The Giving Garden of Carrollton

We had a very successful workday with about 90% of all the gardeners coming out to work for the betterment of the garden. We had two student volunteers and a wonderful crew of eight people sent from the North Texas Food Bank.  Laura Margadonna ordered and received a delivery of compost on Thursday so we were equipped to direct the volunteers to wheelbarrow loads to all the plots that were ready for compost to raise the level of their beds.

Willie Lane directed some of the volunteers to get the remaining guide wires installed on the sagging rabbit fencing. Willie also lopped branches that were hanging around the side and back of the shed and installed an indoor/outdoor thermometer in the shed.

Joe Grizzel mowed, Jill White weeded the herb bed and sprayed some community bed plants, TC and Carolyn worked the berry patch and helped the harvesters.

Thanks to Laura Margadonna for picking up amendments and placing them in the shed for all gardeners’ use. Now is the time to amend your beds to prepare them for plantings.

As of July 2nd, The Giving Garden, Carrollton’s first community garden, has already donated 1,000 lbs. of fresh organic produce to people in need in 2016! In fact, our donations this year are almost twice what they were in previous years at this time! The Giving Garden donates its harvests to Christian Community Action and to AUMC’s Food Share programs so that all of our neighbors may enjoy nutritious meals. Sure, it’s hot outside but gardeners and volunteers are making a difference in people’s lives!

As we celebrate this weekend we are grateful for all those currently serving, those that have served as well as those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom!

A little bunny has been munching his way through the garden over the last few weeks.  This morning several gardeners, affectionately known as the “Bunny Wranglers,” managed to corner him in the back of the garden and Laura Margadonna pinned him with a stick while Martha Grizzel picked him up to relocate him outside the fence!

Thanks to the great care of T.C. and Carolyn Rice, the berry patch is blooming beautifully.  They have pruned, watered and fertilized to keep our patch productive. We look forward to donating a bountiful supply of berries this year!

If you missed Saturday’s workday, you missed a fun time.  The garden was buzzing with activity as we had 21 students and most of the gardeners showing up to volunteer. After pulling Bermuda grass, students wheelbarrowed load after load of mulch to cover the aisles. Many gardeners were preparing their plots for planting (waiting to plant because of the impending frost!).

COME ON SPRING WE ARE READY FOR YOU!

Your Giving Garden Board of Directors

What a wonderful time everyone had at our End of Harvest party!  We have some very good cooks at the garden and the gift exchange game was a hoot!  Congratulations to Laura for winning the raffle gift.

Today was Food Share for senior citizens in the community delivered by volunteers of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.  Thanks to Cindy Baxley for taking our 21 lb. harvest up to the church for distribution.  We had a Hebron High School senior assisting in the garden and with Food Share this morning and he was a tremendous help. We also had a neighbor volunteer. Linda had been a recipient of some of our free mulch and felt she wanted to give back so she joined us in pulling Bermuda grass.  She is in the orange shirt and floppy straw hat.

There were so many people working to clean up the garden common areas pulling Bermuda grass and weeds. It was hot but the efforts of so many were SIZZLING as tasks got done.  Thanks to all who help to keep our beautiful garden in good shape!