The Harvest Center

Great Progress in Divide

admin — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:30:36 +0000

Our May 19, 2013 “Hands-on” workshop was successful in that we had fun, learned a lot and we were productive. A windy, but beautiful day made it enjoyable to be outdoors with Pikes Peak in the distance. This crew of 15-20 volunteers accomplished much in 2.5 hours. Another workday like this should complete the buildout and usher in the planting.

Planning & Working Together

admin — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:13:55 +0000

We Harvest Center volunteers have learned to work together quite effectively. Our major planning session occurs monthly when the Projects Committee meets on the first Tuesday. Our work is done most days of the month. Our May 7, 2013 PC meeting was supplemented by hands on work in the dome. From 10:30 – noon, Ron, Paula, Kristin, Alicia, Kathy C., Rose, and Lee met in the yurt while Kathy W. worked in the dome greenhouse. After the meeting, Ron, Kristin, Alicia and Lee joined Kathy W in the dome.

A summary of the meeting topics and discussion is available as pdf file HC_2013_05_07minutes.

Day Trip to Westcliffe

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:01:37 +0000

Visiting High Altitude Gardeners in Westcliffe from Lee Willoughby on Vimeo.

In search of Local Food Shift stories, Nanna, Samantha, Laura, Kathy and I headed toward Westcliffe for a day trip. We visited Penn and Cord's homestead northeast of Westcliffe. They have been honing their gardening skills for 20+ years at 8500 ft in the Wet Mountains. Next, we met Robin Young in Westcliffe to visit the community garden sponsored by Sustainable Ways.

A browser-based slideshow complete with photo title and description is available.

Kickstart Your Mountain Garden

admin — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:29:41 +0000

Steve and Michelle describing their garden to an attentive audience.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Harvest Center promotes healthy food and active living. This video was a component of our March 17, 2013 workshop. We presented data related to nutritional density of vegetables; make recommendations for seed selection including seed sources; and, provide instruction in planting seeds indoors for transplant outdoors when weather permits.

Steve and Michelle presented many photos and stories about their garden complex in Florissant. Their presentation appears as a series of photos without narration.

Handouts from the workshop are available as pdf files: Harvest Center suggestions for seeds and sources; High Mowing Organic Seeds’ planting guide; and, when to plant chart from Roots Nursery.

Visiting Windkist Ranch

admin — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:14:02 +0000

Sam and I drove westward out of Woodland Park for an hour yesterday to visit with Elaine Kist. After a brief introduction to the baby lambs, pork, poultry, yak, llama and cattle, we joined the baby chicks and recuperating lamb in Elaine and Dennis’ yurt. Sam interviewed Elaine to get a producer’s perspective on the local food shift. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between Sam and Elaine. In the near future, Sam will file her report on the internet. Meanwhile, visit the WindkistRanch.com website for a look at life of a producer at 10,000 ft in the South Park area of Colorado.

Winter Storm Cancels Workshop

admin — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:54:12 +0000

We are canceling today’s workshop in the interest of safety. The wind and snowfall increased a few minutes ago to the point that we are concerned the roads may be hazardous.

Put another log on the fire and pull out those seed catalogs for an afternoon of garden dreaming.

I’ll post more workshop materials to the website later today. Meanwhile, here is The Harvest Center list of sources and seeds for 2013 and a pdf version of the main slideshow.

Sitting in Gold Hill Java

admin — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:56:01 +0000

Sipping on coffee this morning at Gold Hill Java, I noted a young woman preparing their chalkboard. She glanced at the cup of tea and tea pot to the right, then added more detail to the image being created on the board. Watching an artist is a pleasant way to pass time.

Winter Market in Woodland Park

admin — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:29:29 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Congratulations to our friends at the Woodland Park Farmers Market for their successful run of Winter Markets at the Ute Pass Event Center.

Thanks to our UCCS Volunteers

admin — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:43:27 +0000

We enjoyed harvesting, watering, and planting together in The Harvest Center dome. We harvested rainbow chard, pac choi, and lettuce which Kathy will clean and I will take to the Community Cupboard. Today was the last harvest of the chard… a harvest which began May of 2012! We planted Detroit red beets and four types of carrots. Some of the seeds planted in trays last week are sprouting.

Starting Seeds in January

admin — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:12:05 +0000

Starting Seeds in January from Lee Willoughby on Vimeo.

Samantha, Kathy and Lee planted kale, red cabbage, parsley, lettuce and chard on a day with a cold wind blowing outside the greenhouse. Inside our "off the grid" dome greenhouse, the temperature was in the 60's. Keep in mind that we are gardening at 8,700 feet with Pikes Peak as our neighbor.