Gardener Spotlight - Meg & Family

Meg and her family are such a delightful part of our community garden.  They joined the garden back in 2012, helping build the "new" side, and they have been "getting [their] hands dirty ever since".  They live just across the back fence in the condos, so they certainly were aware of the garden as it was getting established. As Meg says, "The garden makes for great neighbors!" They love having a green spot to grow things and a little open space to escape to -  with room for their daughter to run around safely.  A quick 5 minute walk from their home to the garden means they are frequent visitors and thus quick to notice if something is amiss. What a boon to the rest of us gardeners! They also really enjoy the garden community and have made great friends who, pre-Covid, they would bump into around the neighborhood. 🍅

Something Meg has particularly been invested in is the tangerine tree that was planted in memoriam of Bernie's wife Elizabeth. She has been thrilled to see that the careful pruning & thinning of the tangerine tree has resulted in larger, healthier fruit and fewer broken branches.  Her 6 year old is delighted by the bumper crop of peas she gets from her planting every winter. 🍊

Right now Meg and family are growing  perennial rhubarb, thyme, kale and strawberries as well as some volunteer lettuce.  For the winter, they have also planted potatoes and seeds for rutabaga, radishes, carrots, beets, parsnips and peas with plans to transplant cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and a few others they are starting at home. Meg is a font of knowledge; her gardening "roots" run deep and she really knows her stuff! 

Gardener Spotlight - Patrick S

Patrick S. is one of our most consistent and thoughtful gardeners. He has been a part of the garden for the last 5 or 6 years. He had been looking for a community garden to join for a couple of years since he'd moved to Clairemont from the East Coast. He had actually considered creating one at his children's elementary school- but then he found NPC garden! He found the garden while doing his research; then he met someone who participates in the Golden Hill garden who suggested NPC.  What a luck! 

His favorite part of being part of the garden is the people. As he says, "I've met so many wonderful people who share a love of not only gardens and small batch food production, but value being a part of a group of families committed to cultivating a community connected to the earth and what gardening provides." He has also learned so much about gardens, soil, plants, food production, etc. He feels much more connected to the food he eats regardless of where it comes from -whether from the garden or the grocery store. 

A success Patrick has had in the garden is learning how to really care for the soil in his bed. His knowledge has allowed him to make the most of his plantings. Several summer plantings have yielded scores of tomatoes, and winter plantings have yielded the most beautiful varieties of carrots.Right now he is planting winter crops:  3 varieties of lettuce (red leaf, butter leaf, and romaine), carrots, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli. 

We are so glad to have Patrick in the garden. Cool fact: He is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Library Foundation, the non-profit arm that supports SD Public Libraries. Now go support your local library! 

Gardner Spotlight - Gillian

Gillian is one of our most knowledgeable gardeners. She is very successful in her garden, having won "garden of the month" multiple times. She has been a part of our garden for about 5 years and has brought with her much experience from her last community garden in Pacific Beach. She learned about our garden from a friend and from driving past it; she was curious. Her favorite part of the garden is talking with other gardeners about successes and challenges; there are always new ideas to discuss. Her best experience was a few years ago when she had a bumper crop of tomatoes including one that was 1 1/2 lbs.- yes 24 ounces! Now in January she is growing greens and winter vegetables. Check out Gillian's bed anytime you are in the garden to be wowed by her success! 🍅🍃