Birchyville 2018 Annual Report
Summer of 2018
Birchyville Garden Update 10/16/18
This growing season was FBFG’s first at Birchyville Garden. The land had been a garden in years past but had been left to grow over for many years. The new owner, Birch Shapiro, (thus the name of the garden), is a degreed horticulturalist. Birch, through an agreement with the FBFG, wanted to bring as much of his land back into production as was possible to specifically support the Port Townsend Food Bank.
He began by plowing up the ground, adding deer fencing, lots of straw, mulch and providing the water for irrigation. Shold’s Garden Supply provided generous discounts on mulch and materials. Despite the usual difficulties in developing a garden, FBFG volunteer Master Gardener, Mado Most, worked to develop a viable vegetable garden. She literally hand watered the garden during this summer and her success was in the harvest. Lettuce, tomatoes, basil, kale and beans were harvested and distributed through the Port Townsend Food Bank. Mado is now planting a cover crop mix over the bare ground for winter. High praise and much gratitude to Mado for her exceptional work and long hours during this initial season. We hope to have an irrigation system in by next season.
Birchyville Gardens formerly Hancock Gardens