Hot Mid August News

Harvested Sunflowers

On Friday August 17th we are having our first New Moon Summer Harvest Potluck gathering.
More details on our event page: http://www.martinezpermaculturecenter.com/mpc_event_calendar.html

And farther down the right side of this blog.

We look forward to meeting you there.

Introduction to a new blog!
As a wonderful addition in our ability to share information and build community we now have a second blog.
Jim Mannion and his family have been very active participants at CACG for many months. They have contributed financially and also with their sweat and creativity. They are also part of a dedicated team of waterers that cover the areas not serviced by our automated irrigation system.
Now Jim has started his own blog to offer us his perspective on CACG, food, family and living locally. He is very well qualified to report on the happenings of CACG and his family's experience.

Well done and thank you Jim!

Here is a link to his interesting blog that I hope you will take a look at:
http://centeravecommunitygarden.blogspot.com/


Bob, in addition to being a mine of information on herbs, has been involved in construction projects at CACG. Here is a typical image of Bob refurbishing a recycled water valve for the garden's second hose bib.

Here is Bob on another project in July. Bob, on the left with Terry and Moctar building the garden entrance at the parking lot end. They are leveling sand over rock to set used brick paving.

 Pastor Terry has been a wonderful support to this permaculture garden. His construction skills and quality of craftsmanship keep us all on our toes. The white arch was recovered from a garden at JFK University that was being dismantled about two years ago. We have two table grape vines started with the intention to cover the arch in the next couple of years.

Mike painted the arch and his wife Jennifer has construction skills also!
She built this bench for the greenhouse herself with recycled lumber from the pile of boards at the garden. The boards were donated from an almost new fence that caught fire on Fuscia Ct. just down Center Ave. A very creative use of local resources and landfill reduction.

Jennifer and her bench about to move into the greenhouse

Planting at CACG
We have begun to plant our cool season crops: Beets, Kale, Peas, Lettuce and Swiss Chard. These crops will give a yield in the fall and or winter.
I know this seems like a strange time to be planting in this August heat but this is the best time to get these crops started. More on what we are planting in which areas in the next post.

For more information on what to plant when please visit:  http://ecologycenter.org/factsheets/planting-times.pdf

Here is another one based on Pam Pierces "Golden Gate Gardening"  (A very useful book)
http://www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/eastbayplantingguide.html

This is just a guide and not an absolute in my view ... but it is helpful.

The Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL) website will broaden your vision!http://www.ecologycenter.org/basil/index.html
And I could not fail to mention the most excellent work of our friends at the Richmond Seed Library http://www.richmondgrowsseeds.org/

Angelina painting garden signs