BUMCCG

 Bearden UMC Community Garden - Okra, Cucumbers, etc. 6/19/26. Today, we harvested a few cucumbers, okra, peppers, tomatoes, and green beans, which we put in the blessing box. The veggies were picked up in less than an hour.  We received a free soil test from a UT Hort class. Soil testng at https://knox.tennessee.edu/agriculture-programs/soils/. Soil tesing is an important part of good gardening practices. We dug 10 holes at least 6 inches deep to collect 3 cups of soil per sample. We found a few healthly earth worms and lots of cut-up tires pieces.  Thanks, Leigh

 Bearden UMC Community Garden - Succession Planting 6/17/26.  On Sunday after the harvest, we planted more seed potatoes and green bean seeds. On Tuesday, we planted thyme plants, jalapeno seeds, and carrot seeds. On Wednesday, we plant jalapeno and california salsa pepper plants.  Bed #1 after planting the pepper plants today.  Bed #1  after planting the green been seeds (after potato harvest) and Bed #2 after planting seed potatoes (after cabbage harvest).  Bed #1 with the green bean seeds before covering them with soil.  We received a generous donation to the garden fund and purchase some more tools.  We also plant to add guttering and rain barrels to the shelter in the garden. We also want to set up a farm stand next to the blessing box to regularly distribute fresh produce.  I appreciate my garden friend, Ken, helping me on Tuesday.  Thanks, Leigh 

 Bearden UMC Community Garden - Giveaway Harvest 6/13/26. This morning, my garden friends, Dan, Carol, and Connie, help me to harvest Potatoes (37 lb), Cabbage (11.25 lb), Kale & other greens (9.3 lb), Green beans (.15 lb), Peppers (.5 lb), Tomatoes (.6 lb), Garlic (1.1 lb), Carrots (11.7 lb), and Orka (.18 lb). We had a great harvest and sorting through the veggies for quality produce.  Some of our beds are empty after harvesting. We will be ready to plant more veggies soon.  My garden friend was harvesting carrots and cutting of the tops to help preserve them.  My garden friend was brushing off the dirt. We don't wash with water, because moisture speed up degenerations of the produce.  Garden friends were digging up potatoes.  I appreciate all my garden friends help in harvesting, sorting, and weighing produce.  We had a great turnout of folks coming to the giveaway.  Thanks, Leigh

 Bearden UMC Community Garden - Potatoes 6/4-8/26.  On Thursday, my garden friends and I harvested 15 lbs of potatoes to give to families in need. We did not pull up the potato plants, yet. We will have a lot more potatoes to harvest (10:30 am) and giveaway (2 pm) on Saturday, 6/13. This week, God plans to water the garden. We will not work if it is raining. Please pray that the weather stays nice for our Saturday harvest and giveaway.  The first bed has with three rows of potato plants. When the foliage dies back, it is ready to harvest. We can harvest when the plant blooms and get new potatoes.  The trombone squashes are happy and starting to vine up.  The kale and cauliflower will produces many leaves of greens to giveaway. You can see the okra at the end of this bed and at the end of the bed to the right. The cabbage greens will produce a good harvest for the giveaway.  The tomatoes are happy and have plen...

 Bearden UMC Community Garden - Water 5/30/26.  God is gave us 2 more inches of rain water last night and this morning. All of the veggies are looking happy.  Soon, we will have tomatoes to harvest.  Thanks, Leigh

 Bearden UMC Community Garden - God waters the garden 5/26/26 I praise and thank God for giving our garden 5.5 inches of water. Today, Dan and I also put up a trellis for the Tromboncino squash seedlings.  We also weaved the tomatoes into their trellis and even found one ripe Sun Sugar tomato.  Our snack cucumbers and sweet potatoes are healthy.  Dan and I had to snip off the flower buds on our potatoes so they will put their energy to their roots.  The green beans are starting to bloom next to the potatoes.  The carrots are healthy and will be ready to harvest for our next giveaway.  The peppers are healthy and production peppers.  The tomatoes are happy.  The cauliflour is happy. The kale is coming back and the orka is getting tall.  The cabbage and garlic are happy.  Our first bed of potatoes is happy.  This was our tromboncino squash bed before we put up the trellis and planted the seedlings.  I am thankful f...