Looking forward to a fall garden

I am certain, if you have stopped by the garden, that you can see where seeds never sprouted, where weeds decided to protect the soil(haha), and where the patti pan squash and kale determined it was there year to grow prolifically when no one really wanted to eat them.

There have most certainly been some challenges that I was not totally prepared for but .... and here is the fun part - some of the seeds are turning into pumpkin plants, watermelons, tomatoes, peppers, summer squash(but only if the squash bugs don't eat them first and get fat), cucumbers, eggplant, and more. Plus I will shortly have in my possession a garden tiller to go to war with what parts of the garden are done producing and ready to be planted again for a fall garden (hopefully that will do much better than the one we have with us so far).

This garden started out as my idea of a gift to this community - it hasn't been thus. The plan is to continue to work on growing healthy food to encourage a healthy community and develop programs at the RecPlex that feed our spirits, our muscles, our laugh lines, and our need to share with each other. The orchard has survived this "hell" of a summer with hauling 5 gal buckets of water to the trees and next year... with the help of Dean Devries - we will have used 1 1/2 inch fire hose to connect the old wells on the school property to a pump to carry water to the garden instead of Duane carrying the water in sucking up all his gas in his truck to keep the garden from dying a hot death.

I would personally like some volunteers to help me plant seeds for the fall garden after I get it tilled again and when you think about having some fresh veggies go over and carefully cut some and take them home. This garden and the Farmers Market were developed for all of you and I just don't know how to share more with you than I am right now.

There are folks in town who are benefiting from the produce and they are grateful for it. The rest - come down to the garden and look around and see if you see anything you hope grows big enough for you to take home and eat. Linda Duckworth or myself can show you how to harvest some of it yourself so we still have plants left to continue to produce - just leave us a message at 217-456-6132 and I will call you back and set up a time for you to come over.

Watch for cold watermelon at the market this week and prepare to come to see Hope milk her dwarf goats and set up a goat petting area on August 11th while her Mom Tori brings us the best soap and Derek Beckert has some of the most remarkable brats we have tasted as Kim cooks them on the grill in the concession stand. Jackie Mills and Debbie have had the nicest tame blackberries for sale and superb eggs and then all the rest of the fun normal stuff at a market. LD is picking peaches to sell and on August 18th Big T's Honey Farm from Greenville will be at the market with honey and a presentation on honeybees to celebrate National Honey Bee Day *(which occurs on Aug 20th).

Ok.. I think I may have worn you out now with this missive and will work on getting back to writing shorter ones that may be of interest and education or just a few laughs at the old lady in the garden....