Community Garden readies for spring planting

At Sunday's community garden clean up approximately 15 volunteers showed up to lend their various talents to the efforts of the garden.

Legumes that had been grown specifically to add composting nutrients to the soil were tilled into some of the rows, where as other rows had various vegetables which had completed their producing cycle tilled in.

Rows of vegetables will be cycled this year so that the ground is not robbed of all its nutrients. Rotating the crops helps to produce healthier crops by reduction of overuse of the soils nutrients.

Many varieties of oregano are available for picking right now as is bee balm, a leafy plant that flowers with glorious fuschia  flowers but holds an age old native american sore throat and fever remedy. When used as a tea, bee balm offers no caffeine, yet proves to be a good a balm for sore throats and headaches. Oil within the leaves was also used to treat insect bites and relieve bronchial congestion.  (Thank you Carla Lucas for this lesson in Bee Balm.)

The garden is always looking for volunteers every Sunday from 12-2 and looking for composting materials.

Community Garden work 'party' 11-7-13

As the community garden volunteers ready the ground for the winter crops they need some help from you, the community. Feel free to stop by on Thursday evening 11-7-13 at 4 pm at the Community Garden to lend a hand.

Community Garden meeting 7-9-13

Tomorrow (Tuesday 7-9-13) will be the monthly monthly community garden meeting at the library at 5:30PM.
Community is welcome.

Community Garden Harvest for Food Pantry

On August 16, 2012 in the wee hours of the morning, volunteers from Copperopolis gathered at the Bill Albee Community Garden to harvest fresh produce to donate to the Copperopolis Food Pantry for their monthly food distribution that afternoon.

Community Garden Meeting

The monthly community garden meeting will be held Wednesday May 30, 2012 at 5:30 PM at the Copperopolis Branch Library.

Bill Albee Would be Proud ~ By, John Howsden

After much planning, plowing and planting, the Bill Albee Memorial Copperopolis Community Garden has hit its stride. The 900 hundred square foot garden is teeming with ripe tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, herbs, zucchini, yellow squash, pumpkins and more. If you think it is impossible to grow a garden in the foothills, swing by the community garden on O’Byrne’s across from IGA.

“It turned out better than expected,” said Jack Jimenez, chairman for the community garden. Volunteers planted trees, flowers and vegetables that are thriving in the rich soil that was once a dusty weed patch. With many helping hands providing daily care over the summer, along with donations from several local businesses, the garden is overflowing with ripe, juicy vegetables.  When asked if there was something else the garden could use, Jack said, “Someone with a small tractor who could be on call would help and, of course, we can always use more volunteers.” The garden is doing so well, Jack said, “They are looking into applying for a grant for the garden.”