Here are a couple of upcoming events at the Community Garden:
On May 18 at the HBI Pub University of Quadra, Randy Dunn will be talking about garden and soil management. 7 pm.
On Saturday May 14 Linda Gray will be selling perennials and some starts - pumpkins amongst them - at her home across from the Library at 771 Cramer. 10 am to 2 pm.

Community kitchen bed
It's not working out as well as we'd hoped. The veggies grow beautifully but there's no place to store them until the community lunches begin in late September. Last year, because the fall was so cold and rainy, all the beets rotted in the ground. The old beet bed will now be used for garlic (whose final destination is the community lunch hot soups).
Our garden chair, Mary, has suggested that people could plant a row of something that could either be shared by all the gardeners, or given away, or sold at the farmer's market. We're hoping that those who agreed to help weed and water the community kitchen bed might be willing to do that. Please let me know if you are interested in participating. We'll be putting squash in perhaps half of the bed. Someone will be tilling this plot in the next few days so that it'll be ready if the soil ever warms up!

Regional District grant in aid
We've received another Regional District grant in aid through Jim Abram. This money will be used to finish the interior of the tool shed and to build compost bins for the west side of the garden. The shelving in the shed should make the space more organized.

Tool rules
In the meantime, please put the tools, HANDLE DOWN, into the blue barrel (a second one will be coming soon). There is a wire brush to clean the tools you've used before you put them away. Please use it! Our tools need to be looked after properly.

Homes for Bees
You may have noticed the inventive mason bee homes which Vinay has built and installed around the garden. If bees don't take up residence soon, we hope to buy some from a Comox Valley mason bee expert. Mason bees are great pollinators and they don't bite!

Plastic and paraphernalia
Another reminder about plastic in the garden: Please be sure that the tarps you are using are well weighted down, and that any that are beginning to disintegrate are removed and all residue cleaned up. If you can use something other than the building supply wood cover tarps, please do. Another concern is that some gardeners have expanded outside their bed boundaries, using common areas to store all sorts of garden things. Please make sure that all your gardening paraphernalia is stored inside your bed boundaries.

The garden gate
And one more reminder. Until the gates have been replaced, be sure to use the bungies to keep the gates firmly closed.

2011 potluck lunch and garden gathering
Our first 2011 potluck lunch and garden get-together is planned for Saturday June 25 at noon at the garden. It's possible that this will be combined with a short work party but we'll have more news on that closer to the time. It will be wonderful if as many members as possible can attend.

Aren't we all LONGING for warm sunny days! When they happen, I'll see you at the garden.

Susan
for the steering committee