LOVE AND HOMEGROWN TOMATOES EVENT – JUNE 16, 2012

  • May 19, 2012 7:13 am

Learn more about this fun event.  Go to www.henrytomatoparty.org for details.    You don’t want to miss it.  There will be door prizes, a silent auction with really great items to purchase, vendors, music, garden tours, and free parking. AND………………….

We love and thank our sponsors

CASH

The Shopper.net, McDonough

Discover Chiropractic, Stockbridge

Harding Plumbing, McDonough

Bennett International, McDonough

Wilson Brothers Nursery/Gardenality.com, McDonough

Premier Capital Mortgage, Stockbridge

Friends of the Gardens

Laura Crumbley, CPA, McDonough, GA

 Encompass Group, McDonough, GA

In -Kind Donors

 Better Letter Mailing Services, Inc, Stockbridge

Buster’s Repro, Stockbridrge

 Chick –Fil- A at Eagles Landing, Stockbridge

 Classic Landscapes, Inc., Hampton, GA

 Fresh Express Salads, Stockbridge, GA

Jonesboro Rentals, Morrow, GA

Paige’s Wholesale Plants, McDonough

 Southside Insider, Stockbridge

 Tabitha Goodman; Shaun Russell

Thompson’s Market at Moye’s, McDonough

 Tractor Supply, McDonough

SC Southern Crescent Broadcasting, Stockbridge

United Methodist Church at Wesley Way, McDonough

WH&A Commercial Realty, Stockbridge

 Buzzzz’N Magazines, Stockbridge

 The Corner Maker, McDonough

 J C Penney at South Point, McDonough

 Publix at Shoppes at Lake Dow, McDonough

Auction Donations

WHC2

William F. Colburn, Jr.

Iron Sculpture for Home & Garden, Fairhope, AL

G Gallery Interiors and Custom Framing, McDonough

Mark Younts, Atlanta

Classic Landscapes, Inc., Hampton

Heron Bay Golf, Locust Grove

 Eagles Landing Country Club, Stockbridge

Outback Steak House, Stockbridge

Corbin’s Baled Pinestraw, Stockbridge

O.B.’s Barbeque, McDonough

Peachtree Peddlers Flea Market and Antique Center

 

SPRING PLANTING ALMOST FINISHED!

  • May 2, 2012 2:50 pm

Over the last several weeks we have been busy preparing and planting our gardens and we are all but finished now.  Unfortunately, the crows ate all of the corn planted at our Cubihatcha Helping Harvests and we are replanting.   Four 100 ft. rows of tomatoes will also be planted Monday.   Lastly, the sweet potato slips should be arriving sometime this week and we will try to get them in the ground as soon as possible at our Wesley Way Helping Harvests.   We did have a light frost recently but not much damage as far as I can tell.

This afternoon we will install the herb bed at Wesley Way finally!  There will be various thymes, sweet woodruff, chives, dill, sweet basil and more.  Should be a nice attractive addition to the community garden.


This is the original planting of herbs at our Heritage Village garden with basil oregano, thyme, parsley and rosemary.  It looks a lot different today because the herbs have matured.  I thought you might enjoy this picture.

 

 

HELP US WIN AN ORCHARD AT CUBIHATCHA HELPING HARVESTS

  • April 19, 2012 8:17 am

Hi  Friends

Please help us win an orchard at our Cubihatcha Helping Harvests Gardens. All you need to do is go to communitiestakeroot.com, create a log in and vote for us.  You can vote once a day.  Please ask your friends to help us too.

This orchard would help us donate fruit to local food pantries and other non-profits in our county who assist families in need.

 

PLEASE GO VOTE!  We need your help.

Whether You’re Bored, Need Exercise, or Actually Want to Make a Difference- Come Play in the Garden with Us!

  • April 9, 2012 2:29 pm

Have you ever been curious about gardening, nonprofits, or how a community garden actually works?  Then I strongly encourage you to take a little time and volunteer with us.  This is a great way to meet new people and contribute something meaningful to your community.  The added bonus is that it feels great to help out someone in need- and we need your help just as much as the beneficiaries of the gardens do!

We greatly value any gift of precious time someone has given to us.  There is nothing better than knowing that people have a choice of what to do with their time, and that they chose to come help us!  The work that caring people put into this organization to make it function does not equate to wasted effort- it enables us to go on serving as a multi-faceted health resource for County residents.

Volunteering to help is neither difficult nor scary.  There are no special skills or knowledge needed- only the willingness to be present and help out. Even first-time gardeners are of enormous help to us.  Any questions can be answered by the staff members on site, since we are right there working as well! The things that we ask of garden volunteers are pretty simple.  We need them to dig, shovel dirt, fertilize and rake.  We need help to plant seeds, lift equipment, till the plots and pull weeds- all relatively easy tasks which are tremendous work on us, however, if we do not have the help we need.  The truth is, whether we have 3 or 30 people, the same amount of work must be done.  All 7 of the gardens must be properly maintained, if they are to flourish.  But with enough people, it is so much easier, and we get finished quickly!  Two such opportunities for which we need volunteers are coming up very shortly.  One is for Wednesday, April 11, while the other is Thursday, April 12.  Both of these are garden work days for planting crops, and are listed in our Volunteer Opportunities on this website.

Since we are extremely grateful for each individual who spends time with us, we try to make it as friendly an experience as possible.  We always provide the drinks for the workers that day.  Sometimes we provide lunch, but at the very least, we do have snacks for hungry people to munch on.  As we continue to grow our volunteer program, we are trying to incorporate more incentives for those who serve at least 10 hours with us, such as free meals at local restaurants, t-shirts, water bottles and other gifts.

So if you are faced with some spare time in the future, please consider working with us to better the environment and food choices of Henry County- even if it is only for a couple of hours.  It’s easy to sign up- just click on one of the opportunities we have listed on the Volunteer page of this website (under the ‘Support the Gardens’ tab), or send an email to gardens2012@att.net, or you can simply call the office, 770-954-0000.  We look forward to hearing from you!

SPOTLIGHT ON WINDY HILL COMMUNITY GARDEN AND HELPING HARVESTS GARDENS

  • March 27, 2012 1:53 pm

Windy Hill is a family community garden located at 86 Work Camp Road, McDonough, GA.  There are 16 garden plots and gardeners of all ages at this lovely garden.  And, as you might suspect with the unusually warm weather, gardeners are already preparing the plots for planting spring vegetables and some have already planted onions and potatoes.  In addition to the fenced garden plots, there are plantings of asparagus, strawberries, blueberries, grapes and an assortment of perennials all around the garden site for the enjoyment of the gardeners.

This community garden was opened in 2008 by Community Gardens of Henry County and is now one of five CGHC community gardens in Henry County:  Heritage Village, a seniors garden; Wesley Way, a family community garden;  Lewis Street and Hooten Street gardens for residents of public housing.

HELPING HARVESTS GARDENS

 

Silver Queen Corn at Cubihatcha

The Cubihatcha Helping Harvests Garden began in 2005 with the assistance of Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority staff at the Cubihatcha Outdoor Center.  The 10,000 sq. ft. garden is located at the reservoir in Locust Grove.

 

 

 

The Wesley Way Helping Harvests Garden began in 2010 when Community Gardens of Henry County partnered with The Wesley Way United Methodist Church located at 150 John Wesley Way, McDonough, GA.   This garden serves as a community outreach for the church and is a fulfillment of Community Gardens’ mission.   This garden, like Cubihatcha, is approximately 10,000 sq. ft.
A variety of vegetables and fruits are grown at the Helping Harvests Gardens and includes corn, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, apples and blueberries. Produce from Cubihatcha and Wesley Way Helping Harvests are 100% donated.  Since we began the Helping Harvests gardens in 2005, more than 15,000 lbs. of produce has been given to help feed needy families in our county.   Our objective for this growing season is to increase our donations by 30%.   Recipients of our food donations include Helping In His Name Food Pantry, St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry, A Friends House and Shining Light Ministries.

If you are interested in becoming a community gardener or volunteer or would like more information, please contact us at:  770-954 -0000 or e-mail us at communitygardens@bellsouth.net.  Website:  www.henrygardens.com