OUR GARDEN IS UNDERWAY!

Here is our tentative layout. Each member is given a portion of our 40x10ft plot in which you can see our whole student garden layout. We are on the southern most side of the student garden. (in the photo, the TOP LEFT) Most other groups have elected to have 20x20ft plots. We decided on the 40x10ft plot because we didn't want to waste room for HUGE paths to get to the center of our garden when we could be planting vegetables there!


Student Organic Gardening Plot


Each student in our group will be specializing in growing a few vegetables and herbs. This includes learning about the specific needs of each plant including: The soil conditions, NPK requirements, Sun/shade preferences, Watering Schedule, Drainage requirements,  Harvest periods, Spacing, ect. Along side the vegetables, you can see our efforts to incorporate diversity into our plot by planting flowers and herbs that attract beneficial insects to help with pests! Its all about organic and not about synthetics!



Our Tentative Plan!



This Link will provide you with a more extensive plan for our garden. We used the Garden Planner located on Mother Earth News. This site is excellent and highly recommended. It includes everything about your region where you are planting. It automatically spaces plants and calculates growing/harvesting periods. Check out our prospective plants!http://gardenplanner.motherearthnews.com/garden-plan.aspx?p=274690

Here is a link to the garden planner so you can start your garden layout!
http://gardenplanner.motherearthnews.com/

ADDITIONALLY!
Here is some updated photos from our class's efforts! We are growing in three protected tunnels! These vegetables will be taken and sold at the Local Corvallis Farmers Market!


Tunnel #1 running east to west (Student plot on the Left!)




Tunnel #2



Tunnel #3. ALL TOMATOES BABY!

  Shaping our plot and beds this weekend! Such nice planting weather right now! Go plant some seeds somewhere!

Here you can see 3 recently planted beds under the Oak Creek covered beds. Once the plastic covers were placed over the plots, the soil had to dry out a little before it could be worked. It's been a very wet season here in Oregon!

Organic Farming at its finest!

The basis of Organic Farming is not to use any synthetic inputs for the soil. Instead, putting organic material back into to soil through natural methods is a great alternative. Organic material -aka- "fallen leaves" are placed over the soil (with Precipitated Calcium Carbonate to raise the pH) which are broken down naturally by microorganisms.  The soil is turned and formed into a "raised bed" which allows for superior drainage. Take note that when the soil is turned, the soil isn't broken up and pulverized into a fine granular substance (like a rototiller would do). This allows for the preservation of naturally occurring bacteria ecosystems! In one pinch of soil, there are ONE BILLION organisms! All of which have a specific role in the food chain and soil-nutrient health!

Once the soil is turned, shaped, and spread, Organically certified OMRI approved fertilizer is spread out. Compost (used for potting soil) is then lightly spread out so that our vegetable seedlings can be planted.

You can see above a variation of lettuces, spinach, fennel, and radishes just starting to flourish. The tent to the left will have tomatoes! To the far right is where our garden of eatin will begin. More picture to come!!

The class is responsible for these beds which the produce will be sold at the Corvallis Farmers Market!





The Garden of Eatin

We are a group of Oregon State University students pursuing to create a sustainable garden using organic practices. Our focus is to preserve diversity within the garden by using techniques taught to us in our Horticulture 260 class by James Cassidy himself! Our garden plot is a 10x40 piece of land located at the Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture which happens to be a very fertile Silt Loam. Oak Creek produces and sells organic produce at the Corvallis Farmers Market in an effort to support its students. Our garden is just beginning but follow us and we will update you with pictures and the progress that our garden makes!
Our group members include all students from Oregon State University:

• Cheryl Bryson   (Group Leader)
• Joseph Davanzo
• Hannah Dreher
• Brian Haggblom