Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Children's House of Weld County



As I remember the conversation that morning at the Children's House of Weld County Montessori School (http://www.childrenshousewc.com/), Susan the director, stopped me as I was dropping off my youngest son. She said that she had heard something about a person in the Frederick area going to start a community garden. When she heard about it, Susan decided that she should ask me if I knew anything....apparently she knows me well:) And so began the connection between Brigit's Bounty & the Children's House of Weld.
For those of you that aren't familiar with this school...if you have young children you should become familiar with it. I admit to being one of the most obsessive, controlling, freak parents when it comes to the care of my children. I love this school. The boys love this school. I think you would be hard pressed to find any child who goes there to say that they didn't want to go back tomorrow.
Anyways, I met with Susan and Sherry about how we could make this work so that the kids at the school could be involved and a plan was created.
This is the plan:
The children would start seeds in the class & watch them grow.
The children would participate in a special lesson from a staff member at the "Children's Peace Garden" out of Boulder, the lesson was "Edible Parts of the Plant" http://www.growinggardens.org/english/programs/youth/peace/classroomvisits.html
The school will be provided with two raised beds at Brigit's Bounty that they can grow what ever they want in.
The children will come to the garden weekly throughout the summer to take care of their garden & watch the process from seed.
The children will harvest all of their own vegetables & take them back to school to prepare & eat them.

I am so excited about having the kids involved. As this has further developed, the kids are also going to assist with feeding the birds, watering some of the sunflowers, etc.


Children's House put the first plants into the ground! Yeah:)


Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Let's Build

April 25th was the day...the day the field began its transformation into a garden. Well, it wasn't really a 'garden' by the end of the day but the transformation was amazing. We began the day at 9am & found Bill already tilling the land! We began by building two raised beds in the children's area. Bill completed tilling the large vegetable garden & began tilling the children's garden area. We built two more raised beds in the vegetable garden. Julie mixed in the manure & tilled it in. At the end of the day we had clearly defined areas and could finally see the garden coming a reality. Thanks to all those who helped out. My motivations are re-juvinated by seeing this come to life:)

The First Bed in the Children's Garden Area:
How many other churches can say that their priest/minister can drive a tractor? Go Felicia:)


Moving cinder blocks for the vegetable garden:

Trying to make the beds even...good luck!

Lyle trying to make a raised bed with the assistance of my boys, they are being great helpers I am sure!!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Love Your Veggies Mom Retreat

April 28th & 29th I participated in a Mom's Retreat for the 10 mothers who won the Love Your Veggies contest(http://www.loveyourveggies.com/expert_corner.php). I flew out to Chicago on Monday afternoon and from the first moment it was nothing but first class. We stayed at the 4 Seasons Hotel. I think I could have spent the four days in that hotel room and been happy:) Here is what I was able to do for 2 days:

Tuesday:

Uncommon Ground Restaurant: http://www.uncommonground.com/
We had breakfast here & were able to get a tour of Chicago's first certified organic roof top garden. A lot of the foods from the garden are used in the creation of the menu.

Jodie Shield: Childhood Nutrition Specialist http://www.loveyourveggies.com/expert_shield.php
Check out this link for great handouts about vegetable nutrition & lunch packing ideas.

We were able to tour this grocery store. The store had a dietician on-staff that was able to help customers pick out foods, learn about nutrition needs, assist with any special diet needs etc.

Hand-outs for meal planning & grocery shopping activities for children


Wednesday:

This is an amazing youth center! We were able to see & participate in some planting on their roof top garden.

Handouts & Information about what & when to plant various plants, basic gardening information

Cooking with children

Cooking demonstration from some kids in the common threads program.

It was a busy, amazing trip. Here is information about all the winners:
Here is a link to games that young children can play...

Here are a few pictures from the adventure:




Friday, May 22, 2009

Work & Kids

It is amazing how much time manual labor takes! I guess after living in a world of cell phones, computers, and instant messaging I have dramatically under-estimated the amount of time and effort required when doing actual physical labor! We have spent many Saturdays, some Sundays, and quite a few nights after work preparing the area for the garden. We haven't even started with the actual garden, just getting the land and area ready. I have been humbled by thinking of the men shoveling dirt on the side of the highway in Mexico when it was 100F outside. My mear shoveling & work in 70F doesn't seem to compare:)

Fortunately for me, my boys have loved coming to the garden to work. They always seem to find something fun to be able to do and have become good 'helpers'. It has proven to me that if you give kids big room to run, freedom to roll & play in the dirt, and no rules, it is amazing how much fun they can have....no playgrounds included:)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Inspired

Have you ever had one of those moments when the world is going so fast, cars honking at you as they cut you off, person infront of you doesn't hold the door & then it all comes to a screaching halt when one person makes that extra effort? Well, when we moved to Colorado we were completely shocked at how nice everyone was. The grocery clerk would hold up the line just to talk to you & nobody in line seemed to care. Cars on the mountain passes would pull off to the side to let the faster drivers pass them. Everyone held the door for others. After almost two years, this has just become the norm so when I had one of those 'screaching' moments even among all this amazing kindness I was left speechless (and for those of you who know me well know that speechless isn't part of my vocabulary!!)
Searching craigslist one night for a "deal" on aged manure for the garden, I came across an ad from someone living in my town offering FREE manure. I like free:) So, I emailed to request some of the manure. That was how I met Julie & Bill Daigle. Thank you craigslist!! Julie had posted the ad and was more than happy to let me come and get some of the manure. After one trip with my pickup truck & a pinched nerve in my back I realized that shoveling wasn't going to be a reality for me (a decision that my husband was very greatful for!) So, I started looking to rent a small bobcat or tractor. When I approached Julie, explained what I needed the manure for, how much I needed, and requested that I bring in a bobcat the true gift began. First she offered to use her tractor to load our trucks. Wow I thought. Then, she offered to fill her very large dump trailer & help haul the manure to the garden area for us. Wow and thank you. Then, Bill & his son joined us one Sunday afternoon to take "a few loads". Two pickup trucks & their dump trailer headed to the land where the garden is being built. It had been raining off and on for the past two weeks so the land was more than just wet! The trucks made it across without difficulty but the large pickup truck pulling a full dump trailer was stuck right at the entry area. After help from a neighbor with a tractor, the truck was freed & we continued across the land. After many minor 'stuck' moments the trailer & trucks were empty. Bill went to pull out & realized that the land in the back was softer yet and decised to unhook the trailer. As he tried to pull away the truck become more than just stuck....the front bumper was sitting on the ground! This would have been a great picture for some 4x4 magazine! I drove Bill, his son, & their two dogs home and I still smile thinking of the conversation that must have occured when he got home and had to describe the events that led to him not having the truck or the trailer! The next morning Julie calls to get the address to pull out her truck. After all that, she said, "So are you coming to get some more next weekend?" REALLY?!! Many Saturdays and probably around 40 cubic yards of manure later we were ready to start getting the land ready. In true fashion, Bill offered to come over with his tractor & tiller to help out. He was already tilling and scraping when I got there at 9am. In the afternoon Julie came over to help too, moving the remainder or the manure & tilling it into the freshly tilled ground. It was around 4pm when they left the garden that day. They scraped, tilled, moved cinder blocks, raked & other numerous things. By now, thank you just doesn't seem enough. I am past the point of appreciation & into the realm of completely inspired. Who gives of themselves, their time, their talent in such a way to help others? Who helps this much to a group that they do not already have membership or connection to? Julie & Bill Daigle.
So, whose life did you touch today? Did your actions inspire anyone? Don't let the world fog your eyes to the point where you can't see the amazing giving nature of others. I am inspired & hope that I can someday pay this forward!














Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Cinder Blocks

We were able to find a man in the Denver Metro area who was selling cinder blocks. Many, MANY, MANY trips later we were able to get 1000 cinder blocks for creating raised beds. The first attempt had three church members (Andrew, Alechia, & Eric) meeting a man with a moving truck. This first trip was very successful in getting 500 of the cinder blocks! It took a few more days and many trucks driving to & from the lot to get the remaining 500 blocks. Helpers included: Mike, Maureen, Dominic, Lyle, Rachel, Eileen, Eric, & Alechia (as I said, I am going back & trying to recall all these steps, so I greatly apologize if I have forgot someone!) I wish that I had pictures of the first few trips, but wasn't that on-top of the picture taking part of the project yet! Thanks to Jeff for lending us the trailer, it was a huge help! Here are a few from the last trip...












Start-Up

Part of winning was to give the money to a not-for-profit agency. I am fortunate to be a member of a new local Episcopal church, St. Brigit's Episcopal (http://www.stbrigit.org/). The church has some land that could be built on. So, now I have an amazing group to work with and land to build on:)



The first thing we did was to form a committee. We started meeting every Sunday after church to discuss and plan. Our initial meetings were focused on where to build on the land, how big should the garden be, what do we want to include, and forming a list of steps to be completed. A few decisions that quickly arose were:

- need for compost bins
- cinder blocks or other material for building raised beds
- need for aged manure or other compost type soil
- inclusion of local schools
- work with local food bank

Monday, May 18, 2009

Love Your Veggies

In January I found a contest to win money for a community garden being discussed on a forum site. I looked into it further and felt drawn to apply for it. I sent in my application and was notified on February 2nd that I was one of the ten winners!!
Here are the details,
In partnership with Chef Art Smith, the makers of Hidden Valley® Salad Dressings want to identify, help and reward moms who are true vegetable advocates through the Love Your Veggies™ "Search for Veggie Champions Contest." For 10 lucky moms, Chef Smith and other experts will lead a two-day retreat April 28 and April 29 aimed at learning and sharing tips and tools on planting, harvesting, cooking and eating vegetables with children. These moms will also receive $5,000 to start or maintain a community vegetable garden in their hometown."
http://www.loveyourveggies.com/veggies_champs.php
I think I was in shock until I actually arrived in Chicago because I didn't think I would really win! And so, the garden begins....

Welcome & Introduction

Welcome to "Brigit's Bouty". This blog will follow my personal journey and other's who are buiding a community garden in the Tri-Town area (Dacono, Frederick, & Firestone) of Colorado.

To start...
Who Am I? Hmm, have you ever tried to answer that about yourself? I am a lot of things. I am a wife to an amazing man. I am a mother to two wonderful boys, ages 4 and 6. I am an Episcopalian (or Anglican depending on what country I am in!). I am Canadian, but have lived in the United States for almost 14 years. I love my job and feel so blessed every day to work with the families and children that I do. They inspire me. I am always busy and as much as it seems crazy, I can't imagine it any other way.

My goals with this blog:
1. Document the journey and methods to building a community garden.
2. Provide information about what works or what doesn't with the garden process.
3. Inspire others to start a community based project.

I am starting this a little late, so I plan to go back and start at the beginning!