Please check the up-to-date schedule and please sign up for shift openings for the rest of the year:

Up-to-Date Schedule

Shift Openings

It has been a while, and I have been missing you and the Smart Garden. I was away on academic vacation studying landscapes in Italy. Very impressive and inspirational, but most of all - eye opening. It feels great to be a part of the greening world. All of you should feel the same.

Thank you for your patience while I was gone. I had a chance to visit MSI on Saturday and the garden is looking fabulous. A few parts are struggling where the soil is poor, but overall it looks great. You are all doing a fine job!

Please be informed that our Secretary, Julie Perteet, will be taking over the scheduling for Smart Garden shifts. She can be reach at 773-233-0476 or by email at <perteet@sbcglobal.net>. Please make note of Julie's email address. Please inform her if you need to cancel a shift. She has also been notifying you of your upcoming shifts a week in advance. This seems to be working out well.

Groomers:

Lately, the major duties for groomers has been watering (deeply) and weeding. These will continue to be the top two duties for the next two months (due to hot weather and poor soil). Please water the EarthBoxes during every shift - they are designed to keep rainwater out and dry quickly when producing fruit. We will also need to stake tomatoes and lay down a fresh layer of wheat straw mulch over the next two weeks.

Docents:

You are doing a fine job! Keep those visitors engaged. The script remains the same. If you have suggestions please email them to me. Remember to leave demographic records on clipboard. I collect them every other week.

EMERGENCY CREW - OPENINGS OVER NEXT WEEK:

As always, we appreciate what you do for Extension!

UPDATES ALWAYS LISTED ON BLOG AT:

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/cook/blogs/eb150/index.html

Thanks,

--
Nancy Kreith
Extension Program Coordinator
University of Illinois Extension
3807 W. 111th Street
Chicago, IL. 60655
office: 773.233.0476
fax: 773.233.0910
cell: 708.567.6101