WISE Pumpkin

WISE Pumpkin

This year, we had designated a garden for use by WISE. Bowls of cherry tomatoes have been delivered to WISE . . and today, a pumpkin and flowers.

Fall Garden Work Day 10/16/11

Garden Work Day 10/16/11

Thanks to all who showed up for our garden work day: Heidi, Patrick, Isabelle, Alice, Barry, Su Yeon, Cherry, Norman, Jim, Joanna, Alyssa, Rayna, Jean, Polly, Helen, Edith, and Bob (who distributed all those piles of wood chips with his tractor before most of us arrived.)

Time to Plant Garlic

Hardneck Garlic

Now is the time to plant garlic! Hardneck types are adapted to cold winter climates, and produce delicious curled scapes in early summer. Larger cloves will produce larger bulbs. Check the Norwich Farmers Market for a supply of garlic bulbs for planting. (Thereafter you can plant your “homegrown” bulbs.)

PLANTING INFO: Thoroughly mix in a 1-inch layer of mature compost. In acidic soil, also mix in a light dusting of wood ashes. Wait until just before planting to break bulbs into cloves. Poke the cloves into the ground 4 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches apart, with their pointed ends up. Cover the planted area with 3 to 5 inches of organic mulch, such as hay or shredded leaves.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Growing-Garlic.aspx#ixzz1alWZcYNu
http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/blogs/organic-gardening/growing-garlic-460709

Health Facts: Modern science has shown that garlic is a powerful natural broad-spectum antibiotic. The bacteria in the body do not appear to evolve resistance to the garlic as they do to many modern pharmaceutical antibiotics. This means that its positive health benefits can continue over time rather than helping to breed antibiotic resistant “superbugs”. Studies have also shown that garlic can have a powerful antioxidant effect. Antioxidants can help to protect the body against damaging free radicals.

Bird Bath!

New Bird Bath - Photo by Liz Bickel

There’s a delightful new addition to our community garden: A bird bath has been installed in the center of the spiral flower garden. It was made locally by Bob Michal of Lebanon, and installed by Polly and Frank Gould in honor of Polly’s parents, Edward and Eleanor Cussler. Her father was born in New York City in 1910 and died in 1989. Her mother was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1913 and died in 2007. Two special lives with a lot of gardening and bird-watching between them.

Edward and Eleanor Cussler

Strange Sounds in the Garden

Quack! Quack!

There were strange sounds in the garden yesterday; thanks to flooding by Hurricane Irene, ducks were swimming in their new playground next to the garden, happy to be out of the rush of the river.

Hurricane Highwater

Hurricane Irene

Valerie and Samir ventured into the garden today and captured the effects of Hurricane Irene. Perhaps we should have planted rice?!
For more photos see https://picasaweb.google.com/116271430833289005337/IreneVisitsCanillas?authkey=Gv1sRgCPyh6risy8mu3gE

NH Eat Local Community Garden Tours

The Upper Valley is celebrating NH Eat Local Month with three community garden tours. We are proud of our gardens and hope you will come take a look!

Saturday, August 13

10:30 Canillas Community Garden at CCBA, Lebanon
http://canillasgarden.wordpress.com/

11:15 Community Garden at Enfield Shaker Museum
http://www.shakermuseum.org/communitygardens.htm

Saturday, August 20

10:30 Hanover Community Garden
http://www.hanovergardens.org/

* The Canillas Community Garden is located on CCBA property in Lebanon, behind Wechsler Field on Spencer Street. Park along the gravel drive between Wechsler Field and Emerson Place Apts, perpendicular to the fence.

* The Shaker Community Garden is located behind the herb and flower garden at the Shaker Museum at 447 Rt. 4A in Enfield, NH.

* The Hanover Community Garden is located off Reservoir Road in Hanover, a little more than 1/8 mile from the rotary intersection with the Lyme Road (Rte. 10). It’s on the right, before you reach Dartmouth Child Care.