Work Party

When you think of the words work party you think of dinner drinks and depending on where you work a possible good time.

All members of the garden are expected to put some time in the public part of the garden helping maintain it to keep things running smoothly. It is a pretty well run little garden. For a small fee you can even purchase composted manure from a big pile that is replenished as needed.

I am getting frames built for my raised beds and was to meet up with my girlfriend's father who is a handyman and does small jobs. The work party started at 1:00 so I thought I would get in a couple of hours before I met up with John to measure the beds.

There was a long list of things that needed doing and you pick the things that you think you could do. People take turns to bring treats and there is water available as well for the workers. One of my tasks in July is to bring treats for an evening work party. I decided that I should be able to do some weeding, easy right? Well, it was quite the weeding. It was an area on the outskirts of the garden that had been used to plant buckwheat. What a mess. I had to dig to get the weeds out and it was in a pretty sorry state. Not an easy job and I am very stiff and sore today. The others didn't have it much easier. The huge compost pile that people were wrestling with looked a challenge as well.

It is such a lovely little spot, while I was weeding I could hear the birds singing and see the swallows swooping to the houses. I'm going to have to get a little house for them I think...



I was glad to take a break and talk with John about what he was going to build. He had an idea that shouldn't cost too much to build a gate and fence for the front. I'm not sure what he has in mind but he is sure that I will like it.

I'm hoping it will be ready by the weekend but if it rains as forecast it might not happen. I'm anxious to fill up those beds and start planting the early things like potatoes, peas and a few lettuce and radishes. Oh and sweet peas. Can't forget the sweet peas.

My map is drawn and figuring out what goes with what, what doesn't like what is a bit of a challenge to figure out. You can't lime the area where the potatoes go or put manure where you plant carrots. Tomatoes hate potatoes but everyone seems to like peas the Miss Congeniality of the garden. I am probably sinning by planting potatoes where tomatoes grew last year but in a small garden I hope I will be forgiven. Maybe if I throw in lots of manure and compost it will work out...

My dream garden...