Okay, folks... I'm putting these photos here in spite of how they look.  Can anyone tell me why this is happening?  In the past they loaded just fine.  I'm not doing anything different, same camera, same computer, but different results.  HELP!!!

Last week’s mushroom workshop here at ASPI was a huge hit!  We had about 40 people cutting, drilling inoculating, and waxing logs.  Those logs went through a major beautification process.  Well, they’ll sure be beautiful when the golden oysters and shiitakes start coming in.  A bit late in the season for ideal starting on the process, but if folks keep the logs moist and shaded all should be fine.  Thanks, Timi Reedy!  She volunteered her time to spend the evening teaching us the ins and outs of mushroom growing, bringing her own equipment as well.  Participants Talt Hall and J.R. Kimsey, and volunteer Al DeChambeau cut and hauled the logs for us, donating not only their time and labor, but the logs themselves.  A fun time was had by all.

We are seeing some very dry gardens on our site visits, though most participants are harvesting at least the beginnings of crops on a pretty regular schedule now.  One of our community garden members, Tina Judd, has harvested nearly 50 cucumbers just in the last week!  The community garden is looking beautiful – folks are taking good care of it.

Participant Armilda Barnes – you’ve seen me mention her before! – has offered to start fall crops for us.  We’ve gotten the seed and she is hoping to do some planting soon, though waiting until this 100 degree stuff is past.  Next month’s workshop will be about extending the growing season, so we anticipate folks will be interested in those plants! 

A local greenhouse, Dogwood Crafts and Gifts, has donated end-of-season garden plants to us.  We are making these available for participants to fill in those holes in their plantings or to get a later crop. 

Keep your fingers crossed that we get some rain soon!