Current Events at Community Gardens
Gleaning is Starting!
Become a gleaner for 2014! Volunteer gleaners must be willing to attend one brief orientation and safety session, and join as a member of the Nanaimo Community Gardens Society and Nanaimo Foodshare Society. Once registered, gleaners will be assigned to Pick Teams and invited on organized picks throughout the season. Orientations are about 45 minutes in length. We will meet in the gazebo at the Pine St Community Garden located behind the Foodshare Centre at 271 Pine St. Children are welcome to play in the garden while you attend. Dogs must be leashed. Orientations have been scheduled for the following 5 dates in 2014:
- Monday June 16, 2014 at 6pm
- Thursday June 19, 2014 at 4pm
- Saturday June 21, 2014 at 10am
- Wednesday June 25, 2014 at 4pm
- Sunday June 29, 2014 at 10am
Be sure to bring your membership fee (sliding scale $10-$25) and family and friends if they might want to pick with you occasionally. The earlier you sign up, the better your chances of attending an early pick, such as a cherry pick. If you can’t make it to one of these dates and you want to glean, please contact me and we will work something out. Call 250-816-4769 or email gleaning@nanaimocommunitygardens.ca.
Pick Leaders are required to lead teams of Gleaners on picks. If you wish to take on some additional responsibility and choose your own pick times we welcome you as a Pick Leader! If you have been a gleaner in the past and you wish to be a Leader this year, you can skip the General Orientation and attend the Leader Orientation. If you have not been a gleaner in the past four years and you wish to be a Pick Leader, we ask that you attend a regular orientation and go on a few picks before you take on that responsibility in 2014.
Please call Lee at (250) 816-4769 for additional information.
Spring Work Parties at all three sites
Greenhouse Work Parties – Wednesdays Join us at the Greenhouse every Wednesday and to make soil, plant seeds, transplant seedlings and care for plants. This is where the naturally-raised seedlings are grown for our plant sales. This time of year is especially busy with lots of seedlings requiring transplanting. We would love to have you help out and contribute to the operations of our Greenhouse site. Those of you who wish to learn how to start plants at home for your own gardens or who have always wanted to learn about greenhouse growing will find this a valuable experience.
For more information and directions to the Greenhouse, please contact greenhouse@nanaimocommunitygardens.ca.
Pine Street Work Parties – Wednesdays 11am-4pm The Pine Street Community Garden is springing to life. Many crops have been planted and are starting to show themselves but there is still much to do. Come on down to the garden on any Wednesday between 11am and 4pm and meet other volunteers and see what it’s all about. These hands-on group activity days take place at the Pine St Garden behind the Foodshare Centre at 271 Pine St. Bring a lunch, water and dress for the weather. Tasks are determined by the interests of the people who come to a work party, and by the seasonal needs of the garden. We will be planting crops, turning beds, sifting compost, watering the greenhouse, transplanting veggies and preparing beds for planting warm weather crops later. For more information call Lee at 250-816-4769 or contact her at pinestreet@nanaimocommnitygardens.ca .
Irwin Street Garden Work Parties – Tuesdays 5:30pm – 8:30pm, Sundays 11am – 2pm The newly acquired Irwin Street Gardens is located on the corner of Needham and Irwin streets in Nanaimo’s south end. Work parties will be held at the Irwin Street Garden starting May 13th on Tuesdays from 5:30-8:30pm and Sundays from 11am to 2pm. This garden is comprised of many raised beds so it is perfect for those who have difficulty bending down. Tasks are varied depending on what needs to be done and the interests of the volunteers. Bring gloves and hand tools if you have them. For more information please contact Glenda at irwinstreet@nanaimocommunitygardens.ca .
Items Needed: Wheelbarrow and hand tools
Wheelbarrow and Hand Tools – The Irwin Street Garden is looking for some hand tools and a wheelbarrow for volunteers to use during work parties. If you think you have something to donate that will be useful, please contact Nanaimo Community Gardens at info@nanaimocommunitygardens.ca or call 250-816-4769 to donate.
Greenhouse update
2014 is the last year we will be operating in our present greenhouse, but we are working hard and negotiating with local authorities to set up another site so we can continue to offer seedlings to the community in 2015.