Carnaval Vert

Thanks to everyone who came out and made Carnaval Vert so much fun!  You all packed the place, it felt like we were busting at the seams.  We were so glad to see so many smiles, hear so much laughter, and watch so many folks cutting' a rug!

Thanks to Clementine, Swingin' Swamis, Barrage band, Radiant Hoops, and of course the we awesome Gala committee and volunteers the night of!

See y'all again next year!

Rain is a good thing

Rain gauges reading around 3" - Yippee!

Earlier this year,  I had been searching for Baltimore's 2012 last frost/freeze date.  I found dates as early as April 19th.  Then we had all that warm weather, real warm weather, and I actually planted a couple of tomatoes the students had started from seed.

How happy am I that the SNOW is staying well north and west of us.  In Pennsylvania and Western Maryland they are seeing from 2 - 8"of snow as I write this.  WOW!

Final cover crop turning

This E3 Friday we completed the cutting and turning of our cover crops. Our beds are ready to go! Looks like one little chilly spot in the weather coming up, but after that we are going to start to plant, plant, plant!

Ah, rain!

As little as it was the rain yesterday was nice. Hopefully we will get more this week-end.

As you may know, I love looking at what other people are doing out their with Food Justice and Urban agriculture. CBS ran a great report on Wendell Pierce (The Wire and Treme on HBO) and his new corner and grocery store projects in New Orleans. These stores are bringing groceries and whole foods to under served neighborhoods in post Katrina New Orleans. Hard to believe that NOLA is still reeling from the effects of Katrina 6 years later, but they are. A link for the story http://newsone.com/1916785/the-wire-actor-wendell-pierce-starts-new-orleans-grocery-chain

The New York Times Magazine did a piece on the Lower 9th Ward in March. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/magazine/the-lower-ninth-ward-new-orleans.html?ref=magazine# Its seems scientists have always wondered about how developed land would fair after a catastrophe; i.e., at what rate would man and nature come back. The Lower 9th is a live model that scientists can track and compare real data with their hypothesis. Very interesting stuff.

I then found a great program in the Lower 9th called Our School at Blair Grocery. A link to their blog - http://schoolatblairgrocery.blogspot.com These folks are working with and educating at-risk youth through an experiential education model around Urban Farming. They also offer a cool 6 day summer course for anyone that would be great to take if Urban Farming is of interest.

Kate and I just love NOLA and southern Louisiana. Baltimore has not had a catastrophe per se, but our urban ills have much in common with New Orleans and their spirit and societal melange offers much inspiration.

Strawberry, Strawberry

I spent some quality time in the pollinator garden today weeding and there are many wonderful things happening there. The strawberries look quite happy and prolific with lots of blooms and berries forming. I hope we enjoy a long and productive berry season this year at GSB. All of the perennials are coming up and how they have grown and spread themselves. Stop by and see all of the fun!

It looks like our pollinators are going to be very happy this pollen and nectar collecting season in their namesake garden!

We are prepping the vegetable beds for planting. Cover crops have been harvested and/or turned in and the soil is being worked for upcoming plantings. We have tomatoes plants the students started in the grow room as well as zinnias. We also have experimented with carrots and beets, just to see how they will transplant.

Warm weather crops will include the usual suspects this year: tomatoes, peppers, squash, sunflowers, corn. This year we are going hybrid. Last year was all heirloom with marginal results. Pretty plants, but little fruit.

Be on the look out for some wild and crazy different things this year too.

Spring!?

Very hot and very dry, 'nuff said!

Bees, Bees, Bees!!!

Today a swarm of honey bees came to our pollinator garden. Thousands of bees. Their excursion was documented in photos and recorded. Seems they had lost or outgrown their home. A bee keeper came to collect the bees and take them to a new home. Eyewitness details to follow!

Gators, skeeters, common moor hens, Edible School Yards and even warmer weather!

Just got back from the Crescent City last night and B-more's highs were NOLA's lows, just sayin'. Spent some quality time down in Jean Lafitte National Park as well as exploring the Greater New Orleans area and it is all sensory overload.

I love the brilliance and juxtaposition of New Orleans! Really!? From the French Quarter to a bayou within <20 miles of Bourbon Street with for real, wild, gonna eatcha' gators just off the path you are hiking... doesn't get better than that. Both will keep your on your toes.

And where else can you trade places on the food chain so quickly!?

We visited Samuel J. Green Charter School while in NOLA. A K-8 with an Edible School Yard by our well known eat-right-grow-it fresh-and-local pioneer, Alice Waters and friends. For all y'all that don't think that you can grow it and eat it in urban environments, well...

We were over the moon jealous of their kitchen at SJG too! We do so much with so relatively little at GSB - c'mon kitchen building benefactor!!! 410-488-5312, ask for Kate - build it and our students will cook and learn even more. :)

I just love seeing what other folks are doing educationally and experientially out there. It is all so motivating and inspirational.