Happy Spring Everyone

 First: praise to Austin Stowe from Grand Central Magazine for writing a superb article about Campus Grow.  Check it out here!

The warm front must have passed because we received a wonderful first spring rain. I'm not counting the tornado, though it gave us plenty of rain. It was a tornado. This was the lengthy drizzle (with a few lightening bolts to help change the nitrogen in the air to a usable form for plants) that left the air warm enough, and the cool weather delectable future meals sprouting. The rain also woke up the weeds, but Campus Grow's growing army of members and volunteers greatly reduced their take-over. A high five to everyone who has been out with us on our meetings weeding the little ones so they wont turn into monsters! Alas, I cannot commemorate you with photos because my camera is.. very grouchy. Thank you, nonetheless!

Though my camera is out of commission, I'll show some images from last year in hopes to educate and amuse. The following is the deadly cabbage maggot and some of its effects on foliage. This pest is the reason plants with the name brassica are banned from the big garden. It lives in the soil and sneaks in through the roots.

This is blurry, but the closest I could get. It's a white wormy thing with a black head.

 Effects are devastating.

 Foliage is very sad.

Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, kale, kohlrabi, mustard are in danger. Radishes are supposed to be, but some volunteered to come up last year and were left alone. After some research, the following is the late pupae stage. Earlier, they will look like brown, shiny packets with a pointy end, but the only photos I have of that died with my camera.

As adults, they are called grey flies, and look like creepy flies.

On a similarly uncomfortable note, here is the tomato hornworm.

 All bugs above are several reasons we want to attract the following friend.

And, like MSU, eventually get a few of these..

And, with that, have a lovely week, and enjoy planting those cooler weather peas, spinach, carrots, potatoes, and beets!

A Map to the Gardens

 

^^^Click on this for a larger image^^^

Mulching Day

Those beautiful, scary, unpredicted warm weeks we've been experiencing were replaced by the normal gloomy March chill- though still milder than in past years. Yet, the sun came out to smile upon the Campus Growers mulching and weeding during this week's meeting. A booming thanks to CMLife who not only runs great articles on our efforts, but has donated old newspapers that we can use as mulch. They use soy-based inks, and the papers are safe for garden usage, so no worries as it begins to biodegrade. It'll just turn into good soil. We are, also, enormously thankful for our adviser, Patti, who donated a row of garden fabric that stretched from one end of the garden to the other. We've formed so many paths that we'll have to spend a few more meetings mulching, while numbering plots, and ever forever and always weeding as well.

We planted many rows of seeds inside for our plot renters, and in anticipation of our end-of-the-year plant sale. Included in the 5-7 weeks before planting warm weather crops outside list, we started peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and purple basil. Soon, we'll be able to start cool weather crops outside. The excitement grows!

Sew, until next time, grow well.

Tabling in the UC

A special thank you to everyone who ran our table. Your fundraising, and signing up of interested new members and plot renters is much appreciated!

This zucchini-squash is from 2011, but I'm just so excited for things to grow again that I couldn't help putting it up. It was delicious, but the flowers were cross pollinated and would very likely grow into something too tough to eat if its seeds were used. Thus, the difficulty of open pollination, though open pollination is a great and necessary thing. Thanks to the farmers who are able to accomplish such a feat!

Marking Plots

We spent our meeting in the garden this week in the eerily beautiful weather. The days are growing longer, so we were able to spend about two hours marking 10'x10' with a path three feet wide between. Turns out some people are not made for numbers, and we ended up with thirty plots more than expected! In a way, this is a windfall because of the general growing interest in gardening, and need to provide food locally. When our original 22 plots were filled in full by both beginning and seasoned gardeners, we were ecstatic. Now, we have quite a few more, so reserve yours today!

Transplanting Johnny Jump Up Violets

It is difficult not to let these pictures mostly speak for themselves for this productive meeting, so let's do that...

 That closest tray has special antibacterial soil that allows for the greatest seed germination rate. One reason seeds may not germinate is bacteria in the soil. After the plants get their first true leaves (or, second set of leaves that come out of the ground), they must be transplanted into something larger so they can flourish.

 Sticks are used to poke a space in the soil so the roots aren't damaged as they slide below ground.

 A present and future Campus Grow Co-coordinator^^

 Careful not to plant the seeds too thick (or do!). We now have a table and some floor space full of trays of future edible flowers, yum!

Our amazing adviser, Patti, who allows us use of, and space in, the greenhouse.

Painting Party

Excitement for this upcoming gardening season grows as our list of plot renters fills. Seventeen of the twenty-two 10'x10' plots are signed for, and outside sewing time is still two and a half months away. Plots are normally $10 this year, but there is another opportunity available:

Students for Service Learning RSO is conducting a raffle for one of our plots. Tickets are 2 for $1, or 5 for $2. Purchase them Monday, February 20, or Wednesday, February 22 between 11am - 2pm on the lower level of the UC. Tickets may, also, be purchased from any Campus Grow or Students for Service Learning member. The drawing will be March 30.

The Students for Service Learning been doing other lovely things including a video they're putting together which portrays how life in various student organizations, and Campus Grow will be featured. We will, also, have an article in their newsletter that you can find around campus.

Last Thursday's meeting consisted of the above mentioned points of interest, and then we got a bit painty. We'll be selling violas at Earth Day, and again at the Plant Sale (in conjunction with the greenhouse) later this year, and we spent time this week making each clay pot a wonderful piece of art.

 

Next week's meeting will be another hands on one where we will meet in the greenhouse to transplant violas, and start a few vegetable seeds indoors to watch as they grow. An interesting experiment will come of starting plants so early, and making them wait to be transplanted outside. Let's see what happens. Until then, happy planning!

Garden Tour

We could not ask for better weather during our February garden tour. It was cold, but clear. We met in our regular meeting area, Brooks 203, and discussed the Superbowl Fundraiser, and how strange the week had been. Hopefully, this atypical winter will lead into a premium growing season! And, away to the Little Garden we went.

The snowstorm held off until the next day, so the plots were unburied. The cover crop must have been planted just after it would have germinated, and the soil was bare. Very likely, the cover crop will begin growing when the ground warms some, and beat the weeds. If so, we will have a much easier time dealing with the difficult clay.

As of right now, we plan on letting the back half stay covered with an intentional  cover crop (very unlike our awful theory of weeds being better than bare soil), while we work on amending the front half. Clay tends to retain water, but becomes rock hard when dry. This combination is incredibly difficult to work with, and tackling the job over two years will give us time and energy to do a thorough job. The finalized plans are still being worked on.

We arrived at the big garden as the sun was nearing the horizon. Tiny cover crops of crimson clover looked unhappy to be above ground, but were still green with hopes of spring. The stone circle in the middle held sleepy looking lilacs, lavender, and sage. The garlic rows brought fond memories of the man who taught us the proper way to plant garlic (making sure all cloves face the same direction because the plants will have optimum space when they grow up), and the fact that he did not speak english. That, right there, is the beauty of gardening: plants transcend the barriers of spoken language.

We finalized the tour with voting on the e-board. All who applied were granted their positions and a hefty round of applause. Well done, garden crew.

Plans

(From 2 February 2012)

Campus Grow e-board positions were open for nominations. Currently no positions need to be campaigned for because the numbers match up, but voting will happen next meeting at the end of the garden tour. The placements are currently:

Co-coordinators: Jackie and Madelyn
Treasurer: Grant
Advertising Leader: Rachel
Historian: Elena
SGA Rep: Jackie

We discussed logistics of the Superbowl Fundraiser that took place Sunday, February 5. Members were asked to relieve Superbowl party-goers of their surplus empty cans, and exchange them for usable funds at a grocery store. Much appreciation for all who contributed!

One of our future co-coordinators and current SGA rep is working on throwing a community dinner for educational, healthful, and social purposes. Nutritional facts for the well-balanced meals are to be discussed, as well as other healthy habits. If you're interested in volunteering for this event, let us know.

Rachel, also, did some research for us and found out that CMLife has a huge stockpile of newspapers to be recycled, and we are able to use them for compost and mulching purposes. Well done!

Happy growing!

Beginning the Season

This eerily mild winter has kept thoughts of spring planting in front of our minds. When the seed catalogs came out, we began drooling over the organic options. The time of planning is here. 10'x10' plots are available with a security deposit of $10. 4'x4' square foot plots are being planned and should be available by outdoor planting time.

We are transitioning into the new growing season, and, as such, have opened up nominations for new e-board members. Nominees must be active members, and CMU students. Positions are:

-Co-coordinators

-Treasurer

-Fundraising Leader

-Advertising Leader

-Historian

-SGA Representative

At our meeting this week, the idea of a Campus Grow cookbook resurfaced. Recipes are very welcome. Please email them to campusgrow@gmail.com. Photos are welcome. This may morph into a cookbook/garden journal with personal tips, tricks, and stories.

Future events include:

Saturday, February 4 from 9am-1pm. The Friends of the Fabiano Botanical Garden is hosting free and interactive workshops on tree pruning and maple tree tapping. It will be in the CMU Park Library Auditorium. The contact person is Gail Moore (moore1ga@cmich.edu or 989-774-3773).

Sunday, February 5. Superbowl Sunday Fundraiser. The idea here is to gather the cans of football fans celebrating this annual event, exchange the cans, and invest that into the garden. Please bring monetary rewards to the next week's meeting (Thursday 5:30pm in Brooks 203)


Monday, February 6 from 7pm-10pm. RSO Spotlight will be held in the atrium of CMU's University Events Center. The facebook event is: https://www.facebook.com/events/284088338322274/?ref=notif&notif_t=event_invite