Happy August, Gardeners!
I have a confession: I think that I got my tomatoes out too late because I do not have a single blossom yet! I'll hold on hope. Also, the squirrels stole my baby bok choy! Thank goodness for my flowers -- at least the pollinators are being fed from things I'm growing!
Upcoming Events
Learn the science behind pressure canning low-acid foods at this informative presentation hosted by Oregon State University Extension at the Sandy Public Library. Discover the safety guidelines and best practices for preserving your harvest using the Library of Things equipment. This presentation will demystify the process, making pressure canning accessible and safe for home food preservers of all skill levels.
When: Friday, August 8, 6 - 7pm
Where: Sandy Public Library, Hoyt Community Room
Seed Saving with Master Gardener Cindy!
Seed saving is easy and fun skill to learn. It is a great way to sow and grow some of your favorite flowers and vegetables year in and year out and to share your bounty with others. Join OSU Extension Service Master Gardener™ Cindy Manselle as she covers what types of seeds are best for saving and when and how to harvest, process, and successfully store seeds.
When: Friday, August 15, 6 - 7pm
Where: Sandy Public Library, Hoyt Community Room
The Bee City Action Group has been instrumental in helping pollinator projects come to life within the city of Sandy. Some examples are: a bat house installation at Bluff Park, coordinating bee swarm removal services, pollinator panels with guest speakers, free pollinator movie screenings at Sandy Cinema, and much more.
If you would like to have a say on what kind of pollinator projects the city tackles, come to our next meeting.
When: Tuesday, August 19, 6 - 7pm
Where: Sandy Community and Senior Center (38348 Pioneer Blvd, Sandy)
Sandy Edible Gardening Group - Farm Tour: Farm Dog Farming Company
** Must Be Registered to Attend **
Event is located under "Sandy Public Library Classes & Programs"
Second-generation farmer Kryss Helfrich will cover how she's been able to scale her farm's production to provide 90% of her family's food.
Meets: Every 4th Monday of the month (next meeting: August 25th)
Time: 6:30 - 8:00pm
Where: Farm Dog Farming Company (address provided to registered attendees)
Recap on Gardening for Pollinators
Mary and Tina gave us some examples of ways to incorporate pollinator gardens that would meet the needs of your unique growing situation. If you are looking to attract a variety of pollinators to your edible garden, consider a hedgerow of various shrubs and groundcover to go around the veggie beds or fruit trees. Have a lot of large trees? Consider a woodland-style understory. If you are in an apartment and don't have much space, container gardening works for pollinators as well!
We learned that daffodils and tulips do nothing to support our pollinator friends; they are beautiful but not appetizing.
Fun sites that will teach you more about pollinators:
What I've Been Reading
While not a new book (published in 2007), this is my first time reading her work on "a year of food life." Though some things have changed, so much is still the same. This book challenged me in many ways, but overall it was so enlightening. There is a 10th-anniversary edition available, but I read the original, so I am not sure what the updates look like.
From Harper Collins: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle has captivated readers with its blend of memoir and journalistic investigation. When Barbara Kingsolver and her family moved from suburban Arizona to rural Appalachia, they took on a new challenge: to spend a year on a locally produced diet, paying close attention to the provenance of all they consume. Concerned about the environmental, social, and physical costs of American food culture, they hoped to recover what Barbara considers our nation's lost appreciation for farms and the natural processes of food production.
This book left me inspired to try new things, but wishing I had the time and energy for more. I will say I got a bit excited to hear Barbara mention the Silver Fir Tree tomatoes that come from Russia as I am growing one of these plants from seed this year!
What I've Been Watching
How I Turned My Yard into a Food Paradise by Andrew Millison
Andrew Millison shares his permaculture yard designed to be a food paradise. He is a senior instructor with OSU's horticulture department. To learn more about his work, explore his YouTube channel or visit his website: https://www.andrewmillison.
At one point Andrew shares that he grafted 3 different cherry trees to an existing cherry tree on his property and now he has four kinds of cherries that bloom and ripen throughout the season.
He highlights the importance of planting a large diversity of plants in order to attract the beneficial insects to the garden, which helps with pollination and pest control.
I found it interesting how he uses his chickens to help him garden by rotating the garden beds they get to free range in.
What Rick Has Been Reading
This delightful book is a great example of community in action (in comic book form!) detailing everything a beginning gardener (or a frustrated lapsed gardener like me) needs to know for a successful garden, including selecting the best location, choosing crops, timing, soil testing, bed prep (or containers), buying plants, starting seeds, planting, maintenance, troubleshooting, and harvesting, all told in breezy conversations between Mia, a novice gardener and computer programmer, and George, her retired neighbor and avid gardener.
The plot begins with George and Mia's meet-cute: Hearing George's mounting frustrations with his computer, Mia offers to help, and when the problem is resolved, he offers her produce from his garden as a thank-you. She tells him she wishes she had a garden. (You can see where this is heading.) He says, "Why not plant one?"
This leads to a yearlong mentorship as George helps Mia start her first garden, guiding her (and thus the reader) along each step of the way.
The book also contains "cheat sheets" that take you outside of Mia and George's story to delve deeper into an issue. My favorite cheat sheet is a decision tree that helps you answer the question, Do I need to water?
The art is simple and charming, the dialogue between the characters is engaging, and, most importantly, the information genuinely useful, making this book a truly valuable resource.
Check out the website of the illustrator, Liz Anna Kozik: https://liz.kozik.net/
Bonus! the author, Joseph Tychonievich, has a substack: https://
What I've Been Reading Children's Edition
We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines and Kids
“Then we remembered one important detail: we are the gardeners. It was our responsibility not only to grow this garden but also to protect it.”
Such an encouraging book that talks about the highs and lows of growing and maintaining a garden. It teaches the value of hard work and getting to enjoy the fruits of your labor when you persevere through the challenges.
As always, thank you for being here,
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