It’s time to …

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It’s time to … get outside and finally plant your garden

Plots at various stages of planting at Blatchley Community Garden

Plots at various stages of planting at Blatchley Community Garden

Your Sitka Local Foods Network reminds you it’s time to get out in the garden and, finally, plant your garden. Michelle Putz, Perry Edwards, and master gardener Jackie Barmoy will host a free discussion and hands-on planting lesson at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, at 131 Shelikof Way.

Learn about planting some of Sitka’s easiest-to-grow vegetables, including carrots and cabbage, and lettuce and parsnips. Anyone may attend, but parking space is limited, so those interested in participating are asked to please consider walking, bike riding or carpooling.

The Sitka Local Foods Network is hosting a series of “It’s time to …” workshops this spring and summer designed to help local residents learn about various aspects of vegetable gardening and fruit growing. Many of these classes will be informal get-togethers at various gardens around town. Please watch our website, Facebook page, Facebook group, and local news media for information about upcoming classes. If you have an “It’s time to …” workshop you’d like to teach, contact Michelle Putz at 747-2708.

We are still looking to expand our network of local volunteers who can teach classes (formal and informal) this year about growing food, so please attend if you’re interested. If you can’t attend, please email Charles Bingham at charleswbingham3@gmail.com with info about what topics you can teach, your gardening experience, and contact information so we can add you to our database of instructors.

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• It’s time to … plant your broccoli, cauliflower and other brassicas class on May 7

Broccoli growing in the garden

Broccoli growing in the garden

The Sitka Local Foods Network reminds you that it’s time to plant your broccoli, cauliflower and other brassicas.

Linda Wilson will present a short workshop on planting brassicas at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, at 3509 Halibut Point Road. Broccoli, cauliflower and other brassicas are good for stir fries and other meals, and they’re fun to grow. Parking space is limited, so please consider walking, riding your bike, taking the bus or carpooling. More information is available by calling Linda at 747-3096 (nights, weekends) or by emailing her at lawilson87@hotmail.com.

The Sitka Local Foods Network is hosting a series of “It’s time to …” workshops this spring and summer designed to help local residents learn about various aspects of vegetable gardening and fruit growing. Many of these classes will be informal get-togethers at various gardens around town. Please watch our website, Facebook page, Facebook group, and local news media for information about upcoming classes. If you have an “It’s time to …” workshop you’d like to teach, contact Michelle Putz at 747-2708.

In addition, don’t forget the Sitka Local Foods Network education committee will meet from 5:30-7 p.m. on Monday, May 5, at Harrigan Centennial Hall to discuss future workshops and classes for the rest of the spring and summer.

We are still looking to expand our network of local volunteers who can teach classes (formal and informal) this year about growing food, so please attend if you’re interested. If you can’t attend, please email Charles Bingham at charleswbingham3@gmail.com with info about what topics you can teach, your gardening experience, and contact information so we can add you to our database of instructors.

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• It’s time to … build your garden planters workshop on April 18

New strawberry planters

New strawberry planters

The Sitka Local Foods Network reminds you that it’s time to get out in the garden and build your garden planters.

Michelle Putz will present a short workshop on building garden planters from 4-5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 18, at 131 Shelikof Way. These planters will be used for our two first-time gardener families in the Sitka Local Foods Network garden mentor program. Garden planters can range from the frames for raised garden beds to smaller planters used in container gardening. Participants are encouraged to bring drills with Phillips-head bits and extension cords, if they have them. Parking space is limited, so please consider walking, riding your bike or carpooling. More information is available by calling Michelle at 747-2708.

The Sitka Local Foods Network is hosting a series of “It’s time to …” workshops this spring and summer designed to help local residents learn about various aspects of vegetable gardening and fruit growing. Many of these classes will be informal get-togethers at various gardens around town. Please watch our website, Facebook page, Facebook group, and local news media for information about upcoming classes.

In addition, don’t forget the Sitka Local Foods Network education committee will meet from 5:30-7 p.m. on Monday, May 5, at Harrigan Centennial Hall to discuss future workshops and classes for the rest of the spring and summer.

We are still looking to expand our network of local volunteers who can teach classes (formal and informal) this year about growing food, so please attend if you’re interested. If you can’t attend, please email Charles Bingham at charleswbingham3@gmail.com with info about what topics you can teach, your gardening experience, and contact information so we can add you to our database of instructors.

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• It’s time to … plant your potatoes with two workshops on April 12 and 19

PotatoesAndPotatoFork

The Sitka Local Foods Network reminds you that it’s time to get out in the garden and plant your potatoes.

Potatoes are some of the most productive and easy-to-grow vegetables in Sitka. Michelle Putz will present two free, short, hands-on potato-planting workshops at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 12, and again at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, at 131 Shelikof Way. Parking space is limited, so please consider walking, riding your bike or carpooling. More information is available by calling Michelle at 747-2708.

The Sitka Local Foods Network is hosting a series of “It’s time to …” workshops this spring and summer designed to help local residents learn about various aspects of vegetable gardening and fruit growing. Many of these classes will be informal get-togethers at various gardens around town. Please watch our website, Facebook page, Facebook group, and local news media for information about upcoming classes.

In addition, don’t forget the Sitka Local Foods Network education committee will meet from 5:30-7 p.m. on Monday, May 5, at Harrigan Centennial Hall to discuss future workshops and classes for the rest of the spring and summer.

We are still looking to expand our network of local volunteers who can teach classes (formal and informal) this year about growing food, so please attend if you’re interested. If you can’t attend, please email Charles Bingham at charleswbingham3@gmail.com with info about what topics you can teach, your gardening experience, and contact information so we can add you to our database of instructors.

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• It’s time to … plant your cold frames class/open discussion on Sunday, April 6

DougOsbornePutsNewspapersByColdFrame

Doug Osborne prepares a cold frame for spring planting during a 2012 work party at St. Peter’s Fellowship Farm.

The Sitka Local Foods Network reminds you that it’s time to get out in the garden and plant your cold frames. Michelle Putz will present a free, short, on-the-ground cold frame planting class and open discussion at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. A cold frame is like a miniature greenhouse, usually a raised garden bed with a glass or fiberglass cover that helps warm the plants to extend the growing season.

Due to limited space, those interested in participating in this class need to pre-register by calling Michelle Putz at 747-2708. They will be told the event’s location when they call.

The Sitka Local Foods Network will be hosting a series of “It’s time to …” workshops this spring and summer designed to help local residents with various aspects of vegetable gardening and fruit growing. Many of these classes will be informal get-togethers at various gardens around town.

In addition, don’t forget the Sitka Local Foods Network education committee will meet from 5:30-7 p.m. on Monday, April 7, at Harrigan Centennial Hall to discuss future workshops and classes for the upcoming spring and summer.

We are still looking to expand our network of local volunteers who can teach classes (formal and informal) this year about growing food, so please attend if you’re interested. If you can’t attend, please email Charles Bingham at charleswbingham3@gmail.com with info about what topics you can teach, your gardening experience, and contact information so we can add you to our database of instructors.

(Editor’s note: A series of photos from the class is posted below, as are two handouts about cold frames from the Purdue and Cornell Cooperative Extension Service programs.)

• Hot Beds And Cold Frames handout from the Purdue Cooperative Extension program

• Hot Beds and Cold Frames handout from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service

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• It’s time to … prune your fruit trees workshop on Saturday, March 22

RedApplesKCAW

The Sitka Local Foods Network reminds you that it’s time to get out in the garden and prune your fruit trees. Jud Kirkness will present a free, short, on-the-ground fruit tree pruning workshop at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 22, at St. Peter’s Fellowship Farm (located behind St. Peter’s By The Sea Episcopal Church on Lincoln Street). 

Due to limited space, those interested in participating need to pre-register by calling Michelle Putz at 747-2708.

The Sitka Local Foods Network will be hosting a series of “It’s time to …” workshops this spring and summer designed to help local residents with various aspects of vegetable gardening and fruit growing. Many of these classes will be informal get-togethers at various gardens around town.

In addition, don’t forget the Sitka Local Foods Network education committee will meet from 5:30-7 p.m. on Monday, March 17, at Harrigan Centennial Hall to discuss future workshops and classes for the upcoming spring and summer.

We are still looking to expand our network of local volunteers who can teach classes (formal and informal) this year about growing food, so please attend if you’re interested. If you can’t attend, please email Charles Bingham at charleswbingham3@gmail.com with info about what topics you can teach, your gardening experience, and contact information so we can add you to our database of instructors.