Summer Gardening in Brooklyn

July 15, 2014

      It's been a fairly mild summer here in Brooklyn, New York so far with plenty of rain falling on my community garden plots. My chili peppers, squash, corn, and parsley are doing well and my Cottage Garden has taken off.

      I garden a 4x6 plot at the Windsor Terrace branch of the Brooklyn Public Library--a small community garden of five plots behind the building. Two active local gardeners received a grant to start the garden, picked up recycled lumber to build the raised beds, and got mulch from the City of New York for the area around the plots. Gardeners take turns watering on days the library is open. We garden organically and start plants from seeds. The library is 4 blocks from my apartment.

     My second plot is in the East Fourth Street Community Garden, located a block from the library, a Green Thumb garden on land owned by the New York City Parks and Recreation Department. The garden has close to 70 members and around 40 individual plots, as well as community areas that are maintained by member work groups. Garden members who maintain individual plots are required to pay yearly dues, put in hours in work groups, host garden "open hours," attend membership meetings, and work during garden maintenance days. We garden organically--no pesticides or herbicides.  I was on the waiting list two years before I got my own 3x5 plot.

     Last year, I proposed creating a Cottage Garden near the garden entrance. The garden's steering committee agreed with my plan and gave me a budget to buy plants. Work group members turned over the soil, added compost, and purchased flowers from a local nursery. The Cottage Garden contains Astilbe, Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower), Cranesbill, Black-Eyed Susan, Columbine, Asters, Purple Coneflower, Gayfeather ((Liatris), Daylilies, Cinquefoil, and Coreopsis, among other things.

     As I have no garden space of my own (I rent a second-floor walk-up apartment in a private home), the opportunity to garden within walking distance of my apartment is a delight!

       

Green Living Tip: Make your own laundry detergent! You can use either liquid Castille soap or a combination of washing soda/baking soda/borax/essential oils. I often wash small articles of clothing in my little hand-cranked washing machine, on my kitchen sink. I can do everything that way, except towels and sheets. For that, I go to the laundromat and then bring home the wet towels and sheets and hang them up in my apartment. Extreme? Well, I do live alone and don't have that many clothes.

Happy Fall from Anna's Potions and Lotions! The weather here in Brooklyn is cool, dry, and crisp. Stay tuned this week for information on the non-GMO/GMO debate. Also, more info. on natural cleaning and living a greener life!

Want to find socially and environmentally responsible businesses? The National Green Pages, published by Green America, is a great source. For more information, call 800-58-GREEN for more information or visit Green America's website at www.GreenAmerica.org.

Here's a review of Anna's Sweet Rose Moisturizing Cream, by Donna Maria Cole Johnson, CEO of The Indie Beauty Network. https://indiebusiness.infusionsoft.com/app/hostedEmail/508744/3b30f328eac72ed8/T "A few months ago, I was pleasantly surprised to receive several delicious treats from Debbie Miller of Anna's Potions and Lotions, one of IBN's members in Brooklyn, New York. First, I tried the Sweet Rose Moisturizing Cream. This product is made to order by Debbie, but the best part is how easily it smoothed over my skin. It also smelled fantastic. The jar I received was about 2 ounces, which led me to believe I should use very small quantities. Well, I didn't. I pretty much used up the whole thing that night I got it, after my bath. I had a little left for my cuticles, and over the next few days, I wiped that out too. Sweet Rose Moisturizing Cream contains organic Bulgarian rose oil, organic rose hydrosol, and organic rose hip seed oil -- which is oh-so-good for your skin. It is available in 4-ounce jars. The package also included a small jar of Anna's Cocoa Butter Lemon cream, which was also delightful. Debbie was kind enough to include some sample sizes of her soy candles in my package of treats. They're available in three sizes, and in Lemon, Orange, Clove, Lavender and Unscented. It's hard to select a favorite, but I'd have to say it was Clove. It was creamy yet spicy -- perfect for the fall season. In addition to candles and moisturizers, Debbie also makes lip balms. You can see more of Anna's Potions and Lotions products in the Indie Social Photo Gallery, and meet Debbie Miller there too, at her Profile Page."

Take a Guided Relaxation with Candles

Try this if you're stressed out and have 6 minutes for a quicky relaxation break: Go to http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/MM00623. There you'll find a short meditation video of a candle flame. A woman's soothing voice and gentle background music guide you along. Feel the stress melt away ...

I came across a great book, Natural Beauty Basics, by Dorie Byers, R.N. It has recipes for creating your own soaps, facial masks, and hand cleaners. It's not only cheaper, but healthier, to make and use your own beauty products!