A GARDEN PARTY

We are getting serious this weekend about reducing packaging and environmental impact! We are starting our kitchen garden. I am transforming what was a grassy courtyard (right near the kitchen) and walkway into a place to grow our food! HOPEFULLY THIS REALLY WORKS!!!
We will need easy to get food WITHOUT PACKAGING...

Here's the email I sent out today:

Dear friends and family,

We are about to embark on the delightful mission of growing some of our own food.
This is an opportunity for PART-Y-cipation!!! It's a GARDEN PARTY!!!

We are going to have a party this Sunday to inaugurate our FRIENDS AND FAMILY garden!!! For those of you who won't be here on Sunday, there will be lots to do on MONDAY as well!!! And, many days after that as well. Celebration with cake will start 8PM, August 2nd. This also just happens to be the eve before our zero waste, GARBAGE FREE YEAR challenge which starts at 12:00 AM, August 3rd, 2009.

We will be making the raised beds,setting up irrigation system, etc. on Sunday and hopefully, planting on Monday.

I could use a bit of help finding these things (researching on the web will help + helping me shop).
.............................................................................................................................

• high quality wood for edging of raised beds (no chemicals, should withstand weather, long pieces)- I would prefer not to 'cut down a tree' to do this!!!
• high quality soil (no chemicals, no brand names, organic, perfectly balanced, good for this area and close enough to pick up ourselves
• trellises for beans and tomatoes
• highest quality plants (organic, excellent taste, hardy, good size, perfect for this climate)
• timer + drip irrigation system
• soil supplements (rock minerals?)
• several good size composting containers
• and very, very important: a fence and gate for keeping out critters

MAYBE there is ONE place (in Malibu or Camarillo, perhaps) that all these things????
Along with the perfect gardening advice person???



The role of the gardeners
Each person is responsible for researching (knowing when and where to plant in the garden-sunny shady etc.), caring (watering, weeding around it, pest control), harvesting (picking, distributing, and prepping for consumption) and loving their particular crop!!!

Sarah: potatoes, carrots, lettuce
Elijah: garlic, corn, more potatoes
Sophie: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries (if we can), & fruit trees
Luke: cucumbers
Karen: broccoli, green beans, artichoke, green onions & herbs
Marc: basil
Ralph: ???


We also want to plant in other areas of the yard: grapes, pumpkins, squash and watermelon. Especially the pumpkins for Halloween. We can do additional container gardens as needed.


The garden will be what we all make of it collectively!!!!

LOVE,
mama karen