A young volunteer helps mulch the trees with alfalfa

On an unusually balmy autumn day mid November, seven Growing for Green volunteers gathered in Ben Nobleman Park to put our Orchard to bed for winter. The main task was to mulch our trees with nutritious alfalfa hay, which we brought in from Niagara region earlier in the year. This is the third time this year that we’ve used alfalfa as mulch. Alfalfa hay, if you’ve never seen it, looks puffy when you first place it around the tree base but quickly disintegrates and enriches soil by giving our young trees a nice boost of nutrients.

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Zsuzsanna lends a hand in planting our donated bulbs on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011 during a stewardship day in Ben Nobleman Park Community Orchard.

If you’ve ever heard the African proverb or John Heywood’s famous idiom “many hands make light work,” you’ll understand what Growing for Green’s Sunday stewardship events are all about. Anyone can join in, as the more people who come and help out, the more work we get done. No special skills are needed – just a desire to get your hands dirty and work in the garden!

Last Sunday, on October 23, 2011, a small group of seven dedicated volunteers did just that, and pitched in to do a fall planting in the pollinator garden. Some pruned, others weeded or picked up debris but most spent the time planting. Yes, fall is one of the best times to plant.

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