Wasatch Community Gardens needs volunteers on Saturday, May 16, to help build its new "People's Portable Garden" at 900 S. 200 West, property owned by the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency.

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. volunteers will help build raised garden beds, fill them with soil and prepare the garden for planting at the site. Bring a hat, sunscreen, water and work gloves. Lunch will be provided.

All across the nation temporary gardens are being built as a new way to grow food and build community in unused urban areas. The beds are designed so that they can be relocated once the land becomes ready for development. A "first planting" ceremony will be held at noon to celebrate the unique project.

To volunteer, call 801-359-2658 (extension 11) or email at community@wasatchgardens.org

Labels: gardening

Here are a few food-related options for May 9 and 10.

• The annual Utah letter carriers’ “Help Stamp Out Hunger” food drive is Saturday. Utahns can place non-perishable food items in a bag near their mailbox and letter carriers will pick up the donation and distribute it to Utah food banks. Donations such canned soup, tuna, pasta, rice or peanut butter should be in the plastic or other non-breakable containers.

• Help TreeUtah and the Kamas Valley Lions Club plant 100 large trees. Volunteers should meet Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Oakley Rodeo Grounds, 4300 N State Road 32. Bring a spade shovel, and work gloves. Wear sturdy shoes and clothes that can get dirty. Don't forget sunscreen and drinking water.

• Wasatch Community Garden's annual Plant Sale runs Saturday (May 9) from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rowland Hall Lower School, 720 S Guardsman. A wide variety of heirloom, organic vegetable and fruit plants, ready for the garden will be available. Also this year, there will be drought-tolerant and hard-to-find perennials.

• Lorken Food Finery, a specialty food and kitchen store in Gardner Village, 1100 W. 7800 South, West Jordan, will kick off its "Dining Around The World" series on May 9 with a taste of Italy. The dinner begins at 7 p.m. and costs $50. Reservations required, 801-938-1982.

• On Sunday, Mom's get a free cup or cone at TCBY stores.

Labels: dining, gardening

The Utah Botanical Center in Kaysville will break ground in May on its innovative "Food Pantry Garden."

Potatoes, tomatoes, corn and melons will be planted in the massive 12,000-square-foot garden, just east of I-15 at 725 S. 50 West. All the food that is harvested will be donated to local food banks to help families in need.

But the center is relying on the community to make the project work.

It needs volunteer to help maintain the garden from May 20 to Sept. 30. Times are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m.

Call 801-451-3403 for more information.

Labels: gardening, USU

Time is running out to become a 2009 "shareholder" in one of Utah's Community Supported Agriculture programs or CSAs.

Shareholders typically pay a fee in the Spring and, in return, they receive a portion of the farm's produce each week throughout the growing season. Most farmers have drop-off locations in various locations . Utah CSAs now accepting subscriptions include:

Bell Organic Gardens » 975 Canyon Breeze Lane, Draper; 801 571-7288 or bellorganic.com
Borski Farms » 251 W. 100 South, Kaysville; 801-546-5221 or borskifarms.org
East Farms » 4910 Canvasvac Lane, West Point; 801-298-5669 or eastfarms.net
Ranui Gardens » 1459 Hoytsville Rd., Dog Holler; 435-336-2813 or ranui.com
Sun River Farm » 141 S. 6000 West, Mendon; 435-787-1182 or 435-757-7507 or sunriverfarm@yahoo.com
Zoe's Garden » P.O. Box 3762, Ogden; 801 725-2682 or zoegarden.com

Labels: CSA, gardening

Are you thinking about planting a garden this summer?

If you said yes, then you have lots of company.


The unstable economy has a driven a record number of homeowners in Utah -- and across the nation -- to purchase seed packets, visit nurseries and attend educational classes this Spring. For many, having a backyard garden will be the first time they have ever dug into the soil for dinner.



Read my story about the gardening boom here.

Labels: gardening, trends