Community Garden of Shawnee

05/05/2013

This miniature glitter-covered plastic dolphin has shown up at various places around the garden for the past year and a half. It was recently spotted on the ground near one of the raised beds, and was promptly saved. "Glitter the garden dolphin", as its been affectionately referred to, has become a bit of a good luck token as well as an unofficial garden mascot for some. Glitter will be returning to the garden soon, and if you happen upon her please be sure to place her somewhere in plain sight within the fenced-in garden space so that someone else might have the good fortune and surprise of encountering her...

05/05/2013

Although it was a chilly, breezy, overcast morning, more than twenty people showed up to assist at the garden. Thank you to both OBU's Student Government Association and Sustainable Shawnee for the financial support, and to Lowe's for our working community partnership. Thank you to Frank and Randy of Direct Colors and to the Master Gardeners of Shawnee for helping deliver and offload the workday materials. Your help was/is greatly appreciated. Thank you also to the OBU students and neighbors that help at the garden. It would not have been such a success without you! We constructed and installed four picnic tables with benches; primed and painted the base of the center bed, as well as stained and sealed its redwood bench top; installed a fire pit; prepared the melon patch for sowing; and installed a new sunflower feature inspired by Japan. We are also thankful to Kana Suzuki for introducing us to Haruka's Sunflower Project and Julie Blackstone for the art paint. Much work was accomplished, good music was heard, great conversation was engaged, delicious coffee was consumed, and lots of laughter was shared. Despite the weather, it was a delightfully productive morning at the garden. Good things are growing. Let's grow together!

04/22/2013

Thank you to the twenty people who came out Saturday (20 April) for the workday! We cleaned and reorganized the tool shed, repaired and completed installation of the irrigation system (Yea!), tilled and added peat humus to the melon patch (we'll sow seeds in a couple of weeks), weeded the beds and grounds, planted some flowers, sowed pole beans, and more. It was a lovely spring morning among some wonderful human beings! A special word of appreciation should also be extended to some of the partners who helped make Saturday such a success: Lowe's, Dripworks, and the Student Government Association of OBU, we thank you! The next Community Garden/WORKDAY will be on Saturday, May 04, 09:00-11:00 a.m. Details are coming soon. Good things are growing. Let's grow together!

04/21/2013

In his latest book, the author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food turns his attention to how we use the four classical elements to transform plants and animals into food, and argues that home cooking can remake the American food system.

04/21/2013

Frequent the Pott County Farmers Market beginning the first weekend in May! Ricky and Claudia Crow are wonderful, Chad Ward is an OBU alumnus, and Jason McPhail and Tanner Roark are current OBU students. Support our local farmers. Support our local farmers market.

10/15/2012

Food Day is a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Powered by a diverse coalition of food movement leaders, organizations, and people from all walks of life, Food Day takes place annually on October 24 to address issues as varied as health and nutrition, hunger, agricultural policy, animal welfare, and farm worker justice. The ultimate goal of Food Day is to strengthen and unify the food movement in order to improve our nation’s food policies. Join this push for a stronger, more united food movement by signing up to organize or attend Food Day events in your community. www.foodday.org

06/05/2012

Ten years ago, the residents of the crime-ridden neighborhood started planting gardens—and everything changed.

06/04/2012

Those of you who have "liked" the Community Garden of Shawnee, this is something of which you should be aware. In short, you may not be getting posted garden updates/information in your Facebook newsfeed...

Isn't Facebook supposed to be the magical tool that levels the playing field for small business, non-profits, and grass roots movements? Once upon a time,

06/03/2012

Interest in food gardening increased during the economic downturn and has stayed pretty steady. Now some people are even turning to landscaping professionals to swap their lawns for something green and edible.

06/02/2012

There was a good group at the garden this morning. We accomplished lots of weeding, and were able to install a support system for the tomatoes in the south end of the center bed. We harvested some summer squash, zucchini, Yukon gold potatoes, cherry belle and white icicle radishes, Parris Island romaine, and each of us got to taste the first of the sweetie tomatoes. Y-U-M. In fact, the tomato plants in the center bed are already five feet tall, and are setting bunches and bunches of fruit - Sweetie, Brandywine, Big Rainbow, and Rutgers. A representative of the Master Gardeners of Shawnee stopped by to donate some plant markers. We are so appreciative of their support. So, thank you MGS, and thank you to everyone who stopped by to help out! Good things are growing!

05/17/2012

Some of my friends, only half-jokingly, refer to me as “the theologian of dirt.” I quite like that description. It puts me in a good location and in good company, particularly if we remember the scene in Genesis 2 where God is in the garden with hands in the dirt, holding the soil so close as to bre...

05/15/2012

The pioneering urban farmer and founder-CEO of Growing Power, Inc. discusses his text The Good Food Revolution, his thoughts on “food deserts” and preventative measures against disease and childhood obesity.