Today was another in the string of unusual work days at CVBG. A group of Master Gardeners who call themselves the Traveling Gardeners joined our Tuesday crew to help out wherever needed. This group’s usual approved work site was Hanson Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC) located on the Faulkner Farm property in Santa Paula. That farm was sold and the Master Gardeners at that site opted to volunteer at the other approved sites on a rotating basis until the new and much larger HAREC site purchased in Camarillo on the Oxnard Plain is ready for use. So we took advantage of the influx of talent to continue the never-ending job of removing weeds.
The group comprised Beryl Alfino, Susan Carter, Daveta Cooper, Margie Hewson and Todd York. They joined Monica Barton, Beverly Kemmerling, Ann Sturman, Daryl Stutley, Nancy Taylor Walker, Janet Wall and me.
The task we set for ourselves was to continue the work from last year by Bob Butler to eradicate (at least make a dent in) the mustard in the garden. We worked in the matilija poppy stand along the fence in the Service area and focused on removing mustard, horehound and invasive non-native thistle. We started the day with a review of the job, what to pull and what not to pull. Below Nancy captured part of the group; samples of horehound and mustard were passed around for a closer look.
Me, Janet, Margie, Susan (back to camera), and Todd.
Because the thistle appeared to contain large amounts of seeds in the dried heads, we collected them for discarding. Nancy recorded many shots of folks working, but the best people shots were of us trekking to the dumpster with our filled 15-gallon pots.
Beverly,
Susan and Beryl,
and Janet
Finally we took a group shot before calling it a day.
Front Row: Beryl, Susan, Monica, Janet, Ann, Daveta, Todd and Margie. Back row: Daryl, Nancy, and Beverly. Janet was nice enough to take another group shot with me in the center, but since I’m represented by my shadow (lower right) I chose this one.
We knew it was an auspicious occasion when those of us who had parked in the parking lot in front of the KAG returned to our cars and found an egret perched on top of Susan’s (I think) car!
It wasn’t perturbed at all by our presence and only flew down when a few of us actually approached the vehicle.
My thanks to the Traveling Gardeners for their efforts, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.
Enjoy the garden! KMM