Pay Dirt

Today's temperature: 55 degrees (F)

Sky Condition: Not a cloud in the sky

I drove by the new 'farm' today to take pictures and get an idea of how much Terra Firma a 25'X50' garden plot is. WOW! That's a lot of dirt.

I am now responsible for weed control of this 1,250sq.ft section. This is plot 23 of 46 plots.

Per my signed agreement:
"WEEDS MUST BE KEPT UNDER CONTROL. Your garden plot will be reassigned to a person on the waiting list if your garden plot is identified as being intensely weedy. This is a judgment call that your fellow gardeners make on community work days. If your garden is identified as weedy you will be notified and given two weeks to clear it of weeds. If your garden is identified twice during the same season, you will forfeit your garden plot, and deposit, to a person on the waiting list."

Pressurized irrigation water is supplied to all plots.

I now have approx. four weeks to determine what to grow on the 'farm' and need to start my starters this week at home in my garden shed.

I will for sure plant potatoes. (I'm in Idaho, it's my first farm...) I'm planning on pumpkin, squash, and maybe some sweet corn.

Plot 23

Today (March27, 2010) I start tracking my 25' X 50' farm at the College of Southern Idaho's Community Garden. I will post updates with pictures journaling the experience from ground prep to the table. Follow along if you can handle the excitement.

Gardening Rules and Guidelines
Failure to comply with these rules will result in forfeiture of your deposit, and possible revocation of your gardening privileges.

Safety (emphasis mine)

• Keep hoses, weeds, sticks, bricks, tools, and toys in your garden, and away from public footpaths.
• Maintain a five foot walkway around your garden. This enables the CSI tractor (What? Do I get to drive this tractor?) to move up and down pathways without driving in your garden.
• Hoses must be disconnected and stored in your garden after each use. Failure to do so results in a test of strength between garden hoses and lawn mower blades.
• Never bring into or leave wood in the garden area with exposed nails.
• Do not extend your garden plot past the boundary markers. If additional space is required, please contact the CSI representative or call the Ag office at 732-6401.
• Do not bring glass into your garden.
• Alcohol is expressly prohibited on CSI grounds.