Mother Earth Hard at Work

It’s spring time and work in the vegetable garden has started. Staffperson Mary Ellen Dunford is coordinating efforts to turn our patch of soil into something of wonder. We have volunteers (seen here is Carol Hartman) and so far we’ve planted potatoes, radishes, Swiss chard, flowers and carrots.

Mary Ellen, who is schooled in permaculture, is using elements of this design theory in our garden. She nourished the soil all winter with manure, cardboard and hay. As spring approached, we removed what’s left of the hay to find a rich, dark soil prime for growing. We also are using wet newspaper and cardboard topped with straw in between our vegetable rows to reduce weeds. No one really likes the back-breaking work of weeding.

Proof of our work so far is the first few buds of radishes planted in a circular bed.  We hope soon those radishes will end up in the Prairiewoods kitchen being served to our many friends and clients.