Volunteer Projects!

Seeds are ordered, classes have begun, and we will be in the greenhouse before we know it. All the buzz around here has me thinking that it is almost time to be in the field and at market, which reminds me that we have lots to do! There are a few things on our "to do" list that could be accomplished by a handy volunteer, as a scout project, or by a church group. If you're interested in helping us out, send me an email at rpollock AT catholiccharitiesks DOT org ! Without further ado, here are the two projects.

1. A Picnic Table for Mary and Maku!
Mary and Maku will be in the second year of the training farm this season. Their plots are on the other side of Richmond, across the street from the training farm. It's kind've like the wild west over there. They have worked hard clearing sod, stringing hoses across the street, and carrying totes of veggies all the way up to the cooler. They have turned a vacant lot into a productive field in a year. The thing that is missing from their field is shade. We almost have enough donations to build them a shade structure like we've got on the other side of the street, and I'd love to put a picnic table under it.

Mary harvesting in her plot.

Maku picking veggies for the market.

A picnic table would make them happy!

2. A Storage System for our Market Trailer!
We've got a great little trailer that we drive to some of our farmers' markets. Inside we've got tables, baskets, tablecloths, veggies, and everything else that you need to set up a few farmers' market stalls. Currently, we just stack everything in the trailer, and once we've twisted and turned our way to market, everything is a mess! We'd love to build a storage system that keeps everything tidy and is easy to use.

Winter Workshops Underway!

Workshops are a big part of our education program at New Roots. Throughout the winter months, we offer both farming specific English Language classes and classes focused on vegetable production and marketing. Farmers are required to attend these workshops to sign a land lease with us for space at the training farm. The workshops can get a little chaotic- yesterday's session on planting was translated into Nepali, Karen, Burmese, Maay Maay and Kirundi. They are also really rich- yesterday we spent time talking about the ways that people plant seeds all over the world.

To start off, our fearless horti-cultural-ist, Cathy B gave a pictorial powerpoint

on direct seeding and planting transplants.

Afterwards, we talked about measurement systems that we use in the US and introduced the inch and the foot. (Tell me again, why are we the only ones in the world that use this system!)

We used the rulers to talk about seed spacing. The Karen farmers showed us how they plant cucumber seeds staggered, 3 at a time.

First year farmer, Upendra, and Cathy B talk about planting cucumber and okra seed. We'll be planting before we know it!