Journal of Memories

MARCH 2010

In preparation for OPENING DAY on April 17, we met on March 6, 2010. We made 15 gallons of wonderful vegetable soup for lunch on Opening Day. Meanwhile, Tonya led the seeding brigade outside. What a day!

FEBRUARY 2010

This has been a busy month! The planting team, and other groups are busily preparing for the amazing work that lies ahead.

Some of our youth decided to gather to create and present a plan for a children’s area within the garden. The plan was presented at the March 1 meeting, and received wonderful support. It now goes back to the kids, so they can revise their plans and scale down their first efforts. Among their fine ideas: have more fun things to grow and do, plant a “pizza” garden, and have an area where kids can sit on blankets to tell or listen to stories.   

We also turned the compost pile. Please remember to keep adding precious compost to the pile! 

JANUARY,2010

In the midst of icy roads. the garden team looks forward to spring with its first meeting of 2010, to launch the SECOND year of Simple Gifts!

SEPTEMBER 26, 2009 - SCALE MODEL HARVEST

If you’ve every seen a giant sunflower grow from a tiny seed, you know how good God is at multiplying
resources. Today, a few dozen volunteers proved the potential of less than a hundred sweet potato slips, when over 350 pounds of 4 varieties of sweet potatoes were harvested at the garden. After Tuesday’s wash out, gray clouds had us a little nervous. But, cool weather and overcast skies turned out to be perfect for the hard work of digging sweet potatoes. In addition to harvesting sweet potatoes, we did pick some okra, peppers, and what will likely be the last of the tomatoes. Though the tomato harvest was nowhere near as bountiful as the beauties we boasted about a few weeks back, the circle of life at the garden continues to humble us all.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2009 - GARDEN ANGEL SWOOPS IN

The Simple Gifts Community Garden was graced by a generous gift, in the form of over 80 pounds of seed! Given the yield of our sweet potatoes, and the fact that nearly 500 pounds of produce have been shared with Western Wake Crisis Ministry in under 6 months of the garden’s growth, we can only imagine the results when we sow these seeds of kindness next spring!

SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 - TATER TOPS, RAINDROPS, AND MICE
Did you know that sweet potato tops must be cut a few days before harvesting the sweet potatoes waiting below ground? Many of the Simple Gifts gardeners didn’t. But, since our Master Gardener, and some other team members did, a schedule was developed. The plan: take the tater tops tonight, and dig in on Saturday. Sounded great when the emails went out, a few weeks back, describing the timeline. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t get the memo. Just after about a dozen dedicated (or crazy) souls started snipping, the initially overcast afternoon turned gray. Volunteers cut, and removed sweet potato tops with near-record speed, but the storm was faster. Soon, in the midst of a deluge even the little field mice scampered for safety from, the team got the job done. Gratefully, our shed provided some shelter for our soggy selves. From inside, we saw skies turn near-black and decided to call it a day. We poured ourselves into our cars and started home. 

Since it’s only the second or third time since the garden opened, back in April, that our plans have been dampened by rain, we can’t complain too much. Still, I do hope that Mother Nature learns to plan her “events” after consulting the Google calendar from now on!!

AUGUST 5, 2009 ‘MATERS & MELONS

Tonight, members of the garden gathered in the shade of the AOSP team’s newly created shed, which stands as a beacon of welcome at the entrance of the Simple Gifts Garden. Thanks to Sandra’s spectacular organizational skills, and the bounty of the garden, members and friends celebrated Simple Gifts with sliced tomato sandwiches and watermelon that was as sweet as summertime itself. Joining the circle was none other than “Miss Jeanne” who shared stories of what life was like at the garden before most of us had roots in Apex. From roller skating down 55 at a time when nary a car would pass her, to working in the Apex dime store, we relished the snapshots of time she shared with us as we remembered that the Simple Gifts Garden really does grow much more than produce.

AUGUST 1, 2009
“Hands up, baby, hands up... give me your heart, give me, give me...”
 

If you remember the dance song from days gone by, you’ve already started singing along.
Now, add images to the tune. Imagine that the hands and hearts belong to a dozen teenagers and their adult leaders, who toiled in the garden during a 95 degree heat wave, highlighted by sudden and extreme storms. Add several hundred pounds of wood, 10 pounds of nails, a couple of coolers of popsicles, and a lot of sweat. Spin it all into an old-fashioned barn-raising, and you’ve got a glimpse into the life of a week of AOSP. For a solid week, Kendall led a group of volunteers from Apex United Methodist Church and Aulander Church (thanks Willy and Tylil!) joined forces to build a tool shed, by hand, at the Simple Gifts Garden. This is no pre-fab thing, either! It’s a good, old fashioned, from the ground-up creation that will glorify God in countless ways, for many days to come. Please notice the new shed standing at the top of the garden, as you drive down 55 from Apex towards Route 1. As you do, give thanks for the precious group that gave their hearts and hands to this important ministry.

JULY 30, 2009 - Brianna’s Journal
Brianna is a community volunteer who sought out the garden to fulfill her community hours for school. The blessings Brianna brought to the Simple Gifts Garden extended far beyond any requirement of time, however. Brianna became a beloved part of our time at the garden; Her spark and humility helped the garden grow in ways that can never be entered on a time sheet. Please enjoy Brianna’s journal. Let it inspire you to reach out and give of your time and talents - if not in the garden, then somewhere. And while you read, please send thoughts of gratitude and prayers of best wishes to Brianna as her future begins to unfold.  CLICK HERE FOR BRIANNA’S JOURNAL. 

June 16, 2009 -The Squash Patch in Row 3 Proudly Announces the Garden’s First Birth of Twins
                         

Length: 7.5 inches  Weight: 12 ounces
The twins are healthy and firm and ready to be moved to the Western Wake Crisis Ministry. The proud parents are NOT resting comfortably, however, as there are other babies to tend, bugs to resist, and bees to host!

June 13, 2009 - Buckets of yellow squash, zucchini, and pickling peppers are harvested. Members take a share, and continue to share blessings with the Western Wake Crisis Ministry. Those able to work today break up into small teams and tackle everything from apple tree watering to zucchini harvesting. Paul continues to be an amazing source of strength across jobs, spending today’s energy on the lower portion of the garden. Our black-eyed Susan vine (shared with love by Kristina), is in bloom. Green peppers are plumping, banana peppers melt in our mouths, cow peas are picked and pruned, and shy pickling cucumbers are pulled from their hiding places. With many friends on vacations or at the annual convention, fewer hands are on deck. With tired hands and high heat, we close up a bit early. But, not before making bug banishment and weeding a priority. Thankfully, we remain pleased not to see too many creepy crawlers. Now- if we could only get the weeds to pack their bags! .

June 12, 2009 - A few zucchini are so large, the garden may need a new zip code! It is truly amazing to see how quickly things grow with God’s watchful eye, and the hard work of a team of caretakers(notice I did not say “gardeners,” because many of us have black thumbs!). After several days of hand picking cucumber beetles and squash bugs, we are all thrilled to see very few of the “bad bugs” in the garden. We see an increase in bumble bees, who busily pollinate the crops. Meanwhile, moonflowers, planted for us by nature, bloom along the tree line.

June 10, 2009-Unwelcome visitors drop by, and we have to “squash ‘em” before they take over
the zucchini. We also harvest our first donations for the Western Wake Crisis Ministry. New members and friends drop by the garden - even visitors from Atlanta stop by our little patch of paradise! many new visitors learned of us through the local press (see HOME page for links to articles). 

June 6, 2009 Pass the peas, please! We harvest peas, lettuce, herbs, and meet new folks who have read about the garden in the newspaper and come to join as members.

June 2, 2009 - Zucchini, yellow squash, and peppers are a-poppin’ !

May 23, 2009 - It’s been just over a month since consecration and lettuce and herbs are being harvested.

May 19, 2009- We discover our first tomato and harvest our first basil and lettuce.

May 14, 2009 - Our first corporate workday with 20 volunteers from Storr Office Environments.

May 11, 2009 - We dig a 27’’ deep trench almost 400 feet long and get electricity from the Town of Apex!

May 3, 2009 -Queens Gabriella and Isabella moved in with a royal court of 20,000 bees. The hives will help keep thinking buzzin’.

April 23, 2009 - Another feature story! This time in the Apex Herald.

April 19, 2009 - Simple Gifts is mentioned in front page story in the News and Observer. Volunteers are still sore from previous day’s opening event.

April 18, 2009 - The Simple Gifts Garden is “officially” consecrated. With a circle of 60+ volunteers, including Miss Jeanne, prayers are offered, songs of praise are sung, and the earth is made ready for the sowing of seeds. Lettuce, herbs, flowers, and other plants are planted. The deer fence is installed and irrigation lines are used. Evidence of the collective gifts of so many individuals, businesses, and groups are amaze all present.