As fall is quickly approaching, and time in the garden is coming to a close, we have an opportunity to reflect. Every season for the Story Garden, at 35th and Humboldt, has looked a little different with more volunteers, more building projects, more events every year. This summer the Step Up students did a beautiful job keeping the garden thriving through the summer, and now we turn to a season of preserving and planning.
With the garden “built” we can focus on seed preservation to increase our intentional planting next summer. We want to ensure that the multiple cultures of the Northside have a harvest that they can cook with. A focus on hot peppers, Hmong greens, collard greens, beef tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and a healthy amount of berries for all the kids to pick. By seed saving we can reduce our cost for purchasing plants while also having more control of what goes in the garden. In the past, with so many projects at the springtime, we have often just simply taken what plants were offered in donations.
Cold months will also allow us to continue to gather to paint signs, get butterfly houses ready, write grants for funding, build a website and design a garden plan. Garden planning in the winter is a wonderful way to stay connected to the project and ease the burden of spring when so much needs to get to done. Look for notices on our Facebook page and here in the Camden News for times and locations.
As you read this, the next time you drive by the Story Garden, you will most likely notice the garden being cleared out for winter. The plants will be cut back, potato cages tipped, compost bins emptied. The harvest we have left will be for sale at Serendripity Spot, 33rd and Lyndale, with all money going back to support the garden. If you have fall leaves all bagged up, we would love to take them off your hands! Drop the bags along the fence in the garden, or shoot the garden manager an email for pick up, danielle.tietjen@gmail.com. Happy fall everyone!