The Compost Heap, Organizational Issue, 2004

Here is the first issue of this year’s garden newsletter, The Compost Heap. We hope to do as well this year as last, when we got out seven issues and maintained a truly splendid website.

We report on meetings of the Steering Committee and other news, feature articles on aspects of the Garden and gardening, and offer recipes, reviews of garden-flavored books and films, poetry and other literary bits. TCH treats Gardeners to witty and wise essays from fellow Gardeners.

We invite your ideas and contributions as well as comments on how we are doing. You can access previous issues of TCH, plus gorgeous photos, reference materials and fast-breaking news and announcements, at our website: www.jereva.com/PoshSquash. Get thee to our URL!

Who's Who and What's What, 2004

The Posh Squash succeeds because it has evolved into a collaborative, cooperative and collective effort with a lean, clean, minimal way of taking care of business. Every Gardener is a vital participant. It takes a community of Gardeners to grow a community garden in which each and every person works for one and all. Some Gardeners take on special responsibilities. Here are their names and positions:

Steering Committee Chair: Tom Warnock. The Chair, elected annually by the Steering Committee, provides overall direction and coordination for Garden activities, plans and chairs meetings, and represents the Garden to persons and parties of interest outside the Garden. Tom is also Friday Day Leader.

Vice Chair: Ralph Rasmussen. Elected annually by the Steering Committee, the Vice Chair stands by to step in when needed to do the work of the Chair. Ralph is also Wednesday Day Leader.

The Steering Committee meets once a month or as needed to take care of Garden business. It discusses the business of the Garden, plans for the future, solves problems, makes decisions, looks at finances, approves and schedules building projects. Day Leaders gather and bring to the Committee Gardeners’ concerns and thoughts about issues on which the Committee seeks input. TCH reports on the Steering Committee meetings.

Treasurer: Wink Franklin.The Treasurer, elected annually by the Steering Committee, collects dues, pays bills, prepares running and annual financial reports, develops the annual membership roster and keeps financial records.

Secretary: Position vacant. The Secretary is elected annually by the Steering Committee to take and publish minutes, handle Garden correspondence, and maintain records.

Garden Planting Coordinator: Ken Holmes. The Garden Planting Coordinator works with the Garden Planting Committee and others to coordinate ordering of seeds, scheduling the Greenhouse and planting activities, bed allocation and rotation, and other aspects of the planting cycle. The Coordinator develops and brings to the Steering Committee an annual planting plan. Via the Chore Book and Planting Book, Ken lists and prioritizes weekly chores to focus and direct the work of Day Crews.

Day Leaders: Monday through Friday, Day Leaders direct Gardeners to the priority tasks listed in the Chore Book and make sure a record is kept of the work accomplished. They make certain that daily watering is done. They teach, tutor, demonstrate and mentor, acting as role models to pass along the lore of the Garden and the values and ways of Posh Squash Gardening specific to this location and climate. Day Leaders call out, “Coffee Time! Break Time!” Back-up Day Leaders step in when needed.

Project and Maintenance Group: Ben Klagenberg, Leader. Ben develops plans for Garden construction projects, and leads the Group in implementation. Past accomplishments include the remodel of the shed, construction of the greenhouse, the Doris Buck Memorial Trellis, and various raised beds, the Compost Works expansion, and more. Ben leads his crew in the maintenance and repair of tools and equipment, and instructs in their use. Maintenance Associates: Buck Henry and George Haas.

Greenhouse: MA Brauer, Greenhouse Manager. MA plans and prepares materials for propagation in the Greenhouse, teaches the Greenhouse Elves techniques for planting, transplanting, watering and fertilizing, and coordinates other Greenhouse work.

Herbs and Flowers Group: Dianne Rasmussen, Leader. Dianne, along with Linda Warnock, Flower Specialist, plans and coordinates the planting and care of herbs and flowers throughout the Garden. Dianne and Linda teach Gardeners the ways of successful herb and flower culture for companion and beneficial plantings.

Compost Crew: Chester Case, Compost Leader; Debbie Hoyt and Peter Farmer, Composters. See “Composting” under Rules and Reminders in this issue.

Irrigation Installation and Maintenance: John Horn, Water Guru. John Escher and Bruce Leibrock work with John installing and repairing the irrigation system. See "Watering" under Rules and Reminders in this issue.

Newsletter and Website: Chester Case, Editor; Reva Basch, Webmaster; Jackie Gardener, Publisher. See “The Dot.Compost Heap” by Reva Basch. The Newsletter group aspires to roughly monthly publication during the gardening season.

Watering: John Horn supervises and mentors watering. The ever-important Weekend Watering Schedule is collated, published, posted and coordinated by John. See "Watering" under Rules and Reminders in this issue.

Telephone: Millie Davis and Beva Farmer take to the telephones when an urgent matter arises or reminders are needed.

Posh Squash Cookbook is in preparation, with recipes for Garden produce and other material collected and edited by Linda Warnock.

Rules & Reminders (Updated for 2004)

There are only a few basic rules at the Garden. They have evolved over almost three decades and reflect a lot of experience, trial and error. They are an essential element in the get-give contract Gardeners make with the Garden and each other. These rules grow out the very specific requirements for successful gardening in this soil, and the unique organization and character of the Garden.

Each household is expected to work a minimum of 2 hours per person per week. Preferably, the work is done in the morning between 9:00 AM and 12:00 noon. Gardeners work on the day they have selected for the season at the AnnualOrganizational Meeting. If you can’t make your day, make up the time another day. If you work your hours when no one is around, check in the Chore Book for timely tasks. Let your Day Leader know if you are going to miss your day.

Work parties are organized from time to time to accomplish tasks requiring numerous workers. Annually, for instance, the raspberry canes must be pruned back. Day Leaders will ask for volunteers, or one of the Coordinators or Specialists will invite participation. Check your email and our website for announcements and calls for workers. Work parties usually include lunch and are a sociable occasion, as well as necessary for timely work. All Gardeners should try to participate several times during the year.

Many Gardeners contribute by taking special interest in caring for a particular crop, or by giving attention to a particular Garden routine or chore.

Only Garden members, in person, may pick. Immediate family members may assist in picking when accompanied and supervised by a Gardener. Inexperienced pickers can be destructive to the plants if not shown how and where to pick.

If you are not sure how to harvest a particular crop, check with the Day Leader, or consult the Planting Book or the Reference Shelf. For instance, the rhubarb is broken off, not cut. Note: the leafy part of rhubarb should not be eaten. Romaine lettuce is taken by the head. Other lettuces, outer leaf by leaf. Peas and bean vines will break if not held when the pod is pulled.

Specific and special harvesting instructions are posted near the head of beds. Color-coded ribbons are attached to stakes at beds to tell what to pick or not, as follows:

5. Green & Orange - harvest the entire plant, put off-trimmings in compost bins or piles.

Watering the right amount in the right way at the right time is critically important to the success of the Garden. It’s not as simple as making the soil look wet! Effective and efficient watering is the Gardener’s single biggest individual responsibility. How well we water is directly related to our rewards in fresh, abundant produce.

Weekend watering is scheduled according to the preferences indicated by Gardeners at the Annual Organizational Meeting. John Horn coordinates the weekend watering schedule. If you must trade your scheduled weekend, contact John Horn to make arrangements.

How long it will take to water the Garden depends on the number of beds planted and their maturity, weather conditions, and the soil characteristics of the beds involved. A strong wind can dry out seedbeds and young plants in a hurry, even on a gray day.

New Gardeners should meet with John Horn to learn watering techniques effective at the Garden. Day Leaders will review watering techniques with all Gardeners. Gardeners need to know how to test the soil for moisture, when and how much water to apply, and such lore as the vagaries of water pressure, the ways of the drip, the soak, and the spray, and how to coil a hose in the famous Posh Squash Figure Eight.

When watering, be alert for leaks or malfunctions. Put a red flag (plastic ribbon) at the problem spot. Tell the Day Leader. When a leak is serious, turn off the main valve and see that the problem is reported to:

Finally, and very important: Last one out of the Garden, check and double-check to make sure the main valve is turned off. Never should it be left on when no one is in the Garden. When you turn it on, put on the Frog! When you turn it off, put the Frog back.

Keep those little red wrigglers working! Literally, the Garden cannot have too much compost. Gardeners can help a lot by cultivating the habit of collecting kitchen stuff and bringing it to the Garden. Everything that grows in the Garden is a candidate for compost. Gardeners can assist the Composting Crew tremendously by sorting out the stuff and putting it in the place it is destined to go to decompose:

BINS The compost bins need your kitchen peelings and trimmings, coffee grounds, citrus and melon rinds, egg shells and the like. Also, the bins welcome leafy matter from thinning rows, picking, and the like. Do not put any kind of fat, meat, bones, or fecal matter other than the usual aged or composted manures in the bins. Put in stuff you could reasonably chew. Make your deposit in Nature’s bank account. If you feel up to it, take the machete from the shed and whack away. The smaller the pieces, the better the composting process works. Manure or some other dry organic material is added to the green stuff in something like a half-and-half proportion, kept moist (the consistency of a squeezed sponge), and turned frequently, hopefully at least once a week. The bins are intended to produce good compost fast.

PILES The compost piles take most of what is weeded from the rows. Haul the weeds and viney, fibrous materials and dump them next to the piles in circular wire cages. Composters will mix the green stuff with dry, brown stuff, like the composted manure and straw, and wet it down.. The piles compost more passively than the bins, and are turned less often.

HEAPS The compost heaps down by the tent greenhouse are for the stalky, stumpy, woody stuff that takes forever – well, a year or so -- to decompose. The heaps are even more static than the piles, and linger in their decomposition. The heaps are pretty much left alone for maybe a year or two.

In order to keep garden tools and equipment in good working order, contact Ben Klagenberg if anything needs attention. Do not operate equipment you are not familiar with. Check with the Day Leader, or contact Ben for instructions. Check the manuals in the shed. Put a red flag (plastic ribbon) on anything out of order so it can be repaired or removed from service.

Make a point of learning how to operate mechanical equipment like the weedwhackers and rototillers safely – using goggles, ear protectors, etc.

1. No pets in the Garden unless they are on a leash, tied or otherwise confined.

5. Always, always, always check and double-check to make sure the gates are secure.

How to be a Well-Read Gardener (Updated for 2004)

The Planting Book is kept in the shelf above the desktop in the shed immediately to your right as you enter. Garden Planting Coordinator Ken Holmes, and the Planting Committee, develop the overall planting plan, work it out with the Steering Committee, and spell it out in the Planting Book.

The Planting Book is one of the main vehicles for sharing information, keeping useful records, and giving both the small and the big picture of what is planned and in progress. It contains:

· a page for each bed, giving details of what has been done and when. Add descriptions of what you did and your intended results. Please record date of bed preparation, planting and crop (exactly as described on the seed packet), including company source of the seeds, plus any additional relevant information specific to your planting.

The Chore Book is also in the shelf over the desktop, next to the Planting Book. It is another essential communication link, updated weekly mainly by Ken Holmes along with Tom Warnock and John Horn. This is the go-to place to find out what needs to be done in the Garden. Priorities are assigned to chores that must be done right away.

· spaces to indicate progress made on a chore, what remains to be done, and completion dates.

An asterisk before an item indicates it is a “must-do” priority -- likely something that needs to be done today so a follow-on task can be done tomorrow. The Day Leader will draw attention to the priority items. Enter in the Chore Book what you have done on a task and what remains to be done.

The Reference Rack: We are all avid gardeners and know our own ways, but this Garden is built upon years of experience, and we’ve compiled what works best for this particular ecological spot. The bookshelf in the shed, immediately to your right as you enter the door, is where that experience is documented. In addition, a master copy of the Day Leader’s Manual has been compiled to provide a summary.

Please also take note and use these additional reference tools: Do’s and Don’ts on watering, transplant planting, harvesting and composting, and “How To” manuals from the Territorial Seed Catalogs.

Bulletin Board and Chalkboard Turn to your right as you enter the shed and before you are the Bulletin Board and chalkboard. Current information, notices and the like are there for you to keep up to date.

Report from the Steering Committee

The Posh Squash Steering Committee met Friday, January 30, 2004 atthe Del Mar Center. Present were Tom Warnock, Ken Holmes, Sal Skibbins, Jer Skibbins, John Horn, Jim Grenwelge, Ben Klagenberg, Dianne Rasmussen, Ralph Rasmussen, MA Brauer, Wink Franklin, and Chester Case, your faithful scribe. Tom observed that all members of the Committee were in attendance.

As a first order of business, the Committee elected Tom as Chair for 2004, and Ralph Rasmussen as Vice-Chair. Next, the Committee elected Mary Austin “Honorary Gardener” in recognition of her long and productive service to the Garden, and wished her well as she retires from the Garden to concentrate her energies on her artwork. The Compost Heap will feature Mary in a forthcoming issue.

Tom reported on his continuing conversations with Kelly Mason, Executrix of the Baker Marital Trust. Kelly has returned The Garden’s check, saying the principals of the Estate think our offer too low, and that they are consulting real estate persons for valuation of the property. The matter is not closed, but moving (slowly) into its next phase.

Plans were finalized for the Annual Organizational Meeting, 10:00 Saturday, February 7, at the Del Mar Center. The agenda was discussed and roles assigned. Procedures to even out the distribution of Gardeners by day were adopted. Day Leaders are to survey their Day Crews to see who will continue, then enter them on the day roster. The target membership for each day’s roster will be 20. New Gardeners will select from among days where there are openings.

Resolutely tackling the perennial problem of over- and under-watering, the Day Leaders led by John Horn will meet to work up an approach to educate and re-educate new and returning Gardeners on effective techniques, and to achieve greater accountability. John will coordinate the weekend watering schedule this year.

Preparations for the Gardening season were reported. Ken Holmes and others have accomplished the annual ordering of seeds, to the tune of $300. MA is readying the Greenhouse and will hold workshops for the Greenhouse Elves. A work party for Wednesday, February 18, 2004 was announced. (Ed. note: It was rained out.) Pruning raspberries, bed preparation, cleanup, hauling dirt for the raised beds... and much more. The Season is upon us!

A proposed Organizational Plan has been reviewed by members of the Committee, and revisions suggested. Chester distributed a draft copy of the plan along with a narrative on the beginnings, evolution, practices and principles of the Garden to serve as preface and preamble. Committee members are to review and propose revisions, if so moved, before the next meeting. Revisions should be sent to Chester for incorporation into what is hoped to be a final draft.

Looking forward to the Annual Organizational Meeting and happily anticipating the First Day of Gardening, March l, 2004, the Steering Committee adjourned.

Looking Forward

Let’s heed the Gardener’s wisdom as we dig into the 2004 Garden season. Jer Skibbins wrote this about the Greenhouse several years ago. It is as appropriate now as it was then:

Finally, and above all, have fun in the greenhouse (Ed: the whole Garden!). It’s a nursery, a place of birth and hope. Don’t yield to any pressures to make it a place of deadly chores; just go along with your schedule of bringing wonderful plants to life. It’s the seeds, plants and weather that really control the greenhouse. We workers are just their helpers. And as helpers we need to enjoy what we do and to respect and adjust to each other’s contributions to the Posh Squash. Just as the plants need your care, observation and concern, your other greenhouse workers need your care, observation and concern.

Membership Roster 2004-2005

Name	PO Box	785-	Bus. Phone	Day	Email
Alinder, Jim & Mary	325	2073	884-9124	T	malinder@mcn.org
Basch, Reva	116	2980		F	reva@mcn.org
Batchelder, Paddy & Paul *	696G	2889	3017	Th	paddybatch@aol.com
Berry, Michael	563	3368		W	miwabe94941@yahoo.com
Blair, Howard & Sue	1209G	3422		T	swb@mcn.org
Boal, Mary W.	1376G	3280		T	mboal@mcn.org
Bowers, Mary-Dee	408	3789	3789	Th	mdbowers@mcn.org
Boyd, John & Lugene B-B *	261	9719		Th	johnb@mcn.org
Bradley, Sally	122	3062		W	bradley1@mcn.org
Brauer, Mary Ann	55	1108		M	smolokini@aol.com
Bray, Roz & Derek	376	2694		T	rozbray@mcn.org
Carey, John & Betsi *	306	2890		Th	bgcarey@earthlink.net
Case, Chester & Shirley	148	2448		T	cnscase@mcn.org
Cayting, Jeannette & F.J.	1208G	1911		W	cayting@mcn.org
Coad, Norman & Colette *	404	2414		W	ccoad2002@yahoo.com
Davis, Jeff & Millie	241	2670		M	none
Debar, Roger & Janet	1117G	2200	2200	W	jdebar@mcn.org
Dixon, Jo Ann & Brian *	127	2943		M	dixon@mcn.org
Dodds, Bev	1257G	3211	3081	Th	gwdodds@mcn.org
Ellsworth, Pat & Diana	482	9776		M	patworth@hotmail.com
Escher, John & Elizabeth	25	3848		W	escher@mcn.org
Fairhurst, Nancy	174	2146		T
Farmer, Peter & Beva	222	3364		M	none
Forbes, Gayle *	1637G	3838		F	rakhi@sonic.net
Fouts, Julie 3224 Baker St. SF 94123		1745	415-923-1544		JACF68@earthlink.net
Franklin, Laura & Wink	1444G	3755	884-3203	W	laura@mcn.org
Gardener, Jackie	403	1039		F	jackie@mcn.org
George, Joyce	662G	3995		W	jgeorge@mcn.org
Ghezzi, Kim	1683G	2859		W	kghezzi@mcn.org
Gibson, Kenneth & Julia	68	1985		W	jbgibby@earthlink.net
Graf, Philip & Ann	824G	9213		M	graphil@bigplanet.com
Grenwelge, Jim (Day leader)	58	9317		Th	sgrenwelge@msn.com
Haas, George & Pat	841G	1011		M	haaspage@mcn.org
Harris, Mari Su *	1561G	9933		F	none
Haw, John	4	3828		Th	cicihaw@mcn.org
Henry, Buck	91	1762		F	siboney@mcn.org
Hersh, Richard & Jeanne	POB 524, Graton 95444	2361		M	none
Hocker, Rosemarie	61	3058		M	rhocker@mcn.org
Holmes, Ken & Jeanne	925G	3889		W	kholmes@mcn.org
Horn, John & Katy (Day leader)	356	2747		M	seahorn@gtcinternet.com
Hoyt, Deborah	1517G	2503		T	dfrase@mcn.org
Hulse, Shirley	235	3344		T	sjhulse@mcn.org
Hunter, Mary	1010G	1150	9145	F	dardmary@mcn.org
Jaguzny, Rom & Barbara	1587G	1990		Th	brjag@mcn.org
Johnson, Joe & Sylvia	1330G	1180		F	kawela92@yahoo.com
Jordan, Jim & Joan	1063G	2549		T	jajordan@ix.netcom.com
Klagenberg, Ben & Wilma	1465G	3530	3530	F	benwilma@mcn.org
Law, Anni	743G	2652
Leibrock, Bruce & Jutta	304	1907		F	bleibr1885@aol.com
Leopold, Saul & Michele	200	3132	3982	T	m4mc@aol.com
Mee, Peggy & Mike *	None	3008	510-845-5535	M	pegmee@aol.com
Micmacker, Brigitte	172	1936		W	brigitte@sculpturesite.com
Morse, Bryan	97	3621		M	bfmorse@mcn.org
O’Brien, Lynda & Gary	308	3557		W	glob@mcn.org
Ortman, Rhonda & Jeff	157 SP 95480	3601		M	jjortman@mcn.org
Owings, J. Randall & Chris	184	1198		T	tyjes@earthlink.net
Perkins, Milton & Maria	313	9159	9179	W	perkini2@jps.net
Pike, Larry & Anna Belle Kaufman *	1671G	1012		M	astrolar@aol.com
Plann,Victoria *	462	2900		Th	none
Pollard, Susan		3733		Th
Pounds, Bob & Goldie *	1455G	2662		M	gbpounfd@cs.com
Rasmussen, Ralph & Dianne (Day leader)	361	0099	0059	W	rjramus@mcn.org diannem@mcn.org
Shifman, Jerry	116	2980		F	jerry@jereva.com
Skibbins, Jer	28	2641		Greenhs	jer@mcn.org
Skibbins, Sally (Day leader)	28	2641		T	sls@gualala.com
Smith, Scott & Harper	1168	7222		F	Flatcat9@aol.com
Solberg, Bjorn & Joanne *	106	0089		T	bjsol@earthlink.net
Stevenson, Dorothy	1216G	3374		Th	dotbills@mcn.org
Thiene, Paul & Sonja	276	2751		F	pthiene@peoplepc.com
Todhunter, Erin & Andrew	6G	1732		W	todhunter@attglobal.net
Voorhees, William	17	2004		Th	bvoorhees@earthlink.net
Warnock, Tom (Day Leader) & Linda	625G	3668	3225	F	warnock@mcn.org
Weicker, Dorothy C *	1447G	2297		M	dclairew@earthlink.net
Wilson, Genny	82	1025		W	hagginwilson@earthlink.net
Wingate, John	71	2774	2774	--	none
Youtz, Peter & Teresa *	322	2211		Th	fate@youtz.com
Zimmerman, Eeva & Wilfred*	192	3119		Th	Wzimmer989@aol.com
Zimmerman, Pam / Jerry Waxman	453	1062		W	pzimmer@sonic.net

The Compost Heap

News, Views, and Features from the Posh Squash Garden

The Sea Ranch, California

Spring 2004 Organizational Issue

Volume 3, Number 1, March 2004

Welcome to the Garden, 2004

Who's Who and What's What, 2004

Rules & Reminders (Updated for 2004)

How to be a Well-Read Gardener (Updated for 2004)

Report from the Steering Committee

Looking Forward

Haiku by Gerry Wilson

Membership Roster 2004-2005

Day Crews