Sunshine Community Gardens

24 December, 2020

www.sunshinecommunitygardens.org

Gardener's Picture page

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Happy Holidays to All and Welcome to a Better 2021

Fauna photographed at Sunshine

Gardener Kristin Phillips submits the following photos of some of the fauna photographed at the Garden.

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Need TSBVI Hours? -- Weeding Khaki Weed Counts

Khaki weed remains a pervasive problem at Sunshine and to encourage its removal, the board has approved weeding khaki weed counting as TSBVI hours for the fall season ending 12/31. Khaki weed has a tap root so try to get it out. All khaki weed (and burrs) should be put in the dumpster.

Ila Falvey says: "Khaki Weed is difficult to identify after being hit with cold weather. The photos below showing the new look of Khaki Weed will hopefully help in identifying it and removing it for your TSBVI hour. Remember to put it in the dumpster. It has a long tap root and the plant usually is surrounded with the nasty sticky seeds. Carefully collect them with gloves on and put them into the dumpster also."

Photos submitted by Ila Falvey

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Thanks Y'all - A Few of Many Member Recognitions for 2020

Submitted by Charlotte Jernigan

Starting with a special thanks to our seven SCG Board members for all that they do, the Micah 6 Food Garden Team (another 5-6 people) and the Compost Area Team. Then we have the Tools/Mowers/Trimmers guys, the Education Team, our volunteer plumbers, welders and carpenters, the Zone Coordinators, KayM renting plots, HollyG who does the Weeder and SharonR who has been our webmaster for more than a decade. Numerous people care for our public area gardens, with special thanks to MatttJ and BettyC who have made the entrance Bus Stop Garden a show-piece. And thanks to Jimmie -- he does a little of everything but won't confess to any of it!

These and so many more are a few of those "always on campus" people who volunteer at Sunshine as if it were their parttime jobs.

2020 TBVSI Garden Helpers

Due to the pandemic, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TBVSI) student activity has been extremely reduced for all of 2020 and staff needed to be redirected to other activities. This meant many more fallowed beds than u sual for the TBVSI Garden. Fallowed ground needs TLC to avoid weeds or "desertification". These beds needed top mulch with alfalfa or leaves and planting of a cover crop such as clover or rye to optimize the microbiome or to serve as green manure.

Happily, a few stalwart SCG members stepped up to work in the July heat, and again in the Fall chill, with quarantine restrictions. The TBVSI Garden beds were cleaned and mulched for shut down, cleaned again in November and some were seeded with a rye grass cover crop in December.

A hearty thank you goes out especially to Robert Jarry and Jim Willman who tackled the plumbing and carpentry repairs for the TBVSI hose hangers and to Susan Prosperie, our resident perineal & natives expert, for defining a trimming plan for each perineal bed. Her guidance was combined with the hard work of the following SCG members who each took on one or two beds for TLC:

• Jim Willmann
• Susan Prosperie
• Robert Jarry
• Paige Dunlap
• Linda Booker
• Allan Burris
• Susan Kramer
• Summer Shuckahosee
• Amy Schaefer
• James Collins
• Juan Pedro Maestre
• Summer Shuckahosee
• Amy Schaefer
• Susan Kramer
• Marilyn Landberg
• Jennifer Boley & Neoproject

Plus others whose names I lost track of - so sorry - but you know who you are!

Crafts People

Ray Porter

After only 30-years (!) our resident welder, metal artist and general fix-it guy, Ray Porter, cut and re-welded the SCG Trail security bars so that the two sides align for lock. It was worth the wait! Especially the Micha 6 Food Pantry Team and those of us who feed our campus-cat, Sunny, every day "we thank you" Ray for finally making it possible to open and close the trailer lock without standing on our heads!

Gail Reese

Gail put her sewing skills to work and made a beautiful new cushion for the TBVSI pergola bench. So welcomed by all who use this as a rest and contemplation area, especially on hot days.

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Weeder Content

Please email your article or suggestion to Holly Gilman by end of day Wednesday.

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