STARworks Garden

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Flowerpots

STARworks Ceramics is hosting a flowerpot making extravaganza on Feb. 20'th at 4:30 pm and Feb. 27'th at 4:30 pm. Bruce and Samantha did a great job at posting more info about this on their BLOG, so check it out! Hope to see you!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Shiitake growing workshop

STARgarden is hosting a Shiitake growing workshop on February 28, (Saturday) from 10 am to 12 pm. Workshop instructor is Greg Bender who has grown Shiitake's for 7 years. We are partnering with NC A&T to make this workshop possible. Participation is free. Bring your own 2 oak logs. We can provide some logs for a small fee. For more information and to register, please contact Anne Pärtna: anne@starworksnc.org or #(336) 653 9551

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Greenhouse is UP!

I finally have something to brag about.

Here is a more or less step by step photo account on our greenhouse progress.

Million thanks go out to Wet Dog Glass peeps Eddie, Angela, Phil and Evan for lending a hand and all the others for moral support! I can't thank Adam enough for listening to all my ramblings of how we should do things and occasionally messing up his plans and for being always ready to help with anything to do with this garden project.

Thanks for Lyza and Andreas for being patient and good sports, and for Weezy who helped Lyza and Andreas to be good sports this weekend:)

Thank you Nancy and Beth for writing up a great grant and finding us money for this project!

And great thanks to Nancy's parents who donated a bunch of gardening tools last year - I use them all the time!

This project was made possible with a grant from the Conservation Fund's Resourceful Communities Program! A HUGE THANKS!

Building the skeleton.

Center post is up.

Helping hands.

Hmm... so how should we do this?

The plastic goes over.

Nice'n tight

This way? What do you think?

I can see it... green!

"evens withs titaniums arms he's liftings heavy things"

Friday, February 6, 2009

Greenhouse

Adam has been busy in the garden past couple of days, while I've been staying warm in the office, working on workshop brochure, making to-do lists and pouring through some catalogues. This morning I found Adam doing this out there... looks easy, eh?

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

School lunches and garden update

What a beautiful day it was yesterday! Adam and I spent most of the day in the garden, leveling the greenhouse floor more and moving the soil and compost around. In the future BioFuels space there are some old plastic tanks that will be cut up and we're hoping to use some of the cross sections to build oval and round shaped flower/veggie beds around the garden. We're keeping a close check on the weather and any dry/warmish window will be used to erect the greenhouse. Posts are in the ground and leveled, concrete poured to anchor them... I will post the next steps as they are completed.

As we all know School lunches are in a BAD shape in this country... Adam found this article yesterday and i wanted to share it with ya'll.

School Lunches.

STARworks Garden CSA

Community Supported Agriculture is a way to connect consumer and grower, each making a commitment to the other.

In 2012, STARworks Garden CSA will have 2 sessions during the growing season.

1’st session: May 1 – July 27. (13 weeks)

Month of August - BREAK

2’nd session: September 3 – November 30. (13 weeks)

To sign up for CSA, or receive emails about local meats, please email anne@starworksnc.org

You can expect a weekly offering of fresh seasonal produce, herbs and occasional flowers. Our growing space is limited, so your share will mainly supplement your diet. We partner with local farms to bring you pasture fed meats and truly free range eggs, mushrooms and a variety of vegetables - read your weekly newsletter to choose those goods. Some of the farms we are currently working with are: Green Acres Ranch, Edge of the World Farm, Whipo Will Hill Farm and Hilltop Angus Farm.

You are welcome to visit STARgarden anytime.

Support Your Local Farmer!

VEGETABLE OF THE MONTH.

Sorrel.

Sorrel is a cool-season perennial often grown as an annual. Sorrel is often grown from root divisions. Sorrel can be grown from seed sown in the garden as early as 2 to 3 weeks before the average last frost date in spring. Sorrel will be ready for harvest 60 days after sowing.

Description. Sorrel is grown for its tangy, slightly-sour tasting arrow-shaped leaves. There are five types of sorrels to choose from: garden sorrel, French sorrel, herb patience or spinach dock, spinach rhubarb, and common or sheep sorrel. All are good for eating.

• Garden sorrel (Rumex acestosa) grows about three feet tall and produces leaves that can be good used fresh in salads.

• French sorrel (R. scutatus) grows 6 to 12 inches tall and has fiddle-shaped leaves used in salads.

• Herb patience or spinach dock (R. patientia) grows to four feet tall with leaves that can be used either fresh or cooked.

• Spinach rhubarb (R. abyssinicus) grows up to 8 feet tall; the leaves can be used like spinach and the stalks like rhubarb.

• Common or sheep sorrel (R. acetosella) is a wild plant whose leaves can be eaten when they are very small.

Yield. Plant 2 or 3 sorrel plants per household member. Sorrel is used as a salad green accent.

Site. Plant sorrel in full sun. Sorrel grows best in well-worked, well-drained soil rich in organic material. Add aged compost to planting beds before planting. Sorrel prefers a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.8.