Earth Hour is tonight for an hour, between 8:30pm - 9:30pm

VOTE EARTH

YOUR LIGHT SWITCH IS YOUR VOTE

WWF is urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, 2009.

This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol.

It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard!

If you think that it's worth trying to make a difference for future generations, *please* take a moment to sign up at their site - and place your vote by turning off your lights for just an hour on Saturday, 28th March - 8.30 pm - 9.30 pm.

That's 8.30 pm - 9.30 pm local time - wherever you are on the planet...

To find out more, and sign up, please click below: http://www.earthhour.org/about/

Edible garden at California's Capitol Park

Sacramento's Capitol Park may have an edible garden too. The details have not come out yet, but this article hit the Sac. Bee today.


Edible garden planned for Capitol Park

Days after first lady Michelle Obama broke ground on a White House garden, California first lady Maria Shriver announced Wednesday she plans to establish an edible garden at Capitol Park in Sacramento.

Shriver plans to grow fruits, vegetables and other edible plants on an 800-square-foot plot east of 13th Street between Capitol Avenue and L Street, said spokesman Francisco Castillo. The space currently holds a flower bed.

"This new garden will bring awareness to children, students and visitors about the important role of food, where it comes from, nutritional value, how it is grown and harvested and ultimately how it reaches the tables of those who need it most," Shriver said in a statement.

Shriver plans to work with the California School Garden Network and chef Alice Waters, who established The Edible Schoolyard organic gardening program at a Berkeley middle school.

"It's a project she's thought about for a while," Castillo said.

Little by little, spring garden plans come together

In the class that I just finished teaching, my students planted all of their spring and summer vegetable seeds in little cardboard (recycled) pots. Unfortunately, I only planted seed for my spring vegetables in December and not the warm season vegetables.

In the vegetable garden, we are now growing swiss chard, two kinds of lettuce, spinach, onions, leeks, nasturtium and peas. I have not planted the parsley starts yet. Then there are the two tomato plants that are still in the greenhouse and a backup of lettuce starts.

This is a picture of my grandfather chard, which is either 4 or 4 1/2 years old. I haven't kept count. Notice how thick the main brown stem is. The leaves have always been very tender and have a nice mild flavor. This plant is obviously living the life of a perennial! ;-)

This afternoon I planted a few seeds. I planted bell peppers (from my saved seeds), sweet basil, thyme, scarlet nasturtium (Empress of India), and zucchini.

Well, I am going to have to buy some starters this year. I will probably purchase anaheim peppers and several varieties of chili peppers - cayenne, jalapeno, habanaro, etc. (Talini's nursery will have a nice organic selection). I will have to purchase all of my paste tomatoes and some favorite table tomatoes, since it is so late in the year to start the seed. I should have started them 5-7 weeks before our last frost which is tomorrow (March 23rd). Same for eggplants.

I will need to start carrots and beans from seed soon. Then there are the special vegetable varieties that I don't grow every year. I am not sure yet what they will be, but I am thinking spaghetti squash and pumpkin to start with.

Our little urban farm provides fresh, nutritious, wonderful tasting fruits and vegetables throughout the year. We are eating in harmony with the seasons and savoring the experience.

Right feeding is the biggest single factor in good health - but the food must be right in quality as well as quantity. ~ Organic Gardening -- Rodale Press

Even the White House is planting an organic vegetable garden this spring!

Yes, we have been saying for months now that an organic vegetable garden at the White House would set a good example for the country. We are so pleased that Michelle Obama is starting the garden and Sam Kass, an assistant White House chef will oversee the garden. It demonstrates the importance of fresh, nutritious, good tasting fruits and vegetables that are free from chemicals and are also plentiful and economically available to many Americans where they live. (at their home, community garden or local farmer's market)

Watch this video and see it really beginning.

Life is SPRINGING up everywhere!

This is one time when the actual jump into spring is happening in conjunction with a wonderful change in the weather. Wow! Hang-on, Spring is really really here!!! It is time to get my complete spring/summer garden into full production. As it stands now, I only have four beds growing vegetables. By April 1st I hope to have many more planted.

And I hear that other new gardens are in the planning stages of being developed. Maybe . . .

THIS LAWN IS YOUR LAWN

Early spring is a time for pruning in my yard this year!

March has been a month spent in the garden pruning and pulling those aggressive Oxalis yellow flowers. It has been a better workout than going to the gym 5 days a week.

I now have three new fruit trees planted in my new fruit tree bed. I purchased an O'Henry peach, a Fantasia nectarine, and a Royal Blenheim apricot at Fowler nursery in Newcastle (up the hill). I am so excited to get these trees planted. I lost my huge apricot this last fall and it broke my heart. I am hoping this new apricot tastes as yummy as my old one did.

The last three years have not included the needed big time pruning on my property - so it is happening this year. The thornless blackberries were cleaned out and look great - ready to produce lots of blackberries. The huge plum tree in my front yard just lost a huge limb yesterday that was encroaching my neighbors drive-way. Wow - there is so much light under that tree now. I was able to severely prune the two roses on the trellis next to the tree too, so I am expecting a fantastic show later this spring. One is a peace climber rose and produces huge blooms.

Now, I have plum flowers in the house to spread their sweetness and bring the promise of spring.

And the pruning story continues . . . . To be continued this week.