Henry in the Garden: Already Preparing for the Spring
The bane of all gardeners is powdery mildew - that white substance that collects both on the tops and bottoms of the leaves of your healthiest vegetable plants. Cucumbers and zucchini seem to be more easily affected by this scourge than many others.
The easiest remedy is always just to remove the contaminated parts of the plant. Think about it: if the plant is healthy enough, it will be easiest for it to just grow its leaves back than undergo an onslaught of store bought chemicals. There are chemical sprays you can get at the nursery and they seem to get more costly every year - and also less effective!
My plan next year is to employ a scheme I saw on the internet. It consists simply of a 10:1 ratio of room temperature water and milk. The milk has to be good whole milk - not the ULTRA-homogenized version, but the standard homogenized will work.
Put the milk solution in one of those $10-15 sprayers and cover both the tops and bottoms of all leaves. And, please, do this only once every seven to ten days or you will kill your plant with kindness. Remember that’s 1 part milk to 10 parts H20. Good luck!
For the young gardener, don’t take things too personally. Remember as it is in life, so it is in gardening: there will be ups and downs. Just because something did well this season, doesn’t mean you’ll have the same luck next season - and vice versa. There will be successes, and miserable failures.
And you’ll always have plants that will come back and visit you, whether you invited them or not. We call those ‘volunteers.’
More Co-op News
Bicycle Benefits
Do you love to bike? Do you love to save money? Do you love the Co-op? Let us tell you about this awesome program at the Ashland Food Co-op! We all know biking is great for the environment and by joining Bicycle Benefits you'll be doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint, all while enjoying some pretty sweet perks.
So, what exactly is Bicycle Benefits? It's a program that rewards cyclists for their pedal power! Here's how it works:
1. Stop by the Co-op and buy your $5 Bicycle Benefits sticker
May 2023 Change for Good Partner: Talent Maker City
Talent Maker City's mission is to build a more connected, prosperous, and resilient community through hands-on creativity and innovative STEAM-based learning. (STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math.) They have a bustling Makerspace facility, brimming with creative energy in downtown Talent offering hands-on STEAM-based workshops and programming for curious minds of all ages!
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo
We're always learning and growing here at the Co-op and with the approach of Cinco de Mayo we thought we would share a (very) brief history lesson and some thoughts on celebrating this holiday here in the United States.
April 2023 Change for Good Partner: Pollinator Project Rogue Valley
From Kristina Lefever, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley President
March 2023 Change for Good: Klamath Bird Observatory
From Klamath Bird Observatory, March 2023's Change for Good partner:
Frederick Douglass And Co-ops in 1846
When Douglass Came to Rochdale, England a Slave and Left a Free Man
By David J Thompson
February's Change for Good partner: OHRA
OHRA helps low-income people build better lives through access to social service resources. By helping
people move from crisis to stability, OHRA builds more capable individuals, stronger families, and a
better community. We have three core programs:
January Change for Good Partner: Ashland Food Angels
December Change for Good Partner: Rogue Action Center
December's Change for Good Partner is
Rogue Action Center
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The Rogue Action Center (RAC) builds organizing infrastructure, leaders, and community power for a just, inclusive, and sustainable Southern Oregon for everyone.
November Change for Good Partner: Vesper Meadow Education Program
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October Change for Good Partner: AFC Gives Community Fund
October's Change for Good Partner is
AFC Gives Community Fund
September Change for Good Partner: Truth to Power
September's Change for Good Partner is
Truth to Power
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Truth to Power cultivates teen activism and community participation through social justice podcasts and transformative projects.
