End of April Garden Progress

Well, a big ole thanx to Furr's for donating a load of lumber.  Thanx to James Jackson for volunteering to come help me load it, and Furr's employee Robert, great job guys!!  Now I can build benches, dirt box and pergola for Plant-it Elijah's toddler area.  

And thanx again to James for giving me a hand in the garden, planted blueberry and grapes, and put together a square for Callie Evans and her friends to come plant something.

We have a long way to go, and getting there pretty slowly. 

Still need fencing, supplies and laborers, or $2000 to have it fenced.

Dave at Allstate Discount Lumber, south on 281 from MW, has offered us a 8x8 storage shed delivered for $400... someone want to donate funds for that?

Happy Gardening all, Beth

We're still planting...

Hello fellow Gardeners... with all the Chili Cookoff planning I've not been so vocal with the Garden, but don't think for a minute I've forgotten.  Hoping Mr Ramsey will be able to plow this weekend, since it rained him out last weekend, but then the weatherman is callin for weekend rain again, so we'll see. 

We have things to get in the ground tho... so if your able now to come till or plow please do.

I've found a 8x8 storage shed for $400, so I'm out to raise that much by Monday.  So get out your checkbooks.. I have tools in the back of my truck that need a home at the Garden.

I've sent in a few small grant request forms, haven't heard anything yet.  I've also sent off more free seeds.... need to get the ground tilled or plowed for those.

Plant-it Elijah's toddler area is planned, we've rec'd alittle $$ for that.  Need more tho... come on people you know the drill.

Got a fencing bid, over $2000... I know we can get the supplies and do it ourselves for less... but again need $$$$$

So over all we need labor... $$$$... then more labor

Working on fundraisers...

   Family Movie Nite at The Garden & Thursday Sack Lunches

If you'd like more do drop me a line

Happy Gardening, Beth

Fig Trees

Sorry I haven't written much lately, gotten busy with MOW asessments, and now the 2nd Annual Chili Cook Off... but not to worry, the Garden is not neglected... Mary, the boys (Jeremy (3) and Jacob (5)) and I are planting 2 fig trees today. 

The veggies are looking good and with all this rain I bet they will get better n better. 

Ya'll come by when you can and check it out!!!

Happy Gardening, Beth

Our first meal from the garden

Well we've done it!!!!!!!!!!  Made sandwiches out of the England Cress planted in the Garden...

Theres more if anyone wants any, just come and get it!!!!

Garden Memorials & Donations

Garden Friends Memberships... Your membership helps provide opportunitites for so many people in our community, underprivileged children, the disabled, our senior citizens and others. Membership also assists in long-term planning and supports improvements of our Communbity Garden System.  You decide what your monthly membership dues will be... $10, $20, $50, $100  Your membership begins with your first donation.

There are many ways to remember those we've lost, the gift that keeps on giving is always something special.  Currently The Garden offers fruit trees with memorial plaques.  You may provide the tree & plaque, plant it yourself, or for your $200 donation, we will take care of this for you. 

Also with your $1,000 donation toward a park bench with a memorial plaque, you can honor someone special while benefiting park-visitors.

(bench design may vary)

COMING SOON...

For a donation of $??? you can purchase an engraved brick that will be placed in the area in and around the Plant-it Elijah toddler area, or the walkway surrounding the garden. Brick Sizes Vary.

 
 
 
(these are only samples)
 
 
 
 
 
 
All donations are to go to Meals on Wheels, The Garden, 1410 MArtin Luther King Jr Street, Mineral Wells TX 76067. 

I thank you all for your continued support, and look forward to seeing you wonder thru our garden.
 
                 Happy Gardening, Beth

FIFTEEN WAYS TO CONSERVE NUTRIENTS, PREVENT POLLUTION

1. Add at least an inch of humus (finished compost) to your soil every year. Better yet, add two inches twice a year, in the spring and fall. Also use compost during the growing season as mulch.

2. Recycle nutrients back to the soil instead of wasting them in the landfill. Compost all your plant and food residues. Grow green manure and compost crops. Save all your vegetable kitchen scraps, coffee grinds and eggshells for the compost pile.

3. Keep stored manures and compost covered with straw, cardboard or plastic to prevent the rain from leaching nutrients into the soil.

4. Never leave your soil bare, even between plants or rows. Keep it covered with mulch or plant a compost/cover crop or ground cover. Plant your vegetables in wide rows to provide shade mulch.

5. Keep soil in raised beds framed with solid sides. If you use wood to frame your garden beds, DON'T use pressure treated wood. Pressure treated wood has been treated with copper, cadmium, and arsenic, which are toxic metals that will get into your soil or onto your skin. Avoid compacting your soil by keeping your feet out of the bed area.

6. Use a rototiller as little as possible; only once or twice a year is best. Better yet, double dig your garden beds initially and then continue to loosen the soil as needed with a garden or hand fork.

7. Avoid cultivating soils on steep slopes; construct terraces where appropriate.

8. Fertilize only according to professional soil test recommendations. The home kits are very unreliable. Never overapply fertilizers or exceed label directions.

9. Substitute slow-release organic fertilizers for highly soluble chemical fertilizers. Use locally available fertilizer sources like composted stable manure and composted leaves.

10. Put a small amount of fertilizer directly into your planting hole or furrow rather than broadcast it over the whole garden. This will save money and prevent nutrient run-off.

11. Don't apply fertilizers to hard, compacted soil or allow them to wash onto streets and driveways. Cultivate and loosen your soil before applying fertilizer.

12. Don't fertilize your lawn in the spring, unless it's a new lawn. The spring rains will wash away most of your investment while polluting nearby waterways.

13. Leave grass clippings on your lawn ("grass-cycling"); they are an excellent, non-polluting, free source of nitrogen for your lawn.

14. Grow ground covers in place of grass to hold the soil in deep shade.

15. Use only calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), potassium chloride (KCI), or calcium chloride (CaCI2) to melt winter ice. Urea, potassium nitrate (KN03), table salt and baking soda run off with spring rains, killing grass and other plants.

Plant-it Elijah

Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County Community Garden will be dedicating a Toddler's Garden Section to honor Elijah. In the tradition of Planet Hollywood, our garden section will be called Plant-it Elijah. Elijah left this world on his 16 month old birthday and it was way too early. We wanted a way to let Elijah live on by doing something we thought he would love to do, and that would be digging and playing in a garden made special just for him.

Elijah did a lot of living in his short time. He went through much more than most of us go through in 50 years, but because of this amazing little boy, joy was brought to many. Most of us never got to meet Elijah, but we felt like we knew him and we went on this short journey with him. Because God was so good to us by allowing us to share in Elijah's life, we wanted to do something that would allow others to know of this amazing little boy.

We wanted something that would not fade, but live on as a constant reminder that where one door closes, another opens. Elijah's door may have closed here on his earthly home, but we know a much bigger and better door opened for him in God's loving kingdom. By creating Plant-it Elijah, it is our hope that children will come to our garden and laugh, play, and learn about God's creations and His love for all His children. And though many may leave this world way too early, there is a place to come and remember them.

Details will be released to the family as soon as we can make arrangements for a dedication, but work has already begun to create Plant-It Elijah. Please join us in remembering and celebrating the life of Elijah.
 
Things needed to make Plant-it Elijah a reality...
 
child's picnic table, or 4-2x6x8's to make one
 
child's garden tools, for little hands
 
smaller watering cans, for little hands
 
assorted pots, prefer clay
 
10 planter boxes 6"x12"
 
2 dirt boxes, approx. 2"Wx6"Lx6"deep
 
bin, approx 3'x4' to store childs garden tools
 
wagon
 
8'x10' pergola, or 4-4x4's, 4-2x6's and numbers 2x4's to make one (all treated lumber)
 
4 bags of concret to secure 4x4's of pergola
 
water seal for all wood
 
white paint for pergola
 
assorted bright color paints for dirt boxes and picnic tables
 
2 adult size benches
 
Please give me a ring or drop me a line if you can provide anything listed above.  Also if anyone is into wood burning, I'd like a piece of wood with "Plant-it Elijah" on it to hang on the pergola.
 
                                Happy Gardening, Beth
                                               281 508 3040  bethlafata@hotmail.com

How Can You Help?

As the The Garden Program grows, funding is needed to operate.  The Garden needs volunteers for field cleaning as well as new farmers and shed owners who wish to donate or supplies to build a shed and greenhouse.

How is the Food Bank funded?

Donations are received from local businesses, churches, foundations, corporations, government, civic groups and individuals. When you make a donation toward The Garden operating funds, your gift is used to acquire and distribute donated food, including the operation of our greenhouse (once built); utilities to run our huge freezers and coolers; and fuel and maintenance for our trucks to deliver our harvest. A donation to the The Garden will ensure the stability of the Meals on Wheels and Food Bank programs for years to come, at a time when the economy might not be strong and when the need for services is more in demand than ever before.

Seasonal Produce we will be Recovering by the The Garden Program

Beets

Broccoli

Cabbage

Cantaloupe

Carrots

Cauliflower

Collard Greens

Cucumbers

Green Beans

Jalapeno Peppers

Mustard Greens

Lettuce

Okra

Onions

Peas

Potatoes

Pumpkins

Radishes

Spinach

Squash

Sweet Corn

Sweet Peppers

Tomatoes

Turnip Greens

Turnips

Watermelons

Zucchini

Grant Requests

Hello all, moving along on The Garden, I'm writing for a grant and am in need of a few things from the community.  I need support letters.  These letters need to state your name of course, your legnth of time in Palo Pinto County, your business, and why you agree with the community Garden plan.

Please print, sign, and mail to me at Beth LaFata c/o MOWPPC 1410 Martin Luther King Jr Street, Mineral Wells TX 76067, or leave with Patty or Mary Jane to hold for me till I come in.

This grant I'm writing for now takes four months to see if we get or not, so please get on this quickly.  This will cover fencing, garden equipment, etc.

Happy Gardening, Beth

Saturdays Progress (4/10/2010)

Today was a GREAT day !!  I met with a fence guy, whom I gave my measurements to and he said he'd get back to me on a price.  Patty brought in a van full of soil...

Amy Pruitt & Rainey Orr brought in some veggies for me to plant...

And thanx to Ms Clark for giving us a Colonial Pecan Tree, and thanx to James Jackson for diggin the hole and planting it.  It will eventually be a nice shade tree as well as providing pecans.

We've gotten a few donations since we made the paper Friday... cedar post for a fence, tomato stands, bricks & we still have assorted lumber.  If you wish to bring anything and leave it, please be sure to not block the bumpster.

While the MOW Carwash was goin on I added 4 garden squares, Big Jim Peppers, Big Boy Tomatoes, Okra, and a mystery veggie (I'm hopin its a veggie).  I got some peach tree tips and later in the day I got a lesson on composting, hay in the garden and organic soil.

Apparently hay in the garden reduces weeds and hold moisture in the soil.  Neither of these things I knew before today.  James & I spread out hay that we received today after this lesson.

So the tractor tire is now a compost.  So bring in your peelings, tea/coffee, etc.  And thro 'em in the tire. 

So all in all it was a pretty good day.  I got a bit of a sunburn on my arms, face and neckline... now if only I could get my ghost white legs tanned... ;-}

Happy Gardening, still excited, Beth

Things we still need:

* someone to plow/till

* irrigation advice, plan & install

* bale of hay and/or straw

* soil

* donations for uncoming fence (please specify for garden fence)

Gettin Ready for Tomorrow

So we're into week three of the community garden, I'm still excited.  Just think of all the fresh food we can provide those in need here at home with this 3 acres. 

Looks like we might have peaches this summer, and something is going on with the apple tree.

We need sooo many things to really get this project in full swing.  I've listed below some immediate needs... if you can help great! If you know someone that can help great!  Give out my number or get me theirs.

Heres some needs....

* someone to adopt this garden tire, fill with soil and plant something in it

* donations for fencing, please specify on your donation "the Garden", we have someone coming out tomorrow morning to advise us on this

* estimate and advice on irrigation needs

* tillers and plow and those who run them, please just come on out tomorrow, I'll be around from 9am - most of the day

* more garden squares planted

* fruit trees

Let's get moving, Beth

Get 'er done

OK guys n gals... time to kick this garden in gear.... call your neighbors, sister, brother, dad, uncle, that dude down the road... we need plow or tillers this Saturday at the Garden. 

We tried tilling last Saturday and the ground was so hard the tiller did nothing but cut some grass.

We also need fencing and irrigation... if you know someone in these fields please have them give me a ring on my cell 281 508 3040, or get me their number and I'll call on them, or get ahold of them and have them come out Saturday and check out the Garden.  We need estimates and donations for these.

We also need a compost bin, if you have one or know where I can get one please let me know.

I've talked to alot of people over the past two weeks about the Garden, but have seen little action, so get ready I'm callin on those people to get them started on whatever we talked about.

I your a follower you'll ge tthis in your email box, forward to everyone on your contact list... we need exposure!!

Happy Gardening, Beth

What can you use to contain a garden?

Hello guys n gals... I planted another garden yesterday, forgot to take a pick to show you all tho.  Oh well... next time.  Thanx again to Celia and the kiddos for waterin the garden last night. 

So I've heard of a few things to use as raised garden square borders... use the comment thingy here and lets see what else we can come up with.  So far I've heard...

Lumber

bricks

tires

bale of straw

and by the way... get well quickly Alan! And hang in there Karen

Happy Gardening, Beth

Seeds Seeds and more Seeds

Thanx Celia for this info, I'm gettin on it today...

Free Seed Grants for Volunteer Projects.

The America the Beautiful Fund has grants available for free seed for volunteers all over America to improve neighborhoods; create new parks and community gardens; start new environmental education programs; or grow food for the hungry, for soup kitchens and food banks, or others. Local groups can apply for a grant of 100 to 1000 free seed packets or up to 500 pounds of bulk vegetable seeds for a project in their communities. The most outstanding projects will be chosen for National Recognition Awards as models of how to nourish and beautify America and create a greener planet. For an application form, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to America the Beautiful Fund, Department N, 219 Shoreham Bldg., Washington, DC 20005.

 

The GROW Award (Gardeners Renewing Our World).

The GROW award is sponsored annually by the Vermont-based Gardener's Supply Company in honor of the late Robert Rodale. To apply for the GROW Award for individuals or groups who are "healing the earth through gardening," write to Gardener's Supply, 128 Intervale Road, Burlington, Vermont 05401, ATTN: GROW Award.

Monday Update

Hello fellow Gardeners... Thank you Celia, Aleesa & Andrew for watering the garden this evenin... you all ROCK!!  

I spoke with Russell, that has the storage containers west of town, near hospital, he has a 20 ft one for $1950 delivered... wouldn't budge on that price.  I'll keep looking.

I also went to Awards n More and found out they have a marker that would work great under the trees and its only $15 engraved.  They were out but said they ordered more last Friday and they should be in Tues-Wed, so I'll go back by and check it out the end of this week.

The bricks are unloaded and ready to border beds.... 

I also completed the letter requesting donations from area businesses and the letter inviting groups to come plant a garden square.    Drop me an email if you want a copy for your group or business.  I'll be printing some Tuesday and they will start going out in the mail.

Don't forget about the car wash Saturday at the MOW building, Noon-4pm, I'll be out there working in the garden... come by and say hi

Happy Gardening, Beth 

Garden Needs

We seem to have alot of border material & seeds all the sudden... now we need garden soil....

FOUR EASY STEPS TO COMPOSTING

Starting Your Own Compost Bin  



Step One: Choose a 4' x 4' area to place bin or pile, preferably in the shade. Add a layer of "brown" organic materials rich in carbon, like straw, leaves or chopped twigs.

Step Two: Add water as you add organic materials to the pile so the materials are damp like a sponge, not soggy.

Step Three: Add green organic materials that are rich in nitrogen, like grass clippings. Continue to add equal amounts in weight of "green" and "brown" organic materials.

Step Four: A properly made pile will reach temperatures up to 160 degrees F. in a day or two. The pile will settle during the process that may last from a few weeks to a few months. Turning the pile after the first week will speed up the process. Compost is ready for use when it appears dark, brown, crumbly and will have an earthy smell. Compost added to the garden, landscape and lawn will provide benefits of plant growth, water retention and protects plants from pests and diseases.

Fall/Winter Planting Suggestions

I know we're barely into summer but thought this was good info...

We are all familiar with the summer crops of tomatoes, squashes,

cukes, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, etc. but winter presents a

opportunity to plant the cooler season plants. And, as a bonus most

of them are very nutritious. Some good choices for this area by

experience are collards (Georgia), broccoli(Pac Man), Brussels

sprouts, cabbage, Swiss chard, spinach, garlic, beets, carrots,

turnips, and kale. Most of these are frost tolerant and will reward you

with fresh produce in the winter/spring months and keep you in the

gardening spirit year round.

Lettuce is also a wonderful plant to seed this month, especially right

before a nice rain storm. Consider Romaine, Salad Bowl, Red

Sails, Loose-Leaf, Mesclin mixes, Red Oak Leaf, Black Seeded,

Buttercrunch. There are many selections and if you get the seed in

early, there will be lots to share at Thanksgiving and Christmas time.

Dig your soil very loose by turning up the soil. Add compost.

Sprinkle out a pepper shaker full of seed and water in lightly.

Mother Nature will take over from there and will supply you and your

neighbors with an abundance of fresh lettuce. Enjoy!

Happy cool weather gardening,

Easter Gardening

I just returned from the Garden... wish I could do more.  So I remembered I forgot to let you all know we raised $29 in the donation box, so Jacob, Jeremy & I took that that and bought soil and peppers and built another square. 

This bricked in square I added this morning.  This is a smaller square and took about 1.5 cubic feet of soil.  I put 3 pepper plants in it but when they grow a bit I might have to move 1-2 to its own square, depending on how big they get.

Jacob & Jeremy medrano came out to help me water the garden this morning.  The sure enjoyed waterin the trees.  The hose didn't quiet reach that 4th tree but me managed.  Of course had to go get them dry clothes afterwards.

I know some of you object to leaving the hose out, but in order for peopel to help keep the garden watered I need to keep it accessable.  So there is a small pile of assorted lumber, a bag of soil, and the water hose. All located at the MOW building.

My truck is loaded with bricks, need to find someone to give me ahand at unloadin these in the next day or so.  Have another load of assorted lumber to go pick up.











You can find me on Facebook as Beth Pilkington LaFata... look me up and you can keep up to the minute updates of The Garden, since thats about all I talk about anymore... lol

Thanx again to all those that helped out yesterday!!

Check out Straw Bale Gardening....

This looks interesting... anyone have a few bales I can have to try it out?

Straw Bale Gardening is simply a different type of container gardening. The main difference is that the container is the straw bale itself and is held together with two or three strings. Once the straw inside the bale begins to decay the straw becomes "conditioned" compost that creates an extroardinary plant rooting environment. Getting the straw bales conditioned is an essential part of the process, and should be started by the first week in May for most parts of the country. This gardening technique works anywhere in the country or the world for that matter.

http://strawbalegardens.com/

Attention Community Gardeners... (thats everyone)

If you are interested in becoming a Community Gardener, please contact me at 281 508 3040 or email bethlafata@hotmail.com.  We'll pick a date & time to meet and you can pick out your spot. 


Volunteer Opportunities

Help organize and build new gardens.

Assist in garden clean-up, programs, and social events.

Work with skilled leaders to assist with children's and classroom gardens.

Connect with prospective gardeners.

Help with the bi-monthly newsletter.

Assist with public relations, fundraising, and grant writing.

Specific skills needed: irrigation, carpentry, landscaping, gardening, and fruit tree care.

Ground is broken... fruit and veggies are growin

Oh man.. what a great day! We got fruit trees planted, 3 small garden squares formed and planted... everything is watered... now nature can take over.  I'm beat! Below are pics of todays festivities...  Thank You ALL!!

Friday status...

Hello fellow gardeners.... I'm so very excited that tomorrow morning we'll have food in the ground growing. 

Patty has offered a few times to let me use the MOW debit card to get anything I might need ASAP, but I'd rather get this garden started without taking from the Meals... prefer to add to that program with our fruits and veggies.  So donations donations donations

Heres my plan for tomorrow and if you can help please do so...

I plan to be at the garden at 9am, and will start digging holes for the 4 confirmed fruit trees that will be there, and any more I discover they are coming.  I have only my shovels and hopin the ground is not too too hard.  I also need to mark a few garden squares and maybe thro one together real quick, I have assorted lumber to make borders.  I need black paint to write "The Garden" on a wooden sign I picked up today.  It may be a temporary sign, and it may stay till it rots.  Callie Evans is coming out to handle the lemonade stand. Celia Dunn is picking up balloons from Whataburger, just be festive.

Things I've collected so far...

Callie donated a water hose and a soaker hose
Patty has a rake and a shovel at MOW
Assorted lumber next to the dumpster at MOW for borders

Things I still need to pick up...

bricks and assorted lumber in a lady's back yard, approx a pick up truck load
                                                                               (call me if you can pick this up)

Things I'm working on... (if you know these people or anyone else that might help do haller at them, and myself)

Called the number on the storage containers out near the hospital, and left a message, want to see if they will doante a small one for us to keep garden supplies in

Called Brogden Landscaping to get advise about irrigation, haven't heard back from him yet.  Will call him again.

OK I'm off to work... cannot wait to meet you all!!!

Beth

Email sent out

Meals On Wheels, The Garden, A community porject benefitting OUR community


Hello, I'm Beth Pilkington LaFata and I am taking off with Patty's idea of a community Garden, with your help of course. Roy & Celia Dunn are working on plow/tilling the land, and Lyn Butcher has done her research and is planning the first row of approximately 10 Garden Squares with the local Garden Club. And this is only the beginning... The Garden is/will be located at 1410 Martin Luther King Jr Street in Mineral Wells (just north of the Jr High and east of Travis). There is a 3 acre lot next to the MOW building we are using. The purpose as stated in our Mission Statement below is, in short, to feed the hungry of Palo Pinto County. We will build raised 3x6 and 4x8 Garden Squares starting at the north end of the property and working our way south till the whole 3 acres is full of bloomin fruit & veggies. We are starting with the first row of fruit trees, the second row is 3x6 garden squares and row 3 is 2x6 squares of tomatoes. Once those are full we will start row 4.

We will be seeking sponsers for each to cover soil and seeds to get each square going. Anyone can build a Square & plant what they wish or just finance a square and we'll plant what they wish.

Currently seeking volunteers to help build & maintain the garden.

Its been a busy week, and its coming together alot quicker than I expected so...Save the Date... Saturday, April 3, 2010... The Garden, A Community Project to benefit our Community is having an informal ground breaking/meet n greet from 11 am to 1pm. We are soo very excited!! At Noon we will plant our first Apple Tree, now since fruit trees need to be planted in pairs I'm hoping someone will show up with another. (Last time I went thru Walmart they were about $20). Check my blog below to get the current "goings on"

So if your interested in gardening or even if your not, there is always something you can do to help feed the hungry.

To raise the $600 needed for soil for the first row of Garden Squares we will have a Donation only Lemonade Stand ran by Callie Evans, do give me a ring if you wish to give her a hand with this on Saturday. If you bake and want to bring up cookies or muffins to put at the stand please do.

Our Mission is to... Improve the quality of life for the elderly, disabled, and needy, in our community by producing home-grown nutritious food, reduce food budget, and eradicate hunger in our community one person at at time.

As with any project, there are immediate needs to get us started, this project has no budget and is run solely on donations to get it started...

listed are a few things we need... if you can bring any by please do.

there is a donation box at MOW for cash donations

someone to order/make us a sign one for each end of garden

garden soil- small/large bags.. give me a call if you can do a truck load

seeds

fruit trees/bushes/ vines

all garden tools

tiller

lanscape fabric

tomatoe stands

lumber

bed borders - boards, bricks, etc

small shed for garden tools

water hoses

someone to plan, advise, install irrigation

someone to plan, advise and make bed signs for sponsers

large clay pots



future needs...

soil & seeds

lawn mower

weed eater

lumber

someone to mow/weedeat between beds

someone to plan, advise, build a green house

someone to plan, advise, build a fruit/veggie stand

daily volunteers to keep gardens watered and weeded





I thank you for your time, and hope to see you Saturday

The Garden - MOWPPC Community Garden: Mission Statement-

Our Mission is to... Improve the quality of life for the elderly, disabled, and needy, in our community by producing home-grown nutritious food, reduce food budget, and eradicate hunger in our community one person at at time.

Wednesday's Garden Progress

I feel good about today's progress... as slight as it was. 

Made and posted an initial "Needs" list

Thanx to Lyn's research, found out we need approx $600 for dirt for the first row of garden squares.

Reviewed Home Depots grant programs.  We can apply in May.

Rec'd a bag of seeds from Patty and a few small garden tools, and I mean REALLY small... toys.  So bring your lil ones out and let them plant something.  She also has a few bags of potatoes with eyes, that we can thro under some dirt and see what grows.

Left a message for Chester Brogdon about irrigation, hopin to hear from him soon and meet up to get an idea of what we can do to water the first couple of rows, and be able to add on as the garden grows. 

Found out there are no pipes and such underground except right along MLK Jr Street.  He advised we stay a good 30 ft from curb.

Spoke with a friend that works for Acme Brick, to see if we can get a truck load of bricks donated for Garden Square borders.  He's checking into that and will get back to me.

Stopped by to see Dave at Discount Lumber south of MW along 281, he has garden boards for less than $4 for an 8 ft log.  Dave wasn't there but he's always been good to me and I'll see what he can do.  I'll stop by again tomorrow.

Stopped by Whataburger before work and while telling one of the managers about our Garden... she is givin us balloons (helium) to make our ground breaking more festive.  We will have to pick them up at 10:30 Saturday morning.  She is also going to check into how to get donations (a check) from Whataburger, I will check with her next week.

Found out most fruit trees need to be planted in pairs to produce fruit. So I have one Apple trees, hopin someone else will come up with another.

Having a Lemonade Stand to raise a few funds at the Ground Breaking... will do this on several Saturdays to raise some funds.  My daughter Callie Evans has volunteered to man this stand this Saturday with one of her friends.

My mother wants to finance/plant a square of those lil flowers that you plant around tomatoe plants to keep the bugs away... I've forgotten what they are called AND 2-3 tomatoe plants.

On my agenda still to do before Saturday...

Decide on signage for each Garden Square

Order/obtain banner "The Garden, A Community Project Benefitting OUR Community"

Finish Donation Box, started making one today

Hit up Shires for whatever they can spare

Get irrigation advice and estimate of cost

I'm sure theres more that I'm just not thinking of at the moment...

I thank you all for the emails, keep those ideas, thoughts and advice coming

Beth LaFata

cell 81 508 3040

bethlafata@hotmail.com