our happy band please text/call Kay at 610-659-4802. Or, take a chance and show up between 9:30 and 11:30 any Wednesday morning. Produce is donated to the Pottstown Cluster. MONARCH BUTTERFLY GARDEN After much determination and effort, the Monarch Butterfly Garden is now planted and thriving. It may not look very exciting as the plants are still small but if all goes well, we will have Monarchs (and other pollinators) flying and buzzing around the peace pole by late summer. Featured are swamp milkweed, butterfly milkweed, bee balm, aromatic asters, purple coneflower, swamp sunflower and zinnias. The milkweed is crucial for Monarch survival as it serves as the only food source for the Monarch caterpillar. The flowers are needed for their nectar and pollination. All are native plants. What a job it was to prepare the soil for this project! Thank you so much to Matt K for operating his rototiller to till up the wet clay soil, often getting bogged down with clogged tines. Kim dug in to peel away the weed fabric that surrounded the peace pole, finding old, decayed bricks, which are now at the North, South, West and East points of the Peace Pole. Several days later the second crew came in to hoe the soil and amend it with sand and compost. Thank you to Jon, Kay, Mary and Judy for working through the rain, heat and humidity to make it happen! | |