GCGC

09/18/2024

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FYI: Today is Mommy's 94th Birthday so we are hanging out, so, Cheryl Penn, and Courtney Penn Blevins, and I are hanging out with her ALL DAY! The Farmer's Market will be SATURDAY!!!

We hope to see you at the CMNMG Farmers Market on Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. All produce is just $1/lb! www.cmnmg.org

09/10/2024

Hello fellow GCGCers.... though we are well into September, the weather later this week is HOT! Keep watering your veggies if they are producing. I have re-planted some OSU Extension seed trials of green beans, carrots, and spinach. We will see how it goes!
This Saturday marks the last of our National Garden Week summer tours, this time at the very large International Harvest Garden. Come out west and see the different vegetables grown by some of our immigrant and refugee friends. Saturday, Sept. 14th starting at 9am.

09/06/2024

I'm late posting pictures as part of our incredible THANK YOU! Thanks to the efforts of our garden grant team, spear-headed by Dr. David Delaine, Associate Professor in the School of Universal Computing, Construction & Engineering Education (SUCCEED) and the STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University (FIU), formerly at The Ohio State University College of Engineering, and Damon Princeton Penn Nabrit, doctoral student at The Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO), Garden Co-Manager, & V.P. Tech Support @ PN&A, Inc., we were awarded an FY24 Central Ohio STEM Grant from the Battelle Foundation Fund to support Strengthening a Garden Ecosystem for Informal STEM Education at The Charles Madison Nabrit Memorial Garden! YAY!

The Battelle Foundation Fund grant allowed us to host another year of "STEM2STEAM: It's All in the Garden", August 5th-9th, our FREE, week-long, all-day summer day camp for students, ages 5-15.

The funding made it possible for us to pay each of our 20 Camp Counselors $15.00 an hour, hire local Black caterers to prepare the lunches, hire buses for our field trip to The Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, pay Farmer Brown to come talk about agribusiness, including Beyonce and her bee hives; AND, most importantly we were able to pay our partner, The Church of Christ of the Apostolic Faith, $3,500 to use multiple classrooms, the Fellowship Hall, and of course bathrooms so the heat wave that week didn't deter us.

I have to give a special THANK YOU to Damon who also served as Camp Director, interviewed and hired our counselors, selected and purchased all the materials and supplies, and took a week off from work and school to make the magic happen. Most significantly, during the 10 years of its existence, neither Damon nor Charles M. P. Nabrit as Co-Managers has EVER been paid for any of their work in the garden, including camp!

But check out the swag, including the tee shirts with our cool logo on the front, designed by Evan Nabrit, graphic design genius and 3rd son. (I don't pay him either;)

09/04/2024

Delighted for another Farmer's Market, today, from 4:00-6:30 at
The CMN Memorial Garden, situated near the rear parking lot of The Church of Christ of the Apostolic Faith, 1200 Brentnell Ave, Columbus, OH 43219. We're partnering with Richland Gro-op (as always!) so you know all the produce, ours & theirs, is fresh and clean!

Basil
Beets
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Celery
Chives
Eggplant
Elderberries
Green Beans
Kale (Curly)
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Mint
Okra
Onions
Parsley
Peppers (Banana, Bells, Hungarian Hot Wax & Thai)
Sage
Swiss Chard
Tomatoes (Cherry, Heirloom & Roma)
Tarragon

We'll also have some of my books, in case you want a signed copy of any of them, including:

*As For Me and My House @1995

*Sankofa: Look to Your Past Forgotten Heritage @1995

*Exploring a New Synthesis: Business Ethics & Diversity @1999

*Morning by Morning: How We Home-Schooled Our African American Sons to the Ivy League @2003

*The Power of a Virtuous Woman @2012

08/21/2024

Our weekly Farmer's Market is happening again, TODAY, 4:00-6:00. Join us at The CMN Memorial Garden.
Here's some of the organic produce our partner, Richland Gro-Op is bringing:
Basil—Ruby, Sweet, Lettuce leaf
Beets
Cabbage
Carrots
Cucumbers—specialty​
Curly kale
Eggplant
Onions
Peppers—bell, semi-hot
Purple potatoes
Tomatoes—cherry, heirloom, slicing
Cantaloupe
Elderberries
Cranberries

We also have goodies to harvest for you on-site:
Green Beans
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Mint
Mustard Greens
Sage
Swiss Chard

And speaking of goodies, we also have Paula's Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles!

08/14/2024

Farmer's Market TODAY! 4:30-6:30 )at The CMN Memorial Garden in the rear The Church of Christ of the Apostolic Faith, 1200 Brentnell Ave, Columbus, OH.

We have Basil, Garlic, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Mint, Peppers (Bell and Thai), Mustard Greens, Sage, and Swiss Chard to harvest. Our partner, Richland Gro-Op, is sending some of their freshly harvested produce as well, including:

Basil
Cabbage
Cilantro
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Kale (Curly, Lacinato)
Okra
Onions
Peppers ( Bell, Hungarian Hot Wax, Jalapeno)
Purple Potatoes
Tomatoes (Cherry, Heirloom, Roma & Slicing)

We also have jars of "Paula's Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles" Spears or Slices, your choice + autographed copies of:

"Morning by Morning: How We Home-Schooled Our African-American Sons to the Ivy League";

"As For Me and My House"; and

"The Power of a Virtuous Woman".

07/26/2024

I am hoping that lots of folks will come to the MASH Honor Garden tour Saturday 9am-10:30am July 27th. The address is 5263 Harrisburg Pike 43123. VIsit this wonderful garden with a mission! This is the 4th "day" on the GCGC "7 Gardens, 7 Days" FREE summer garden tours.

07/24/2024

You don't want to miss today's Farmer's Market at The CMN Memorial Garden sited in the rear of The Church of Christ of the Apostolic Faith, 1200 Brentnell Ave, Columbus, OH 43219!

And here's what's coming from Richland Gro-Op, our partner in Mansfield, OH: Bell Peppers; Cabbage; Celery; Chives; Cilantro;
Curly Kale; Garlic; Lacinato Kale; Onions; Parsley; Potatoes; Rosemary; Sage; Scallions; Tomatoes (Heirloom & Slicing)

07/22/2024

07/16/2024

Hello GCGCers .... please note the change in the August meeting. You need to RSVP to the GCGC Secretary at [email protected]:

GCGC will be hosting a picnic on Saturday August 3rd from 4:00-7:00 pm. GCGC will provide and grill hot dogs and hamburgers. We will not have a Regular GCGC Meeting in August, we will have this Picnic instead of the August meeting. We would like to include spouses, and kids. We are asking members to bring a side dish to share. Please email me if anyone has dietary restrictions. GCGC will also provide drinks and water and have a raffle and giveaways. The location is at the Church of Christ of the Apostolic Faith, 1200 Brentnell Ave, Columbus, Ohio 43219.
Please RSVP to let me know if you can make it, and what dish you are bringing.
Claudia Ruffini
GCGC Secretary

In other news.... we had a terrific day at event #3 of our National Garden Week summer tours at The Friends Garden. Thank you to all the Master Gardener Volunteers who made the event extra special with treats and take-homes! What a beautiful corner you have made for locals at 924 E. Main Street. Folks, stop by sometime and see what a valiant group effort can do!

07/11/2024

An exciting conversation about the Pizza and Poetry Event (07/12/2024) celebrating the 10th Anniversary of The Charles Madison Nabrit Memorial Garden!

07/09/2024

07/09/2024

Hello GCGCers ... this Saturday, July 13, at 9am is our 3rd National Garden Week event. Come tour "The Friends Garden" between 9 and 10:30 am to see the excellent work the Master Gardener Volunteers are doing! The address is 924 E. Main Street 43205.

07/05/2024

Updated to add the good news that a limited supply of my often requested and locally famous, Spicy, Garlic, Dill Pickles will be available for sale. IYKYK

06/28/2024

We had a great garden tour at the Bibleway SKIP Garden on the Hilltop Wednesday night. Thank you, Herman Ringer and crew for a wonderful time of fellowship, food, and fun!

06/26/2024

Hi folks .... bring your rain preventers (umbrellas) tonight to the Bibleway SKIP Garden at 6:30pm for the 2nd in our series of community garden tours. The address is 443 S. Highland Ave. 43223. Lots to see and learn, rain or shine.

06/24/2024

Hi GCGCers .... Wednesday June 26th is the 2nd of our "National Garden Week" community garden tours. Come to the Bibleway SKIP Garden between 6:30-8:00 pm and tour with Mr. Herman Ringer, Garden Manager. Come support our community gardens with your interest ... you never know what cool thing you will learn! Here is a nice article that ran in Sunday's Columbus Dispatch:

The Greater Columbus Growing Coalition began its National Garden Week on June 2nd and continues offering free events until Sept. 14.

06/13/2024

Hello fellow gardeners, I hope you are having a good season so far! We had a great day June 2nd at FPC for the opening of National Garden Week. We gave out a few hundred NGW tour brochures and GCGC meeting schedules, as well as very young garden mums, salvia, coleus, and Andrew Proud's famous apricot trees. The rain held off, and we even got over to the FPC community garden to catch the last of JuliaLynn's garden walk. I was happy to see (and taste!) the serviceberries and gooseberries (permission from Sean) and spied some pawpaws developing. It was a great day. Be sure to visit the Bibleway SKIP Garden on Wednesday, June 26 at 6:30-8pm. The address is 443 S. Highland Ave. 43223 (near Sullivant). The NGW tours through the summer are open-house style, come and visit for as long as you can and learn about different purposes and missions, as well as garden techniques and secrets.

06/06/2024

Hi Friends ..... tonight's GCGC starts at 7pm at the Wells Barn at Franklin Park Conservatory. Arrive a little early if you want to network together.

06/02/2024

Today is the day to come to Franklin Park Conservatory for the beginning of National Garden Week. Come get some flowery goodies at the GCGC booth on the sidewalk leading back to the Children's Garden. See you all soon ... admission to the Conservatory is free today for all Franklin County residents!