Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Fall communal bed still going strong.

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New rainwater harvesting shelter/system.

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Friday, November 13, 2009

David's make shift organic retaining wall... Looks kind of like an amazonian booby trap to me

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Thursday, October 22, 2009

Friday, October 2, 2009

Rainwater Harvesting update

We had a meeting with the rep from CENYC earlier this week and got some great news about the potential for rainwater harvesting in the garden; chiefly, there is a downspout on our neighbors building that is literally flush against the two properties and perfect for a simple, easy to install 1000 gallon tank.

Also, if our neighbor landlord does not want to work with us and the CENYC -- which unfortunately seems to be the case -- then we have devised a plan B that will result in a 350 gallon tank and a new retrofitted roof for the deck and shelter next to the tool shed.

Plan A is the ideal when it comes to harvesting rainwater from an adjacent rooftop but I wouldn't hold my breathe... either way, after years on the CENYC's waiting list, we're going to figure something out.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Fresh from the garden

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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Mark's eggplant forest

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Friday, July 17, 2009

Hell yea son... Triple polinator action

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Container success

Giant squash!....under the dappled shade of the willow tree.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

I pulled this carrot a bit early... Nevertheless, success!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Prizes! Food! Fun!

Coming up Saturday – lots of local businesses are pitching in with goodies for the BBQ. We’ll have burgers from Lorimer Market, sausages from Emily’s Pork Store and raffle prizes from Sel de Mer (dinner for two, anyone?), Brooklyn Kitchen , Treehouse , Brooklynski , Abhyasa Yoga Center and Stencil 1 .

You can win big at the Red Shed!

Monday, June 29, 2009

RED SHED PARTY

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Communal bed 2 is set thanks to some hard work from new members sam and tom... They're recommending lots of cucumber and bell peppers...

Friday, June 5, 2009

Food Inc. The Movie

I guess I'm all about fighting the power this week. Here's another documentary called "Food Inc." about our nations food infrastructure and big agribusiness:

http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Opens in NYC and SF June 12th... a friend of mine in the food business saw a screening last night and highly recommended it to anyone who's a fan of nutritious, delicious food.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

How to Prevent Birds from Feasting on Young Plants

Hey guys,

So after planting my seedlings I noticed quite a few of my plants were eaten. I started researching some ways in which to prevent the birds from eating all of my lovely veggies before I do and wanted to share. Obviously we can't do all of these, but thought they were good "thought starters":

  1. Step 1

    Plant seeds in peat pots indoors instead of directly into the soil. Once the plants have two sets of leaves, plant them outdoors.

  2. Step 2

    Cover seed beds with floating row covers. Floating row covers allow light, water and oxygen to penetrate, but act as a barrier for insects and birds. They do need some sort of frame to keep the cover up, off of the soil.

  3. Step 3

    Use flash tape to scare birds away from the seed bed. Flash tape is a mylar tape that flutters in the slightest breeze. Some birds find it terrifying, but some don't mind it at all.

  4. Step 4

    Hang old CDs in the garden. The flashing disks rotate in the wind and may frighting away some more timid birds.

  5. Step 5

    Cover the entire seed bed with bird netting. You may have to release birds from under the net each morning.

  6. Step 6

    Plant individual seeds inside milk carton collars. The milk cartons work like a miniature greenhouse and also act as a physical barrier to prevent birds from reaching the plants.

"Water Under Attack" screening at Bushwick Library

Hey all, wanted to post a great message that one of our members posted in our private google group. Please try to check this screening out:

Please come to the Bushwick Public Library on Saturday, June 6 
anytime between 11-4 for a screening of excerpts from Josh Fox's in- 
progress documentary: 
WATER UNDER ATTACK (www.waterunderattack.com

The NYC Watershed (Catskills and the Delaware River Basin) has the 
purest water in the country and serves 20 million people. 

However, gas drilling on a massive scale is planned for our watershed: 
up to 50,000 wells have been approved. In other areas where this kind 
of gas development has already happened, there have been many issues 
with toxic pollution in air, water and soil. 

Come to the library for information, watch a few minutes of the video 
- and then go see some great art, this is part of Bushwick Open 
Studios (see www.artsinbushwick.org). 

Library location: 340 Bushwick Ave, just a few blocks from the 
Montrose stop. 

Many websites with info on the issues; try www.damascuscitizens.org 
//  www.riverkeeper.org  // www.catskillmountainkeeper.org  // 
www.shaleshock.org   // www.nyh20.org 

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

There's a real farm in NYC?

Yup, and here's a great volunteer opportunity to help out and take it all in:
http://www.slowfoodnyc.org/events/dig-in-the-dirt-june-20th-saturday-queens-county-farm-museum

I'm there, I've got to see this for myself.

The Edible Garden exhibit at the NYBG

From the NYBG website:

Set throughout The New York Botanical Garden’s spectacular 250-acre landscape, The Edible Garden is a summer-long celebration of growing great food. Through an exciting menu of delectable exhibitions and mouth-watering programs, be inspired to grow, prepare, and eat garden-fresh produce and take advantage of many exciting opportunities to better understand how plants provide the food and drink essential to maintain life and enhance wellness.

The Edible Garden includes two Festival Weekends, seven Edible Evenings, and a Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Family programming in the Children's Adventure Garden and in the Family Garden as well as weekly demonstrations in the Home Gardening Center and daily docent tours make for a fun-filled edible summer.

Discover the broad range of food plants, from heirloom fruits and vegetables to tropical spices and more, on view in the Garden’s collections―from the historic trees across the grounds to the steamy rain forests and dry deserts in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.


Catch the details here:
http://www.nybg.org/edible_garden/index.php

Monday, May 25, 2009

Our garden has gone purple.












































vegetable progress!!!








































Peas.





























Kale.





























Purple, white, and green beans.





























Brussels sprouts.


For all of you that have little holes in the leaves of their plants from birds...(See Brussels Sprouts)
A tip I heard is to put a little cayenne pepper in a water bottle and spray the leaves.
They don't like it and will leave your plants alone.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

ms. j. Enjoying her favorite activity in the garden

Peach tree stump...

David r. and father in law mike s. Working on the peach tree stump... I think they're bonding or something.

Nicole b. By the roses... Aren't they pretty?

Sarah p. And her premature radish

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

More pictures, courtesy of Julie Hagan

Friend of the garden- Irene's dad. Hard at work.
Thanks for the help!
































New members-Annie and Hattie.

Monday, May 18, 2009

New climbers up against the fence.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Emily's Pictures

Anita Lee's 5 year old niece, Emily took these photos.






























Sunday, May 10, 2009

photos








































vegetable progress














brussel sprouts














leeks.














kale.














peas.

communal progress

A lot of changes at the garden this weekend. New communal bed is up and running!
great work.














The raise bed looks great. Lots of new plants.













Saturday, May 9, 2009











Communal bed 1 is semi planted already. Here we see rob roping off an area for some more plantings for members who weren't here today