Summer is here, hard to believe after another long, cold and snowy winter. Where does the time go? The start of the Summer Reading Club will be here before we know it as well.
The Van Etten library will be creating a Super Foods Community Garden to correlate with the 2015 Summer Reading Club theme, “Every Hero Has a Story”. We have formed a Garden Club where participants will help plan and create a gardening space. We will learn about proper soil combinations and proper planting of seeds and plants. One thing we have already learned…for example, did you know that cucumbers grow very well when planted near beans, lettuce and radishes, but they really don’t like it when they are planted near potatoes? (It’s a lucky thing that I planted them on opposite sides of my garden at home, because I did not know that when I planted them!!)
The garden club will meet on Wednesday mornings to weed, water and maintain the garden. Our goals are to maintain a successful garden with optimal harvesting of produce, share our produce with the community and look into the possibility of recycling seeds for next year’s garden. All produce not consumed by club members or library patrons will be donated to the local farmers market on behalf of Ms. Teri Carling (local gardener, nursery owner and farmers market participant). Teri has helped the Van Etten library immensely in planning our garden. From all of us at VE, thank you Teri!
The planted seeds…..
Our seedlings at 18 days old….
The Super Foods Community Garden is funded in great part by a generous grant received from Inspire of Spencer-Van Etten. Inspire is a non-profit public charity supported by donations from individuals and organizations and grants from foundations. Thank you Inspire.
It is our hope that the Super Foods Community Garden will provide adults and children with the knowledge and skills to create their own gardens and grow healthy food. This project will also provide lifelong learning skills, and encourage and enhance overall health. Gardening knowledge promotes the economic advantages of growing foods at home and harvesting and recycling seeds for future gardening seasons offers a money saving technique.
There are numerous at home gardeners and nursery owners in the Van Etten area, and many are willing to share their knowledge. The Garden Club members are all filled with great anticipation to see if our “green thumbs” will be green this year. Wish us luck!
Michelle Erickson
Van Etten Library
Chemung County Library District