Garden Work Party

The garden shed at Hazel Dell Community Garden.

Yesterday, we finished cleaning up the native plant bed at the Hazel Dell Garden.  We had a work party with student volunteers from Clark College and The Boys and Girls Club.  This bed took two work parties to complete.  Student volunteers are vital to making the garden a success.  Thank you volunteers for all that you do!

The native plant bed is all tucked in for the next couple of years.

I’m delighted that the native bed is all set except for one thing.  The irrigation system is broken and I’m concerned that a rogue shovel stab (possibly mine) took it out.  Bobbi has been watering the beds everyday this week with a hose during our hot July weather in May to keep the new seedlings alive. 

A square foot garden

The work parties are fun and it’s satisfying to knock out the various projects with the hard working volunteers.  I’ve decided is all I need is a Clark College student work party in my yard and then I’d be all set for the summer.  Yesterday, when I pointed out the pea plants growing on the trellises, a second grade student innocently asked, “What are peas?”

In surprise I asked her, “You’ve never eaten peas?”

“No, what are they?”

A fellow second grader firmly replied, “Peas are those bald green things that they make you eat.”

The garden is growing.

I turned away and swallowed my laughter.  In that moment, I wished that there had been a snow pea hanging off of the vine for her to sample.  And never has the importance of school and community vegetable gardens been so clear to me. 

It wasn't too long ago that the beds were being prepared by volunteers.