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

]]> http://henrygardens.com/?feed=rss2&p=569 0 http://henrygardens.com/?p=556 http://henrygardens.com/?p=556#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 18:50:40 +0000 Glenda Garris http://henrygardens.com/?p=556 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.

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.

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!

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

s as a primary food source.  How we do this has, of course, evolved through the years but not that much.  In medieval times, community gardens as a food source were critical for survival.   Victory Gardens were everywhere during World War II when our country was stretched to provide its citizens with food essentials.  And, over the last twenty to thirty years, we have seen an upswing in the need for community gardens that allow citizens to grow their own nutritious food.

 Medieval Gardening

When in Italy several years ago, I came upon this medieval community garden in Orvieto.  This ancient garden, as was the practice then, was walled and built on the highest point of the city to protect the food source from being overtaken by frequent invaders

The practice of community gardening actually began in Europe and migrated to the United States in the 1950s with some of the first community gardens built in New York.  These early gardens continue to provide vital nutritious food to inner city residents.

Victory Gardens during World War II

I recently read with great interest the history of the “victory garden” during World War II.  The victory garden was part of the war effort initiated by the U. S.  Government.  Farm families, of course, had been planting and preserving produce for generations.  However, because of shortages in transportation and labor, moving produce to the marketplace became difficult.  Remember we already were rationed for sugar, butter, milk, cheese, eggs, coffee, meat and canned goods.    Citizens were encouraged to plant a “Victory Garden” in order that they provide their own fruits and vegetables.  The government urged citizens to make gardening a family and community effort.  Approximately 20 million Americans answered and planted gardens in their backyards, on empty lots and even on rooftops.  Neighbors pooled their resources and planted a variety of foods and formed cooperatives.   This effort by patriotic citizens made a difference in our food supply for everyone during the war.  Approximately 10 million tons of fruit and vegetables were harvested in these community plots – an amount equal to all commercial production of fresh vegetables.

Community Gardens Across the Country

 There now are millions of people who garden in communities all over the United States.  You will see gardens in public parks, vacant lots, and among urban blight.  The primary reason for the rapid growth is that these gardens remain essential as a food source while enhancing greening efforts.   Even in our land with abundant resources, there is a need for community gardens to help feed the many less fortunate among us.

The City of San Francisco has underway a pilot program called “Victory Garden 2007” whose mission is to create and support a citywide network of urban gardeners and to reinhabit some of its orginal “victory garden” sites.  Ultimately, this program will be adopted and supported by the City’s Recreation and Parks Department.

Henry County Gardens

Community gardens enhance the quality of life in our county by creating community, providing a healthy food source and by preserving green space that we are losing fast to rapid growth while creating beauty spots for all to enjoy.

We began our community gardening initiative in 2003 with the creation of the Heritage Village Garden.  Now there are six other gardens – Wesley Way, Windy Hill, Hooten Street, and Lewis Street In McDonough and the Wesley Way Helping Harvests Gardens in McDonough and Locust Grove .  All of our spring gardens will be planted in April with the promise of a bountiful harvest for the gardeners.    We are hopeful that opportunities for additional gardens will be realized in the future so that we can continue the long history of community gardening with its inherent benefits right here in our community.

                          HERITAGE VILLAGE COMMUNITY GARDEN

 If you would like to join the community initiative in Henry County. contact us at commnitygardens@bellsouth.net or 770-954-0000.

It’s a little early yet for planting outside, but we can start planning what tomato varieties we want to put in our gardens or patio pots. And we all have our favorites!  Some of mine are Big Boy, Better Boy, and Big Beef because they grow well in our area and will produce all season until killed by the frost.

If we are really ambitious, our seeds can be started now for transplanting in mid to late April depending on the frost date which I believe is April 15 in Zone 7B.  Tomatoes like warm soil so the outside temperature should be about 65 to 75 degrees daytime and no cooler than 55 degrees at night.  However, if starting plants from seed is not your thing, many transplant varieties are available at our local nurseries.  They usually carry plant disease resistant varieties that do best in our area. Look for transplants that have thick stems, good root system and green leaves.  Remember, tomatoes like full sun when selecting your planting spot. Plant your tomatoes about 3 feet apart so they have enough room to grow properly and plant them deep – up to the first set of true leaves on the plant.  It also is a good idea to plant them in a different place than last year and away from potatoes, eggplant and peppers.

Tomatoes love well drained soil with lots of organic matter.  The pH should range between 6.2 to 6.8    A soil test can help you determine the pH of your soil and provide recommendations for adding dolomitic lime.  Our southern soil is often too acidic and will need the addition of lime.  However, it takes a while for the lime to change the soil pH so it should be added in the fall for best results.  And of course, you will need to add fertilizers as indicated from your soil analysis two to three days before planting.  If you did not have a soil test, generally 1-1/2 lbs of fertilizer like 10-10-10 per 100 square feet can be applied.  Please remember to fertilize again every three weeks as a side dress once tomatoes form on the plant and until you have harvested all the tomatoes. You can add  2” to 3” of mulch to your plants soon after you plant them.  When it comes to watering — tomatoes need an inch or so of water at least once a week.  I try not to top water the foliage but water evenly at the base of the plant to help prevent disease. TRY TO BE CONSISTENT ABOUT DELIVERING WATER TO THE PLANT.  Uneven water distribution can cause problems with your tomatoes.

You will need to support your tomato plants to keep them off the ground.  Personally, I do not care for tomato cages.  My experience has been that when your plant becomes large and heavy with fruit, the cages can bend and do not always provide good support.  Trying to reuse tomato cages is my worst nightmare because it is difficult to straighten them out again!  Maybe its just me!  My preference is to use stakes with string.

I would love to hear from you old time tomato growers.   Tell us your special way of growing your favorite tomato.  In the meantime, I’m stocking up on mayonnaise and white bread and sitting back just waiting for the first picking!

Glenda Garris

Community Gardens of Henry County, Inc.

The Meetup will be held at 7:00 p.m. on February 20th at the Henry County Extension Office Building located at 97 Lake Dow Road, McDonough, GA.  If you take 81 East from the square, Lake Dow Rd. is a left turn at the second red light (McDonalds is on your left).  Turn immediately left into Heritage Park and another left turn will take you to parking and the main entrance of the Extension Office bldg.  We will be in classroom B.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Glenda Garris