Media Green Exchange

Gaillardia and bee.

We have switched our swaps to the first Saturday of every month. We think this will just be more fun and interesting for all involved.

And I thought I would feature my new favorite flower, a brilliant native hybrid Gaillardia called “Oranges and Lemons.” It’s just a beautiful beautiful flower, attracts all kinds of beneficial insects, and is easy to grow and a fabulous self-sower.  This means that I will be bringing Gaillardia seedlings to next week’s swap. I can’t wait to have mounds of this around my asian pear and serviceberry trees.

Here’s how Horticulture magazine describes its virtues: “It uniquely combines a breakthrough in color with an abundance of longer lasting blooms. The amount of flowers carried at any one time is striking. Indications show it to be more floriferous and longer flowering than any other blanketflower hybrid. In addition, it is drought and heat tolerant, attracts butterflies, and not normally browsed by deer.”

Not bad, eh? The following picture shows how beautiful the seedheads are as well.

Come on out for the first swap of the season, Saturday, May 1 at 10 am sharp on the Plum Street Mall, on the north side of the street. Bring seedlings, extra seeds, perennial transplants, and any other homegrown goodies from your garden.

We’ll be making some changes soon to the blog and make it easier to do things like join our facebook page, but if you’re on facebook, come and find us for more fun updates, like the Town Talk article on Amy Johnson, one of the MGE organizers and general green gal extraordinaire.

In other exciting news, the all-new Media Farmers Market will be starting up soon! May 13 from 3-7 pm, to be precise. More on that next time.

Things are warming up and we’re talking about the first swap of the season, likely the first week in May. More details to come, but start thinking about what you might have in abundance:  extra seeds, perennial transplants or seedlings that need a home, garden tools or even compost!

The past two weekends, the Media Green Exchange was suspended due to rain. We are hopeful that this weekend’s exchange, our last for this fall season, will coincided with cool, bright, fall weather. Please bring your goodies to swap: perennial plants from your yard are an exceptional offer this time of year, as well as any late-in-the-season garden harvest, seeds, canned goods, unwanted houseplants, or even offers of help in preparing your garden for winter. I have mushroom compost to offer, and will bring a sample to the swap. What treasures do you have to share with your neighbors?

Also, we welcome all comers to the next Media Green Exchange organization meeting on Nov. 8 at 7pm. Please contact Shannon at: tatima23@gmail.com for further information about the when, where, and how of the meeting. Come and share your thoughts and enthusiasm about how to make this idea of community building through gardening grow and thrive.

This Saturday will be the second-to-last swap of the season; 10am on the Plum Street Mall. Bring your seeds, perennials and any fall veggies you might still have to trade for other goodies.
On Sunday watch Fresh: The Movie, 7pm at the Delaware County Institute of Science. Hosted by Transition Town Media and Greener Partners, this film explores the sources of our food and the movement towards more sustainable agriculture. Following the film will be a panel featuring local food providers, including a farmer, a store owner and a restauranteur.