Volunteers of Lake Country: Garden for Good

August and September in the Garden for Good

2011-08-21T13:29:00.010-05:00

Hi Fellow Gardeners!

We have been enjoying some great sunshine the last few weeks and it shows in the garden. It is just bursting with life out there.

If you have been out to the garden lately, you'll have noticed the big solar panels across the parking lot. LCUUC, the church hosting our garden has installed solar panels that will produce about a quarter of their electrical needs. On September 24th they will be celebrating the installation as part of the world-wide Moving Planet event the same day.

LCUUC has invited us to join the event, giving tours of the garden and doing a project with visiting children. If you would like to help, email Barbara for details. The event will start at Noon and go until about 4pm. Several other "green" companies and volunteer groups will also be participating. It should be a lot of fun and a great way to meet many of our neighbors!

July News

2011-07-31T20:13:00.000-05:00

Hi Fellow Gardeners!

July was a very productive month in the garden. We harvested pounds of lettuce, broccoli, kale, basil, onions, hot peppers, cabbage, peas, and green beans. Tomatoes are still green but maybe we will get to harvest some this week.

If you are out weeding in the garden, don't forget the two round herb beds outside the west gate. The need some TLC this week if you have time to give it!

Happy Gardening....

First GFG Harvest of 2011

2011-06-01T15:52:00.005-05:00

May 21

Harvest on May 27

The lettuce looks small on the 21st but by the 27th we harvested 4lbs and took it to the Hope Center for the Friday evening meal!

Next Work Days:
June 4 - 9am to 11:30am
June 18 - 9am to 11:30am

June 18 will be our last scheduled large group work day until fall clean up. - Let us know if you want to work with a partner for the rest of the summer and I will match you up with one of our experienced gardeners.

Garden Progress

2011-05-08T18:24:00.007-05:00

With cold days the past three weeks, the lettuce planted on April 13 has not grown much at all but looks like it is doing fine. On May 4, 10 of us got together and put filled in the rest of the early planting beds and cleaned out the last of the dead foliage in the perennial garden around the outside of the GFG.

Our Next big Work Day will be May 21.
We are hoping the weather is dry because we want to cover the paths with cardboard and wood chips, double dig the late planing beds and till the herb garden. So come on out at 9am on May 21 if you want to play in the dirt!

Here is what we will be tackling:

Double Digging the three remaining beds
Building the Bamboo Trellises for the peas and beans
Digging out weeds
Digging or Tilling the herb garden
Moving Mulch if we have it.

This is what you should bring if you have it:

Shovel
Pitch Fork
Hand tools
Truck or trailer for Hauling Mulch - we will need to make at least 5 trips to the Hartland site to get enough mulch for all the areas needing mulch based on last years trips.
Wheelbarrow
Rototiller
Sunscreen, Hats, Bug Spray and H2O

We are also adding a work day for May 24, 5pm to 7:30 pm to finish what we will have started on the 21st.

Please let me know which day you will be bringing any of the above equipment so we can plan accordingly.

Thanks in advance! Barbara

April 16 work day cancelled.

2011-04-15T17:53:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, In case you were thinking of coming by the garden tomorrow - We are officially canceling due to rain.

2011-04-11T10:35:00.000-05:00

This is our first week in the garden and the weather is only going to be cooperative for a few days. It looks like we need as many diggers as are available to come out Tuesday evening, 5pm to 7pm to help with the double digging. Then on Wednesday, the early plants need to go in the ground before the rain starts for the rest of the week.

So here is what this weeks looks like:

Good Weather

Double Digging Tuesday, April 12, 5-7pm - Forecast is Sunny and 59
Planting Wednesday, April 13, 3 - 6:30pm - Forecast is Sunny and 64

Bad Weather

Thursday - Rainy and in the low 40's.
Friday, Rainy and in the low 40's.

Unknown Weather

Weather permitting, Saturday, April April 16, 8am - 12pm, cleaning up perennial beds, setting up new garden area and rototilling

2011-03-29T11:26:00.000-05:00

We had an exciting first planning meeting! About 20 of you braved the weather to meet and plan the upcoming growing season on March 20th.

We welcome everyone's help and if you didn’t make the March 20 meeting, no worries. You can be kept up to date and see what we will be working on, sign up for scheduled work dates, or to get on the calendar for this season of weed n’ watering by Contacting Us Right Here. Even sharing one hour of time will be appreciated.

Waterproof Garden Box

Our first work day, on April 12 (5pm), will be a Instruction and Practice for Double Digging. Once you have participated in this training, you can come and dig on your own. Our goal is to have the spring garden plots Double Dug by planting day on April 16.

Deb and Dave's Cattle Fence Trellis

A quick garden wish list: Waterproof Garden Storage Box, 3’x3’ sheets of plywood (used for standing on while Double Digging), Cattle Fencing Panels (4 - to make trellises for peas, beans and malabar spinach), green metal fence stakes (24) and a 100’ garden hose.

Scheduled Work Days (so far and weather permitting)

2011-03-20T20:37:00.004-05:00

You do not have to come to every work day. You do not have to stay all four hours. However, to help us plan, please let us know which days and times you plan to attend.

April 12, 5pm to 7pm - Our first work day - an evening event starting at 5pm. Paul will be teaching anyone interested how to double dig a garden. The goal is to have diggers finish the spring beds done by the 16th so if the weather cooperates, we can put in our early spring vegetables.

April 16, 8am to 12pm - Build trellises, early spring planting, double digging spring beds (if needed), and rototiling the Herb Garden area and start laying out the design. Bring you shovels, spades, wheel barrows and pitchforks.

April 30, 8am to 12pm - Hauling and moving mulch, compost and manure. Weeding. Build the squash mounds. Herb Garden work. Bring you shovels, spades, wheel barrows and pitchforks.

May 14, 8am to 12pm - Hauling and moving. Weeding. Build the squash mounds. Herb Garden work. Education - visitors from the LCUUC garage sale Bring you shovels, spades, wheel barrows and pitchforks.

May 21, 8am to 12pm - Recycling the Cardboard City boxes - we will be using the cardboard as a barrier under the mulch in the garden paths. Bring you box cutters, wheel barrows and pitchforks.

June 4, 8am to 12pm - Summer Vegetable Planting. Tomato Cage Installation. Weeding. Bring you shovels, spades, wheel barrows and pitchforks.

June 18, 8am to 12pm - VLC June Project Day (officially starts at 9am but some will be there early)
Be sure to contact us at Volunteers of Lake Country (VLC) to let us know if you are coming or if you have any questions about the VLC: Garden for Good. Contact Us at VLC

2011 Planning Meeting

2011-01-28T07:34:00.003-06:00

The first Meeting of 2011 will be held March 20th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, at Lake Country Unitarian Universalist Church. Sign up at Volunteer on the Volunteers of Lake Country website.

Everyone interested in the garden, regardless of level of participation is invited to attend this meeting. All ideas and input are welcome!

This meeting is especially important for everyone interested in taking on leadership roles in the GFG as well as for those of you who want to be part of the planning of this years garden. Several of our key gardeners have retired this year and we have big boots to fill.

Please come and bring a friend! Refreshments will be provided. If you have any questions, please contact us at Volunteers of Lake Country

Thank You!

2010-08-22T14:33:00.009-05:00

First Bank Financial Centre of Oconomowoc donated a gift card to Home Depot so that we could purchase and build these beautiful Leopold Benches for the garden. Our own Steve Waterhouse put these together and delivered them out to the garden earlier this month.

We also want to thank all our volunteers who have been keeping the garden free of weeds! And a Big Welcome to our new volunteers who jumped right in despite the extreme heat of the summer! Our new volunteers are all ages, from a family of five to a retired gentleman farmer. Thanks everyone new and returning!

June VLC Project: Garden For Good!

2010-06-25T22:49:00.001-05:00

We had 20 volunteers come out on June 19th to work in the Garden for Good. A big THANK YOU goes out to these fine gardeners! With all the rain, the garden had become overgrown with weeds, making it hard to find the produce! Since the rain had also kept us away from prepping for the new Herb Garden, we decided to focus on blitzing out the weeds and laying in the rest of the mulch. Wow, what a difference 20 people can make in 2 hours!!

Now that the garden is looking great, we need your help coming in weekly to help keep the weeds away and water if the rain ever stops! If you would like to help, one day week or one day a month, that is fine. "One by one, together" we will be able to keep the garden looking great. Don't worry if you can only come out once or twice this summer, all help is appreciated. You can also sign up for the same day as someone else. Don't worry, I promise we will get plenty more weeds!!

We are still planning of the Herb Garden Install so stay tuned to find out more...

New Herb Garden

2010-05-28T06:49:00.000-05:00

June 19 ~ Volunteers of Lake Country Official Volunteer Project!!

On June 19th, starting at 9am (for early starters) and going until 12pm we will be adding the pictured Herb Gardens to the Garden for Good.

The goal is to completely install landscaping and plants by noon and then all who are interested are invited to bring a picnic and stay to visit.

2010-04-23T12:17:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday the Kennedy's came in at 9:00am and worked all day! Ed, Paul, Dave, Julian, Barbara and the Turners came out to help as well.

Five beds were planted: The first two beds (starting from the NW corner) are identical. 1row raddichio, 2 rows broccoli, 2 rows lettuce. There are two varieties of broccoli, one is purple.

The third bed has 6 purple broccoli, lots of lettuce and some onion sets.

The forth bed has about 15 lettuce, the rest of the onion sets,and seeds. There are beet seeds planted between the onions and also a section of seeds in the NE corner of the bed mostly beet but a small patch of salad mix where we ran out of beets.

The fifth bed is all seeds. The north half is spinach, the south half is salad mix, arugula, and a few more spinach. This salad mix will need to be thinned. The thinnings can be added to the larger lettuce and raddichio for a salad. Whoever weeds this bed will have to be able to recognize lettuce, broccoli family greens, and spinach, they are scattered randomly.

Our Second Year

2010-02-05T09:32:00.000-06:00

Volunteer Opportunities for 2010

April/May: Early in the season, depending on the weather, we will be putting out a call for volunteers to weed, dig new beds, rake and spread wood chips on paths.

Early May: Sowing seeds & transplanting seedlings,building & installing bean and pea trellises

June - September: During the growing season volunteers are needed to weed and water on a weekly basis, You can volunteer for the whole summer or just a week - it is up to you!

Please email us if you would like to help in any way or learn more about the Garden for Good at: contact@volunteersOfLakecountry.org

Fall Tomatoes

2009-10-04T17:46:00.000-05:00

Though fall is not typically thought of as the season of tomatoes, with our cold summer and warm fall that is just what we got this year. The garden produced bushels of tomatoes that had to be harvested three times a week. A big thanks to the Turners who adopted the tomato patch.

The Last Sunflower

2009-10-04T17:39:00.000-05:00

2009-08-18T09:37:00.000-05:00

2009-08-18T09:36:00.000-05:00

The Cooperating Congregations of Waukesha County Meal Site receives some of our produce weekly for preparing meals.

Fresh Produce Drop-Off Sites

2009-08-05T09:10:00.000-05:00

Below are the locations and acceptance hours of nearby Food Pantries and other drop-off sites. Pantry acceptance hours may be different than their open hours. Hours are subject to change, it would be a good idea to call ahead and verify drop-off times.

Hartland Pantry, 229 Lawn Street
262-367-6373 Wednesday 1:00-2:00 pm. Please call ahead to 367-2803 if possible.

Kettle Moraine Pantry, All Saints Church, 705 Tomlin Road (Hwy. E) Wales
262-968-6466 Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 10:00-11:00

North Lake Pantry, W314 N7462 Highway 83, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish
262-966-2191 Tuesday 8:00-9:30 am, Saturday 8:30-10:30 am

Oconomowoc Pantry, W359 N5848 Brown St (Hwy P)
262-567-7054 Tuesday & Thursday 1:30-2:30 & 6:30- 7:30 pm, Saturday 9:30-10:30

Pewaukee Pantry, 642 Main Street (lower level of church)
262-691-3240 Wednesday & Saturday 9:30-11:15 am. Call 262-691-4826 first if possible.

Sussex Pantry, N63 W23626 Silver Spring Drive
262-646-9860 Monday-Friday 8:30-11:30 and Monday 5:30-7:00 pm,
Wednesday 1:00-2:30 pm, Saturday 10 am-12:00

Alternative Hartland Location: Dave Wolken House, 702 E. Capitol Drive (front porch)
262-367-1071 No need to knock or ring bell, just drop off your donation.

Also accepting donations in large quantities, or further away:

Food Pantry of Waukesha County, 215 W. North Street
542-5300 Monday – Friday 9:00 am-Noon and 3:30-4:00 pm, Thursday 4:00-6:00 pm

Menomonee Falls Pantry, N84 W16579 Menomonee Ave (Old Hiawatha School)
Tuesday & Thursday 12:00-2:30 pm & 5:30-7:00 pm.

Shady Lane Greenhouse, W172 N7388 Shady Lane, Menomonee Falls
262-251-1660 Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm, Saturday 8-6 and Sunday 9-5

Brookfield Farmers Market, 2200 N. Calhoun Road. Look for the Waukesha County
Nutrition Coalition Booth 262-784-7804 Saturday 7:30 am - Noon

If you have additional questions and I am not available, please contact Melinda Stuart from the Food Recovery Program of the Waukesha County Nutrition Coalition at 262-896-8026 or mstuart@waukeshacountry.gov.

If you want the location of a site near your Waukesha County employment, or additional Waukesha locations, please contact Dave Wolken, 262-367-1071 or dwolken@wi.rr.com.