Earth Stewards

   

Square Foot Gardening Workshop, February 25, 2012

 

Once again the Earth Stewards are sponsoring a Square Foot Garden Workshop.  We are holding the class in February to give gardeners time to plan their gardens and get the necessary materials prior to the time to plant.  The SFG Workshop will consist of beginners and advanced sessions.

SFG 101 - An Introduction to Square Foot Gardening. You will learn the history of the method that was created by Mel Bartholomew and the 10 Basics so you will get 100% of the harvest with only 20% of the space, 10% of the water, 5% of the seed and almost none of the weeds and work of a traditional row garden.  You will learn how to start your own Square Foot Garden. 10 am  -  noon.

SFG 201 - Continuing SFG will show you how to extend your growing season using simple materials, protect your garden from different critters/pests, grow large/vining crops vertically and adapt a garden for those with mobility issues including those who are confined to a wheel chair.  You MUST have taken SFG 101and have a good grasp of the 10 Basics of SFG. 1 pm - 3 pm.

SFG 301 –This is the ultimate gardening class. It is a combination of both SFG 101 and 201 to be taken on the same day, with a break for lunch.  10 am - 3 pm.  Please bring a bag lunch if you will be attending the SFG 301 workshop.

Build a Box workshop to be held on March 17th – cost is $5.00.

Contact Kathy Geehreng  kegeehreng@verizon.net  or call 301-253-6437 to sign up or for questions.

Print the sign up sheet and turn in your reservation as soon as possible.

 

 

BacSq 

Our Mission Statement:

"We are a caring, faithful Christian group of friends committed to educating our community and increasing community consciousness about environmental preservation.  We are called to lead our church and community by our actions and deeds to serve, preserve and conserve the earth’s resources.  We encourage people to discover, value and celebrate nature and its restorative benefits for our minds and spirits.  We recognize and affirm that even the smallest step toward conservation is acceptable in God’s sight".

Things We've Done:

  • Worked to reduce energy use by our church through replacing incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs
  • Increased the use of recycled materials and the separating recyclable trash from regular trash
  • Sponsored nature walks, hiking trips and bicycling trips
  • Applied for and obtained approval to “Adopt” Woodfield Road.  Through Montgomery County’s “Adopt-a-Road” program, the Earth Stewards have adopted Woodfield Road from Bethesda Church Road to the Post Office.
  • Assembled and given away rain barrels at Damascus Days
  • Published “Green Tips” in the Beacon including tips on conserving energy, recycling and gardening as a way to continue our mission of educating the community on environmental preservation

Our group is growing and committed to the belief that God has called us to action in preserving what he has so generously provided.

Ten Best Tips for Beginning Gardeners

  • Start small. Containers or a few in-ground beds are a great way to get started. Plowing up your entire yard will leave you frustrated and exhausted.
  • Take a soil sample - it's the first step to getting your soil in shape.
  • Visit neighbors with gardens - what plants grow well for them? Perhaps they will share their knowledge, experience, and seeds with you!
  • Your garden should be on level ground, receive at least 6 hours of full sun each day, and have easy access to water. Try to grow vegetables and herbs close to your home for convenience.
  • Fence out wildlife to protect your fruits and vegetables.
  • Add compost to make your garden soil fertile, crumbly, and well-drained.
  • Choose easy crops- marigolds, zinnias and other annuals add color and attract pollinators. Bush bean, tomato, cucumber, pepper, squash, and leafy greens are some easy vegetables. And don't forget those herbs!
  • Follow seed and plant spacing recommendations. Place taller crops on the north and west sides of your garden so they will not shade shorter plants.
  • Remove weeds by pulling or chopping them off at the soil line with a sharp hoe. Covering the soil with straw, leaves, or compost will help control weeds, keep the soil moist, and add soil nutrients.
  • Water when the soil is dry just below the surface. Avoid frequent, shallow watering. Fertilize as needed and take time to enjoy the peace, beauty, and bounty of your new garden!

The University of Maryland Extension Service is a great resource for beginners - and master gardeners. See the Grow it Eat It web site for great tips, suggestions and other resources. Source: Home and Garden Information Center, College Park, Md.

Pre-cycling

Pre-cycling means to prevent waste before it happens.  Three excellent pre-cycling tips are: avoid excess packaging, buy items that will last, and reuse as much as you can.  For example, only buy those nice plastic reuseable containers of lunch meat if you really need the container.  Another idea would be to switch back to bars of soap for general hand washing.  When you purchase liquid hand soap, you are also purchasing plastic bottles. Recycling is great, but it is even better if you never bring the containers home in the first place.

Here’s a great website with tips about pre-cycling: http://www.halifax.ca/wrms/precycling.html

Links to Helpful Websites