Happy Earth Day! 

April 22, 2018 

Hello friends! Since the March blog it feels like we’ve finally warmed up and the cold, cold Ohio nights are a thing of the past.  Gardeners in Over-the-Rhine People’s Garden have been taking advantage of the sunny April days and getting excited to begin a new garden season. Did you know that Over-the- Rhine People’s Garden is entering year 5 with Grow Appalachia?

Most garden work days have been spent spreading compost and wood chips, weeding and preparing our soil,  planting seeds like beets, carrots, dill, onion and cilantro.  Thanks to gardeners Jill and Chris 3/4 of the cabbage patch is completed,  and seed potatoes are in the ground.  Jill estimates we’ll harvest and enjoy 180lbs of potatoes this season!

 

April blooms are here! Check out our colorful tulips, peach trees and apple blossoms.

     

Did you know that rhubarb blooms too?

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to be able to spend time with David Cooke, Director and Founder of Grow Appalachia, Glades Community Garden, GreenHouse17, Magoffin County Extension, and St. Vincent Mission.  The folks at GreenHouse17 were wonderful hosts and their spring flowers were breathtaking! To find out more information about all of the awesome Grow Appalachia partner sites be sure to check out the “partners” section of the Grow Appalachia website: https://growappalachia.berea.edu/partners/

 

I would like to take a moment to thank one of our most outstanding gardeners, Jill. She grows food here in our city community garden and also manages a beautiful food garden on the property of the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati. She is very organized, knowledgable, hard working, helpful and inspiring. I am growing flowers and herbs along side her vegetable beds and I very much look forward to seeing what she all accomplishes this season.
                      
   
March Pic vs April Pic
                                      
It’s Earth Day, and we started it by joining up with new friends from First Lutheran Church, located a few blocks away from the garden in OTR. Our garden was awarded a generous donation from the church members.  I was asked to come to today’s mass to accept the $500 check, and to deliver a short speech about the Over-the-Rhine People’s Garden.  The garden is blessed to receive this generous gift, thank you again!
                                               
I have been busy starting many flower seeds under grow lights in my living room:) Today I took over my first round of plant babies to begin to harden them off and get them in the ground in the coming weeks.
                                            
Thanks again for stopping by to see what Grow Appalachia’s only urban site has been up to as we head into year 5 🙂
Peace, Love, Happiness and Flowers
Volunteer Garden Coordinator, Christina