Fog Bank Fresh Foods Seed/plant exchange!

Hey everyone! Remember that the first Saturday of the month is when we meet! Join us at the Curry County Library at 11 am on April 2nd, 2011. Bring some seeds and/or starts and plants to share with other members. Maybe you'll find that special plant you've been looking for!

Can't wait to see you there!

Another member's story!

Hello fellow fresh fooders... (I don't think that's a word?)

I live on 5 acres up the south bank of the Rogue River... Our land is the original homestead site of my great-great grandparents cabin.  We were lucky enough to be able to buy it.  We are trying to use it much the same ways as their diaries tell me they did.

We have a large garden where I grow carrots, beans, cabbage, squash, corn, herbs, tomatoes and lots of other veggies.  We also have blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, artichokes, etc.  The orchard that was here when my grandparents lived here still produces apples, pears and plums.  We've added some other trees, including a walnut tree.

We have chickens and sell farm-fresh eggs (or as I call 'em, fresh-picked).  We also have mini-rex rabbits that give us great manure for the greenhouse. My daughter is in 4-H and this year started her sheep breeding project for market lambs and she raises two pigs, one for auction and one for our freezer.

I recently decided to make my hobbies pay off in the form of a small home business and am looking forward to seeing how much I can do with our small farm.  It's a lot of work, but it's never boring.  There's nothing better than picking a apple off the tree and munching on it out in the orchard, or gathering the warm eggs from the nests, taking care to avoid that cranky hen. 

We named our place Hope, Joy and Faith Farm after our three beautiful daughters, and because that is what we get by enjoying the fruits of our labors! Come on out and visit sometime!

Ruth Dixon

George and Donna share their garden!

George and I are in a leisurely process of moving to Gold Beach, so we
currently have two homes with raised-bed gardens: one in Ashland and the
other 5 miles up the Rogue. Last year I raised only the tomatoes,
peppers and eggplant in Ashland. The rest did well on the Rogue with
the exception of the winter squash and cucumbers. The winter garden
near Gold Beach of root and cole veggies did and is still doing great.
I would like some advice on carrots which are being eaten by a critter I
don’t recognize.

After taking the Master Gardener course in Jackson County, I spent ten
years filling 2 green houses each spring with tomato and pepper
seedlings with a group that then donated surplus plants.

When we are ready, we might like to host one of Fog Bank’s shared-work
days to convert a well-positioned garden shed into a green house.

One more question. One of our hens in Ashland, Broodha, keeps trying
for that virgin birth. Any suggestions for discouraging her?

We begin to brainstorm!

Fog Bank Fresh Foods is a group of people of all ages who are interested in local, fresh foods!  Everyone is welcome, from the backyard gardener, to small or big farms, to folks who just want to be involved in living and eating healthier foods.

We met today at Curry Public Library to discuss some of the things we are interested in.  Some of the things mentioned were a community garden (the Presbyterian Church has space they would like to develop using grant money, so a grant writer is needed to help start the process), seed-sharing, growing organically and work-parties to help individual members with big projects. 

A decision was made to make a contact list of phone numbers and e-mails, along with developing this blog.   The next meeting will be the first Saturday in April, the 2nd, at 11 am at the Curry Public Library.  Members are encouraged to bring seeds and/or starts to share with others.  

Tell your friends about this great new group and come to the next meeting!