PHCRI Newsletter

Poplar Hill/Coldstream Resiliency Initiative Issue 5 Summer 2011

www.phcri.net phcri08@gmail.com
Workshop at Farmers Market on July 16th
Hopefully youve already visited the Coldstream Farmers Market this year. Perhaps youve bought some fresh strawberries, or peas or calla lillies to plant in your garden. Perhaps youve sampled some of the delicious goodies prepared by the Gingerbread House Bakery, or bought up some tasty lettuce or spring onions for that essential summer salad. Maybe you even picked up a locally tie-dyed t-shirt or tank top. If not, theres still time - every Saturday from 9:00am - 11:30am, behind the Marsh Store (on Ilderton Rd in Coldstream) there are vendors set-up sellng various locally-grown or made items. On Saturday, July 16th, youll get a chance to go behind the scenes with one of our vendors, Walter Cormier, as he presents a brief talk about gardening at 10:00am. Walter grows some of the most enormous and delicious vegetables youve ever seen, and uses tried and true methods to maintain the health of his soil. This is your chance to gain some of his secrets to a great garden. The garden season is just getting going, and veggies like beans and zucchini will start appearing soon. Make the Coldstream Farmers Market your first stop this Saturday morning - it doesnt get more local than this!

Vendor Walter Cormier at the Coldstream Farmers Market on June 18.

Farm for a Future

This past February, PHCRI hosted a movie night featuring the BBC documentary Farm for a Future, which outlines how farming will change in a future when oil prices continue to rise, as petroleum products become a more scarce commodity. A group of about 25 that included both locals, and those from a bit further afield met at the Poplar Hill Baptist Church to watch the film, and engage in discussion afterwards. The movie night even drew the attention of London Free Press columnist Ian Gillespie, who wrote an encouraging article about PHCRI. After describing the dangers to current farming methods posed by expensive oil, including not just fuel for farm vehicles, but also the fertilizers and pesticides, which are largely petroleum derived, or highly energy dependent for production. A greener world was then imagined

- with techniques such as permaculture, (which encourages growing of perennial crops in carefully designed systems with increased overall yields), being described. A lively discussion followed, and several new connections were made between people interested in making our local area gradually more self-sufficient, to prepare for a time when importing all goods will be very costprohibitive. Overall, it was a very positive and pleasant event, which focused on the way forward for small towns like Poplar Hill and Coldstream.

Why not be a vendor yourself? If you have locally grown or locally-made goods to sell, load it up, along with a table, and come set-up for the morning. There is no fee to display.

Upcoming Events:
PHCRI will be hosting and participating in many events this year, see the listing on the back of this page for details.

PHCRI Newsletter Poplar Hill/Coldstream Resiliency Initiative Issue 5 Summer 2011 www.phcri.net phcri08@gmail.com

Lasagna Composting
by Rob Read
Since moving to Poplar Hill, Ive been thinking of ways to convert our half-acre from mostly mowed grass, to a highly productive garden and orchard. I began by turning over a large garden area, which I fenced in with cedar posts and chicken wire, and the following spring made into raised wide beds. All the most varminttempting crops still get planted in the relative safety there. Last season, I made two new beds outside the fence using lasagna composting - a great way to convert patches of grass into garden beds quickly. Before describing how to make a lasagna compost, I should mention that I dont use a rototiller to make new beds because its said to heavily damage the complex eco-system of worms and fungi so important to maintaining good soil. Instead, I use a broad-fork to aerate compacted soil, and add organic material in the form of leaves every fall. Okay, back to lasagna composting. (Sounds delicious, doesnt it?) Named after the different layers that you put on the ground, it is ideal for growing tomatoes, peppers, squash, and beans. I wouldnt suggest root crops the first season (other than potatoes). Begin with very closely cut grass in the

shape of the bed. Cover the ground with weeds, upside down sod, smaller branches, sticks, hay, and dried plants - any biodegradable junk.. Dont worry about weed seeds - without a rototiller, the seeds will stay deep in the bed, never seeing the sun they need to grow. Layer green things like grass clippings to totally cover the area about 2-4 deep, then cover with 4-6 of dried leaves or straw. Water the whole bed well between each layer. Continue to layer higher if you have lots of material, or stop here and put on the final layer of 1 of soil or compost. Water the bed one last time. Heres how it works: the inside of the bed composts. The plants move their roots through this pile of well-aerated guck to access the nutrients they need. Last year I planted squash seeds in a fresh lasagna bed, and they thrived (until squash-vine borer got them - but thats another story!) These two beds are still going strong this year, so I made more beds this spring, for tomatoes and squash. Ill be putting mulch around both very soon. Ill leave you with just two words of encouragement for your lasagna composting: buon appetito!
Rob Read is currently Secretary of PHCRI.

Upcoming Events
June 18 - Labour Day - Farmers Market
Local produce, eggs, baked goods, crafts, and plants from 9:00am - 11:30am. Location: Behind the Marsh Store, Ilderton Rd, Coldstream. Contact Janice Dolliver for information about the market 666-0461.

10:00am, July 16th - Workshop Day Learn some of Walter Cormiers veggie garden secrets. Meet at Farmers Market. 7:30pm, July 21st - PHCRI Meeting 7:30pm, August 18 - PHCRI Meeting 3:00pm, August 20 - Delicious Local Weeds, led by local weed-eater Rob Read, youll learn about some dirt-common weeds that taste uncommonly good. 7:30pm, September 22 - PHCRI Meeting 7:30pm, October 20 - PHCRI Meeting November 8 - Rose Program Presentation on the theme Back 2 Basics - in Collaboration with the Lobo Womens Institute. 7:30pm, November 17 - PHCRI Meeting Date TBA - Pickling Workshop This fall we will be having a workshop on home-pickling and preserving techniques. If you are interested in sharing your favourite pickle recipe or other method of preserving the harvest, please contact Rob Read at 519-666-0168.
Join us at one of our meetings or events. Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at the Poplar Hill Baptist Church on Poplar Hill Rd, just north of Ilderton Rd. Contact Rob Girard at phcri08@gmail.com or 6662930 to be added to the e-mail list. Meetings are open to all, and are part planning, and part fun conversation. To contribute a column about your personal gardening experiences, contact Rob Read at readrobread@gmail.com or 666-0168

Tomatoes in lasagna beds on July 8th after minor fertilzation with fish emulsion at planting, and once since. By a south-facing wall and far from dreaded black walnuts, they are thriving.