Rhode Island Feeds

The Philly Beekeepers have issued the following press release. Please consider giving them your support!


The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild is proud to be the hometown sponsor of the worldwide effort to commemorate Lorenzo L. Langstroth on the occasion of his 200th birthday in 2010.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has approved an application to place an historic marker at the birthplace of L. L. Langstroth on 106 South Front Street in Philadelphia. Historic markers are a common sight in Philadelphia, a city with more than its share of political and social landmarks. One of Philadelphia's less well known but to us most important native sons was Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth. In a flash of genius, he fully comprehended how to functionally utilize "bee space" with a movable frame beehive system that is the basis for much of what we know globally as modern beekeeping. LLL, as he came to be widely known, was born and raised in Philadelphia and had his revolutionary insight here in 1851. He applied for a U. S. patent from Philadelphia and his invention was approved in 1852.  In 1872, while promoting bee culture at the Nation's Capitol, and on his way to his native city to attend, as the guest of honor, a reunion that included a few influential old classmates from Yale, Langstroth's foot was crushed by a street car.  As a result, the hometown recognition that he so richly deserved in his lifetime was cancelled.
The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild believes that it is high time that Langstroth is fully honored here at his birthplace and has joined with Matt Redman of the Maryland State Beekeepers Association to make this marker a reality. We are currently raising funds for the production, installation and dedication of the marker. Our goal is to raise $5,000 by September 1, 2010 to meet all the expenses of the marker itself and the reception to follow. This effort has been most graciously endorsed by the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association with an initial donation of $1000.00. We thank them most sincerely for their support.
The dedication of the marker will take place on the afternoon of September 10, 2010. A public reception will be held following the dedication. The marker dedication and reception will be the inaugural event of the Philadelphia Honey Festival, which will occur on the weekend of September 10 - 12, 2010. 
Interested organizations and individuals may donate using the Paypal and Google Checkout links on the Guild’s website: http://www.phillybeekeepers.org/lorenzo-langstroth-historical-marker/
You may also send a check made payable to Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild with "Langstroth Marker" on the memo line. Checks should be mailed to our treasurer:
Matt Feldman 4837 Pulaski Ave Philadelphia, PA 19144
All donors who do not express a wish to remain anonymous will be acknowledged on the web site. Otherwise, individual donors of amounts over $200 and organizations donating over $500 will be recognized at the dedication ceremony on September 10, 2010 and on this web site. 
Thank you, Joel Eckel President Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild

It has come to my attention that there is a nest of yellowjackets at the north faucet (the one closest to the shed). Please be aware of this as we try to come up with a solution to rid of them.

47 members have just returned from a week's holiday organised by the Tours sub-committee to The Lake District. Staying at The Cumbria Grand Hotel in Grange-over-Sands, we had a great week.
Wall to wall sunshine and six garden visits with a cruise on Lake Windermere too, it was a fun filled and hectic week.
A collage of the best images:

Layanee DeMerchant



Adult squash vine borers

Here’s Elderbery with some timely vegetable gardening advice:

During the last week of June and the first week of July, give or take some days, I know it is time to be vigilant, on the lookout for squash vine borers. These insect pests attack summer and winter squash as well as pumpkins and will destroy your crop. The adult moth is small (about ½ inch long) and looks like a wasp with clear wings and an orange abdomen that has black dots on it. However, unlike other moths, they fly during the day instead of at night, which makes finding them a bit easier. If you don’t see them you may hear them because adults make a buzzing sound when flying that is easy to detect.

Squash vine borer adults emerge from the soil in late June, early July, and soon after they lay their eggs at the base of squash and pumpkin plants. In about one week the eggs hatch and the larvae bore into the stems to feed, blocking the flow of water to the rest of the plant. As a result the plants wilt and that is a sure sign of the infestation. The larvae feed for four to six weeks, then exit the stems and burrow about one to two inches into the soil to pupate. They remain there until the following summer. There is one generation per year.

Last summer I had the borer on my winter squash but fortunately the fruit was already developed enough that I was able to harvest some, although it was half normal size. However, I was determined not to have that experience again.

There are several things that are recommended to control these pests. One is to use an insecticide. Well, that is never my first choice for insect control but to be effective you have to identify the adult or kill the larvae before they bore into the stems. I don’t recommend sitting in the veggie garden for two weeks keeping watch. But what you can do is to use yellow trap pans (e.g. pan, pail, bowl) filled with water to detect the adults because they are attracted to yellow. They fly to the container and are trapped when they fall into the water. Place traps by late June, checking them at least once a day. If you find squash vine borer adults in your traps you know they are active and it is time to take further action.

Another method is to use floating row covers. This is easy enough and relatively inexpensive. Cover the plants when they start to vine (or when you start to see adult borers in the garden). The tricky thing is this: the plants should not be covered when they are flowering because it prevents the bees from pollinating the flowers.

After considering the options and trying the row covers I decided there are two simple and “green” solutions. Plant cucumbers and melons since they are not likely to be attacked by the borer. (Some folks include butternut squash on that list but mine were attacked.) Plant your zucchinis, pumpkins, and winter squash in early July so it matures after adult borers have finished laying their eggs. For me, this last choice is the best choice. You can’t change nature, but you sure can live in harmony without being destructive, even to pests.

Many Happy Returns!

It was a pleasant surprise when a dozen or so lightning bugs appeared in my darkened backyard a few weeks ago.  These little beetles bring back happy memories of childhood when my brother and I would venture into the summer night to catch several in a Mason jar.  Then we’d climb to the attic where the beetles would put on their light show for an hour or two before release.

For years now there seemed to be a decline in these and other beneficial insects.  In my opinion the rampant use of household insecticides on lawns and gardens has drastically reduced their numbers so I see it as good news that they are trying to return if only in my neighborhood.

Lightning bugs, members of the family Lampyridae, love moisture and high humidity.  Their blinking, intermittent signals are a kind of Morse code to find potential mates.  My visitors have varying patterns from one to four flashes.  After mating, females deposit their eggs in the ground where the larvae develop to adulthood.  The larvae are ravenous and eat slugs and worms.  They have been observed following snail trails to their next meal!

Adults are thought to feed on nectar.

Welcome back, little lightning bugs!  I truly enjoy your nighttime displays.

The purple velvet plant I fell in love with 6 months ago has grown extremely well as an indoor plant and tripled its original size. 6.18.10 I tried propagating it via cutting and rooting them in plain tap water. They...

Summer solstice is a perfect occasion for taking stock of the season so far. We’re at a midpoint – at the start of summer – with a lot to look forward to and plenty to look back on with both pride and chagrin. We always like to try new things here and although I have [...]

I recently read an excerpt from Allen Lacy's book, Home Ground, which is a compilation of delightful essays expounding on his horticultural experience. It is a wonderful book much in the fashion of Henry Mitchell's On Gardening. The title of... Layanee DeMerchant

I promised I’d keep you all posted on the Dye Garden Project, which was undertaken by the North Stonington (Connecticut) Historical Society in conjunction with the North Stonington Garden Club, so here is an update.

Old beehive

Most of the plants I started this spring have been planted, along with a bunch of other plants, like tansy and marigolds. The garden was planted and is being maintained by Laurie Pepin, former proprietess of the doomed Watermark Cafe in North Stonington. She’s also created slate signs with plant information to make the garden more educational.

Slate sign

If you want to see the garden, it will be featured on June 27th, during the Dye House Open House at the Stephen Main Homestead, 1 Wyassup Road, in North Stonington, from noon to 4:00 pm.* There will be dyeing demonstrations, including Indigo Dyeing, Spinning, and weaving of the famous North Stonington Plaid; a homestead tour; and food… clear New England clam chowder and cornbread. I’ll be stopping by, hope to see some of you there!

Dye garden

*Note, if you come in to visit the dye garden, don’t forget that the bridge through the center of town is out, and the only ways into the village are via the intersection of Route 2 and Mystic Road, or coming in from the northwest, via Ryder Road.

David Segal is one of our resident gardeners at Fox Point Community Garden. Come show your support or get to know his platform!

In my 20 some years of gardening, I have had several types of Evening Primrose: the pink flowers.. 6.20.03 and the yellow flowers.. 6.25.02 Some are low-growing and some are relatively tall. One of the most distinctive features of the...

“Here’s to a no-blight season of delicious tomatoes” – Rich

Layanee DeMerchant

I’m definitely on a fragrance kick lately. I don’t know if it’s that my nose is compensating for my other senses – I’m near sighted and I don’t always hear too well… Or if it’s just that it’s June and June smells really beautiful. I have been walking through curtains of scent all over the property [...]

Last August, I told you about efforts now underway to restore the majestic American Chestnut. Castanea dentate once dominated the forests in the eastern part of the country, but in the early 20th century, chestnut blight destroyed nearly all of them.

Such potential in one chestnut seedling!

After finding a few survivors, the American Chestnut Foundation began crossing those trees with blight-resistant Chinese chestnuts and growing them on special plantations, with the objective of creating a blight-resistant American tree. There are 28 such plantations in Massachusetts, and Rhode Island has four.

There are 260 trees at the South Kingstown plantation

I visited the South Kingstown RI plantation recently to see how the seedlings had fared through the winter. Last year, volunteers armed with pollen from Virginia pollinated wild American Chestnuts in RI, bagged the flowers to prevent contamination from other pollen, and then over-wintered the nuts in a refrigerator. These were planted in April   and when I visited, volunteers were checking to see which ones had germinated. The germination rate here is an astounding 90%, which is very good news! This is most likely due in no small part to the solar – powered drip irrigation system, which is set to water the seedlings every second day – unless the rain sensor shuts it down.

One of the very few nuts that failed to germinate

The seedlings are caged to protect them from hungry critters, and grown here for 5 years before they are inoculated with chestnut blight. This will determine which hybrids are most resistant, and those in turn will be used to breed even more resistant trees.

I look forward to a day when American Chestnuts are reintroduced to the ecosystem, and I will definitely keep you posted on this interesting and very worthwhile project.

Click to view slideshow.

The Providence Community Garden Network is a voluntary coalition of 34 community gardens throughout Providence, RI. Launched in the Spring of 2009, the Network is now over 700 community gardeners strong!

Our network of gardeners, coordinated by SCLT’s Erika Rumbley, has already made great strides in Network community gardens in the Southside, Olneyville and the West End.
This spring alone, the Providence Community Garden Network has:

* coordinated the discounted purchase and citywide distribution of high-quality organic compost and fertilizers to over 30 community gardens.

* donated over 1,600 vegetable seedlings from the City Farm Plant Sale to community and youth gardens all over the city

* hosted a free workshop series for folks new to food growing, including recent refugees new to the New England climate.

* served as the go-to resource for many of Providence’s gardeners, lending a hand with everything from soil health and garden design to community organizing and legal aid.

Just imagine what more the gardeners could do with your support! Click here to find out how to give to the Community Garden Network.

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Want a closer look inside one of Providence’s community gardens? Stay tuned for details on the Open Garden Day at Potters Park and Community Garden, on August 25th!

Summer doesn’t officially start for another few days, but you wouldn’t know it based on the tables overflowing with peas and strawberries at farmers markets across Rhode Island. 31of the 45 markets are already open for the season, and what a harvest for early June! There hasn’t been any “downtime” between the winter and summer this year, with temps reaching 80 degrees in April. Though it’s left farmers without any chance of catching up on sleep, it’s a wonderful treat for everyone who eats.

Last week, we saw beets and asparagus at the Armory Market, broccoli and garlic scapes at the Downtown Providence Market, and cherries and basil at the Hope Street Market. We’ve even heard that the very first raspberries are already ready to harvest.

If you’re looking for an excuse to get out to a RI farm, now is the moment to do it. There’s nothing quite like a local strawberry, fresh from the fields. You can pick your own strawberries at a dozen nearby farms, and three farms let you pick sugar snap peas too.

Enjoy the sweet taste, and cheers to a local, delicious summer!

Welcome back!

The hummingbirds have found the feeders at our new house.

A while back, I wrote a post about how I was hoping I would have them this year after we moved last September. I find hummingbirds fascinating, and consider their arrival one of the best things about summer – right up there with open windows and juicy tomatoes.

I guess for most people, hummingbirds are not a big deal. They’ll put up a feeder or two and never clean them or change the nectar so it ends up getting all moldy. That drives me nuts. Then there are those who attract hummers and proceed to spray toxic chemicals in their gardens. I hate that even more because it seems so unfair.

I try to keep my feeders fresh and clean, so the birds keep coming back. It took me several years to get them to come to my former garden, and I hope it doesn’t take as long to establish a resident population at this place.

So far, most of the birds I’ve been seeing have been females – until last evening, quite late – when a male stopped by and had a really long feed. He was at the feeder for close to ten minutes. So, they’re here at last, and my summer has officially begun.

Speaking of being “found,” Digging RI celebrated its first anniversary last week. When we began this venture we were getting just a few hits a day, and now we get several hundred – a big deal for us! So, many thanks for finding us, and for reading our musings and rants, and I promise to try my best to keep things fresh and interesting. I also want to thank my co-conspirators, Elderbery, HerbDoc and Auntie Beak for their fascinating posts and unwavering support.

Broad Street’s new Friendship Cafe – a little oasis that features fresh vegetables from City Farm! Located just blocks away, City Farm has partnered with Friendship Cafe to provide them with fresh herbs and greens, such as mint, oregano, sage and green garlic, to name a few.

Raul Figueroa, head chef and operations manager, is excited to help bring healthy, local and affordable food into the neighborhood. As part of Amos House, Friendship Cafe primarily serves as an incubation center for recent graduates of the Amos Culinary Education Program: “It’s job training to help them build their resumes and sharpen their skills. They’re hard workers,” said Raul of his staff.

On our visit at 1pm, their line was out the door – and for good reason. See for yourself, Monday-Friday, 7am-3:30pm, and Saturday 7am-2:30pm, located at 500 Broad Street.

Raul (right) and a co-worker hold City Farm mint. Photo courtesy of Sandra Ficula.

There is great satisfaction in the New England garden in June. It really doesn't matter what kind of gardener you are, one with many perennial borders, one with a large vegetable garden, one with a small courtyard, or one with... Layanee DeMerchant