1. Summer 2009
The Community Gardening Newsletter
Published by the Community Gardening Program of Ohio State University Extension, Cuyahoga County
Cooking in the Garden
by Becky Orenstein, Student Position
H alf of the fun of gardening is enjoying the fruits of your labor. We all love gardening, but
do not always know what to do with our vegetables when harvest time rolls around. Fresh
vegetables are always delicious when eaten on their own, but we often run out of ideas on how to
prepare our produce once it is picked. Who better to give suggestions than a chef? There will be
two “Cooking in the Garden” workshops this summer, each featuring a chef who will give a free
cooking lesson! Not only will you be able to sample professionally prepared food, you will learn
how to make it at home! Each dish prepared will highlight a
vegetable and give you creative ideas on how to make the most of
your hard work in the garden. In addition to the cooking portion
of the workshop, there will be an informative section focused on
the health benefits of different fruits and vegetables. We often
forget how valuable the nutrients in fruits and vegetables are to
the proper functioning of our bodies. Each “Cooking in the
Garden” workshop will include a potluck meal so you will have
the opportunity to showcase your favorite dish prepared with fresh
fruits or vegetables. Last year, gardeners brought everything from
zucchini soup to tomato wine. Bring your recipe and swap with Chef Andy at Brighter Side
Garden August, 2008
your fellow gardeners!
There will be two “Cooking in the Garden” workshops:
June 18th (East Side) August 27th (West Side)
6:00-8:00 p.m. 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Paul Revere Garden El Sol Garden
10334 Gay Ave. 3202 Woodbridge Joy at Garfield Garden July, 2008
Come to one, or both! Last year’s “Cooking in the Garden” workshops featured great food and great company. They are
the perfect opportunity to mingle with fellow gardeners, see a garden you might not have seen before, and pick up some new
information!
Community Gardening Plant a Row Project Update
PLANT EXTRA! PLANT EXTRA! PLANT EXTRA!
Please Help the Hungry. The new Master Gardener Community Gardening Committee is looking for gardeners to
participate in the Plant a Row for the Hungry Project. This project is a national program that has contributed millions
of pounds of fresh produce to hunger centers across the country and we want Cuyahoga County Master Gardeners and
Community Gardeners to be a part of this effort. We need YOU to plant an extra row of vegetables for the hungry of
Cleveland. The need is greater than ever because of the current economy. When planning your garden please plant
extra for the Cleveland Foodbank and local food pantries!
There are three ways to help:
Plant, harvest and deliver your fresh produce to the hunger center of your choice.
Please weigh the produce and report the amount you donate to Master Gardener Gwen
Morgan at myvegiecontribution@yahoo.com or 440-823-1591 (cell) or 440-423-0225 (home) so we can track how
much we give. Your donations are tax deductible. Contact Gwen for a receipt.
Plant, harvest and deliver your fresh produce to a drop-off point in your area. The volunteer at the drop-off point
will deliver contributions to the Cleveland Foodbank and/or food pantries. This volunteer will also weigh all
SEE PLANT A ROW PAGE 5
2. Page 2 T h e C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n i n g N e ws l e t t e r Summer 2009
Healthy Eating, Active Living in Ward One Grant Opportunity
by Amanda Block, Program Assistant Gardenburger™ Community Garden Grants
OSU Extension (OSUE) and the Harvard This program provides necessary support to
organizations looking to sustain or create a community
Community Service Center
gardening project in their neighborhood that will provide
are delighted to announce community residents and neighborhoods with improved
five new community gardens health, vitality and quality of life that comes from access
in Cleveland’s Ward One. to fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. All 501(c)3
This project is made possible organizations may apply. The deadline is June 30, 2009.
through a grant from Kaiser Permanente’s Healthy Contact: Gardenburger™ Community Garden Grants at
Eating Active Living (HEAL) program. The goal for www.gardenburger.com to download the application form
OSUE is to provide research-based education, and the terms and conditions.
resources, and support to residents in order to Feeding Cleveland Exhibit
establish and maintain quality gardens in Ward One. Open in the Thomas F. Campbell Gallery,
HEAL was implemented to reduce obesity rates CSU Levin College of Urban Affairs
and promote improvements in nutrition and physical Feeding Cleveland—Free and open to the public
activity in targeted neighborhoods. Data from the A recurring theme in 20th century Cleveland that
City of Cleveland’s Department of Public Health, as continues to the present day is that during difficult
economic periods communities of people have come
well as other sources, indicates significant health together to raise food crops on city land.
disparities in Ward One. For example, statistics have The working man's farms during the Great
shown that rates of both heart disease and stroke are Depression, the victory gardens during World War II,
community gardens established during the years of
about two-times higher in Ward 1 than in the rest of
urban renewal, and the present day market gardeners
the City of Cleveland. of the local food movement, all provide examples of
The community gardens will increase access to revivals of urban agriculture as a response to
economic difficulties. As more and more people try to
fresh and nutritious food, while stretching the food
stretch their budgets during this recession, some are
budget, as families put local food on the table. In turning to the backyard as the place to look for food.
addition to the nutrition, the gardens will also create The exhibit features images of commercial
opportunities for exercise and introduce residents to greenhouses, victory gardens, work relief gardens,
community gardens and Cleveland Public School
a lifelong hobby. Horticulture Program. More photographs, ebooks and
The sites for the gardens have yet to be determined, other information is available at:
www.clevelandmemory.org
but they will be located in areas that demonstrate
community support. A core group of dedicated The Exhibit runs from May 1 through August 31, 2009
in the Campbell Gallery
gardeners is essential to the sustainability of these
Gallery hours are 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday
gardens. The aim is to build gardens throughout the through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday
Ward and put in place infrastructure that will facilitate
the building of more gardens in upcoming seasons as
the community drives them. In an effort to encourage
residents to take on the management of garden projects,
OSUE will host workshops in Ward One on topics
pertaining to building community gardens. As the
gardens are developed OSUE will be excited to share
updates with the Cleveland
gardening community!
http://healwardone.com/
Cleveland Public School students use team work in
their victory garden, May 1942
3. Summer 2009 T h e C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n i n g N e ws l e t t e r Page 3
Garden Leader Corner
Garden Leader: Tom Sargent
Garden Name: Benjamin Franklin Community Garden
Location: Located on Spring Road behind Ben Franklin Elementary School
How long have you been a garden
leader? I have been the garden
leader since 2001, so 9 years. Before
that, I helped Barney (previous
garden leader) out for 5 to 6 years
running the garden.
How long have you been
gardening? All of my life! I grew
up in southern West Virginia, so I
had been doing mountainside
gardening all my life; that is just my
culture. That is the Appalachian
culture.
What is the biggest benefit your
garden provides? We have 5 acres
of land, and I believe we are the
largest community garden in the county, possibly the state.
What is the biggest challenge your garden faces? The biggest challenge is managing gardeners who do
not maintain their plots. A lot of the time when that happens, it is because gardeners do not understand the
attention gardening demands. We have a delicate rule system here because of that. I do not want it to seem like
a gulag, but there is a delicate balance between having too many rules and what is needed to keep the garden
maintained. There are a lot of different gardening styles in the garden. We have more than 200 gardeners
involved, some are first time gardeners. But the committee is becoming very active and they have been really
helpful with this issue.
Tell us something special or unique about your garden and its gardeners. Our crew is relatively
diverse. We have some really good gardeners involved, some are Master Gardeners, and they are really helpful.
We also work with the Benjamin Franklin School, which makes us unique. Plus, we donate a good amount of
food. Last year we donated between 6,000 and 9,000 pound of fresh food.
What do you keep in mind to be the best leader you can be? I try to keep in mind that we are a diverse
group, and we have different gardening cultures. Like me, we have gardeners from Appalachia, we have
African American gardeners, we have first generation gardeners, and we even have gardeners from South
America. All those different cultures mean there are a lot of different ways things are done, and there is a great
opportunity to learn. I really enjoy seeing all of those different styles of gardening.
Anything else you would like to share? I have been very happy with the support that the Garden Committee
[Ben Franklin] has been providing.
4. Page 4 T h e C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n i n g N e ws l e t t e r Summer 2009
Secret Hideaways and Fun Structures
Author: National Gardening Association
S ecret hideaways, garden playrooms, and special structures are enticements for involving kids in the
garden, and they can transform the garden into a fantasyland and refuge. This project can make your
garden the most kid-friendly place on the block.
Planting a Sunflower House
You'll need:
• a garden spot, with good soil, that receives at least 6 hours of sun daily
• seeds for tall sunflowers, such as 'Mammoth' or 'Paul Bunyan'
• seeds for medium-height (about 5-foot) sunflowers
• seeds for a colorful, flowering annual, such as zinnias
• seeds for morning glories
• string
1. With your young gardeners, decide on an exterior shape and dimensions for your house. You'll
need at least a 4- by 6-foot house, but an 8- by 8-foot space is more generous and looks more
convincing when fully grown. Allow some extra space so you can walk around the building to
tend to the plants. When you've decided on an outline, have your child mark it on the ground so
the seeds don't get stepped on accidentally while you are waiting for them to grow.
2. Plant seeds for the tall sunflowers in a row to mark the outline, starting at the corners. Help your
child plant the seeds about a foot apart. Then between the tall ones, plant the mid-height variety.
Then plant a colorful flowering annual such as zinnias all around the outside. (Using these
different heights will make the walls seem more solid.)
3. Another colorful way to fill in the walls is to plant morning glory vines to climb the sunflowers.
(Soak the seeds in water overnight to hasten germination.) Help your child train the vines to
climb the tallest sunflowers by directing the early growth toward the sunflower stems. Your child
may be fascinated to see that they only twine in one direction! Once the vines have found the
stem, they will twine their own way up.
4. To encourage the morning glory vines to form a "roof," help your child weave a network of string
or yarn across the open top from sunflower to sunflower. Add the string when the sunflowers are
about four feet tall. The sunflowers will raise the roof as they grow.
5. Finally, to keep down weeds and make a cleaner surface for your child to play on, use a thick
layer of mulch to carpet the interior or cover it with flattened cardboard boxes. You could even
add a beach towel for a rug or even some small-scaled furniture.
Your sunflower structure could be the most popular hangout on the block!
5. Summer 2009 T h e C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n i n g N e ws l e t t e r Page 5
PLANT A ROW FROM PAGE 1
To the Garden We Grow!
by Becky Orenstein, Student
contributions and report the
D uring the summer months students often put
education on the back-burner to make room for having fun
amount to Master Gardener, Gwen Morgan at
myvegiecontribution@yahoo.com and provide you
with a tax-deductible receipt, if desired.
and enjoying their free time. What is often forgotten is that
having fun can be incorporated into learning! To make sure Volunteer to be a gardener who is willing to accept
that these summer months don’t go to waste, the horticulture donations throughout the harvest period at your home
department and nutrition educators will be joining forces to or garden location from other Master Gardeners and
teach the “To the Garden We Grow” program. For the Community Gardeners; weigh and deliver produce
second year, we will be visiting youth in Cleveland to teach weekly to Cleveland Foodbank and/or local food
lessons focused on nutrition and gardening basics. While we pantry. We NEED about 10-15 people around the
are returning to many sites from last year, we will be meeting
city to serve as drop off points for donations.
a lot of new faces this summer. This year, each group in the
Contact Gwen Morgan for more information at:
program has a garden at their site, which will enable the
students to obtain hands-on experience. Each lesson will Victory7900@yahoo.com (preferred), 440-823-1591
include information, activities and opportunities for the (cell) or 440-423-0225 (home).
students to try new things. There are six different lessons The following Master Gardeners have already agreed to
that will be taught this summer: Building a Good Base for Health,
use their homes as drop off points for vegetables grown
Plants Eat Too—Understanding Roots and Seeds, The Foods We
Eat from Parts of the Plant, Worms are Wonderful!, Cleveland: A
by fellow Master Gardeners and Community Gardeners.
Green City on a Blue Lake, and Keeping Foods Safe to Eat/What’s Thank you!
Up with that Bug? Included in these lessons, students will be Plant a Row Drop off Locations:
able to plant avocados, see worms in a compost bin, learn
why both humans and plants need water, sample new foods, PLEASE CALL BEFORE DROPPING OFF PRODUCE
and much more! Each lesson will have physical activity and Jo Bredt 440.331.1955 Fairview Park
gardening time, ensuring that the students get exercise and 4093 West 214th Street
don’t get bored! To the Garden We Grow is just as helpful to
the educators as to the students. The lessons are great Carolyn Hufford 216.521.4431 Lakewood
reminders of things we might forget about on a daily basis, Lakewood Public Library
such as the importance of reusing materials (not just Wednesday evenings ONLY
recycling), or of choosing water over more sugary beverages. Marianne Sachs 216.371.1440 Cleveland Heights
In addition to reminding ourselves about basics of nutrition 3236 East Fairfax Road
and gardening, OSU Extension educators love the
opportunity to meet students from all areas of Cleveland. Linda Dole 216.486.5625 Cleveland
After creating great memories last year, we are excited for 18308 Canterbury Rd.
another year of Gwen Morgan 440.823.1591 Gates Mills
nutrition in the 7900 Old Mill Road
garden. For
more infor- Caroline DeLamatre 216.896.0317 Orange Village
mation on this 4459 Brainard Rd.
program,
Sharon Klimm 440.248.8567 Solon
contact Lauren
5490 North Woods Lane
Melnick at 216-
429-8200, ext. We do not have any drop off points in the southern and
229. southwestern areas of the county. If you live in any of
these areas please contact Gwen to help.
Summer Student Positions Join the OSUE Community Gardening Team
We are pleased to share that three Student Positions will be enhancing our educational
outreach efforts to community gardens. Becky Orenstein (rejoining us from last summer),
Mike Auerbach and Bryn Adams will be out visiting gardens, planning special network-
ing events, assisting with workshops, and helping to implement a new children’s program
that blends nutrition with gardening, “To the Garden We Grow.”
6. Summer 2009 T h e C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n i n g N e ws l e t t e r Page 6
Beans in the Goose’s Craw?
by Lisa Lewis, BS in Dietetics, University of Akron
Student Intern, Family Nutrition Program
Have you heard of ‘goose beans’? They were reportedly
taken 100 years ago from the craw (prior to digestion food-
storage-pouch) of a wild goose that a hunter had shot. It is one of
many seeds known as heirloom seeds. Goose beans are delicious, whether eaten as a green bean or later cooked as a dry bean.
Beans - also known as legumes, peas, pulse and vetch - have been around for a l-o-n-g time. They were among the first
cultivated crops, with a history dating back to around 7,000 BC in regions of Asia (soybeans), the Middle East (chickpeas,
lentils, fava beans), and the Americas (haricot bean: runner beans, kidney beans, lima beans). The shape of the seed helps
distinguish beans from peas and lentils, with beans being kidney-shaped or oval, peas round, and lentils as flat disks.Beans are
a sustainable food, as we shall see by looking at their attributes both nutritionally and in the garden.
Beans are part of the Meat and Beans Group, which is the protein group of the USDA’s MyPyramid Food Guide. Being
much less expensive than meat, they contribute to the sustainability of your wallet! They are in the Vegetable Group also,
and are high in fiber (helping to reduce cholesterol), high in complex carbohydrates, and low in fat (about 2-3%). Their other
nutrients include folate, manganese, magnesium, copper and iron. Of concern for vegetarians, most beans are high in lysine,
an amino acid undersupplied in most grains. Hence, the development of various recipe combinations, such as lentils and rice,
lima beans and corn, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and couscous, or beans, corn and squash. Eaten together, beans and nuts,
seeds or grains provide complete proteins for a balanced diet, contributing to the sustainability of your health.
Bean gardening contributes to sustainable development, which is “development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”5. How is this so? Beans improve the health
of your soil by taking nitrogen – a valuable component of fertilizer - from the air and putting it into the soil through their roots.
You can help meet the needs of next spring’s garden also by properly saving seeds from this year’s harvest. This is done by
allowing seeds to fully ripen before harvesting them, usually 90 or more days. For more information on saving seeds, attend
OSU Extension’s seed saving workshop in September. See WORKSHOPS on page 9 for more details.
The following legume (bean) varieties grow best in Cuyahoga County gardens:
● Bush Bean: Bush Blue Lake ● Pea: Sugar Snap (Sugar Pea) ● Cowpea: Purple Hull
Bush Kentucky Wonder Blizzard (Snow Pea) California Blackeye
Royal Burgundy Wando (Shelling, heat resistant) ● Peanut: Spanish
Baby Fordhook (Lima) Early Frosting (Shelling) Virginian Jumbo
● Pole Bean: Kentucky Wonder
Heirloom varieties can be researched and chosen through various catalogs and websites. Years ago I purchased goose
beans through the “Seeds of Change” catalog, which is now available online at www.seedsofchange.com. Other online
heirloom seed sources include: www.heirloomseeds.com (Southwestern PA) and www.localharvest.org (nationwide listings).
A local favorite variety is the Cowpea (a.k.a. Black-eyed pea or Crowder pea). Hoppin’ John is a popular recipe using this
bean. This low-fat recipe version is adapted from Nikki & David Goldbeck’s American Wholefoods Cuisine cookbook6:
HOPPIN’ JOHN
Rice and black-eyed peas with a bit of a “bite”, traditionally served with hot pepper
sauce on the side for individual seasoning.
½ pound (about 1 ½ cups) dried black-eyed peas
3 cups water
1 tsp crushed red pepper or ½ fresh chili pepper, chopped
¾ tsp salt (or less if on low-sodium diet)
1 good-sized onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup raw brown rice (3 cups cooked in 2 ½ cups vegetable stock)
● Combine black-eyed peas and water, bring to a boil for a minute; cover, remove from heat, and let soak for one hour or
longer.
● Return beans to a boil; add hot pepper and cook, covered, over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes until partially done. Add salt
and onion, continue to cook for another 45 minutes until tender.
SEE BE AN S PAGE 7
7. Summer 2009 T h e C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n i n g N e ws l e t t e r Page 7
BEANS FROM PAGE 6 Cooking Up Something Fresh This Summer
by Becky Orenstein, Student Position
● While the beans cook, and at least 45 minutes to 1 hour
●
before dining, cook the rice.
Serve hot beans in their gravy on top of rice, offering hot
D o you ever feel that you don’t have many
opportunities to meet gardeners from different
areas? This summer, your worries will disappear! With
pepper sauce at the table. our brand-new potluck series, you will have an
● Note: The beans freeze well, so double the recipe for a opportunity to meet gardeners from all over the
future meal. Cleveland area, see gardens you may have yet to see,
One last thing to consider is companion planting. The and break bread with community gardeners and OSU
following suggestions are from Carrots Love Tomatoes, Extension staff! The potlucks will take place July 14,
Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening by from 6-8 pm at Hanna Perkins Garden (located at
Louise Riotte7: 19910 Malvern Road, Shaker Heights); and August 6,
LEGUMES in general: from 6-8 pm at Morganic Garden (located at Kenyon
● Legumes sown with a small Avenue and E. 65th Street, Cleveland). Come to one, or
amount of mustard are come to all! Just remember to bring a dish to share; this
helpful to grapevines and is your time to show off your cooking skills to other
fruit trees community gardeners! If you need directions or have
● Peanuts are excellent to grow with newly set nut trees any questions, contact Becky at (216) 429.8230.
BEANS
Your Chance to Shine: Garden Docents needed!
● Most thrive when interplanted with carrots, cauliflower, by Becky Orenstein, Student Position
marigolds, summer savory, potatoes, moderate amounts of
celery or cucumbers, strawberries, locust trees, radishes,
cabbages and corn
● Beans are inhibited by any member of the onion family
C alling all community gardeners! We are looking for
energetic representatives from community gardens
to help lead our Urban Harvest Garden Tour! You would
(garlic, shallots, and chives) be a tour guide on Lolly the Trolley, enjoying the sum-
● They dislike gladiolus, kohlrabi & sunflower mer breeze while sharing some of your knowledge and
experience with community gardening. This is the per-
PEAS fect opportunity to share your enthusiasm about commu-
● Peas grow well with carrots, turnips, radishes, nity gardening with a group of interested listeners! If
cucumbers, corn, beans and potatoes you are interested in participating, please contact
● Plow pea vines under or return them to the compost pile Amanda at 216-429-8200, ext. 250 or email
when done block.91@osu.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!
● Wood ashes around the base of pea vines help control
aphids
SAVE the DATE!
OSU Extension, Cuyahoga County and Cleveland
Welcome, Amanda Block! Department of Community Development present:
Amanda is a new Program Assistant with
OSUE’s Community Gardening Program. She
comes with many skills and talents and is eager to
meet all of the gardeners. She will be working with
community gardens in the City of Cleveland,
including developing new gardens in Ward 1 Saturday, August 15 from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00
under Kaiser Permanente’s HEAL Initiative. We’re
p.m. The event will kick-off at the Ben Franklin
Garden (1905 Spring Road) in Cleveland’s Old
glad to have her join our “green team” and hope Brooklyn neighborhood and the tour will wind through
you look forward to meeting her and benefiting nine more community gardens and one urban farm.
For additional information, call the Garden Tour
from her gifts. Hotline at (216) 429-3148.
8. Page 8 T h e C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n i n g N e ws l e t t e r Summer 2009
June
Garden Practices Vegetables Fruits
● Weed the garden regularly. ● All summer harvest crops should be in the ● Thin apples, pears and peaches
● Water gardens during the ground by now. for larger fruit.
morning if possible. ● Pull soil or mulch up against potato plants ● Remove blossoms from newly
● Store unused seeds in a cold, when they are 8 to 12 inches tall. established strawberry plants.
dry location. ● Sow more carrots and beets for continuous ● Loosely tie grape vines to the
● Plant buckwheat in vacant harvest. trellis using soft twine or plastic
areas of the garden to retard ● Sidedress asparagus and rhubarb with aged ties.
weeds. manure or a 10-10-10 fertilizer. ● Protect ripening fruit from
● Inspect your garden daily. ● Remove radish, spinach, and lettuce plants animals with netting or row
when they send up seed stalks. cover.
July
Garden Practices Vegetables Fruits
● Prevent weeds from going to ● Sow more beets, beans and carrots. ● Prop branches of heavily
seed! Scrape smaller weeds ● Sow parsley, dill and basil in pots for use loaded fruit trees.
with a hoe or hand-pull indoors during winter. ● Renovate overcrowded
larger and perennial weeds. ● Plant Chinese cabbage, endive, snap beans, strawberry beds (ask Extension
● Water deeply when needed; kohlrabi, lettuce and radish for fall harvest. for fact sheet).
avoid light sprinkling. ● Plant late-season cabbage transplants in the ● Prune suckers and water
● Remove faded flowers and garden. sprouts from apple trees.
over-ripe fruit that attract ● Plant rutabagas for harvest in early autumn. ● Enjoy local peaches.
Japanese beetles. ● Lightly fertilize onions, tomatoes, peppers ● Cut down raspberry canes that
● Never apply pesticides to and other long-season plants. produced fruit earlier this
stressed plants. ● Allow broccoli to develop side shoots after summer.
● Inspect your garden daily. central head has been harvested.
● Pinch or cut back mint, oregano, and savory
to promote bushy growth.
● Harvest summer squash when they are
young and tender.
● Blanch celery a week before harvesting by
wrapping stalks with paper.
● Allow a few green peppers to turn red
before harvesting.
August
Garden Practices Vegetables Fruits
● Continue to cultivate around ● Harvest tomatoes when their color is fully ● Harvest cantaloupe when the
vegetables and flowers to developed. Know your tomato variety to stem separates from the fruit with
discourage weeds. determine ripeness. gentle prodding.
● Handpick Japanese beetles ● Plant collards, kale, and turnips for the fall
and drop them into a jar of garden.
detergent and water. ● Sow seeds of leaf lettuce, radish, turnip (for
● Do a soil test before planting a greens), and spinach for fall harvest.
new garden. ● Dig potatoes after vines have died.
● Watch for wasps when working ● Sow spinach for fall harvest.
near rock piles, old tree stumps ● If you have too many zucchini or tomatoes,
and stone walls. reduce the number of those plants you put in
● Inspect your garden daily. the garden next year. SEE TI P S PAGE 9
9. Summer 2009 T h e C o m m u n i t y G a r d e n i n g N e ws l e t t e r Page 9
TIPS FROM PAGE 8
ALSO,
● SHARE your harvest with neighbors, friends, and those in need. Call the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland at 216-
619-8155 ext. 12 to find a location to drop off excess produce, talk to your local church or food pantry, or call OSUE
for guidance.
● HARVEST the vegetable garden every few days. AVOID MID-DAY PICKING: Vegetables picked in the cool, early
morning taste best and store longer!
● SAVOR fresh vegetables from your garden and farmers' markets.
● ATTEND OSUE Garden Workshops this summer (see below for more details)!
● SHARE, LEARN, EAT, MEET! At a Garden Potluck (see page 7 for more details).
● CALL the Master Gardener Hotline (Mondays and Thursdays 10am-1pm) or Community Gardening staff anytime for Fact
Sheets about Pest and Disease, Growing Tips and Techniques for individual fruits and vegetables, Compost How-to, etc.
Special note for GARDEN LEADERS AND COORDINATORS:
● Create committees and delegate tasks; you don’t have to do it all yourself! For example: Weed Patrols, Compost,
Fundraisers, or Grant Seekers and Writers
● Talk to other leaders/coordinators and share and learn best practices.
Workshop Schedule
Weed ID & Management with John Cardina Cooking in the Garden
Saturday, June 13, 2009 Thursday, August 27, 2009
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Free to the public Free to the public
Building Healthy Communities El Sol Garden
RSVP to Marty 216-429-8220 RSVP to Marty 216-429-8220
Cooking in the Garden Harvesting/Seed Saving
Thursday, June 18, 2009 Thursday, September 10, 2009
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Free to the public Free to the public
Paul Revere Garden Madison Community Garden
RSVP to Marty 216-429-8220 RSVP to Marty 216-429-8220
Pest & Disease—with Jim Chatfield
Saturday, June 27, 2009 Grant Writing
10:00 a.m.. – 12:00 noon Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Free to the public 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Shaffer Miles Garden Free to the public
YWCA of Greater Cleveland
RSVP to Marty 216-429-8220
RSVP to Michelle 216-429-8224
Composting
Saturday, July 11, 2009 Upcoming Events
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Free to the public Community Garden Tours
Hirst Avenue Garden Saturday, August 15, 2009
RSVP to Marty 216-429-8220 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Season Extension Ben Franklin Garden
Saturday, July 25, 2009 Cuyahoga County Fair
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Monday, August 10 – Sunday, August 16, 2009
Free to the public Berea Fair Grounds
Herman Avenue Garden “Medieval Times at the Fair”
RSVP to Marty 216-429-8220
ACGA 30th Annual Conference
Soil/No Till Thursday, August 6 – Sunday, August 9, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Franklin Park Conservatory
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
Free to the public
Garden Leader scholarship applications are due
West 47th Garden
June 30th (City of Cleveland Summer Sprout only)
RSVP to Marty 216-429-8220
10. Ohio State University Extension
Cuyahoga County
9127 Miles Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44105
www.cuyahoga.osu.edu
Mission Statement
The Community Gardening Program provides education and resources, helping communities to
grow nutritious food, develop important life skills, and create a healthy environment.
Our Horticulture Staff: Do you have a question about your garden?
• Unsure of when to plant seeds or transplant seedlings?
Michael Auerbach, Student Position • Curious about what vegetables make good companion plantings?
Amanda Block, Program Assistant • Want to improve the health of your soil naturally?
Brad Melzer, Program Assistant
OSU Extension Master Gardeners can answer your questions and send you
Becky Orenstein, Student Position information to increase your gardening successes.
Morgan Taggart, Program Specialist
Call (216) 429-8235 between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Mondays and
Nicole Wright, Program Assistant
Thursdays or email your questions to mgdiagnostics_cuya@ag.ohio-
Michelle Key, Office Associate state.edu.
THANK YOU for making the Community Gardening Program possible
through your monetary contributions, time, and effort:
The Cleveland Foundation
The George Gund Foundation
The Edward and Betty Sloat Foundation
Centers for Disease Control’s Steps to a Healthier US
The SK Wellman Foundation
City of Cleveland, the Honorable Frank Jackson, Mayor
City of Cleveland, Department of Community Development, Division of Neighborhood Services
Cleveland Department of Public Health
Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Cardiovascular Health Program
Cuyahoga County Board of County Commissioners
Ohio State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available to clientele
on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or veteran
status. This statement is in accordance with United States Civil Rights Laws and the USDA. Keith L. Smith, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Agricultural Admini-
stration and Director, Ohio State University Extension. TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868.