Stanley Market Garden 2010: Updates

The Stanley Market Garden is up and running (or "growing" is a better term). So far we have planted 56 tomatoes, many heirloom, grown from certified organic seeds, including "mortgage lifter" varieties, "brandywine", and "cherokee purple". Over 76 pepper seedlings that were grown by the group were planted, of green, yellow, orange and red varieties. Lettuce, spinach, and swiss chard are taking off, as well as corn, muskmelon, and "blacktail watermelon". Seeds have been sown for the remaining produce, with help from some young adult volunteers who have been assisting in planting and watering. This year we plan on increasing our partnerships and involvement in the community, with CSA (community supported agriculture) shares still available (either hours for food, or monetary shares), and offer freshly grown produce to local restaurants, and excess donated locally to those in need of food. The Stanley Garden is a Not for Profit venture, where we grow food in a healthy way for people and the environment, only seeking to retain funding to keep the garden going from to year, support and educate the local community and businesses, while we learn in the process, as well. Our next goal at the garden is to establish a "green manure" or "compost" garden, where crops are grown and used as living mulch to return organic material back into the soil, with the ultimate goal of "no tilling required" and no inputs from outside of the garden. Basically a "self-fertile garden". We thank many people in the community for all their assistance. This year a big thank you goes to the "Shenandoah Resource Conservation and Development Council" for approving a grant proposal for a Garden Coordinator Position - to assist in our efforts to involve and educate the community by providing a living example of the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices.