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2007 Bowers Farm Update
Welcome! This is YOUR source of information regarding volunteering
at Bowers Farm.
This year we have added a fragrance garden just outside the office
and expanded the Plant a Row gardens and rose garden (with
companions). There is also the Butterfly/Bird garden, a raised bed
sensory garden, a drought-tolerant garden, a rain garden, an herb
garden and shade gardens.
Volunteers may garden from dawn until dusk, Monday through Saturday.
No Sundays or actual Holidays. I will make announcements of group
workdays in the Oakland Gardener (a.k.a. Carol’s list), generally a
month at a time along with a list of suggested tools to bring. I am
available mostly Saturday mornings, but occasionally a week day or
evening, due to a full-time day job. However, you are more than
welcome to come out on your own during the day or evening if that
works better for you. People to water during the week if there is no
rain are especially helpful. If you wish, you can e-mail me ahead
for suggestions regarding what to do.
Bowers Farm is located on Square Lake Rd., between Adams and
Squirrel in Bloomfield Hills and is owned by their school district.
Being school property, there is no smoking or drinking permitted and
please wear your badge so the staff knows you belong.
Watering is varied. Some areas are irrigated and some aren’t. There
is a red pump near the gazebo with a hose attached, with a variable
spray head that will reach to all the gardens. To turn on the water,
lift the pump handle up and to turn off, push the handle all the way
down (a little stiff). It might be helpful to bring a watering can
for spot watering. There is also a spigot just passed the front door
to the classroom.
Wheelbarrows can be found at the “wheelbarrow corral”, located up
the ramp and turn right after the horse barn. You will pass the
restrooms (pink shingles) and the pigeon coop to get there. Please
return the wheelbarrows to the corral and either turn upside down or
on their side to prevent filling with water. There are also
restrooms in the classroom, but sometimes that building is locked or
a class is in session.
We compost in 3 large open wood bins. The 1st bin (to the left) is
for raw materials including pigeon droppings, courtesy of the
on-site pigeon club. The 2nd and 3rd bins are for finished compost
only. If you remember, please reduce the materials to approximately
6 inches before adding to the pile, so that we will have useable
compost faster. Any woody or slow-to-compost (greater than 6 months)
materials can be deposited to the right of the 3rd bin. This would
include sunflower stalks, stiff grasses and shrub/tree prunings.
Please join us as your schedule permits. We have a lot of fun and
learn from each other. The animals are an additional bonus and you
feel as if you are way out in the country. It is very relaxing and
therapeutic. Hope to see you soon.
Sincerely, Martha Humphrey at
mlhgrows@ameritech.net
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