Getting the garden started

The Sunnyside Neighborhood Association is located in Rochester, MN; bordered by 9th ST SE on the north, 12th St SE on the south, Broadway on the west and 3rd Ave on the east.  The Garden is on 10 1/4th St, between 212 and 220.  It is owned by Kevin Carr; he bought it several years ago, removed the house and all the junk with the intention of moving a house back onto the property, but the economy and housing market, etc didn't cooperate.

We have a website and a FB page.  I am the president of the SNA.  Mick King, motorcycle rider, bus driver, baker, massage therapist, mechanic, cook, photographer, woodworker, gardener, dog and cat lover.  I grew up on a farm and have had quite a variety of occupations.  This blog will stay focused on SNA and the garden, just poke around a little bit with Uncle Google to find my personal blog...if you dare.

In reality, the community garden got it's start about the same time as the entire neighborhood association...late fall, 2012.  I had been given a lot of winter squash and was really enjoying it.  I said to myself: "self, where could I put in a garden that would be nearby and convenient?"

I've known myself a long time, and if it is not convenient, I'll find lots of excuses to not tend it.  One night while driving home, I saw the sign (see second pic).  Lot for sale, call....

My imagination got to  work on the project, and brought it up at a "steering/core" meeting, when we were working on bylaws for the SNA.  Dick said he knew the guy and would call him to find out if he was agreeable to the idea...and he was.

At a neighborhood meeting, I brought it up, asked if anyone was interested, and thankfully they were; we currently have more interest than we have space.

Before tilling, April 23, 2013

After tilling, May 2, 2013 The neighbor to the East uses the driveway, apparently his snowplow driver did some plowing of the dirt as well.

Dick, of Dick's repair, went out and bought a slightly used tiller to grind up the sod, and really worked hard to get the 6 plots tilled up before a weeks worth of rain and snow set in, dumping about 15" of wet heavy snow on Rochester.

The plots measure approx 12'W and 20'L, cost to garden for the year is $20.

Some things I've been thinking about:

• encourage everyone to fence their plot to deter rabbits
• haul in some compost to fertilize the soil
• find/make "Shepard's hooks" to hang some baskets of flowers or other growing things
• make a sign
• put a gutter on the neighbor's garage to fill a rain barrel
• hang a thermometer and rain gauge
• garden plot esp for kids
• grow pumpkins for an autumn event
• place barrels for raised mini gardens for those that don't want/can't handle a full sized plot.

Here's who plans to do some gardening:

• Toni
• Jake and Stephanie
• Christine
• Lori
• Sandy
• me
• neighborhood kids

Feedback, questions, comments, suggestions, volunteering all welcome and encouraged.