F & F final 2012 news‏

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Thank You Garden Helpers

We thank

             everyone for another great year of gardening for others. We had 6 folks meet last Saturday morning to gather the rest of the tomatoes and carrots for Food Gatherers. Then we cleaned up the garden to end the season. Sunday morning many folks shared they were sad to see the garden done for this year because it looked so beautiful. Not only does the garden provide food for others, it also provides beauty to our church grounds that many enjoyed this year!

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

Can we hear a drum roll? ........... A whopping 460 pounds of food went to Food Gatherers from AACRC!!!!! That's something to feel excited about.

Reminder

If you are interested in joining the planning team in the spring or want to know what is involved before you commit, please get in touch with Barb, Deanna or me.

It has been a pleasure to enjoy another gardening season with you.

Thanks everyone!

Cathy Green

F & F Fall Clean-up‏

Friends,

This is a very late reminder about the Fall Clean-up scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9:30.  If it is raining in the morning, more than a mist, the clean-up will be canceled and Barb and I will tend to the garden sometime later, when it is dry.

FYI:

Today, Barb took over 100 lbs of squash, tomatoes and carrots to Food Gatherers and there is still more to go!!!   W O W!!!

Our garden has done sooooooooo well this year!

When the final delivery is made to Food Gatherers, I will send out the last note for this season stating the total number of pounds we delivered.

Enjoy the rest of your evening, if you get this tonight.

Cathy

Faith & Food 10/2/12‏

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

10/1/12

Garden Helpers

• We thank the Stephenson family & the Okonkwos for tending the garden the last two weeks.
• The Okonkwos will tend the garden this week, too. This week, we will deliver all that remains in the garden to Food Gatherers and YES, they do take green tomatoes.
• FALL CLEAN-UP: Saturday, October 6, 9:30 AM. All are welcome to join in clearing out the beds to end another successful year gardening for others. It wouldn't have happened without everybody pulling together and doing a piece of the puzzle. How fortunate we are to have each others' help in making a difference for others. Praise be to God!

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

9 lbs were delivered to Food Gatherers 2 weeks ago!

It has been a pleasure serving with you for another year. If you are interested in joining the Garden Planning Committee next spring, please let Barb Okonkwo, Deanna Stephenson or me know. We would welcome your input and energy! : )

Thanks and enjoy the fall colors,

Cathy Green

AACRC Faith & Food Friends

Garden Helpers

• We thank Pavan for tending the garden last

week.

• The Stephenson family will tend the garden this week.

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

Over 70 bsof tomatoes and carrots were delivered to Food Gatherers this

week!!!! :)

Reminder

If you take to food to Food Gatherers, jot me a note and I'll include the contribution amount in this note. Also, be sure to ask for a receipt and put it in Goddy Okonkwo's mailbox at church.

Enjoying serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

AACRC Faith & Food Friends

Garden Helpers

• We thank Reimink's for tending the garden last

week.

• Pavan will tend the garden this week. (We will wait to pick more squash until the stems start to die back.)

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

74 lbsof mainly tomatoes and “gourmet” carrots, plus green beans from the Van Zomeren garden were delivered to Food Gatherers this week! Sharon said,"Our tomatoes got praise for their beauty. There will be tomato picking next week, too." YEA!

Reminder

If you take to food to Food Gatherers, jot me a note and I'll include the contribution amount in this note. Also, be sure to ask for a receipt and put it in Goddy Okonkwo's mailbox at church.

Enjoying serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

AACRC Faith & Food Friends

Garden Helpers

• We thank Marie Shaffer for tending the garden last

week.

• The Reimink's will tend the garden next week.

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

61 lbs of combined squash, tomatoes, beans and carrots

were delivered to Food Gatherers this week! WOW!!!

And, Marie said,

" I expect that next week's harvest will be even larger--a blessed garden."

Reminder

If you take to food to Food Gatherers, jot me a note and I'll include the contribution amount in this note. Also, be sure to ask for a receipt and put it in Goddy Okonkwo's mailbox at church.

Enjoying serving with you. Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Cathy Green

AACRC Faith & Food Friends

Garden Helpers

• We thank Kun Wha for tending the garden last week.

• Marie Shaffer will tend the garden next week.

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

18 lbs of tomatoes were delivered to Food Gatherers this past

week and 25 lbs the week before! WOW!

Reminder

If you take to food to Food Gatherers, jot me a note and I'll include the contribution amount in this note. Also, be sure to ask for a receipt and put it in Goddy Okonkwo's mailbox at church #155.

Enjoying serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

8/19/12 F & F Garden‏

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank Marian Ijzerman & Mary Ann for tending the garden last week.

• Kun Wha will tend the garden this week.

• Thankfully, the garden tending is covered for the rest of the season!

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

? lbs of were delivered to Food Gatherers this

week! (no news sent)

Have you noticed?

The garden is growing very well and looks beautiful.

Reminder

If you take to food to Food Gatherers, jot me a note and I'll include the contribution amount in this note. Also, be sure to ask for a receipt and put it in Goddy Okonkwo's mailbox at church.

Enjoying serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

Faith & Food Garden - Aug 10‏

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank Marie S., Ann & Wayne V. and Pavan K. for tending the garden the last 2 weeks and this week.

• Marian I. and Mary Ann D. will tend the garden next week.

• The garden tending is covered for the rest of the season!

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

Over 23 lbs of tomatoes and a few beans were delivered to Food Gatherers the past 2 weeks and this week! And…the

tomatoes are just beginning! : )

Have you noticed?

The garden continues to look beautiful! We are so fortunate to have so many people helping to tend the garden.

Reminder

If you take to food to Food Gatherers, jot me a note and I'll include the contribution amount in this note. Also, be sure to ask for a receipt and put it in Goddy Okonkwo's mailbox at church. Thanks!

Enjoying serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

Update - July 23, 2012

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank The Stephenson family for tending the garden last week.

• Marie Shaffer will tend the garden this week.

Garden helpers, please check the compost bin. When it gets full, it needs to be taken to the street on Tuesday for Wed. morning pick-up. Thanks.

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

2 lbs of peas, beans & one tomato were delivered to Food Gatherers last week!

Thanks

We want to thank my husband, Paul Green, for assisting me in fixing the garden gate. It now has a 3rd hinge to help support the its weight and a handle for easy opening. : ) The gate is repaired, for now, but will need replacement at some point in the future.

New News

We have an empty raised bed that will be replanted late Aug./early Sept. with more cool crops. The peas were removed Sat. evening by a new volunteer, Pavan Karthik, and myself. Pavan lives on Broadview and has enjoyed reading under our church trees and watching the garden grow. He contacted me wanting to volunteer. He is a from India and a student at UM. He was the first to volunteer to help repair the gate, but, unfortunately, our timing did not coincide. We welcome our neighbor's help in the garden. He will replace a couple folks who had signed up for multiple weeks.

Also,

De Anna Stephenson has joined the organizers for the Faith and Food Garden. We welcome her help and would like to encourage two more people to volunteer and help with next year's planning and prep. Let me know if you are interested in serving in this way.

Reminder

Please ask for weight receipts when you make a delivery to Food Gatherers and place them in Goddy Okonkwo's church mailbox. Thanks.

Enjoying serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

7/14/12 AACRC Faith & Food Friends

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank Veena K. for tending the garden last week.

• The Stephenson family will tend the garden this week.

If you are tending the garden and notice something needs fixing, please bring it to my

attention. (734-678-2445) I will put out a call, if I can't do it myself, and we will take care of

the issue. The same goes for insect control. If you notice the plants have pest problems,

then we need to do something. Yesterday, I did notice some holes in the bean leaves -

we had this same problem last year. So, I will pick up an organic spray and it will be in our

garden chest by tomorrow mid-day. If you are tending the garden, please read the label and

use accordingly.

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

? lbs of were delivered to Food Gatherers this

week! (no news sent)

NEEDS

The garden gate is in need of repair, the sooner the better.

• A handle needs to be installed
• The edge of the gate needs planing (the wood has expanded & the gate is hard to open)
• A couple screws need to be put in the upper back piece of wood which has come loose from people pulling on the top of the gate to get it to open

If you are able and willing to do these repairs, please get back to me. I will purchase what we need and help you, if needed. The sooner this is done, the better for our gate. If someone has time this week, that would be great. Just give me a call - 734-678-2445.

Have you noticed?

Yesterday I was at the garden moving some of the squash vines around and noticed a "red" tomato towards the bottom of one of the tomato plants. : ) The squash vines will continue to get longer and wander. Please help them wander towards the inner paths and keep them from growing up into the tomato cages. We also want to keep them "in" the garden and prevent them from passing through the fence. So look around when you are there, and gently move them around to stay in the inner paths to allow for movement of those watering.

I'm not sure how much longer the peas will produce. It has been very hot and they are looking pretty spent. We'll give them another week and then decide if it's time to remove them.

Reminder

Please leave the water turned on at the church spigot. We have a "Y" connection attached to two hoses. Carolyn uses one hose and we use the other. The connector has 2 shut off valves which should be left open for water to flow. This makes it so much easier for those who are watering to just have to go in the garden and turn on the hose.

Also, please don't pull on the wire fencing to open the gate - hopefully, we will get the gate repairs done this week.

Enjoying serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

734-678-2445

7/8/12 AACRC Faith & Food Friends

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank Kathy G. for tending the garden last week.

• Veena K. will tend the garden this week.

• The garden tending is covered for the rest of the season!

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

• (no news)

Have you noticed?

The garden is growing very well and looks beautiful.

Reminder

If you take to food to Food Gatherers, jot me a note and I'll include the contribution amount in this note. Also, be sure to ask for a receipt and put it in Goddy Okonkwo's mailbox at church.

Enjoying serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

7/1/12 AACRC Faith & Food‏

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank Muriel Learned for tending the garden this past week.

• Kathy Gottschalk will tend the garden next week.

• EVERY WEEK NOW HAS SOMEONE TO TEND THE GARDEN!!! THANKS BE TO GOD and those who volunteered!

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

• 2 lbs of peas were delivered to Food Gatherers this week!

Reminders

• In this very hot, dry weather, it is a good idea to water the garden heavily every day. Watering earlier or later in the day is best, but water when your schedule allows.
• The water can remain turned on at the church nozzle for the rest of the season. This makes watering much easier; all you have to do is go to the garden and turn the nozzle by the watering wand and water. No more back & forth and crawling over the railing of the stairs. YEA! : )

Have a great week!

Enjoying serving with you,

Cathy Green 7/1/12

6/24/12 AACRC Faith & Food‏

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank Ken Elgersma for tending the garden this week.

• Muriel will tend the garden next week.

• If you can avail yourself for one or more of the following weeks, please let Cathy know.

Only 1 week, out of 25, remains in need of a gardener or two.

Dates Needing Gardeners

Oct 1 - 6

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

I did not hear if any food was delivered to Food Gatherers this week!

Reminders

When you deliver food to Food Gatherers, be sure to ask for a receipt. Please place the receipt in Goddy Okonkwo's church mailbox.

Also, if you make a delivery to Food Gatherers, let me know how many pounds you delivered and I can include that info in this email. Thanks.

Serving with you. Have a good week,

Cathy Green

Update June 16, 2012

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank the Okonkwos for tending the garden this week.

• Ken Elgersma will tend the garden next week.

• If you can avail yourself for one or more of the following weeks, please let Cathy know.

 Dates Needing Gardeners

Aug 20 - 25

Sept 3 - 8

Oct 1 - 6

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

• 1 lb of peas were delivered to Food Gatherers this week! Last week Megan decided the peas needed a bit more time to grow, so no delivery was made.

Garden Request

Last year we kept some plastic grocery bags in the garden chest to be ready for deliveries to Food Gatherers. If someone has a few extra bags and could drop a few off for future use, we thank you. (I would, but just used mine.)

Serving with you,

Cathy Green

F & F Work Day 2

AACRC Faith & Food Friends,

Garden Helpers

• We thank Lilian for tending the garden this week.
• Ryan & Megan will tend the garden next week.

• If you can avail yourself for one or more of the following weeks, please let Cathy know.

Only 5 weeks, out of 25, remain in need of a gardener or two.

Dates Needing Gardeners

• July 30 - Aug 4
• Aug 13 - 18
• Aug 20 - 25
• Sept 3 - 8
• Oct 1 - 6

Next Work Day

• 2nd Work Day is this Saturday, June 2nd, 9a.m. - noon.
• Planting tomatoes, beans, squash, flowers

Deliveries to Food Gatherers

• 10 lbs of collards & kale were delivered to Food Gatherers this week!

Working with you,

Cathy Green

Garden Update - May 23, 2012

Hello F & F Volunteers!

The collards & kale have grown very nicely. In my opinion, we can harvest most of them this week, or early next week, and use the raised beds for other plantings on June 2. The peas are doing well, but will need more time to grow.

Next work day is Saturday, June 2nd. We will plant tomatoes, squash, beans and carrots.

We thank the Stobs for tending the garden last week. I am tending it this week and next week will be Lilian.

We still have 7 weeks needing a garden attendant. Please let me know if you are willing and available.

Dates Needing Gardeners

• June 4 - 9
• July 2 - 7
• July 30 - Aug 4
• Aug 13 - 18
• Aug 20 - 25
• Sept 10 - 15
• Oct 1 - 6

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Cathy

Update May 9, 2012

Garden Friends,

We want to thank many of you for your quick response to help tend to the Faith & Food Garden.

Please see below for 9 weeks remaining to be claimed. Email is a fast way to let me know and I will write your name on the church schedule.

I have entered all who have volunteered thus far on the AACRC Web site > calendar > garden. So, if in the future you forget the week you have signed up to garden, it will be readily noted there.

Dates Needing Gardeners

• June 4 - 9
• July 2 - 7
• July 23 - 28
• July 30 - Aug 4
• Aug 13 - 18
• Aug 20 - 25
• Aug 27 - Sept 1
• Sept 10 - 15
• Oct 1 - 6

Finally, please mark your calendars for our next WORK DAY, June 2nd, 9 a.m. to noon. We will plant the remaining vegetables and flowers.

Thanks again and know that it is a pleasure to be working with you,

Cathy

Update May 7, 2012

Faith & Food Garden Friends,

First Work Day

Our first work day started out pretty cold, but warmed up after the first 1.5 hours. Five women and five men were present to clean up in and around the garden areas and extend the height of the fence. Thanks go to Paul Gottschalk for leading us in this project and for picking up all the needed materials. Prior to our first work day, I had compost delivered and spread on the raised beds, so we would be ready for planting early crops. We had a great time working together on the fence and planting the collards, kale and peas.

Welcome New Gardeners

We want to welcome Pastor Ryan's family, the Stephenson family and Ken Elgersma to the Faith & Food Garden mission. They will be helping to tend the garden this year. If anyone knows of others who are interested in helping this year and are not on our email list, please let me know.

Garden

I stopped by the garden this past Saturday to see how our early plantings were doing and all is well. The collards and kale are looking healthy and the peas have sprouted and will be ready in a couple weeks to coax onto their supports. God has given us plenty of rain, so the work has been easy for those tending.

Workers Needed

We have many weeks open for your participation and care of the garden that I'll list below. If you are able to help tend the garden this year (and we hope you are) please look over the list, check your personal calendar and sign up. You can sign-up on the form in the Fellowship Hall or you can let me know via email, whichever is easier for you. I will then transfer the information to our Garden Calendar on the church website. You may sign up for one or more weeks. Last year, some people partnered up with others to tend the garden together. (For those who are new, the weekly tasks include weeding, watering, pest control, coaxing the peas upwards on their supports and, in the fall, harvesting and delivery to Food Gatherers. Contact Barb or Cathy if you have any questions and we'll do our best to answer.)

Dates Needing Gardeners

• May 7 - 12
• May 14 - 19
• June 4 - 9
• July 2 - 7
• July 9 - 14
• July 16 - 21
• July 23 - 28
• July 30 - Aug 4
• Aug 13 - 18
• Aug 20 - 25
• Aug 27 - Sept 1
• Sept 10 - 15
• Oct 1 - 6

Financial Support

If your participation in the Faith & Food Garden has been through financial support, we thank you. If you would like to contribute funds to the Faith & Food Garden this year, that can be done during church offering. Please be sure to write Faith & Food Garden on the memo line of your check and your donation will be put in the Garden account. We had an early contribution to the garden fund this year, which allowed the compost and fence project to proceed. We will be purchasing plants, flowers, pest control items, and fencing for tomato stands the last couple weeks of May, so financial support will be appreciated. Thank you.

Working with you to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Blessings,

Cathy