Manna Meal

Mike helped raise the garden level by taking mulch

Photos & blog by Therese Cox

Volunteers continue to prepare the big garden for planting by moving truckloads of mulch on top of the wet soil. And the effort is paying off.

Most of the mulch has been carried, pushed, raked and delivered to the appropriate area. And rich mushroom compost has been carted and smoothed into (fairly) straight rows. Some planting has occurred but the bulk of the seeds will go in this Wednesday and Saturday.

Beth is transforming the perennial garden into a lush getaway just to the left of the driveway into the area. Flowers should be popping up any week now. Visitors will have to peek around the big flaming bushes to see the lilies-of-the-valley.

The iris leaves are tall and queenly so we expect the blooms will be beautiful. Swiss chard is nearly ready to harvest.

Thanks to the following for working extra hard today – lead gardeners Jean Simpson and Beth McClintock, Cathy Sutherland, Martha Ballman, Debbie Hanna, Emma Malinoski, Ethan Malinoski, Mike Burgess, Denise Gould, Chris Withrow, Jay Gould, Matthew Crabtree, Bob Sylvester, Patricia Paul, Paul Schrecongost and Therese Cox.

Volunteers accomplished lots on Saturday.

Cartloads of mushroom compost were raked on top of the raised mulch beds.

Chris was quite efficient with the John Deere

Martha made sure the rows were straight

Pansies in a barrel are always cheerful

Swiss chard is almost ready to harvest.

Volunteers accomplished lots on Saturday.

Volunteers transported several piles of mulch

Dave was part of the hosta planting

The peas have been planted so it was off to other activities for volunteers on Monday morning.

The perennial garden got a big boost from an army of hostas and lilies of the valley, lovingly interred by a dedicated crew. A sideline discussion centered on whether we should fence in the flower garden, to set it off from the drive into the area. This will be decided.

Crisp temperatures reigned but grew more balmy as the morning drew to a close.

Many thanks to gardeners Martha Ballman, Beth McClintock, Dave Rubrecht, Ann Garcelon, Gary Brown, Jean Simpson and Therese Cox.

In addition to planting, volunteers placed hardwood mulch around the iris garden that hugs the steep, rock wall.

For mid-April, the garden is coming along nicely. blog by Therese Cox

Therese’s gaze or glare…..but then she is….smiling

Photos by Therese Cox & Jean Simpson for Monday, April 11, 2016

Beth checks the sign-in book on our first Monday morning garden session.

Ann, Gary, David and Martha straighten the perennial bed.

David and Martha lay hardwood mulch around the iris.

The iris are popping up.

Jean prepares to go to her other place of employment but not before emptying the trash can.

Blog by Therese Cox for Tuesday, April 5, 2016

It was a bit of an experiment – working on a Tuesday morning rather than Wednesday afternoon.

Granted, it wasn’t hot. No, the temperature that morning was about 30 degrees F. But it warmed up, especially when hauling, spearing and tossing many cartloads of hardwood mulch over the perennial garden.

Volunteers also planted cabbage and strung up trellises for the peas, just barely poking out of the raised beds built by the talented and generous Master Gardeners.

Gary turned the compost piles with the tractor while Beth oversaw operations.

Thanks to early morning volunteers Patricia Paul, Martha Ballman, Gary Brown, Beth McClintock, Ann Garcelon and Therese Cox.

Next session will be Saturday, April 9, at 9 a.m.

Patricia and Martha sow tiny Swiss chard seeds

Beth oversees the mulch spreading.

Gary

Plants are budding out all over.

Volunteers spread hardwood mulch on the rock wall garden Tuesday.

Photos by Therese Cox

The volunteer mulch-movers

Volunteers spread mulch to raise the garden above the water level.

Already almost at picking stage.

Beth and Cathy discuss plucking weeds along the rock wall.

Jean is moving the mulch around the garden

Swiss chard should be ready to harvest soon.

This great group of volunteers came back for a second day! They worked with Beth McClintock to ‘knock out’ our pile of hard wood mulch! Thank you for giving Manna Meal Garden the gift of your spring break volunteer time!

blog & photos by Therese Cox for March 28, 2016

Not a regular gardening day, this Monday afternoon, nevertheless, saw lots of activity.

Thank you, Kokomo Zion United Methodist Church of Indiana, for lending us 16 willing workers – 13 middle and high school students and three adults. They joined regulars Martha Ballman, Patricia Paul, Beth McClintock, Jean Simpson and Therese Cox to haul and rake many, many cartloads onto the main garden.

The Kokomo visitors were Kasey Woolslare, Erin Matheny, Dayle Matheny, Vivie White, Micah Springer, Ginger White, Morgan Fisher, Kristine Standish, Caitlin Laubsch, Maryanna Brown, Brittany Allen, Kaylee Parien, Nathaniel Laubsch, Luke Oyler, Sally Nicholson and Gary Nicholson.

Kokomo Indiana Volunteer Crew

Beth and Martha get a head start on moving mulch onto the big garden.

moving mulch