Check it out–we now are using a solar panel to power the pump for our 1100 gallon rainwater catchment cistern.

After lots of planning, building gardens, seed starting, planting and enthusiastic support, the Neighborhood Resource Center garden has started to produce vegetables, herbs, and flowers for all to enjoy! Children came to the NRC after school and were involved throughout the process of getting the gardening season underway. Some of the children in the after school program were able to attend a field trip to Victory Farms in Hanover to see how vegetables are grown on a larger scale. Now that summer has officially begun and school is out, we are continuing what was started during the spring season.

Every Tuesday afternoon a gardening session is held when we weed, water, discuss various gardening topics, harvest, and share food. A new cafe is being built in the center that will enable children to cook with vegetables that were grown in the garden. We have made mint tea, spinach dip, and feasted on fresh strawberries and snow peas. A recent project has been to construct a support structure for the rapidly growing tomatoes with bamboo stakes and garden twine. This week we hope to plant a new crop of bush beans and pole beans. We’ll be eating pesto made from basil that was grown in the garden! Lots of fun and good food!
Victory Farms Field Trip

Tomatoes with bamboo supports

Harvesting

Tricycle Garden’s Inaugural Rain Barrel Workshop was held at the Fulton Neighborhood Resource Center on Sunday, March 15th, 2008. 14 participants came out and despite looming rainy weather, built their own rainbarrels to take home with them and capture rainwater from their roofs. They can now save valuable rainwater and use it to water their landscapes, wash their cars, and more!

For information on future rainbarrel workshops, check back soon or send us an email.

The 17th Street Farmers Market has a petition online, concerning the management–or non-management–of the Market. Please read it, and sign and/or comment.

Spring Plant Sale
Thursday May 1, 2008 to Saturday May 3, 2008
The Garden’s plant sales are among the largest in the region with more than 40 vendors selling plants ranging from well-known favorites to rare exotics. Presented by Garden volunteers. No admission fee; regular Garden admission to visit the Garden.

Thursday, May 1, 1 – 6 pm
Friday, May 2, 9 am – 5 pm
Saturday, May 3, 9 am – 3 pm

Tricycle Gardens
Spring Seedling Plant Sale
This Saturday, April 5th
10am-1pm

Location: Tricycle Garden’s Church Hill Garden
2300 Block of Jefferson Avenue, Richmond VA 23334

Cool season crops, all $3/six-pack

• variety of lettuces
• kale
• chinese cabbage
• swiss chard
• broccoli

Get a great deal on healthy seedlings for your vegetable garden!

The Biggest Picture. Feb 9 & 10th at the Byrd Theatre in Carytown. Go here!

Are you ready to grow some of your own food? Do you want to meet neighbors and make new friends? Join us at the Carver Community Garden for the growing season of 2008. Call Rebecca @ 644-3689.