Community CROPS July 2008 Newsletter
It's been a great summer for growing food so far, especially the part about not having to water your plants at all here in Southeast Nebraska. The gardens are really looking good because of it.
Lots has been going on here at Community CROPS, most importantly our newly designed website. We hope you all like the new look! We're pretty excited and glad that the folks at Asari Solutions were able to work with us to design a site that really fits the organization. We plan to keep adding content and photos to the site, so check back for more updates.
Community CROPS Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, Pentzer Park It's been many years in the planning, and it is finally here! The Community CROPS Farmers' Market opens for business on Thursday, July 17th, 4:30-7:30pm at Pentzer Park (north of Holdrege on 27th). There will be fruit and vegetable vendors as well as many other great items for sale, and lots of cooking demonstrations and fun entertainment for the whole family. Come out, enjoy an evening in the park and buy some great food to eat. We are also accepting additional vendors. See our farmers' market page for more information on the market.Organic Pest Control Workshop
Saturday, July 12, 1pm, F Street Rec Center Evrett Lunquist, co-owner of Common Good Farm (www.commongoodfarm.com), has been farming using organic methods for many years. Come learn from Evrett how you can apply simple organic pest control methods to your own garden.Solar Ovens and Additional Workshops
We have a number of workshops planned throughout the summer, including building your own solar oven on July 26th and planting a fall garden on August 2nd. Read the workshops page for more information and to register for the workshops.Other Great Farmers' Markets
In addition to the Community CROPS market, you can visit our booths at the Sunday, Old Cheney Market, 5500 Old Cheney, each week 10am-2pm. This popular market is a great place to hang out on a Sunday to get to know your farmers.Did you know that there are now 6 farmers' markets in Lincoln? Fresh produce is now available four days a week at locations all over town. Another great market that started last year is the Havelock Farmers' Market at 62nd and Havelock. Open Wednesdays, 3-6:30pm, this market features some great local growers and delicious bread from Wise Oven Bakery.
Timely Gardening Ideas: Mulching
It's definitely been an unusual gardening season for us here in Southeast Nebraska. Many plants are doing really well still that have normally given up in the hot weather, such as lettuce. Others have been much slower, such as the garlic that hasn't yet matured, and the tomatoes slowed by wet weather.
Now is the time to be mulching your garden to hold in moisture, keep dirt from splashing your plants and increase the organic matter in your soil. Bales of straw are one easy way, grass clippings are another (let them dry before putting them on your garden).
Mulch is also great for keeping weeds down, as it reduces the germination of weed seeds. For weeds that area already growing, you can try what we've been doing a lot of in the community gardens. We put down a layer of cardboard first, and then cover it with wood chips. The cardboard lasts most of the season and as long as you overlap the edges, doesn't let the weeds come through.
