At Ramella Park, Garden of Eatin’, we are practicing the saying, “Out with the old, in with the new.” We have started cleaning out our raised beds and tearing down some plastic from the high tunnels that needed replaced.  With a group of students from Loyola University Chicago, we were able to roughly till up all beds, remove some stubborn rocks, burn all trash and debris, and prepare for upcoming season. With the expert leadership of Lonnie Bowen no soil was left un-turned. Some owners have already planted pea seeds and garlic bulbs, broccoli and cabbage. This year we hope to have more involvement with children and have been working with the local school on a monthly basis. The school will be painting garden signs and markers for our plot owners next week and hope to celebrate with us a grand opening of the garden on Earth Day in April!

Looking forward to the upcoming gardening season here at Ramella Park, Garden of Eatin’, we have already filled more plots than last season at this time.  At our initial meeting last month to generate interest for the garden, we had around 10 people sign up.  From that point on we have had a few every week to call or stop by ready to pick a bed and go. We also have decided to do something new this year and designate a free bed. For those in need, we will have a sort of, community bed, that anyone can tend to and anyone can pick from.  We are hoping this discourages people from picking in others beds that they work tirelessly for.  With a creative slogan on wood that says “Need a pepper, pick a pepper” we are hoping that this may also spur some others to foster the plants and develop a love of gardening.

 

 

This is our Americorps VISTA’s daughter working hard in the tunnel.