May 2018 E-Newsletter
I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. ~Ruth Stout
Featured Instagram Photo of the Month: Wildflowers Aplenty.
Upcoming Garden Events:
May. 12 - Saturday Workday - 9:00 AM - Noon
May. 12 - Seed Starting Class - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
May. 19 - Board Meeting - 9:30 AM
May. 27 - Sunday Workday - 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Useful info:
- Most of the northern hemisphere is finally celebrating spring sunshine this month. Conversely, in our coastal climate we’re often stuck with cooler weather and grey skies. May Grey and June Gloom and very real. While this weather is great for planting – and you should be doing lots of it this month – it can also leave our heat-loving plants venerable to disease. Tomato blight and powdery mildew on squashes are big problems around OVF. To prevent these diseases, try to water your plot in the morning, avoid getting water on plants’ leaves on damp days, and try not to let any dirt splash up onto your plants (or let your plants’ leaves touch the wet dirt). The nice things about this weather is that it gives your transplants and seeds time to grow and set deep roots before the summer heat get here. Even if May historically hasn’t been the best month for sunshine, there are so many wonderful things that you should be putting in the ground right now. Here are some tips for the May garden.
- And here’s a film recommendation from Phase II Upper member Sara Sakuma: “This film played at the Laemmle for one night a few weeks ago. I’m happy I rushed over to see it. I thought of how many OVF gardeners would appreciate it.” The Gardener is described as “a documentary reflecting on the meaning of gardening and its impact on our lives.” It will be playing at the Music Hall Friday, May 18th.
- Just a reminder that gardeners will need to have half of their community service hours completed by June.
- For those of you who enjoy killing two birds with one stone, we encourage you to join us for the Saturday workday on the 12th and then stick around for the seed starting workshop at 1:00 pm (information below).
OVF Announcements:
Seed Starting Class
OVF Gardeners and associates are invited to join us a seed starting class on Saturday, May 12th from 1:00-3:00pm. Space is limited and participants can preregister on the OVF website. Topics to be covered include soil mix, seed types, watering, fertilizing, lighting and more.
Special guest at OVF General Meeting
By Nancy Howell
At the April workday potluck and meeting, Ocean View Farms had a special guest, Christine Blum who read a paragraph from her latest book, which is to be released April 24th. Christine lives on Rose Avenue and has written a series of fictional mysteries, the latest being Murder most Fermented. This book features Ocean View Farms. Although the books are purely fictional, she includes historical fact sand as well as recognizable landmarks in Mar Vista. This book can be purchased on Amazon as well as her first book, Full Bodied Murder. As you may well guess by the titles, the stories revolve around a “Rose Avenue Wine Club”. Christine’s third book The Name of the Rose will be released in November
Board Election Results
- Chair - Frank Harris*
- Treasurer - Carol Velkes*
- Recording Secretary - Rena Sonshine*
- Education Chair - Andy Morris*
- Education Chair - Ona Rynearson
- Phase Representative - I Middle - Erin Jones
- Phase Representative - I Middle - Linda Tsukamoto*
- Phase Representative - I Lower - Tanya Brokaw*
- Phase Representative - II Lower - Janet Williams *
- Phase Representative - III Lower - Tatiana Brovko
- Phase Representative - III Lower - Wendy Scott*
Won Election
* Uncontested
A very special thank you to all of those that serve on the OVF Board of Directors and especially those that ran for one of the positions.
Help Wanted
Help us strengthen the OVF community while earning your service hours. We’re looking for gardeners to contribute content to the e-newsletter. Send us your gardening tips, recipes, stories and photographs or other art to share. We’d love a few reporters to help profile garden members and garden happenings. Community service hours will be awarded for content. We'd also love gardeners to send us your announcements: births, weddings, deaths, accomplishments… etc. Email askovf@oceanviewfarms.net if you have something to contribute.
In Memoriam
The Ocean View Farms community lost a long-time member in April. Phase I Upper member Gordon Stewart Ellens passed away on April 8, 2018, just shy of his ninety-second birthday. Gordon was a member of OVF for twenty-four years and worked for many years in the OVF orchard. He could often be spotted enjoying lunch and conversation at the seating area under the eucalyptus tree at the top of phase I.
As always: we want to hear from you! Send us an email, reach out on Facebook, or tag us on Instagram @oceanviewfarms.
That’s all for now. Happy gardening!