BEEFY Brandon's Garden
Pictures!
Intern Profile
I want to work at the garden because:
I want to have more experience working and growing a garden.
Two of my personal goals for working at the Dallas Youth Garden this summer are:
1.Growing big and healthy vegetables.
2.Have fun while I work.
Two things I hope to learn for working at the Dallas Youth Garden are:
1.I hope to learn how to grow a efficient clean garden.
2.I also want to learn how to be a better leader.
I think my biggest challenge will be:
My biggest challenges will be the sun and weeding.
My favorite vegetable or fruit is:
Broccoli.
I think a leader is:
Someone who you can look up to and follow no questions asked.
I hope to contribute this leadership skill to the garden this season:
By leading others and helping people.
Garden Plan:
Rows of vegetables planted: 17
Number of different kinds of vegetables planted:14
Optimal Garden Yield:256lb
My garden did or did/not match my plan and why:
My garden did match my plan because I made sure there were no Non-Companion plants that were planted near each other.
Garden Log:
May 3-5: Started work and removed tarps
May 8-12: Worked on plans helped at master gardeners plan sale
May 15-19: I planted about a third of my garden
May 22-26: I was sick for a day.I planted more of the garden.
May 29-June 2: Planted almost all my garden. Only thing left to plant is Dill.
June 5-June 9: Finished my garden and started weeding. We also put down all the straw and paper for our paths but a small tornado blew most of it away.
June 12-16:We mulched gardens.
June 19-23:I was gone for the week on a vacation.
June 26-30: I weeded and mulched my garden.
July 3-7: I did some more weeding and mulching.
July 10-14: I did more weeding and finished mulching my garden.
July 17-21:We had our open house and I gave a few garden tours. I harvested my first Zucchini.
July 24-28:I did some more weeding and harvested a few zucchini and squash.
July 31-August 4: Watered and weeded my garden and harvested a few veggies. My Roma tomatoes have bloom rot and i'm sad :(
August 7-11: Watered and harvested more veggies tomatoes have less rot.
August 14-18: Harvested tomatoes have less rot.
August 21-25: Watered and weeded my garden and my romas have even less bloom rot than before and my cucumbers are growing really bug cucumbers.
August 28- September 1: Weeded and watered More of my tomatoes are growing and one of my cucumbers are HUGE!!!
September 4-8:More tomatoes grew and I got all the money.
August 21-26: weeded, watered, and harvested.
August 28- September 2: Weeded, watered, and harvested all the dill and onions.
My Leadership Projects
Extra Leadership:
Problem: The WVFAP has lots of vegatables coming in from DYG but some people might not know what to do with some produce or some might want some ideas.
Solution: I will find a recipe that is easy and simple for people to make.
Test/Activity: I used this recipe to guide me https://diethood.com/parmesan-tomato-chips-recipe/ 1.Cut the tomatoes into thin slices
2.Put a wire cooling rack on top of a baking pan that has been covered with aluminum foil, Then put the slices on the rack.
3.Then brush the tomatoes with olive oil and season the tomatoes with desired herbs (Italian herbs basil etc)
4.Put the tomatoes in an 275f oven for 2.5 to 3 hours checking occasionally to make sure the tomatoes don't burn.
5.A few minutes before the tomatoes are done sprinkle them with cheese.
6.When cheese is melted take the tomatoes out of the oven and let cool for an hour.
Results: I made tomato chips.
Communication: I'll print out the recipe for the people at WVFAP to use.
Leadership Skills:Effective Communication.
August Leadership:
Problem: We grow all these sunflowers in the Dallas Youth Garden and even though the seeds can be eaten we don't give any to the Willamette Valley Food Assistance Program.
Solution: I will find out how to harvest and prepare sunflower seeds for consumption.
Test/Activity: I harvested a head of seeds and prepared and cooked the seeds myself using this website as a guide https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_in_shell_sunflower_seeds/.
You know seeds are ready when the flower looks dried and droopy and the seeds are starting to become exposed To remove the seeds simply bend and twist the sunflower head to loosen the seeds then rub the seeds firmly to remove them. For every cup of sunflower seeds you need 4 cups of water and 2tbsp of salt. You then need to get the seeds to a rapid boil then lower the temperature to a simmer and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Then strain the seeds and spread them out single layer on a baking pan. Preheat your oven to 400f and when ready place sunflower seeds on the top rack of the oven and roast for 10 to 15 minutes checking often until they are roasted enough to your satisfaction.
Results: I learned how to make sun flower seeds that were decent tasting.
Communication: I'll print out the recipe for the people at WVFAP to use.
Leadership Skills:Effective Communication.
July Leadership:
Problem: Which results in a better yield? Growing lettuce from starts or seeds?
Solution: I planted a row of half Lettuce starts and half Lettuce seeds.
Test/Activity: I planted half a row of lettuce starts and half a row of lettuce seeds.
Results: The Half row of starts grew faster and produced more lettuce than the seeds. The starts total weight was 6.6 and the seeds was a measly .5. A reason I thought why the seeds grew much smaller and slower is because I wasn't able to weed that half of the row out of fear that I would pull up the fragile lettuce with the weeds.
Communication: I'll provide information on which one you should use.
Leadership Skills: Self Direction.
June Leadership:
Problem: How much money do we save people by providing free vegetables.
Solution: I will found out how much money I save people with my garden.
Test/Activity: I went to our local Safeway and recorded the prices for the things i'm growing.
Result:
Broccoli 1.99/lb 40lb =79.6$
Cabbage 1.29/lb 40lb =51.6$
Carrots .89/lb 40lb = 35.6$
Cucumber 89/lb 20lb =17.8$
Lettuce 1.50 per lettuce 20 =30$
Pepper 2.99/lb 20lb =59.8$
Tomato 1.99/lb 30lb =119.4$
Zucchini 1.69/lb 50lb =84.5$
Basil N/A
Dill N/A
With my findings the total amount of savings my garden makes is 478.3$
Communication: I will discuss my findings with the other garden interns on presentation day.
Leadership Skills: Effective communication