Gardening

05/04/2012

Video of the Week

In the spirit of spring our Video of the Week this week features Governor Patrick’s visit to an elementary school where he encourages the children to Plant Something!  As he fills small flower pots with soil, the governor discusses where his love of gardening stems from and the deep importance this type of community activity can have on the young generation. The governor is excited to take part in Plant Something, a collection of Massachusetts’ professional environmental horticulturists who are responsible for growing, installing, and caring for natural landscapes in our communities.

 

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03/29/2012

The spirit of spring

Although it has been a relatively mild winter, signs of spring still ignite positive energies and excitement within the Commonwealth.  Lunch breaks take a little longer and the walk to your T stop is a bit more relaxed.  To many people, springtime is about more than just an escape from the bonds of cold weather.  Springtime is the start of the birds’ mating season and the farmers’ planting season; the activities we do in our free time change and we can spend more of our day outside interacting with the nature around us.   

Today I spoke with members of the various environmental agencies to find out what they love about spring.  For Marion Larson with MassWildlife, the mating call of the American Woodcocks “peent….peent…peent,” is a clear sign of the new season.  Although SJ Port, who works with the Department of Conservation Resources (DCR), is reluctant to put her hockey gear away, she is excited to replace her skates with sneakers and take a walk along DCR's Charles River Reservation's Esplanade and hike through some of the DCR state parks.  Anna Waclawiczek, in the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), looks forward to the busy planting season at our local farms.  Now is the time, she says, whether you are a farmer or a green thumb hobbyist to visit a garden center or nursery and get your fingers dirty with fresh planting soil.  To find local nurseries, garden centers, farmers’ markets and much more go to the MassGrown & Fresher Agri-Google map.   

What do you love about the transition into spring?  What smell, sight, or sound is most indicative to you that springtime is here?  For me it is the smell of hyacinths when I am out on a jog or walking my dogs.  Use the comment space below to share with us your thoughts.     

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09/02/2011

Take your Food Shopping Outside!

Gloucester Farmers' Market 032 With the local harvest season well underway, now is the perfect time to take your shopping to the great outdoors and enjoy the bounty of Massachusetts farmers’ hard work.

A recent trip to Gloucester revealed a large and festive farmers’ market in Stage Fort Park overlooking Gloucester Harbor. 

With lots of room and over two dozen vendors or more setting up each week, the market offers a wide variety of farm and food products, including produce, fresh fish (right off the boat), two wineries, baked goods, honey, maple products, and mushrooms. Market vendors also include a wide variety of locally made specialty foods including pasta, soups, tarts, dips, prepared foods and more. Several artists from the Gloucester art community show their wares as well.

With weekly music, children’s activities, and community booths, one could easily spend an hour or more to take it all in. Bring a blanket and take your goodies down to the beach for an impromptu picnic after you shop. The park even has a small beach! The Cape Ann Farmers’ Market is located in Gloucester’s State Fort Park every Thursday, from 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm through October 13th.

The Cape Ann Farmers’ Market is one of 245 markets up and running across the state this summer and fall.  Find a local market near you!

Gloucester Farmers' Market 022

Gloucester Farmers' Market 017


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07/29/2011

Local wood for good

CQP stamped wood You don’t have to live in the country to be a farmer - you can grow crops outside in the city too.

Launched in 2007, Build-a-Garden teaches city residents square-foot growing methods so that urban gardeners can maximize space, create ideal growing conditions, and have a simple and structured forum for learning the basics. The Food Project provides participants with everything they need to get started – including multiple raised garden beds, soil, seeds, transplants, a growing guide, on-site workshops, and assistance throughout the planning and implementation stages of the project. Through this volunteer-fueled initiative, the organization hopes to create a thoughtful and productive community of people from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system.

In this instance, two local businesses came together to support each other and the community, and the positive effects promise to be long-lasting. Heyes provided product made from a natural, renewable resource that will be used to help residents of Boston and Lynn grow a variety of wholesome, fresh produce at a fraction of the cost. Likewise, The Food Project’s patronage of Heyes helps sustain local forest-based businesses that maintain healthy, working forests to create products that are important to us in everyday life. The end result is a mutually beneficial collaboration involving local products that will have a positive impact on local business, our community and the environment.

Fred Heyes, owner of Heyes Forest Products in Orange and DAR  Commonwealth Quality Program (CQP) ambassador, recently teamed up with Boston-based The Food Project to demonstrate how local wood products can be used to help build a stronger community.

In what has become an annual tradition, Heyes supplied  CQP-certified Massachusetts white pine lumber for The Food Project’s “Build-a-Garden” program, which provides Boston-area residents the opportunity to grow their own food successfully and safely in urban neighborhoods through raised bed and container gardening. The locally sourced and manufactured lumber will be used to construct garden beds for the community support program.

Heyes BAnsfield Botelho

The Food Project is currently accepting Build-a-Garden volunteer applications for the fall 2011 growing season. To learn more about this and other Food Project volunteer opportunities, please visit: http://thefoodproject.org/volunteer. 

Those interested in applying for Build-a-Garden support can contact the program coordinator, Kathleen Banfield, by calling (617) 442-1322 x12 or by sending an email to buildagarden@thefoodproject.org.

To learn more about DAR’s Commonwealth Quality Program, which promotes high-quality Massachusetts agricultural products that are responsibly produced, harvested and processed, or to locate a CQP business near you, please visit  http://www.mass.gov/cqp. 

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05/24/2011

Growing native?

When I think of spring, images of brightly colored tulips and buttercups instantly come to mind. I love looking out my window every day and watching color return to the landscape. It seems as if spring never comes fast enough to relieve my winter gloom.

Luckily, those of us living on the coast have a distinct advantage—a longer growing season! According to the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, Coastal residents have a 40-day head start on the growing season compared to their inland counterparts.

A great way to enhance curb appeal, a garden provides a welcome burst of color, texture, and interest to the home. Gardening is also an activity suitable for everyone in the family..

If you live in a coastal region, such as the Cape, the Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) has some tips on growing native—a sustainable and environmentally friendly way to bring color and life to your home. Selecting native plants for your garden has the added advantage of providing erosion control and habitats for native wildlife - not to mention that once these trees, s shrubs, and flowers are established, they require less maintenance and care.

First, look for plants that are well adapted to strong winds, salt spray, and a low diversity of nutrients in the soil. 

CZM's list of compatible flowers, trees, and shrubs

One of my favorites is the lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) which thrives in full sun, and has the added benefit of attracting wildlife and producing delicious fruit for harvest in mid-late summer. Another is the Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana), the plant’s fragrant blossoms are 2-3 inches in diameter and bloom from June through August.

Why not plant some Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)? The vibrant golden-yellow flowers add a burst of color, while the plant’s fleshy, waxy leaves retain water, making the plant ideal for coastal landscaping. Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod is not the culprit for seasonal allergy sufferers - the real bad guy is ragweed, which is part of the sunflower family.

Lowbush Blueberry
Lowbush Blueberry
Photo: University of Connecticut Plant Database

Rosvir00
Virginia Rose
Photo: University of Connecticut Plant Database

Nerr0245
Seaside Golendrod
Photo: NOAA Estuarine Research Reserve Collection, NOAA Photo Library

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04/21/2011

Earth Day 2011

Tomorrow commemorates the 41st anniversary of the first Earth Day and Massachusetts residents can take part in a myriad of activities that celebrate the environment! Join in a community-wide cleanup, party at a zoo, run a 5K race or just get outside and enjoy the outdoors with neighbors, friends and family. Events may differ in size and scope, but a common theme remains: environmental awareness and education.

Earth Day events start tomorrow and run through May. For more information go to http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/earthday.htm

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04/04/2011

Weekly outdoor events

Join the Department of Conservation and Recreation for the next installment of the Waquoit Bay Research Reserve education series and learn how to grow your own organic garden. The event is free and happens this Wednesday, April 6.

Explore vernal pools in Arlington and West Roxbury this Saturday. Spring is a great time to view these temporary ecosystems where aquatic wildlife like salamanders and frogs begin their lives.

Check out more Massachusetts Outdoor Events on The Great Outdoors interactive Google Calendar.

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