Hey Gardeners--

We harvested a record amount of lettuce heads this Wednesday and sent around 30 bags to SAFE via Richard and Linda S. Saturday was a wonderfully crisp fall morning. We warmed up with some compost turning before moving on to garlic planting and wood chip spreading! The chips always give the patch a nice makeover, it looks freshly manicured now.

We have so much more lettuce to spare. Even if you don’t have time to stick around for our sessions this week, please come grab a few heads for yourself and your friends! We’re also swimming in kale, bok choy, and collards.

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We'll gather this week on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

Winter hours are just around the corner, which means earlier sessions Wednesdays and later sessions on Saturdays.

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The week ahead:

• Weed

• Water as needed

• Continue mulching beds with shredded leaves

• Spread wood chips in garden paths (not aisles)

• Turn compost piles

• Harvest more lettuce, kale, bok choy, and collards.

Garden needs:

• kitchen scraps for our compost piles (always)

• bagged leaves

• dibbles

• plant labels

• pruning shears

• wood chips (we got some, but we could use more)

Items of Note

It’s (almost) potato time again! The company we buy our seeds from is about to have more seed potatoes for us. The last harvest included a lot of small potatoes, but they were absolutely creamy and delicious.

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Extension Gardener Workshop: Fundamentals of Composting (Wed, Oct. 28 | 10 AM–12 PM). Matt Jones and NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers in Chatham County are hosting a workshop about creating nutrient-rich compost. Learn composting basics, how to maintain a healthy compost pile, and how to troubleshoot common problems, with research-based guidance and an on-site demonstration.

Held at the NC Cooperative Extension, Chatham County Center. Register here.

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Saxapahaw Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat (Sat, Oct. 31 | 4–6:30 PM)

Celebrate Halloween at Thistledown Farm in Graham with fall festivities from 4–5:30 PM, followed by Trunk or Treat at 5:30 PM. Admission is free! Bring canned goods or other non-perishable donations to support SAFE and help feed folks in the community.

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The Good, the Bat, & the Bugly (Thu, Oct. 29 | 6–7 PM)

Get to know North Carolina’s misunderstood creatures of the night at this all-ages program with N.C. Cooperative Extension. Discover the bats that call our state home, why they’re important to local ecosystems, and how to help protect them and their habitats at the Forsyth County Central Library in Winston-Salem.

Register here.

Recipe Corner:

Ever since veteran gardener Sandy mentioned this idea last year, I’ve been meaning to make some myself. Experiment with me this week (if you dare) and try this Collard Green Chips recipe.

All the Best,

The Sax Patch Team