Dear Gardeners,
The Wagner Farm Community Garden is now CLOSED. Please check the Glenview Park District Spring Brochure for information about getting into the lottery for a plot for the 2020 garden season or go to www.glenviewparks.org
Have a great winter!
Alyssa
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Friday, September 20, 2019
Dear Gardeners,
It seems like just yesterday, I was planting my garden. Now it’s fall and the garden season is slowing down. Please start taking down any brown plants or plants that are no longer producing. Pull them and put them in the compost bin. You can also start taking home any structures or cages that you are not using. As a reminder- STRING and TOMATO TIES MUST go in the GARBAGE. NO STRING IN THE COMPOST BINS! I will keep you posted when I find out the closing date of the Community Garden.
*IRRIGATION- As the weather starts to get cooler and the garden season is coming to a close, you will notice that the irrigation system will not be set as often. This is because the nighttime temperature is low. It is not recommended to water when it is cold.
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- We will no longer be providing the raw milk fungicide. Please let me know if you have any concerns about this.
*TOMATO OF THE WEEK- Chef’s Choice Pink-This large tomato is a hybrid with a big heirloom taste. Chef’s Choice Pink produces 12-14 ounce pink beefsteak tomatoes. This variety is a strong producer and has good disease resistance. It has a “potato leaf” too. It is one of my favorites!
*HARVEST FESTIVAL- Come by the farm on Saturday, October 12 from 12-9 p.m. for Harvest Festival. This NEW event that celebrates the season’s harvest will be fun for all ages! Check out the harvest activities, food trucks, tractor-drawn wagon rides, fall crafts, livestock encounters, farm games and more! 12-4 pm $5 per person ages 2 and up, 4-9 pm $10 per person ages 11 and up, $5/ ages 2-10.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Dear Gardeners,
Fall is here but there are still a lot of fun things to do in your garden plot. Check out the list below:
1. Harvest your veggies each time you come.
2. Remove dead plants and yellow and brown leaves. Put them in the compost bin.
3. Pick up rotting fruit and veggies and compost them as well.
4. Plant greens, peas, and radishes. There are FREE seeds in the basket at the front desk compliments of The Chalet.
5. Trim the edge around your plot with a clippers. This will make it look nifty and neat! It will also keep weeds from going to seed and dropping the seeds on your plot. I just trimmed the edge around the Demo Plot and it looks great!
*When to harvest hard squash and pumpkins- When you are ready to pick your squash or pumpkins, look at the color. For example, butternut squash will turn from a light yellow to a golden color when it is ripe. Pumpkins should be a deep orange color. You also need to look at the stem on your squash. The stem just above the squash will turn from green to brown when it is ready to be harvested. Use a sharp knife or clippers to cut the stem where it attaches to the vine. You need to harvest all squash before the first frost, even if they are not ripe. They will ripen off the vine on a sunny porch or deck if they are picked when they are green. Squash should be dried in the sun for about a week if you are storing them for winter use. They can be stored in a cool place for about 4-6 months.
* Bonfire and Barn Dance- Join us this Saturday, September 14, 4-8 p.m. Bring your family to the Farm for live music, dancing and wagon rides! Roast s’mores and listen to stories by the fire. Admission is $5 per person (children under 2 are free). Food is available at an additional cost.
* Fall Sales have begun! Come by the Farm to purchase your mums and gourds. M-F 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Sat. and Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pumpkins will be available for sale beginning Sept. 21.
*PRIZE CARROTS- This picture does not do these prize carrots justice. They are huge! Great job Prashant Mehrotra!
*TOMATO CORNER- The tomato of the week is Matt’s Wild Cherry. These very small tomatoes are deep red and very sweet. They are great to eat plain or to use in salsa. This variety is VERY prolific! My plant never stops producing! I am growing this variety in the Demo Plot. I purchased the plant at The Talking Farm plant sale. This variety is indeterminate and has some resistance to early and late blight.
*CHECK OUT OUR BLOG- The Community Garden blog is up to date! Don't forget to check it out to find past newsletters and see gardening tips!
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Raw milk fungicide is available in the garden on the wooden storage boxes. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Friday, September 13, 2019
Dear Gardeners,
Harvest, harvest, harvest! Come by and harvest your vegetables. There are so many ripe veggies in the Community Garden. Please come and pick them. It is also time to start to clean up any rotting veggies on the ground. Please start to put rotting veggies and dead or brown plants in the compost bin. Keeping your garden plot clean will keep away pest insect.
*FREE Fall Seeds-Now is the time to plant greens, mustards, bok choi, radishes, and peas for a Fall harvest. Keep in mind that kale and spinach are hardy in cooler weather. Red lettuces are hardier than green ones. Come by the front desk for some FREE fall seeds compliments of The Chalet Garden Center (AVAILABLE STARTING SATURDAY AFTERNOON).
*PRUNING BASIL- Click on the link above to see how to prune your basil plants.
*SEED SAVING CLASS CANCELLED!- The Seed Saving Class on 9/10 is cancelled due to lack of enrollment.
*TOMATO CORNER- The tomato of the week is the Green Zebra. This tomato is yellow with lime green stripes when ripe. It is the result of four heirlooms bred together. The Green Zebra is tasty as well as beautiful. It has a delicious, tangy flavor. It also looks beautiful in salads and other recipes. It is another one of my favorites!
*BROCCOLI TIP- When you harvest your broccoli head, cut an x in the stem to grow 4 new baby heads!
*CHECK OUT OUR BLOG- The Community Garden blog is up to date! Don't forget to check it out to find past newsletters and see gardening tips!
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Raw milk fungicide is available in the garden on the wooden storage boxes. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Dear Gardeners,
Please note that there is NO PARKING along Wagner Road. Cars that park on Wagner Road are being ticketed. Gardeners may park in the lot across the street from the farm next to the Greek Church.
*DO YOU WANT TO SAVE MONEY ON SEEDS?- Join me for this cool class! Seed Saving in Your Garden- Learn how to save seeds from the flowers, herbs, and vegetables in your garden. Seed saving is very rewarding and can save you money too. This class covers the basics of harvesting, cleaning, and storing your seeds for optimum germination and production in your garden the following year. Sign up atwww.glenviewparks.org
Class is 9/10/2019 from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. $15 residents/$18 nonresidents
*TOMATO CORNER- This is the sweetest and juiciest tomato I am growing this year. It is called Dark Galaxy. The mottled skin of the tomato looks like a galaxy! This variety was created by Brad Gates. He crossbreeds tomatoes of all colors. The Dark Galaxy grows 2-8 inch tomatoes. They start out dark purple and become a deep red. I purchased the seeds from rareseeds.org. The plants were grown in our Wagner Farm greenhouse. I will definitely grow this delicious variety next year!
*GLENVIEW GARDENERS MEETING-If you are interested in learning some tips and tricks for growing African Violets, check out the attached flyer for this month’s Glenview Gardeners Meeting. The meeting will take place on Tues. September 10 from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
*CHECK OUT OUR BLOG- The Community Garden blog is up to date! Don't forget to check it out to find past newsletters and see gardening tips!
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Raw milk fungicide is available in the garden on the wooden storage boxes. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Dear Gardeners,
Harvest time is here! I am so excited to see all of the vegetables everyone has grown. Don’t forget to come by and harvest your produce.
*PRIZE KOHLRABI- Check out this prize kohlrabi (above) grown by Community Gardener, Laura Dume! Great job! Thank you Laura for giving me a kohlrabi. I made a delicious soup out of it.
*DO YOU WANT TO SAVE MONEY ON SEEDS?- Join me for this cool class! Seed Saving in Your Garden- Learn how to save seeds from the flowers, herbs, and vegetables in your garden. Seed saving is very rewarding and can save you money too. This class covers the basics of harvesting, cleaning, and storing your seeds for optimum germination and production in your garden the following year. Sign up at www.glenviewparks.org
Class is 9/10/2019 from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. $15 residents/$18 nonresidents
*TOMATO CORNER- Look at this unique tomato! It is called the Red Furry Boar. The tomato is not shiny like most tomatoes. It has a matte skin and is coated in a light fur like a peach. It has a delicious, true tomato flavor. This rare variety is a heavy producer and grows 2-4 oz. fruit. I purchased the seeds online from Wild Boar Farms.
*CHECK OUT OUR BLOG- The Community Garden blog is up to date! Don't forget to check it out to find past newsletters and see gardening tips!
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Raw milk fungicide is available in the garden on the wooden storage boxes. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Dear Gardeners,
Have you all been enjoying delicious, home-grown tomatoes from your plot? I am so proud of this enormous tomato I picked yesterday at my home garden. The variety is Trip-L-Crop. I purchased the plant at Meinke Garden Center in Niles. I grew the plant in my raised bed. This season, I added composted manure, leaf mulch, and Dr. Earth Veggie Soil. I also fertilized with Dr. Earth granule fertilizer every 3 weeks. The plant has many large tomatoes on it, but none are as large as this 2 lb. beauty. I do not own a scale so I took it to Fresh Farms and weighed it. I have not tasted it yet but I can’t wait to make a BLT! Send me an e-mail to let me know your favorite tomato variety this season.
*DO YOU WANT TO SAVE MONEY ON SEEDS?- Join me for this cool class! Seed Saving in Your Garden- Learn how to save seeds from the flowers, herbs, and vegetables in your garden. Seed saving is very rewarding and can save you money too. This class covers the basics of harvesting, cleaning, and storing your seeds for optimum germination and production in your garden the following year. Sign up at www.glenviewparks.org
Class is 9/10/2019 from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. $15 residents/$18 nonresidents
*IRRIGATION-The irrigation system is set to run on Saturday, August 17 at 3:45 a.m. It will run for 45 min. and put down ½ in. of water.
*CHECK OUT OUR BLOG- The Community Garden blog is up to date! Don't forget to check it out to find past newsletters and see gardening tips!
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
*TIPS ON GROWING CORN from our own farmer, Blake Lanphier- Several gardeners are growing corn this season so I asked our head farmer, Blake Lanphier, for some corn growing tips.
“First of all, the tassels on the corn plants have the pollen that fall on the silks to pollenate the ears for kernel growth. You do not need to take off the tassels of your corn at any point. Farmers de-tassel corn in fields where they are trying to grow a hybridized plant. Corn, like sunflowers, is a heavy nitrogen feeder. You may want to add a nitrogen fertilizer or compost during the growing season. If you notice the leaves on your plants curling, then you need to water them more. Harvest sweet corn 2 weeks after silking occurs or when the silks start to turn brown. If you are growing Deny corn or popcorn, wait until the husks on the ears of corn are brown or hanging before harvesting. After harvesting popcorn, pull back the husks and dry for a week or two.
When you harvest sweet corn, make sure to cool it down ASAP! Get your corn into the refrigerator. The longer the corn sits picked at room temp, the less sweet it becomes. Refrigeration slows down the polymerization of the sugar molecules keeping it sweeter longer. When you are finished growing your corn, please place the stalks in the compost bins.”
Thank you, Blake, for these great suggestions! If you have any other questions about growing corn, feel free to send them to me and I will find out the answers from Blake.
*GARDEN HELPERS for HIRE- Below are a list of garden helpers for hire if you need a teenager to water and/or weed your garden while you are on vacation. You arrange everything with them and decide on what you will pay them per hour.
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Raw milk fungicide is available in the garden on the wooden storage boxes. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Friday, August 9, 2019
Dear Gardeners,
If you have not pruned your tomato plants yet, check out the video below!
*SAVE THE DATE- Seed Saving in Your Garden- Would you like to learn how to save seeds from the flowers, herbs, and vegetables in your garden? Seed saving is very rewarding and can save you money too. This class covers the basics of harvesting, cleaning, and storing your seeds for optimum germination and production in your garden the following year. Sign up at www.glenviewparks.org
Class is 9/10/2019 from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. $15 residents/$18 nonresidents
*WEEDS BETWEEN PLOTS- Please note that weeds that are between 2 plots need to be pulled. Even if the weeds are in your walkway or trench, they need to be pulled out before they go to seed. Weed seeds can spread weeds and cause future problems. Thank you for pulling the weeds between your plots and being a good Community Garden Member.
*CHECK OUT OUR BLOG- The Community Garden blog is up to date! Don't forget to check it out to find past newsletters and see gardening tips!
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
http://wfcg.blogspot.com
*WATERING CANS- We recently had some kids come through and move everyone's watering cans around. Make sure your plot number is written on your watering can so if this happens again, we can return it to your plot. If you ever see kids doing this, feel free to ask them not to. Thanks!
*WHAT’S GROWING IN THE DEMO PLOT (#1 and 2)- This morning in the garden, I saw a hummingbird at this beautiful plant. It is called amaranth. It can be used as an ornamental and it is edible too. It is a very old heirloom plant dating back to the 1500. The seeds can be harvested as a grain. This ancient grain is very nutritious. It has a lot of fiber, protein, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. The leaves of all amaranth plants are also edible. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Add them to recipes in place of spinach. The leaves are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants as well. The seeds of the amaranth plant are easy to collect at the end of the season too!
*HOSES- Please note that HOSES ARE NOT ALLOWED in the COMMUNITY GARDEN! If you are seen using a hose by myself or another farmer, you will get a warning equal to a weed warning. Thank you for following our garden rules.
*GARDEN HELPERS for HIRE- Below are a list of garden helpers for hire if you need a teenager to water and/or weed your garden while you are on vacation. You arrange everything with them and decide on what you will pay them per hour.
Madeline- Mschimka103@gmail.com
Meghan- Mschimka103@gmail.com
Eliza- eliza_schloss@aol.com (224)226-3048
Jack- jackfrya@gmail.com (847)656-6891
Soren- sorenwibers751@gmail.com (847)626-8177
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Dear Gardeners,
I hope you are all enjoying a great harvest in your plots! If you have not come by the garden lately, stop by to pick your vegetables!
*IRRIGATION- The irrigation system will be set to run on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 3:45 a.m. It will run for 45 min. and put down ½ inch of water.
*WHAT’S GROWING IN THE DEMO PLOT (#1 and 2)- This year, I am growing 4 types of bush beans. The new variety I am growing is called Red Swan Bush Beans. They have beautiful blooms in a variety of pink shades. The pods are red. They are delicious but need to be cooked longer than green beans. I am also growing Gold Rush Beans (yellow), Blue Lake 274 Bush Beans (green),and Purple Teepee Beans (purple). Although many of the colored beans turn green when cooked, they are delicious and sure look beautiful and colorful when they are raw.
*CALENDULA IN THE GARDEN (left)- Calendula, also called “Pot Marigold”, is a beautiful flower and an amazing companion plant. This plant has bright orange to yellow flowers. Plant this beauty next to tomatoes, Swiss chard, carrots, broccoli, and/or cabbage. It helps repel insect pests. Its roots also help the soil fungi.
Calendula is easy to grow from seed. It is used medicinally in lotions, ointments and in diaper cream. The petals contain beneficial antioxidants. Add snips of the petals to your tea and salads to add nutrition and color.
You can plant calendula as a fall cover crop. It grows quickly and its thick, fibrous roots protect the soil from erosion. It will be killed off by the first frost. The seeds can be easily collected to grow next year. Click on the link to see how to collect the seeds www.mrbrownthumb.blogspot.com
Visit the Demo Plot to see calendula growing in between the tomatoes.
*HOSES- Please note that HOSES ARE NOT ALLOWED in the COMMUNITY GARDEN! If you are seen using a hose by myself or another farmer, you will get a warning equal to a weed warning. Thank you for following our garden rules.
*DILL GARDNENING TIP- Dill is a great companion to tomato plants. When planted next to your tomato plants, young dill will boost plant growth. Just be sure to harvest and remove your dill before it gets too big. Mature dill can stunt the growth of your tomato plants.
*GUIDED WALKING TOUR of the KENT FULLER AIR STATION PRAIRIE-Join the Glenview Gardeners Club on Aug. 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. for this great opportunity! Meet at the Tyner Station, 2400 Compass Rd. in Glenview. Park in the lot across the street. For more information go to www.glenviewgardeners.org
*GARDEN HELPERS for HIRE- Below are a list of garden helpers for hire if you need a teenager to water and/or weed your garden while you are on vacation. You arrange everything with them and decide on what you will pay them per hour.
Madeline- Mschimka103@gmail.com
Meghan- Mschimka103@gmail.com
Eliza- eliza_schloss@aol.com (224)226-3048
Jack- jackfrya@gmail.com (847)656-6891
Soren- sorenwibers751@gmail.com (847)626-8177
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Monday, July 29, 2019
Dear Gardeners,
With all of the rain and heat, the Community Garden is doing amazing! Just a reminder, as you weed your garden, please put weeds in the COMPOST BIN. If you are having a friend or family member garden for you, let them know where to put the weeds.
*NO WEEDS in the GARBAGE CANS
*NO WEEDS in the RECYCLE BIN
*NO WEEDS left on the GRASS
*WHAT’S GROWING IN THE SENSATIONAL SALAD PLOT (#73)- There are some awesome “greens” growing in the Sensational Salad Plot this season (above left). On the left, I am growing Beni Hushi Mizuna. This ancient Japanese plant has green leaves and purple stems. It has a spicy flavor that can be used in salads, stir fries, or it can be sprinkled on soups. Due to the purple color, the stems contain powerful antioxidants like blueberries do. This variety is very adaptable to growing in hot and cool temperatures too!
I am also growing Endive (2nd to the right), Sanguine Ameliore lettuce (3rd from the right), and Lunix Lettuce (left). I can’t wait to make a delicious and colorful salad!
*COMBATING JAPENESE BEETLES- (see picture on left above)-Unfortunately, it is Japanese Beetle season. For us gardeners, that means they will be eating holes on our plants’ leaves. The best way to get rid of Japanese Beetles is by hand-picking. Bring a container of soapy water to the garden. A few drops of Dawn liquid dish soap will do. Knock the bug into the soapy water. They will drown. If you don’t want to touch the bugs, bring a plastic knife to knock them off with. Please cover your container and take it home with you to dispose of. Dawn soap is not organic and cannot be dumped in our garden.
*GARDEN HELPERS for HIRE- Below are a list of garden helpers for hire if you need a teenager to water and/or weed your garden while you are on vacation. You arrange everything with them and decide on what you will pay them per hour.
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
Dear Gardeners,
The storm yesterday was a real surprise to me! Our electronic rain gauge measured 1” of rain on Wednesday and 3.9” of rain on Thursday. The garden is a little flooded, but seems to be drying out with the heat today.
Make sure to come by and check out your plot. Now is the time you can start to harvest and enjoy veggies from your garden. Keep in mind that there is a lot you can still plant to have a three season garden. Some vegetables you can plant from seed in July are: lettuce, spinach, broccoli, kale, beets, Swiss chard, cabbage, leeks, carrots, turnips, pak choi, and bush beans. Check your seed package to see how many days your plant will take to maturity. We usually close the garden around mid-October. Therefore, you can probably plant things this week that mature in under 70 days.
Please see below for more important Community Garden information:
*HOW TO PLANT BUNCHING ONIONS (green onions)- I just love using fresh green onions in my salads and favorite recipes. Click the link below to see how to plant bunching onions from started plants.
*WHAT’S GROWING IN THE DEMO PLOT? The plant below (left) is called amaranth spinach. This “green” is in the same family as spinach, beets, and amaranth. The plant is streaked with green, red, and purple. It can be eaten raw in salads but is more commonly used in stir-fries and soups. This colorful plant packs a lot of vitamins as well.Plant amaranth spinach in your garden plot!
*WHAT”S THIS WEED?- The weed a pictured above (right) is called purslane or portulaca. When you pick it, don’t be so quick to toss it into the compost. Purslane is an edible weed that is very rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The fresh leaves contain more omeg-3 fatty acids than any other leafy vegetable!
*AMAZING SCALLOPED SQUASH!- Congratulations to Fran and Barry Gustafson who grew this amazing scalloped squash. I'm sure it will be delicious! 
*STRING REMINDER!- If your plot is next to a pathway, you are not allowed to run a string along the walkway side. I will be taking down strings along the walkways this weekend.
*GARDEN HELPERS for HIRE- Below are a list of garden helpers for hire if you need a teenager to water and/or weed your garden while you are on vacation. You arrange everything with them and decide on what you will pay them per hour.
*RAW MILK FUNGICIDE- This week and every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., I will be providing a solution of raw milk (from our very own cows) and water to help prevent powdery mildew on your plants. Bring your own spray bottle. Note- this does not deter insect pests.
Happy Gardening!
Alyssa
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