Neighbors Tackle Garden To-Do List

On Saturday, December 27th, a window of opportunity opened. The weather forecast was an unbelievable 72°F and sunny: perfect for a Garden Work Day!

There were three main tasks that have long been on the garden to-do list: trim the hedges, empty the compost, and build a tool shed. It was a daunting amount of work, but we were determined to get it done!

First, we set our sights on the overgrown hedge. If left unchecked, the bushes would soon swallow the fence, so something had to be done. This is where Becky and Stephanie stepped up to the plate: Stephanie lopped an impressive number of branches, and Becky came to slay with a handheld electric chainsaw.

Next, we decided to (at long last) empty the full composters. It was finally time to start over and implement a new system to harvest completed compost to prevent buildup of wet material. The was the job for Bennett and J; they pinched their noses and started digging. After much effort, they successfully disposed of all of the compost in the two overflowing containers, making room for the next era in our garden's compost story.

Finally, and most excitedly, we were ready to build the new garden tool shed. Until now, our communal tools have been left out in the rain on the fence, rapidly degrading them. We knew our tools needed a home, and this shed would be just the place. This is where Summer and Mariel really shined: together, the deciphered the instruction manual and began attaching pieces to build the shed. When Bennett and J returned from the compost disposal, they assisted with laying a foundation of cinder blocks and moving the shed into place.

After four long hours, the neighbors completed the work and declared the Garden Work Day to be a success! Many thanks to Stephanie, J, Mariel, Becky, Summer, and Bennett for their hard work. Our garden is now ready for the coming spring and many more planting seasons to come.