Hello Food Foresters!
If you haven't had a chance to peruse BFF for summer harvest goodies like berries, zucchini, tomatoes, more berries -- now's your chance to do so among company! We hope that you will join us this Saturday, August 21 for our monthly coming together to care for BFF while keeping everyone safe by staggering tasks -- to avoid large groups around the toolsheds and allowing people to spread out.
Below are the work parties scheduled.
**Please contact the activity leader directly at the listed email to sign up.**
1. Blueberry Care (West of North Apple Guilds and Helix Blueberry Patch)
When: 9am-11am
Who: 6 volunteers needed, led by Kimberly
Task: Weed and Mulch around Blueberries in Helix and Directly Across from Helix near North Apple Guilds -- We’ll help some of the BFF Blueberries! They need rescue from weeds around them - digging out what weeds we can. Blueberries would also love more wood chip mulch! We’ll use wheelbarrows to bring wood chips from our fresh big load of chips off the 16th Ave bike path to these Blueberry areas.
RSVP to: kimberly.leeper12@gmail.com
2. Preparing for Fall Planting in the Native Guilds
When: 9:30am-11:30am
Who: Up to 5 volunteers, led by David
Task: We’ll be removing weed block and starting to cut down the tall grasses and forbs in the meadow areas to prepare for planting bulbs, forbs, and shrubs in the fall. We’ll also do some spot watering and weed removal. The work involves navigating uneven ground, bending and kneeling, and lifting light loads (under 10 pounds).
RSVP to: perasso@baymoon.com
3. Helix Giving Garden Planting and Maintenance
When: 10am - 1pm
Who: Need 8 volunteers, led by Don
Task: Clear the top two beds and plant Fall vegetable starts there. Don will bring the starts. Also prune tomato plants to speed ripening. Lots of bending, digging, clipping, and hauling weeds and cuttings to compost. Bring water, gloves, and hand tools if you have them. We also have some.
RSVP to: don@foodforest.ngo
4. Compost
When: 12:30pm-3pm
Who: We can take 6 people; 3 at Phase 1 and 3 at Phase 2 compost areas -- Reena will lead
Task: We will be using machetes and hand clippers to chop/clip plant materials to turn into compost. There may be opportunities to turn compost or dig trenches for hugelcultures.
RSVP to: Lmmarston@gmail.com
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Where: All groups will meet their lead at the Gathering Plaza at the top of the Beacon Food Forest at the given time. Leads will be wearing orange bandanas. After collecting tools, you'll head to the work area.
What to bring:
Water, personal snacks
Gardening gloves—We have clean gloves available, if needed.
Mask or cloth face covering
Weather-appropriate layers, sunscreen
Safety:
If you have known exposure to COVID-19, feel sick, or exhibit symptoms, please stay home.
We keep these work parties small in order to allow everyone to spread out and work individually. Volunteers should plan to keep 6 feet of distance from others while working.
We will have a handwashing station with soap and running water at the worksite.
Alcohol or bleach solution is available to disinfect tools.
We have a first aid kit available.
Accessibility:
The Gathering Plaza, toolshed, bike path, and Education Plaza are wheelchair-accessible.
The nearest restroom is about a 5-minute walk away, up a flight of steps. There is also a longer, wheelchair-accessible route. The restrooms are wheelchair-accessible and gender-segregated.
Please let us know if you have any questions about accessibility! We wish to make these work parties as inclusive as possible.
You can learn how to get to BFF on our website: https://beaconfoodforest.org/visit-us
Thank you for your support in maintaining BFF for our community!