Yesterday afternoon, the team took great advantage of our online meeting and collaborated on a shared Google doc which included a To-Do List of things to prepare for the Workshop throughout the rest of the week, a reference list of the signs we plan to paint in the workshop for the garden, a plan for the workshop's agenda, and a plan B in case it rains!
Today, we put the To-Do list into action!
To begin, we applied a Varathane coating to the signs we had made last week for the guerrilla garden. As Sally previously mentioned, on Friday we discovered that they unfortunately didn't hold up too well in the rain over Thursday night. To explain, the acrylic paint we applied still stayed intact. However, due to the blackboard-like layer beneath the acrylic paint, the paint began to bubble over it when it became quite wet. If left unfixed, the poor paint on the signs might slip right off the blackboard layer on another rainy day. Fortunately, we saved them just in time and allowed them to re-dry over the weekend. The bubbly texture remained, but that just added some character! Shoutout to Ian for bringing in the can of Varathane, which we applied to each sign in hopes of sealing the paint to the wood. Fingers crossed everything holds together when we plant these signs in the guerrilla garden!
Next on the list, was preparing more signs! In our workshop, we plan to host a sign-painting activity where we discuss the importance, intention, and presence of signs, and then continue to prepare signs for the Orchard Garden and Food Forest. On Monday, we sawed the wood needed for each sign, and today we nailed the wood pieces together to ensure they're ready for painting! Another shoutout to Ian for bringing in the necessary nails for this, too (what would we do without you?!)!
We carefully applied Ian's previous woodwork teachings and safety considerations when nailing the pieces together and conducting any additional sawing that was necessary. We felt so proud of what we achieved! :) I will also add that we worked very efficiently and productively. There were only 2 hammers available to use at one time, so we took turns, and also provided support otherwise with finding the appropriate nails to use, prepping pieces, sawing lengths, and cleaning the finished signs. We've become a well-oiled machine and we work so happily together!
We prepared a variety of signs: 2 large signs to represent the Orchard Garden and Food Forest overall, and many smaller signs of various heights to use for labeling each plant and tree within them.
...and Post (pun-intended)!
The next item on our list was preparing/gathering all materials needed for the workshop activities so that they are easily accessible and grouped together. We used buckets in the shed to collect all the materials we needed for the sign painting activity and for the dandelion braiding. Check!
While we were in the shed, we retrieved the chalkboard signs for our next To-Do: writing out the agenda for the workshop and writing out the list of names for each plant sign.
We have become very good at dividing and conquering; we simultaneously prepared the writing on both chalkboards and also applied a second layer of Varathane to the guerrilla garden signs so there's (hopefully) no chance the rain will get to them!
Overall, we were so impressed with our productive morning. We were able to cross off many things on our To-Do list, and felt great about where we were in preparation for Saturday!
We topped off the morning by having lunch together outside in the garden and chatting about how grateful we are for this CFE, what we've learned, how comfortable and supported we feel in our little team, and our appreciation for Susan, Madi, Nicolás and the Orchard Garden overall. It has been such a remarkable experience spending time learning and growing (pun also intended) together in the garden, and we are all saddened by the thought that it will soon end. The memories and learning we have shared together will be forever planted (yes, again) in our hearts. And we all feel certain that the garden will not see the last of us! :)
After lunch, we met Madi in the greenhouse to collect the tomato and cucumber plants that have grown so beautifully! Our plan was to plant them all in the garden, in one of the beds we previously weeded and prepared. While in the greenhouse, we were fortunate enough to have a visit with Lola the keeper of the greenhouse! She welcomed us with a playful meow and a plop to expose her belly for pets. She showed us her monstera home and her playful nature. We were SO pleased to spend time with her, we couldn't help but capture her cuteness on camera!
Alas, it was time to resume work, so we headed back to the garden to plant the tomatoes and cucumbers. It felt great to get the garden gloves back on and dig through the dirt again. We used the hoe to prepare trenches for the rows of plants and all participated in planting them all. We learned that at the base of the tomato plant stems, the fuzziness on the stem will also turn into roots, so we ensured to plant not only the roots, but part of that fuzziness, so that they could develop within the soil, too. We also learned that the tomato root systems like lots of space, so we ensured to keep them about a foot apart. We strategically planted the cucumbers closer to the peas (who were starting to bear fruit!!), because they resemble squash, and applying our knowledge of the Three Sisters planting technique, they are happy companions together.
Before
After
View from the left side of the bed
The peas!!
During my commute home today, I reflected in gratitude about how much I have learned throughout this CFE. My favourite part about this learning process is that there is no traditional "classroom" involved (which makes my brain very happy!!). Each activity we undertake, each discussion we lead, each passing of knowledge from Susan, Madi, Nicolás, Sally, Ian, or Lorilie which may seem small, has been so significant to me. Even when things feel like they are just in passing, like when Susan shares personal anecdotes and stories sparked from something someone has seen or said in the garden, I come away from the experience having learned and gained something. At the beginning of the CFE, I recall Susan warning that we would not necessarily learn "how to garden", however, at this point I would argue that in fact, we have. Perhaps, not in a traditional way of what you do first, second, third, with notes and specific instructions and demonstration, but in a more valuable and experiential format, where we have inquired on our own, explored nature, experimented, created memories to look back on, and shared moments of laughter and connection.
There are no amount of words to truly describe how appreciative I am of this whole experience. I tried my best, but I don't think it does the feeling I have in my heart justice. Whole-heartedly, I have fallen in love with the Orchard Garden and am so grateful for everyone and everything in it!
I close with another quote that I resonate with very deeply. This one by Saadi, "A garden is a delight to the eye and a solace for the soul." Oh yes, indeed. 💚
~Nicole Y.
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