Luscher Farm Monthly Newsletter

LUSCHER FARM NEWSLETTER

Luscher Farm .125 Rosemont . PO Box 369 . Lake Oswego . Oregon . 97034

In This Issue

Community Gardens

Adopt-a-Plot

FRCC

Activities & Classes

Farm Partner

Links

47th Avenue Farm

Rogerson Clematis Collection

Luscher Farm Information

Luscher Farm Calendar

Luscher Farm Website

Dear

Summer is in full swing and the farm is bustling with activity. Summer camps have started and boy oh boy are they full! I appreciate how everyone is driving slowly near the Bunkhouse Classroom along the farm driveway. We often have a section of camp stationed in the south end of the milking parlor now, so please be on the lookout!

Produce from the Children's Garden and the Demo Garden is being harvested by the campers and donated to the Adult Community Center's Meals on Wheels program. We've already donated loads of lettuce, herbs, peas, kohlrabi, and endive. The campers are also enjoying the delicious garden treats for snacks.

This month the Farm will be hosting our second annual Adventure Run! Howl at the Moon will be held on Friday, July 29th from 5p to 10p. This event is put on through the collaboration of our Outdoor Rec Division and the Special Events Division. Register here for the race, or just show up for the party! This will be another car free day starting at 2pm. So, you are welcome to come to the farm, a shuttle is available or walk in access is possible.

I hope to see you at the farm soon!

Warm Regards,

Dawn Grunwald

Farm Coordinator

Community Gardens

The scarecrows are here! Thanks to the efforts of our own Nancy Seargent and the Lake Oswego Garden Club. Hooray!

A big shout out to Jan and Robbie Wirtz for hauling a bunch of cardboard out here to use on pathways. It is stored under the blue tarp to the east of the demo garden by the rose bush.

You may have noticed the new structure at the north end of the gardens. This is a porta potty enclosure and toolshed for the Community Gardeners. Our Friends of Luscher Farm group and our maintenance staff collaborated on this project, as part of the implementation of the Luscher Area Master Plan. Gardeners on the north end of the plots are free to leave wheelbarrows and tools in the new shed after use. I think if we have about 1/4 of the tools and wheelbarrows up there, that should suffice.

What to plant in July? Believe it or not, it's a good time to get some plants in the garden for fall and winter harvest. Here are a few choices if you have an open spot in your garden:Beets, bush beans, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, kale, and peas will provide fall and winter crops. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards and chard can also be planted this month.Starts donated from the CSA and from the Children's Garden program have been placed on the donation table from time to time, so make sure to take a look when you come to the farm. If you have a minute to splash a little water on the plants, please do!

Adopt-a-Plot

Thanks to all your hard work, produce is being harvested by our campers. Now is the time to keep up with the weeding of the pathways and beds. Soon we will be planting for our Fall and Winter Harvests so make sure to come to the next work party. I have been placing starts on the bench in the shade by the apple and pear tree for your use. Right now we have bulbing fennel, which is not invasive and tastes delicious. So tuck in a couple pants if you have space.

Thanks too for watering. The veggies and flowers are looking good!

Jan Wirtz and her husband Robbie have adopted the berry bushes in the back of the demo garden so you will see changes out there soon! We also have a blueberry patch and wash station that could use some work if you have any extra time.

FRCC Strawberry Patch

First Strawberry Tasting at Luscher Farm

On Friday evening, June 23rd, the Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection featured a strawberry tasting at their quarterly members'

event. Sixteen different varieties of strawberry are planted in the rows of the Modern Garden (east of the driveway oaks), and fourteen are already bearing fabulous fruit. The strawberries were planted to provide groundcover for the clematis. They were purchased through a grant from the Clackamas County Master Gardener Foundation. Also included in the CCMGF grant will be labeling of the clematis rows to name the berries in each and whether or not they are June-bearing or ever-bearing. The winning variety, by a narrow margin, was 'Ozark Beauty', which produces very red, very round fruit. In second place was 'Cabot', with much larger fruit, perhaps the largest of the varieties planted.

by Linda Beutler, Curator of the Friends of Rogerson Clematis Garden

Please feel free to sample a berry or two when you come to the farm to enjoy the Clematis. Wholesale harvesting to take home and use is not permitted however. These berries are for all to share!