Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

IN DEFENSE OF FOOD is a tough, witty and provocative commentary on why food is more than the sum of its nutritional parts. Pollan examines the modern American food landscape where the deceptively simple question of what to eat has become muddled by the numerous and often conflicting claims of food producers, marketers, and nutrition experts.

Chosen by UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin as the first “Go Big Read” pick for a campus and community-wide shared reading opportunity, INDENSE OF FOOD will be discussed several times in the Madison area.
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Nearly all of the sweet potatoes are thriving! They went in as frail little slips and we even removed most of what was left of their leaves in order to stimulate root growth. Three weeks later and they are putting out new leaves and will soon be making a bold green statement all over the backdrop of the black fabric. They prefer to be left alone from here on out. No watering needed, just admiration and patience on our part (we must wait until after the first frost to dig them up, its the frost that makes the “sweet” in sweet potatoes).

Absolutely everything else in the garden is doing really well. Not to be overlooked is the agressive return of grass and creeping charlie. Also, some of you may recall the day we worked in the garden and were showered with maple seeds (those little helicoptors) from a near-by maple tree a few weeks ago. Yes, those babies have become cute little seedlings and there are millions of them.

Thanks to all of you who have helped out thus far, and a special thanks to Lori Miller for risking the shocks on her truck when delivering a full load of compost to the garden. Collectively we have put in over 100 hours tilling, planting, fence-building, and so much more to make this garden a reality. Things will quiet down a bit with the planting mostly completed. Always, there will be weeds. So, feel free ANYTIME to grab a weeder from the foot locker (little storage bin) and chip away at them.

By July some of the veggies will be ready for harvest. We’ll be harvesting on Tuesdays so we can get fresh produce to The Lussier Center for their Wednesday pantry. Details to come about additional harvesting/delivery later in the week.

Upcoming events….

Sunday, June 14th: Dedication of the ORUCC Vegetable Village at the end of the worship service.

Tuesday, June 23rd: ORUCC bonfire – 8:30pm.
GARDENER’s POTLUCK & ORUCC BONFIRE ~ JUNE 23RD….
All pantry plot volunteers and individual gardeners and their families are invited to share food and fellowship on Tuesday, June 23rd at 7pm at church. As our spring work comes to a close and the ORUCC garden appears to be well on its way, its time to imbibe in some good food and getting to know each other. Come early to play/work in the garden (6pm) and bring a dish to share at the potluck to follow. Local foods are encouraged with many fruits & veggies coming into season and available at the Farmer’s Market. Beverages will be provided. Dessert (smores) is promised to those who stay for the ORUCC bonfire to start around dusk out near the garden.

From one of our coordinators, LuAnn Greiner
The garden is really shaping up! Soon we will be able to sit on our laurels (if only for a brief moment) and watch our gardens grow. There are now a few lawn chairs in the garden for just that purpose. You’ll notice that there are rocks on the chairs. That is to keep them from blowing into somebody’s bed on a windy day. If you come up with a better way to keep them in place, please feel free.

FREE COMPOST!!!……Lori Miller, Rachael Lancor, Meg Stevens and I unloaded some rich compost into the garden plot area yesterday. 2 big piles are located in the second bed along the fenceline on your right as you enter the gate. Help yourself! Even if you’ve planted already you can add a few cups around your plants or in any empty areas of your beds to feed the soil.

What’s in the foot locker???…. Have you noticed the foot locker in the pathway? This little gem was donated by Meg and contains some plant labels for those who love to label their plants, twine string for tying up your tomato plants, sheets of white row cover, extra seeds and some hand tools (donated by Tim Johnson for the pantry garden). HELP YOURSELF to whatever you need. Handtools are labeled and should go back in the locker when you are done.

Paul Patenaude and Jerry Nelson should be finishing up the fence line in the next week or so. Check out the cool new gate that Jerry fashioned together. A classic!

If your are one of the lucky souls who have a bed along the fenceline… If you don’t have anything growing right along the fenceline AND if you have enough straw available, tuck some of it right up against the fenceline. Weeds/grass are already trying to make their way in !!

Happy gardening!!

The new ORUCC Vegetable Village is taking shape.  Several households have planted their own gardens and many are helping with a kids garden and a pantry garden (growing food for two local pantries).  Anybody is welcome to help in the garden on Tuesday nights from 6-8 p.m.  See the photo section for many, many more photos