Newsletter February 2023

First Edition of "The Ground Up News"

FEBRUARY 2023

Hello Growers and Gleaners - Please let us know what you would like to see in future issues that would help serve our growing/gleaning community. Send ideas to FoodBankGrowers@gmail.com

In this Issue...

Garden Tips for February
Annual Report
In the News
The 2022 Harvest Results
New Calendar
How You can Help
Workshops and Clinics
Got Tools?

Garden tips for February - By Dianna Wiklund, FBG Garden Coordinator

This is a great time to start pruning your apples and pears. (Reminder stone fruits are pruned in summer after they have been harvested.)
Starts are a focus this month so bring out the heat mats and grow lights for your tomatoes and peppers.
Onions can be started now but don't use a light source as they may get confused when transplanted. Garlic can still be planted in the ground for a later season harvest.
Peas can be tricky here. If you sow them in the ground and it is too wet they will rot. I've have had my best years starting them late February or early March and transplanting out at about 3-4 inches tall.
Brassicas can get an early kick off by starting now and transplanting under cloches as the weather warms up. Note Cloches can be a simple plastic jug with the bottom cut off and the cap removed.
Perennials can also be planted out now: asparagus, artichokes, and strawberries.
This is a good time for garden dreaming. Imagine what wonderful things your garden can grow. The possibilities are endless and fun to research.

Have questions/comments about your gardens?

Dianna can be reached at FBGgardencoordinator@gmail.com

FBG 2022 Annual Report
Kathy Ryan - Annual Report and Legacy

We’re in the News
FBG Featured in Co-op Monthly Magazine - written by Kathy Ryan

The 2022 Harvest

Last year we cleared over 20,000 pounds of veggies, plus eggs, and 6600+ pounds of gleaned fruit. For more details go here.

2023 The Most Requested Veggies at Food Banks (more or less…)

Green Onions

Green Beans (all colors)

Peas snap and a few snow

Romaine lettuce because it keeps.

Celery

Radishes

Acorn Squash

Cabbage

Broccoli

Bok choy

Cucumber

Blueberries

Corn

Summer squash

Tomatoes, slicing and cherry

Peppers

Spinach

Lettuce

Herbs- Basil, parsley, cilantro, mint...

Not so much on brassicas such as Kale, Collards, and Swiss Chard

New FBG Calendar
Check out our new monthly calendar on the home page of the website/tablet/phone. This is where all the standing work parties, harvest days, online meetings, and special events will be hosted. No more scrolling through old emails to get that date and time. What you see is always the latest info.

We are using MyCityScene for the platform which will let us have an FBG calendar and also allow us to broadcast events on the Port Townsend City Scene calendar. Win Win.

How Can You Help?

Garden Managers -- Each garden needs a point person -- someone who can point to what to do next… This year we're partnering new Garden Managers with experienced ones for every step. Between them, Dianna, and the Monthly "to dos", you'll have everything you need to produce baskets of produce.

Growers - - Learn how to grow fresh food for the Food Banks while learning how to grow food for yourself at home. We guarantee the every day you'll learn something new. All gardens will need help -- the more volunteers, the easier and more fun the work becomes. Go to the MAP SECTION of the website and locate a garden near you. Stay at one, or rotate through many. Hours differ by garden.