We are entering the 5th year of our Community Garden Group!  I hope you'll join us!!

If you are serious about learning better ways to eat healthier, live a more "green" life, and get back to the basics, you will love what I have to offer.

1)  Click here, watch the video and learn more about my group

2)  Sign up for the $50/year Working Garden Membership, click here

3)  Another more detailed garden orientation video for our 2012 garden group will be released by Wed. Feb. 1.  I'll keep you posted.

4)  Get better acquainted with the other half of my biz (click here to watch my Outdoor Adventure Club video), when I'm not thinking about food and garden related stuff.

 

 

 

There are several crops that can be planted as "green manure" for you to turn under for soil improvement. These crops, like Annual Rye Grass, are planted in the fall or winter and then tilled back into your garden in the spring.

Legumes, like alfalfa, are the very highest in nutrients, but they don't grow as fast as some of the grasses. My favorite grass to grow is Annual Rye Grass since I can grow an abundant quantity of organic material in a fairly short amount of time. Besides the abundant top growth, it produces incredible quantities of small hair roots which break up the soil, decompose quickly and add humus to the soil. It will grow about knee high. It also makes for a super fun place for kids to play in. Just till it back in to the soil in the spring.

Another benefit of planting Annual Rye Grass is the humus it adds to the soil.
Benefits of adding humus with your soil:
1. Improves aeration, drainage, water penetration and water retention and ease of root penetration
6. Gives the soil a spongy quality which keeps it from compacting
7. Gives a good, soft, crumbly texture which makes it easy to work with
8. Makes nutrients more accessible for healthy plant growth
9. Makes the plants more resistant to disease

Live and Thrive

2012 Community Garden Orientation

Garden with us in the...

• Spring...
• Summer...
• Fall...
• Winter...

Crops grown include:

• Veggies
• Fruits
• Herbs
• Flowers
• Bees
• Chickens 

Benefits of gardening with our group…

 

• Meet down to earth, interesting people
• Engage your senses in meaningful work
• Learn a new skill & talent

• Savor the peaceful, quiet atmosphere of working in the garden alone
• Develop valuable gardening skills
• Save money on groceries
• Enjoy getting back to the basics
• Remember what REAL food tastes like
• Eat healthier, wholesome foods
• Help children develop a love for gardening
• Experience the rewards of working hard
• Enjoy clean, fresh air outside
• Appreciate just being outdoors
• Feel the dirt with your hands while connecting with nature's energy
• Clear your mind
• Gain new perspective on life's challenges
• Rejuvenate your spirit
• Escape from the computer, TV, bills, advertising, the news and other stresses
• See, smell, feel and taste the fruits of your labors
• Improve your physical, mental, emotional and social well-being
• Taste the difference between store-bought food vrs. fresh, home-grown produce.

 

2 Garden Membership Options to choose from

 

• Option #1: 
•             Working Garden Membership
•             Less expensive but volunteer hours are required.
•             $50 per household per year (For 1 - 4 people)
•             Receive 20 weeks of produce from our gardens
•             Working members offer a minimum of 25 volunteer hours per year
•             Services may include garden work or a variety of other creative jobs
•             Members receive food year round when they come and help
•             Working garden members learn how to grow their own food.
•             Garden work doesn't mean you need to be on your knees in the dirt
•             Attention is given to those with restrictions and physical limitations
•             Additional help is needed with:
•                         Running errands
•                         Organizing and managing garden work and personnel
•                         Secretarial work (may be done at home)
•                         Computer work (may be done at home)
•                         Talents and skills that are specialized and unique
•             Garden work may consist of
•                         Planting
•                         Harvesting
•                         Weeding
•                         Tilling
•                         Greenhouse work – cleaning, organizing, etc.
•                         Tree pruning
•                         Watering
•                         Etc.
•             20 weeks will include produce from our gardens
•             Working members may receive additional food 52 weeks of the year
•             Additional food comes from local bakeries that we trade with
•             In an email, let me know about any talents, skills, abilities, limitations and in general - ways             you'd like to contribute to building a strong community garden group

 

• Option #2:      
•             CSA or Non-working membership
•             No garden work is required
•             CSA = Community Supported Agriculture
•             $450 per 2 people
•              Receive 20 weeks of produce from our gardens: June – Oct.
•             CSA members may receive additional food 52 weeks of the year
•             Additional food comes from local bakeries that we trade with
•               CSA members may pick up food from a convenient designated location – see garden  locations

 

 

Garden locations

 

• Holladay -  5000 So. 3000 E. area

 

• Riverton -  12500 So. 1800 W. area

 

• Taylorsville -  6200 So. 1300 W. area

 

• South Jordan - 11100 So.  2800 W. area

 

• West Jordan -  7000 So. 2700 W. area

 

• West Valley City -  3500 So. 3000 W. area

 

• Millcreek - 3300 So. 2700 E area AND 3300 So. Highland Dr area

 

NEW Gardens are added every year!

 

More about our gardens:

 

Season runs…

 

• February through November – for some gardens
• We begin opening and working in our gardens one at a time, starting in February
• All gardens are open by April (weather pending). 
• All gardens are closed by November 25^th or Thanksgiving

 

 

Supervisors are appointed to oversee each garden

 

As we acquire additional gardens, more supervisors and teams are needed.

Tell me if you are interested in overseeing a garden

 

Size of our gardens:

• Small gardens are approx. 30 ft. x 20 ft.
• Medium gardens are approx.  60 ft. x 20 ft. 
• Large gardens are approx.  60 ft. x 40 ft
• Extra large gardens are 90 ft. x 80 ft.

 

About working in a particular garden:

YOU decide which garden you want to work in.

 

Members will:

• Choose one of our gardens to work in
• Take "ownership" of that garden
• "Ownership" means care for that particular garden and not be "garden hopping".

 

NOTE:  There are times when your garden won't need much attention while another garden is in need of extra help.  You may help with another garden if you are available.

 

Before settling into one particular garden, you'll receive an opportunity to:

 

 

• Tour the gardens as they become available
• Get familiar with the location and sizes of each garden
• Make a decision on which garden you want to work in
• Contact me with your decision
• Meet with the supervisor of your garden
• Work as much or as little as you like
• Help fellow members make it flourish
• Get to know the home owner, who we partner with
• Participate in and learn how to grow your garden which includes planting, growing, maintaining, harvesting, and eating all the food from "your garden".
• The largest gardens produce an abundance of harvest, which is then shared with all garden members

 

Learn what types of produce we grow by viewing photos in our upcoming video

 

How much food will I receive?

• A lot IF you come 
• Working garden members: come often, work and receive at minimum of a 2-person share during the 20 week harvest season
• CSA non-working garden members will pick up a 2-person share of food each week during the 20 week harvest season

 

Time commitments

 

• Flexible hours – even one hour/week is greatly appreciated!
• Part time work – you decide when you can come
• Seasonal work – No problem if you are able to help more in the spring, for example, rather than another season
• Work is also available and convenient to do at home
• You are encouraged to commit to the same day/time each week for at least a month at a time, if possible.

 

Days and hours you may work in a garden

• Any daylight hours
• Any day but Sunday

 

Our background and experience

• Now in our 5^th year
• Started in the spring of 2008
• Fed over 300 garden members in 2011
• Over 3 acres of land
  

 

For safety purposes, members are not allowed to bring dogs or any pets to any garden properties

 

Speak up if there is ever a concern, need, suggestion, or comment

 

Covered later on

• What to bring
• What to wear

 

Management provides:

• Seeds, hand tools, equipment, tools, water, land, etc.

Garden members provide:

• Labor and tools if you have them

 

Weather conditions –

• On stormy days, is postponed OR work in the greenhouse, if there is work to do

 

 

Many abilities/skills are needed for our group:

 

• Writing and posting daily blogs
• Other computer work
• Promoting on Facebook and other social media
• Garden Photographers
• Working at local events
• Shoot, edit and post "how to " videos
• Help work in other gardens, as needed
• Tilling, raking, weeding, planting, harvesting, pruning/cutting trees, watering, etc.

 

New to gardening?  No problem!!

• No garden experience or skills necessary to start working with us
• Learn from a "hands-on" approach
• Many skilled, experienced farmers and gardeners to work with
• Garden work can be hard – Come for a short amount of time if necessary

 

Children in the gardens

• We invite children to come and work in the gardens AFTER following these guidelines:
• Scout out the gardens to determine which are best for children
• Before bringing children, talk to the supervisor about what they can do and where they can play
• Plan to work for a shorter time when children are present
• Be aware of public bathrooms in the area
• Children are your responsibility

 

Bathrooms

• Scout out local public bathrooms before you start working in the gardens
• Homeowner's bathrooms are not available for member's use

 

Be in the Know

            To hear the very latest of what's happening

            Garden work to do this week

            Food currently available

            Ways we need help immediately

            Check the garden blog daily

            Daily garden blog posts start February 1, 2012

            Click on Latest Blog Posts, found near bottom of liveandthrive.com

            Additional blog posts are found for the past week, month or year

 

Resources available

• Online access:  liveandthrive.com/_blog/Gardening_Articles_and_Videos
• View a wealth of information including daily entries from past years
• "How to" articles, videos, slide shows, and photos online
• Mentors & garden enthusiasts that will work with you in the gardens
• Many workshops & classes offered during the year at Garden Headquarters in Holladay
• Learn about different types of gardens, soil compositions, irrigation methods, and effects of weather conditions on crops in a variety of Salt Lake valley locations
• Recipes & invitations to potluck dinners made from produce in our gardens
• Food preservation methods

 

 

How to register and get started?

 

• Go online to: Liveandthrive.com, center of the webpage page.
• Join 1) CSA Non-Working Garden Membership OR Working Garden Membership

 

Bringing a guest to the gardens

• Invite a guest to get acquainted with our gardens before joining
• RSVP before coming, if possible

 

Garden Log Books

 

• Once a garden opens, a log book is placed outside nearby

• Make a note of where it is
• Log your hours and what is accomplished
• Add comments/suggestions if you like
• Supervisors review the book to know what's happening

 

Subscribe to our FREE Garden Newsletters

• Go to liveandthrive.com
• Bottom, right-hand corner of home page

 

LIKE us on Facebook – Live and Thrive

 

Learn more!

• Watch short videos at liveandthrive.com/Gardening/Home

 

Contact Info:

• Sheryl McGlochlin, owner
• website: liveandthrive.com
• Garden Headquarters: approx. 3000 E. 5000 So., Holladay, UT  84117
• email: Sheryl@liveandthrive.com
• Cell phone: 801-278-5313

 

We have over 300 members in our 2012 Community Garden Group.

We officially start working in our gardens after Feb. 1st, pending weather conditions.  

Check out my 2011 Garden Stats Video

Read the latest garden blogs I've written - bottom of my home page:  liveandthrive.com

AND the 100's of entries I posted last year about our gardens.

Who owns the ground?  I work with home owners in the Salt Lake valley and beyond.  They provide all of the land and water we use.

Can we work in the garden when we have the time?  Yes with the exception of Sunday.  Since homeowners are so generous about allowing our members into their backyards generally 6 days a week, we leave them alone on Sunday.

 

Is there a schedule?  We create a schedule for group work sessions but you can always work in the gardens whenever you like, if the supervisor is aware of when you are coming and what you are working on.

 

By the way we are always looking for additional people to help us oversee other gardens we have.

 

Is it organic?  Yes

 

Is member participation good?  It is not only good, it is encouraged. A minimum of 25 hours during the season.

 

Are you still around?  I'm very busy this month producing a lot of videos for my business.  I will be very busy with other demands soon so I know if I don't get the bulk of my videos produced in January, I may not get them made in time.

I am very excited to have you join our Community Garden Group this year and work with you.

I'll be posting more info in this blog during the next few weeks to make sure everyone gets their questions answered.

If you have a question that is not answered in the links below, will you send it to me in an email and I'll post the question and the answer for everyone to see. 

During the month of January I have had a very limited amount of time to work on Garden related things since I've been out of town a lot lately and I'm busy producing a lot of garden videos with professional video specialists.

There are plenty of things you can do to learn more about our garden group.

Please take a few minutes, if you would, and go to my website to learn more about our organization.

1)  You'll learn a lot about our group by watching a few recent garden videos we've made at: http://liveandthrive.com/Gardening/Home

2)  If you like what you see, you can register for our garden group on my website homepage, either as a "Working Garden Member" or as a Non-Working Garden Member".

3)  Learn about our garden group from my daily journal garden blogs that I posted throughout the 2011 year.

Our 2012 Garden Season will begin on Saturday, February 4th. We'll start to open all 14 of our gardens one by one starting Feb. 4th.  Some gardens won't be ready to work in until late March, depending on the weather and snow conditions.

Beginning in February, I will start posting daily garden blogs, setting up garden tours, orientation classes, meeting garden supervisors, and announce other garden classes i.e. how to start growing your own food from seed, how to plant peas by President's Day and several other early spring garden chores that will start in February and March.

I need the rest of January to finish producing some garden videos with video specialists.  These videos will be posted on my website and will be made available to our members and potential members, making it much easier for more people to receive info about us and learn about our organization without always having to contact me personally OR come to our Holladay Gardens.

 

 

Happy New Year and again, a big thank you to those who put in so much time and effort in making 2011 so successful!!

Our 2012 Live and Thrive Community Gardens are well on their way to becoming more successful than last year, which was a record breaking year for us in many areas!

Watch our "2011 Garden Stats" Video to see what was accomplished last year!  It was incredible!

 

We'll have plenty of gardens and supervisors scattered all over the Salt Lake valley and beyond!

We'll need plenty of people supporting these gardens so join us and start reaping the rewards!

Classes will start soon in our Holladay Garden Headquarters and will spread out from there.

2012 promises to be the most efficient and productive year yet! 

Whether you are motivated to learn how to grow your own food, get out and enjoy some fresh air, yearn to eat more delicious, locally grown food, save money on your food bill, or teach family members these valuable skills, you won't be disappointed by joining our Community Garden Group!

Remember, there's no prior garden experience required so click here to Join Now!