Executive Committee Update

At the Tuesday, November 13th meeting of the OTCG we had two positions of our Executive Committee filled.

Jeff Jekel took the Chair position. And Gary Wallace took the Treasurer position. Both have been actively involved in the garden and both will bring a new perspective to the OTCG.

Thank you both for filling these postions!

OTCG Upcoming Events

Hi Gardeners!

On Tuesday, November 13 at 6:30p there will be an ALL GARDENERS meeting at the CCA. All gardeners are welcome.

Please come and share your comments, concerns, and ideas for the OTCG.

See you there!

OTCG in the News

In this weekend's NeighborsGo! section of the Dallas Morning News is the story about the inaugural season of the OTCG that Alva Logsdon-Cranford wrote!

Thanks Alva!

OTCG Calendar of Events

Here are the upcoming events for the OTCG:

• Saturday, November 10 at 9:00am
  -- the new soil will be spread to the raised beds
• Tuesday, November 13 at 6:30pm
  -- ALL GARDENERS meeting at the CCA
  -- All gardeners are welcome, please come and share your concerns, comments and ideas!

See you in the garden!

OTCG Workday

On Saturday, November 3, the OTCG Gardeners met for a morning of hard work to assemble the frames for the raised beds.

The morning was also filled with laughter, friendship, memories, fun and fulfillment.

Here are some pictures from that morning. Don't forget to come by the garden and see the completed frames!

Thanks everyone for your hard work and the laughs!

OTCG in the News

Look for the NeighborsGo! section of the Dallas Morning News this Saturday, November 3 to read the story that Alva Logsdon-Cranford submitted about the inaugural year of the OTCG.

The story can also be found at:
http://www.neighborsgo.com/stories/7033.

Thanks Alva for writing a wonderful story about the OTCG and our inaugural year!

Upcoming Events at OTCG

Hi Everyone -

Here is the upcoming calendar of events for November at the OTCG:

• Saturday, November 3 at 8:00am
  -- the frames for the raised beds will be built by the gardeners
• Saturday, November 10 at 9:00am
  -- the dirt for the raised beds will be spread by the gardeners and volunteers
• Tuesday, November 13 at 6:30pm
  -- ALL GARDENERS meeting at the CCA

See you in the garden!

OTCG: In the News...

Watch for the Saturday, October 27 of NeighborsGo! (Southern Denton County) for an OTCG End-of-Season article.

Thanks everyone--it's been a great first season!

Community Garden Celebrates Inaugural Year!

In less than 12 months, community volunteers, came together to turn an old, rugged parking lot into a community garden. Strangers became friends as the shared passion for the outdoors, gardening, and making a positive impact on the community brought a diverse group of individuals together. More than 290 pounds of vegetables were donated to Christian Community Action.

"CCA operates a medium-sized grocery store for poor families in our community," says Maureen Cummings, CCA Garden Liaison. "The pantry assists over 550 families each week. 30% of the people served by the CCA’s food pantry are diabetic. Many times the food available at the pantry is not always the best choices for diabetics. The surplus portion of the produce grown was donated to the food pantry to provide the much needed fresh vegetables for our families."

A brief look back...

Transforming an old parking lot...


A name is selected and a logo created



Developing garden plots.


Adding Irrigation




Creating Walkways




Gardeners Purchase Plots


A boy scout in pursuit of the rank of Eagle Scout designs and builds a compost bin


The Garden Blessing
















Adding Beauty


An Arbor is Added


Amazing Grace Chimes Donated


Grand Opening






Gardener T-Shirts




The First Donation


Compost Education Session


Compost Heats Up


The Garden Grows








End of Season Soil Prep




Thanks for a great inaugural season everyone!

October 6 End of Season Garden Party

Look for an article to appear in an upcoming issue NeighborsGo! (Southern Denton County edition). The story covers our End of Season Garden Party and Work Day.

Lazara Arriola's Salsa!

Fellow Gardener Lazara Arriola and her husband enjoyed the inaugural year in the Old Town Community Garden! They grew tomatoes and jalapeno peppers for homemade salsa.

Lazara shares her delicious recipe with everyone!

Ingredients:

5 ripened tomatoes
3 medium size yellow onions
12 small to medium size jalapenos
5 garlic cloves
1 bunch of cilantro
1 T cumin
1 1/2 T of salt
6 C of water

Instructions:
1. Cut up the ripened tomatoes and yellow onions into small pieces (nickel size) and place them in a large skillet.

2. Cut up the jalapenos into small pieces (to look like dime size thin rings and play with color! Jalapenos come in all colors!) then spread them over the tomatoes and onions. That's both fun and colorful! (Make sure you wear disposable gloves when handling jalapenos! or you will be painfully surprised)

3. Smash the 5 fresh garlic cloves and scatter them over the tomatoes, onions and jalapenos.

4. Separate the cilantro leaves from their stem and use only the leaves. Chop the leaves into small pieces and add them to the tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and garlic. (Throw away the cilantro stems. If you add the stems this will give the salsa an unpleasant texture and a bitter taste.)

5. Mix all of the above, then add the condiments of Cumin & Salt.

6. Toss all the ingredients well.

7. Add 6 cups of water (which should cover all the ingredients.)

8. Cook at medium high for about 45 minutes (stir a few times while cooking).

9. Lower the heat to a low-medium for about 10 minutes while you smash all the ingredients in order to obtain the right Salsa consistency (still chunky, but not lumpy)

10. Stir the Salsa and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes on low heat. After that, turn off the heat and smash the Salsa again for a few minutes.

Take out the chips out and Enjoy! The Salsa is now ready to eat! Remember: HOT is best!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

An update from the "All Gardener" meeting held Tuesday, September 18:

For the 2008 Garden Season, we will have raised beds and improved soil and drainage. To do that, we are ending the 2007 inaugural season at the end of September.

If you wish to maintain your garden through October, you will be responsible for spreading organic material and preparing your plot. When the frames are built, the frame will be placed around the existing garden, regardless of it being in use or empty. The frame should not interfere with the existing garden if there is one.

Saturday, October 6 at 8:00am
Garden Workday & End-of-Season Garden Party
Join us for a pot-luck continental breakfast, fellowship, and a little bit of work! Please bring something to share with the gardeners. Remember that there is no electricity at the garden, please keep that in mind!

If you do not plan to have a Fall garden, all summer garden materials should be removed by Friday, October 5 if you want help spreading the soil compost. On Oct 6, we'll be spreading and tilling organic matter into each plot. Bring a wheel barrow if you have one. Any plot that has not been cleared will not have organic material added to it or be tilled.

Tuesday, October 16 at 6:30 p.m.
All Gardeners Meeting – CCA, Board Room

Saturday, October 20 at 8:00am
Garden Workday: Frame Building--WE NEED YOUR HELP! Both Gary & Al will be out of town, so we need all hands on deck to help! The frames for the plots will be built for all the plots hopefully. (If an additional workday is needed, it will be Saturday, October 27 at a time to be determined.) If you have one, we'll need a powerless screwdriver/drill with 1/4inch drill bit.

All plots need to be emptied by Wednesday, October 31 so that when the soil is delivered it can be distributed amongst the plots.

November
Soil
Friday, November 2, the soil will be delivered

Saturday, November 3, soil will be distributed by volunteers, hopefully!

If the weather doesn’t cooperate with our timeline, the dates will be pushed back by a week. An email will be sent out if that happens!

It’s been a wonderful first season! Let’s get the garden ready so that next season will be even better!

Can’t wait to see everyone at the garden!

Amanda Jekel
OTCG Garden Coordinator
www.oldtowncommunitygarden.blogspot.com

Welcome Amanda!

Amanda Jekel (far right in the photo above) has assumed the position of Garden Coordinator for Old Town Community Garden. Jessica Trent led us in that role during our inaugural year but has had to step down due to added responsibilities at work.

Amanda has also been involved since the very first meeting, and has often served as the "go-to girl" for just about every project...meetings, the Garden Blessing, Grand Opening, composting, and just about all other pre-event activities. After a summer spent traveling Europe and Colorado, Amanda is ready for the role of keeping Gardeners informed and everything on track. While not working with the garden, Amanda attends her collegiate studies and enjoys her beagle puppy.

We thank Jessica for her hard work this year. And welcome Amanda Jekel to her new role!