Jo Yount writes:
From dull grass to this in less than 5 months! In 2008/9 Judy Johnson and Jo Yount got excited about turning a big section of the grass around our church into a vegetable garden. The soil was much too good and easy to dig to waste it on grass – and grass is no fun to take care of and gives nothing back. Gardens are fun (as we had already proved with our flower garden) and they give back great products! We asked permission of the church board about February, and at the next membership meeting, the members approved the plan to fence about 4000 square feet into a veggie garden that we would care for with the help of any others who might enjoy the challenge. Of course, we planned to share the produce with the members, and also with the food bank. Even with a late start we have a very productive garden and we have all enjoyed the results – and look forward to the next season already.
Now we have had 4 more years, and we still love it. We have put in raised beds – way easier to keep neat and to protect our enhanced soil. A grant from MG helped us with this and another put us over the top with funding for our tool shed. We have learned more each year about what grows well for us. One big success is our big patch of raspberries. What a treat! And with our overflow of plants we have helped start several other beds for friends. Another low care, special treat crop is our asparagus – it takes a lot of space, but in the spring we never doubt its worth! Come by the garden on Umatilla, just off San Juan; we do love to share the vision of what we have created.