12-14-10 Progress Report

Brrrrr...we are experiencing unseasonably cold weather!  The entire state of Florida is under some kind of freeze warning.  Hard freeze warnings are currently in effect for North and Central Florida but in South Florida we're under a freeze warning.  A "hard freeze" is when the temperature drops below 32° Fahrenheit and remains there for enough time to seriously damage or kill seasonal vegetation.

Thankfully, the garden looks great. Scroll back to the November 22 Temple Beth Am planting day or even the November 30th update to see the difference in growth. Most of the vegetables we planted tolerate cold well. However tonight I will cover the Garden with floating row covers for frost protection. Most small Organic farms use this method.  If you don’t have Row covers, use old bed sheets and blankets. Try to avoid plastic.  I don’t like water either.

Enjoy these pics that I snapped early this morning.  Stay warm! Tim

12-7-10 Progress Report

From Tim: Our weekly progress report is very good. All of the plants are growing at a steady rate with no signs of deficiencies. The cold front we are having is beneficial in many ways. First, vegetables love cool dry air...it makes them stronger and sweeter. The cold also kills insect pests and disrupts their life cycle and it kills bacteria and fungus in the garden. Cold weather also helps fruit trees such as Mango, Lychee and Avocado set blossoms that give us fruit in summer . Photos were taken on the morning of 12-7-10 at 7:30AM. Enjoy!

Thank You Notes from Beth Am 4th Graders

When one volunteers their time for a cause, there is nothing that can warm their hearts more than a simple "thank you."  Yesterday a thick white envelope arrived at the Club addressed to those who helped with the Beth Am 4th grader's visit.  When we opened it up, we were stunned to see 35 of the nicest and most creative thank you cards and letters from the kids.  We're going to post them on a bulletin board for all of our Members to see because they are truly precious.  We also thought we'd share a few of them here for our virtual visitors to see how fascinating they are.

To any of the students or their parents that read this blog post, thank you again for allowing your kids to experience the wonders of our Garden at Deering Bay.  We look forward to their return in the Spring.

PDF's of Selected Thank You Cards & Letters:
1st Group
2nd Group
3rd Group

November 30th Update

Starting today, we will now update the blog every week with photos and progress reports of our growth.

We have had 2 planting days so far; Monday Nov. 15th and Nov. 22nd.  A few observations...our soil is healthy and the plants are healthy.  This is important as healthy plants are less likely to have disease and insect problems. Also, garden vegetables like the cool and dry air that we enjoy during South Florida winters. Over the next few weeks as you watch the plants grow you will understand the importance of proper spacing.  One of the biggest mistake beginner gardeners make is crowding plants.  More on that later...

Enjoy today's photos and progress report and feel free to comment if you have any questions/observations.

Thanks,

Tim

Temple Beth Am 4th Grader's Visit the Garden

On Monday, November 22nd, 4th Graders from Temple Beth Am Day School visited our garden to learn about farming in South Florida. We divided into three small groups where the kids got hands-on experience planting seeds with Tim Rowan and pineapples with Ethan Shapiro, completed a science lab with their teachers, and even started a plant propagation project with Daniella Tosta to continue at home.

The students will also experience the great taste of fresh food when they return during the harvest season for a special meal featuring produce they have studied and helped grow.

We had a wonderful time hosting the students and it was great to see everyone "get their hand's dirty" planting and learning about organic produce.  On behalf of the Members and Staff of Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club, we're thankful that the children were able to visit and plant their very own section of the garden.  We look forward to hosting them in the spring for a special harvest meal!


Here are some pictures from the event: