Time Again for Pot Luck!
It’s safe to be together again outdoors. And haven’t we waited a long time for that?
Saturday, June 26, starting at 6 pm, all gardeners are invited to gather in the garden for a potluck supper. Bring a dish to share and your own utensils and cups so we don’t create a lot of garbage.
Save the date for our second potluck, set for July 24 at 5:30. Not only will we share food again, but we will also hear a presentation from gardener Liane Brust on the technique of fermentation, an age-old way of preserving food.So if your have a bumper crop of pickles and cabbage, you can turn them into pickles and sauerkraut. Liane says it is very simple to do. . I’m a fan of half-sour pickles, so I’m looking forward to learning how to make them.
Long Island Cares Builds Compost Bin
Volunteers from Long Island Cares, which provides food and other services to veterans, has built a compost bin at the garden. The agency has several garden beds at Gateway, at the south end of the garden. Vegetables grown there go directly to veterans.
The bin was built using discarded pallets. There are many more pallets available to any gardener who would like to construct one at home. Ideally, a compost system should have at least 2 bins, so that when one fills up the partially decomposed material can be lifted into the second bin, opening up the first bin for more compostable material.
If you are interested in obtaining pallets, contact Idalia Boczek: iboczek@licares.org
For more instructions on building a compost system, look here: http://www.suffolkmastergardener.org/composting/
The key is to layer brown matter, like leaves, for carbon; green matter, like pulled weeds, for nitrogen; a sprinkle of soil, for the organisms that do the composting; and water, to keep it all working.
Donation Tuesdays: Season Starting Soon—Help Needed
One of the missions of Gateway Garden has always been to help supply fresh vegetables to local food banks. On Tuesday evenings, starting around 5 pm, volunteer gardeners gather to pick vegetables from our designated donation beds (you can also donate from your own bed), wash them if needed and separate them into portions. Check with Irene Moore irenemoore44@optonline.net to offer your help.
