Category: community gardening

Garden Contest Deadline Extended!

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Calling all Ewing Gardeners!

There’s still time to enter our 2017 Garden Contest.  We have extended the submission deadline to August 15th so now’s the time to take your garden photos and get your submission in.  Check out our 2017 Garden Contest page for information on rules, eligibility, and the entry form.

The 2017 Garden Contest is sponsored by the Ewing Green Team, the West Trenton Garden Club and Ewing Girl Scout Troop #70138  and we hope that you will want to show off all the fruits of your labors This contest is for amateur gardeners only, so don’t be put off, give it a try!

The contest is being run in conjunction with our Fall 2017 Garden Tour.   It is separate from the tour and you don’t have to participate in the tour to enter the contest, but we would love it if you would!  We realize that not every gardener is confident or experienced enough to showcase their garden on a garden tour. So, to encourage more homeowners to join in our beautification efforts we are running the Garden Contest.

Important Dates

Entry deadline – Tues, Aug 1  Tuesday, August 15th
Finalist Notification – Fri, Sept 1
Judges visit gardens – Week of Sept 5
2017 Through the Garden Gate Tour – Winners announced Sat/Sun, Sept 16 & 17
Winners will also be announced at Ewing’s Community Fest celebration on Sat, Sept 23rd

We believe that growing gardens grows community! We invite you to grow a greener Ewing along with us and show off all the beauty you have labored so hard to create. This contest is for amateur gardeners only, so don’t be put off, give it a try!

For additional contest details such as eligibility, judging and how to enter, check out our 2017 Garden Contest page.

Prizes

There will be prizes! We have a rain barrel for each winner and gift certificates from local nurseries. More information will be coming soon!

Ewing Community Gardens Update

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Spring is not far off and it’s time to start making plans for the 2017 garden year. The Ewing Community Garden Association will meet Wednesday, February 15, 7:00 p.m. at the Ewing Township Senior and Community Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road.

The agenda will include:

  • Review of the Good Garden Neighbor guidelines
  • Update or re-approve garden bylaws
  • Elect Garden Council members
  • Review of the plot sign-up process for existing gardeners

Registration Details for the 2017 Gardening Season

The 2017 Registration for Garden Plots at the Ewing Community Gardens on Whitehead Road Extension Will Begin in March in the

Office of the Clerk (2nd floor)
2 Jake Garzio Drive
Ewing, NJ 08628

Plots are $5.00 each and you can purchase up to two plots.

Registration Dates

March 1, 2017 Registration will Open for Previous Year Plot Holders

March 15, 2017 Registration will Open for New Applicants

Owners of Plots in 2016 will have an opportunity to reserve their same plots from the prior year.

If there are still plots available on April 15th, 2017 you may purchase additional plot(s). Please call the clerk’s office at (609) 538-7608 to find out if more plots are available.

Requirements

You must be present to buy your plot(s).

Ewing Township residents only (proof of residency is required) No Exceptions!!!

The official opening of the gardens is weather determined and announced later in the season.

For information about the Ewing Community Gardens Association email ewingcommunitygardens@gmail.com.  Look for the upcoming ad in the March Ewing Observer.

Community Gardens Presentation at Mercer County Extension Office on January 30th

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Master Gardeners and community gardeners Dave Byers and Jim Simon will present an inspiring talk on Thursday, January 30th from 7 – 8:30 p.m. on community gardening.

Their talk will include such topics as:

  • What is a community garden?
  • Who can join a community garden?
  • Why would you do so?
  • How and where do you sign up?
  • What plants do best in a community garden setting?

Master Gardeners with experience in community gardening will provide an overview of those available in Trenton and other locations in Mercer County.

About the Presenters

David Byers has practiced as a licensed landscape architect for over 30 years, including work with Isles as a landscape consultant.  He is a Master Gardener volunteer at the Mercer County Extension Office, and long time community gardener.  He designed and coordinates the Bethany House of Hospitality Community Garden and  the Westminster Wellspring Garden, both in Trenton.   He is a 2014 appointee to the Ewing Green Team.

Jim Simon, Urban Agriculture Manager, Isles, Inc. has been involved in environmental and youth education for over twenty years. He is a Master Gardener volunteer through Rutgers Cooperative Extension and is also on the steering committee of the Trenton Cycling Revolution, a bicycling advocacy group.

Pre-Registration Required

Advance sign up is required at the Mercer Extension office. Call 989-6830 to pre-register.

Date: Thursday, January 30th
Time: 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Mercer County Extension Office: 930 Spruce Street, Lawrence, NJ Adjacent to the Trenton Farmer’s Market

“It takes a Village” at the Ewing Community Gardens

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It was a great day last Saturday!  With the help and energy of yet another contingent of TCNJ student volunteers under the direction of Professor Michael Nordquist and the Community Gardens Committee we accomplished what we have been trying to do all season – decimate a huge mulch pile and put its contents onto the paths of the Ewing Community Gardens on Whitehead Road Extension.  This was a fabulous accomplishment and will make a tremendous difference to the gardeners who use the site.   Gardeners have already commented on how much easier the site is to use this year since they didn’t have to do quite so much bushwhacking to get to their plots.  The efforts of the students and gardeners Saturday have sustained and greatly improved upon our previous efforts.  In addition, we were delighted to have the compost bins set up for the gardeners use.  Now they won’t have to cart out the weedy debris but can be more environmentally friendly and compost it on site.  The weeding and the planting efforts that they contributed were just the icing on the cake!

Ewing Township, the Green Team and most especially the community gardeners have been the recipients of a number of student volunteer community service days this year and are all deeply grateful for all of the hard work that the students put in.  We believe that in addition to implementing more environmentally friendly practices at the gardens, the cleanup days, so wonderfully supported by the students, are helping to create the community in our community gardens.

For more photos from the day, check our Photos page.