Here's a video update on how the three bean varieties  and the pollinator garden along the Wellwood Park tennis courts are progressing after the first month. Several of the beans are just beginning to bloom with a sweet light purple flower - good news that those plants have fully matured and are ready to begin reproducing. The west side of our tennis planter area gets significantly more sun than the east - something to keep in mind next year - but, I expect those east side stragglers to catch up.

If you are lucky - like Merchantville - you have farmer's markets in your area. But that can get very expensive and take time - driving to the market, parking, then make your way through others trying to get their fresh produce in the few hours that the market is open. So what is the alternative? Growing your own food. It's possible on a small scale, regardless of time, space, money and knowledge. And, encouraging children to grow their own food is one of the best things parents can do. It teaches them responsibility for a living thing, that vegetables can taste good and that they can become more self sufficient and not reliant on big food companies. If you need help getting started message us at IE Merchantville!

Mother Earth News shares a great article on how you can simply recycle your own grounds and expect to produce a few pounds of beautiful oyster mushrooms a week—at which point you’ll need to create an oyster mushroom dressing, sautéing your harvest in a balsamic vinaigrette and tossing it over fresh greens crumbled with feta cheese. Step-by-step instructions.

"Sustainable", a narrative documentary film focusing on Marty Travis, a seventh-generation farmer in central Illinois who watched his land and community fall victim to the pressures of big agribusiness will be presented by Merchantvilles's sustainability team - Incredible Edible, Green Team, Garden Club and Shade Tree - at Eilandarts Center at The Station Coffee on Friday, May 31st at 7:30 p.m. Determined to create a proud legacy for his son, Marty transforms his profitless wasteland and pioneers the sustainable food movement in Chicago. "Sustainable" travels the country seeking leadership and wisdom from some of the most forward thinking farmers like Bill Niman, Klaas Martens and John Kempf – heroes who challenge the ethical decisions behind industrial agriculture. It is a story of hope and transformation, about passion for the land and a promise that it can be restored to once again sustain us.

Jack’s Beanstalk and pollinator garden is growing! Provider green beans, frijol-rojo-de-seda red silk beans and golden-rocky-beans were planted along the brick border wall at the Wellwood Park tennis courts on May 4th as a small project for our Incredible Edible Merchantville program and are coming along nicely.  Enjoyed a successful morning on May 19th weeding, planting protective companions - marigolds - and watering. Looks like very few seeds have been eaten by the local inhabitants and we should have a pickable crop soon!