Spencersb Acres

"Spencersb acres is the place to be
farm livin is the life for me
land stretchin out so far and wide
keep Manhattan, just gimme that countryside!"

A few weeks ago, probably a month, the Marion Polk County Food Share ran an article in the Statesman Journal (personally, I'm impressed they got published at all, I can't seem to get the SJ to return an email, let alone post anythying).  Community garden areas had been established in several locations around town.  The beds are something like 6' x 15', and about 9-12" deep.  I got home and tried to find the article, but the link on their website was broken (-_-).  Three days later, when the link was fixed, I emailed to coordinator to reserve one.  All gone.  I tried to get one last year, and was too late then, too, but that was something like 3 weeks after the notice.  They filled up fast this year.

So a few weeks later, I get an email from a different coordinator, but still in West Salem.  Not my preferred location, but hey, they had an opening.

So, behind the curve as I was, I started some seedlings in small plastic greenhouse type pots at home.  Today, my sister, Deb, and I put the first plants in dirt that I've planted in years.

I should warn you, those of soft plant-loving hearts might not want to watch this.  I've had a terrible black thumb all my life.  I once failed to root Kudzu, and the planting instructions for that are "drop it and run!"  So I'm not sure how well this will work.  But Deb is experienced, and it not only gives me a mentor (for which the plants will be grateful), but also gave us some time together doing something she loves to do.

We planted 6 tomatoes (Big Boys), squash and zucchini, bush beans, romaine lettuce, onions and green onions.  Later we'll add some potatoes, iceberg lettuce, and some more/different peas/beans.  'Twill be interesting, if nothing else.