Learn about Backyard Organic Vegetable Gardening

Interested in learning more about organic vegetable gardening in Florida?

Sunday May 15th 10am-4:30pm in the Fauna Garden.

We want to share with others what we have learned through our gardening experiences in Florida over the past few years. Here is the tentative schedule/list of topics we will discuss:

10-10:30 - arrive/tour the garden
10:30-11 - the Fauna Garden story
11-11:30 - soil amendments
11:30-12 - what and when to plant in Florida
12-1 - break for lunch
1-1:30 - companion planting
1:30-2 - natural pest control
2-2:30 - composting and vermicomposting
2:30-3 - seed saving and the importance of heirloom seeds

3-3:30 - herbs - spirals, medicinals, culinary, wild edibles
3:30-4 - watering - rain barrels and shallow wells
4-4:30 - wrap up/Q and A

Come for all day or only part of the time.

Please bring something to share for lunch (can be snack, beverage, vegetarian food, local food). We will make something from the Fauna Garden to share as well.

For those who want, you WILL go home with seeds, cuttings, and possibly some produce!

This event is FREE (love donations will be graciously accepted!)

Contact Rebekah at rebekah@trueocean.com for more info.

Asian cabbage, greens, lettuces, herbs galore!

What's currently growing in the garden?  Despite not so great Dec-Jan weather, we have been eating some amazing salads and still have lots of stuff growing!

lettuces (bibb, escarole, salad mix, arugula, romaine, mixed greens)
broccoli
cabbages
radish
mustards
swiss chard
kale
collards
asian cabbage
turnips
STRAWBERRIES (finally, had our first few berries this weekend - delish!)
peas - gonzo variety, you can eat the tendrils and the peas
potatoes
carrots
onions
herbs - cilantro, lemon balm, dill, chives, oregano, parsley, sage

Open House and Garden Meeting

We were hit pretty hard by the cold spells in December.  Lost all of our tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. But that's gardening in Florida!  The good news is we still have lots of lettuces, some herbs, cabbage, asian cabbage, turnips, peas, strawberries, carrots, radishes, potatoes, broccoli, collards, and kale growing.  I hope I'm not forgetting anything!

On January 25th from 5:30-8:30 we will be having an open house!

It will be a vegetarian potluck and meeting to discuss topics such as spring plantings, seed ordering and starting, watering/irrigation, upcoming work parties, produce, composting, and any other things folks want to discuss.

We are open to new members for this spring and always open to visitors, guests, and those who want to learn and/or teach!!!

Brrrrr!

A few nights ago we had an "urgent" meeting of Fauna Garden members and almost everyone came.  We had a delicious salad from the garden with some pasta and discussed issues that had arisen with the neighbor.  He seems to think that our garden is causing raccoons to dig in his yard!  What?!!? Really?!?!?  He also complained that we had our trellis tied to HIS fence and it was pulling his fence down with the weight!  The group discussed the issues and decided to round up whatever poles and stakes we can find and Sunday we will move the chainlink from HIS fence onto our stakes.  It won't be easy, but it's important to keep good relations with the neighbors. 

December arrived with a chill!  We had our first night of the season where it dipped down into the low 40s so Joe, Terry, Jeremiah and Rebekah worked to get the most vulnerable plants covered with blankets donated by Jessica's farm and lots of sheets.  In the process we went ahead and harvested quite a few eggplants and peppers, which might have been damaged by the cold.  It made the work of the last two days worthwhile :)

  

Things are growing and blooming!

Radishes only 2 weeks after seeds were planted!!

We have tons of green peppers!

Eggplant just starting to grow

Lovely, colorful salad mix lettuce

Striped heirloom tomatoes

Heirloom grape tomatoes

Seminole pumpkins

Flowers on the Cherokee Purple heirloom bean

Strawberries - our first bloom of the season!

Halloween in the Fauna Garden

Yesterday we hosted a Halloween celebration in the Fauna Garden.  There were new faces and familiar faces, family and friends enjoying the garden and their community.

Many people, at one time or another throughout the afternoon, helped decorate the fence with lovely paintings.










(Pirate) Rebekah grilled some fresh veggies on the grill, including peppers from the garden!

 Some of the kids enjoyed bobbing for apples


(or swimming for apples?)

 We watched "The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" outside in the garden.

We finished off the night with some music and singing (courtesy of Don Hall) and dancing inside.

What an amazing and wonderful Halloween celebration!

Garden Update - Amazing!

The garden is looking amazing! Sunday we have a work party planned and on the 31st is our Halloween Celebration  !!!!

Currently here's what's growing:

Fauna Garden 10-20-10

tomatoes
green peppers
jalapeno peppers
nasturtiums
borage
red and yellow onions
seminole pumpkins
lima beans
green beans (2 types)
scarlet runner beans
sunflowers
eggplants
cucumbers
brocolli
kale
collards
LOTS of strawberries
herbs - mint, cilantro, basil, sage
lettuces and salad greens
watermelons
escarole
arugula
marigolds

Pumpkin Bloom on 10-14-10