Thankful Thursdays: Our Garden Stop Sponsors Are Tops!

We are ELATED to share that our neighborhood’s first ever garden tour officially sold out this weekend. (And then we opened up a few more tickets, just for those last-minute folks who recognized the error of their ways in not getting a ticket).

• Tickets are limited and going fast (adults 16+: $10; kids 8-15: $5; kids 7 and under, FREE)

The countdown continues – only 10 more days! – help us thank our amazing Garden Tour sponsors and supporters. Today, we recognize our garden stop sponsors: Black Circle Brewing, Just Pop In!, the Keystone Monon Neighborhood Association, and Kolman Dental.

BLACK CIRCLE BREWING, Garden Tour Stop and Gift Sponsor

Black Circle Brewing Company is equal parts micro-brewery, craft beer bar and music venue. We are located in the Double 8 warehouse, now called Refinery 46, in the Midtown / SoBro fringe. We share the building with several local businesses and a co-op working space on the lower level.

Our focus is on quality local craft offerings and brewing our own versions of our favorite beer styles. We have a unique relationship with Elena Ruz Cuban Cuisine, which offers our guests a full menu in the tap room and allows us to focus on the beer. We will regularly host live music events, movie screenings and other local artists and entertainers. We also have an ever expanding collection of vintage arcade games, so bring a handful of quarters with you.

JUST POP IN!, Garden Tour Stop and Gift Sponsor

Just Pop In! was established in 2003 and created by dynamic twin sisters, Mandy & Carly. Inspiration stemmed from evenings spent popping with their Grandfather. They develop playful and scrumptious recipes for the nostalgic snack and place them in hip, thoughtful and snappy packaging.

JPI believes the quality of their product is equally as important to the experience they offer their clients. They are dedicated to a culture of happiness, open-mindedness and co-existence. Their company philosophy has earned national, regional and local awards and the attention of clients like IndyCar, PGA, NCAA, Christian Dior | Nylon magazine, to name a few.

Mandy and Carly are passionate about supporting their local Indianapolis community. They are proud partners of various organizations that offer invaluable services to the community such as The Damien Center, Indiana AIDS Fund, Habitat for Humanity, The Julian Center and The Patachou Foundation.

Popcorn isn’t just popcorn to the girls; it’s a catalyst to sharing in an experience with the people they meet each day, whether a friend, family member or stranger on the street.

KEYSTONE MONON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, Garden Tour Stop and Gift Sponsor

The Keystone-Monon Neighborhood Partnership was formed in February of 1995. It is run by residents of the area in cooperation with local authorities and organizations whose mutual goal is the betterment of the community.

The purpose of this organization is to maintain open lines of communication within the neighborhood as well as between residents and the resources available to assist them. In doing this, we feel the neighborhood becomes stronger and more stable for the long term.

KOLMAN DENTAL, Garden Tour Stop and Gift Sponsor

Kolman Dental, PC is here to help you maintain optimal oral health. We strive to provide excellent comprehensive and preventative care while maintaining a relaxing environment. Our state of the art office is conveniently located in the Broad Ripple neighborhood of Indianapolis, IN. We look forward to meeting you! Dr. Kolman also believes very strongly in giving back to the community. He is a graduate of the Ardeth Burkhart leadership training series. He is on the board of directors for the Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis as well as on a task force for the United Way of Central Indiana. Dr. Kolman was also appointed to the American Dental Association’s Business Enterprise board of directors. He is also a current member of the American Dental Association, the Indiana Dental Association, the Indianapolis District Dental Society, Key Point study club and the ITI study club.

Thank you for putting the “community” in “community garden.”

FIRST EVER Neighborhood Garden Tour: Special Promotion, Save $2!

You’re invited – and for four days only, you can save!

Use this link to save $2 per ticket for our upcoming NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN TOUR on Sun., Aug. 20 from 2-5pm: https://keystonemonongardentour.eventbrite.com?discount=Save2

WHAT IS IT? 5 amazing gardens, 1 great cause – and free admission and parking for the last evening of the IN State Fair! Get your tickets by Monday at midnight to save.

Adults 16+: $8 (Reg. $10)

Kids 8-15: $3 (Reg. $5)

Kids 7 and under: FREE

MORE ABOUT THE TOUR: On August 20 from 2-5pm, the Keystone-Monon Community Garden will host a garden tour highlighting FIVE amazing gardens right in our neighborhood. Keystone-Monon Grows is part neighborhood garden tour, part community gathering, part garden fundraiser, and ALL fun.

The event features a bicycle tour (automobiles also allowed) of three home gardens in the Keystone-Monon neighborhood, the community garden at Arsenal Park, and the gorgeous demonstration gardens at the IN State Fairgrounds – and free admission and parking for the last evening of the IN State Fair, thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center! We’ll meet the gardeners, tour their gardens, and learn more about the many unique ways people have launched their own growing spaces across our community.

BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY AND SAVE! All proceeds support the Keystone-Monon Community Garden, an entirely volunteer- and community-driven project. https://keystonemonongardentour.eventbrite.com?discount=Save2

Thank you for your support, and we’ll see you on Sunday, August 20!

Thankful Thursdays: Meet Our Garden Tour Program and Signage Sponsors!

One afternoon, five unique gardens, many neighbors and new friends, and free admission to the IN State Fair. You’ll find all of this and more at our NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN TOUR on Sun., August 20 from 2-5pm!

• Tickets are limited and going fast (adults 16+: $10; kids 8-15: $5; kids 7 and under, FREE)
• Visit five different gardens, including the Demonstration Gardens and Greenhouse at the IN State Fairgrounds; learn from home gardeners right in our neighborhood; meet your neighbors; AND get free admission to explore the last evening of the IN State Fair!

 

As the countdown continues – only 17 days! – we want to celebrate our amazing Garden Tour sponsors and supporters in our second “Thankful Thursday.” Today, we meet our tour program sponsor, Hope Plumbing, and signage and printing sponsor, Markey’s Rental and Staging.

HOPE PLUMBING, Garden Tour Program Sponsor

Our friends at Hope Plumbing are right up the street from the garden and have also helped us out tremendously by installing and fixing our garden’s water source!

Hope Plumbing is a locally owned and operated full service residential plumbing company located in SoBro that specializes in older homes. We offer a wide range of plumbing services and can take care of any plumbing issues you may have in, or outside, of your home. Hope Plumbing is a little over 10 years old and employs approximately 30 full time employees. We strongly believe in taking care of our employees by providing competitive wages, health insurance benefits, and retirement plans. Hope Plumbing supports its local community as much as possible.

MARKEY’S RENTAL AND STAGING, Garden Tour Signage and Printing Sponsor

Markey’s Rental & Staging is a national rental and staging/audiovisual company headquartered in Indianapolis since 1959. We have the largest inventory of high-quality audiovisual equipment in the Midwest and more than 160 professionals who support important events, conferences and corporate meetings that take place all across the United States.

DON’T MISS OUR FIRST EVER GARDEN TOUR! 

• For details and to purchase tickets today, visit our Eventbrite page.
• To be part of the community, follow us on Facebook.

Namaste: Yoga in the Garden Turns Out to Be THE BEST THING EVER

About a month ago, one of our neighbors and new friends, John-Payton Rowley of SoBeFit and yogaindy.com, approached us with a great idea: yoga in the garden. Earlier this week thanks to JP, we hosted our first by-donation Yoga in the Garden class, and we could not have pictured a more beautiful way to spend a Tuesday evening!

Not only was the day a gorgeous one (always a big question mark in Central Indiana at the end of July), but JP walked us through a wonderful, energizing, grounding yoga practice. We heard the sounds of the park – a basketball bouncing on the court, kids playing in the splash pad, a skateboarder at the skate park, laughter, car stereos going past on 46th St., birds chirping in the treetops above, and the breeze rustling through leaves. We watched ants make their ways across our mats and felt grass in our fingers. JP encouraged and smiled and laughed, and we smiled and laughed back.

Long story short: it was a perfect evening with some really wonderful humans. We cannot thank John-Payton enough for bringing this idea to fruition!

To us, this is what community’s all about: an amazing neighbor who has a clear passion and skill that jives perfectly with what we’re trying to accomplish, offering up a great an idea, making it happen seamlessly and beautifully… AND watching our neighbors, in turn, come out in droves to be a part of it!

We will be bringing JP back as soon as we possibly can in August for another great evening! THANK YOU to JP and to everyone who made it such a great success.

In the meantime, we will be hosting a second Yoga in the Garden gathering with Lisa Daugherty of CITYOGA on Tues., Aug. 1 from 6-7pm. This special evening will be held in conjunction with the Keystone-Monon Neighborhood Association’s National Night Out at Arsenal Park! Yoga, a garden, and a neighborhood potluck? Talk about good community vibes.

Thankful Thursdays, Garden Tour Edition: Meet the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center

Welcome to our first ever Thankful Thursday, where we feature our partners who put the “community” in community garden! Frankly, our garden would not exist without the support of so many individuals, businesses, and organizations over the years.

From people power (including volunteers, meeting participants, and gardeners) to in-kind donations, discounts on services and supplies, donations of heavy machinery (along with people to use said machinery without crashing), and every single dollar donated, we celebrate every bit of support we have received since dreaming up this garden in 2015.

We launch Thankful Thursdays by introducing you over the next several weeks to the founding sponsors of our first ever Garden Tour, taking place Sun., August 20 from 2-5pm! Today, we start with our presenting sponsor, the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center.

The northern edge of the Indiana State Fairgrounds is actually viewable from the garden, and we couldn’t be happier to share our neighborhood with the fine folks there. As presenting sponsors, the Fairgrounds will open their doors to tour participants, allowing us an insider look at the Purdue Extension-Marion County’s Demonstration Garden and Greenhouse.

All tour participants will gain free admission following our tour to enjoy the final evening of the much-loved Indiana State Fair! Did someone say corn dogs, deep fried pickles, and handcut fries? You know where to find us.

MORE FROM OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR

The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center is happy to be the presenting sponsor for the Keystone-Monon Community Garden Tour for 2017. We continue to cultivate the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center as an active and civically engaged community partner, and this event is the perfect platform to support this vision. The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center is host to more than 350 events each year culminating with our signature event, the Great Indiana State Fair. As we celebrate the Wonderful World of Food in 2017, we welcome you to our Fair.

INTERESTED IN ATTENDING?

Tickets are limited and will sell out fast for the first-ever Keystone-Monon Garden Tour!

• For details and to purchase tickets today, visit our Eventbrite page.
• To be part of the community, follow us on Facebook.

The Return of the Squash Bug! (Cue Horror Film Music)

Here in Central Indiana, there is one thing that is a near-certainty for every garden: the inevitable infestation of the squash bug. Each year it never fails: your summer squash plants are gigantic and producing like crazy. And then one day, you might notice a handful bugs. The next: a few more.

The next day? Your once-beautiful squash plant is crawling with bugs, and the entire plant has died, apparently overnight. Not only can they do a crazy amount of damage to squash plants, but they can also attack other cucurbit varieties (cucumbers, melons, and pumpkins).

 

Photos courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension

So what can you do about these evil little jerks? We decided to take a very scientific survey* to find out what area organic farmers and gardeners do to beat squash bugs into submission. Since this issue will likely befall your garden at some point, we thought we’d share everyone’s feedback here for future reference. Enjoy, and may your squash plants live long and prosper!

Tips for maintaining your squash plants – and sanity – against squash bugs, straight from Central Indiana farmers and gardeners:

• “So far its daily physical intervention, inspecting leaves, removing eggs, and adults, and treating with Diatomaceous earth around base of plants where they hide. Dr. Bronner’s castile soap with peppermint will work mixed with water and sprayed directly on insects. You can also use floating row covers early in season (you will have to pollinate yourself).”
• “I pull all leaves with eggs or midges on them and throw them in the trash. The chickens seem uninterested. I second, or third, the drowning them in soapy water method. Hand picking seems the best way.”
• “I recently purchased a book called “The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener.” The author, Tammi Hartung, is great and one of the ways she suggests repelling squash bugs is to sprinkle black pepper around the plants. I haven’t done this yet but did spray the plant with neem oil mixed with dish soap. That has helped.”
• “I have a spray bottle filled with soapy water and cayenne pepper and spray the leaves. So far it’s kept them off this year. If I find one I just squish it. Same with the eggs.”
• “Transplant as early as possible is my tip. Squash bugs are inevitable.”

Have you had issues with squash bugs? What’s your favorite method of saving your plants?

 

*”Very scientific” means we asked our Facebook friends – but, hey, many of them are organic farmers and gardeners with extensive firsthand squash beetle experience.

First Ever “Yoga in the Garden” By-Donation Class: This Tues., 7/25!

We cannot wait for John-Payton Rowley from yogaindy.com to lead our very first by-donation yoga class at the garden this coming Tues., 7/25 from 6-7pm!

As John-Payton explains, yoga is a way to merge mind body and soul into all aspects of being, in everything we do. We focus on meeting your personal goals through yoga practices – whether it be enhancing body-image, creating healthier eating patterns, gaining newer levels of physical and mental strength, weight-loss, rehabilitating injuries, creating healthier family space, relieving depression and anxiety, getting past fears, or gaining relaxation and stress relief.

We can feel the good vibes already. Set your intention right now to join us. RSVP at our Facebook page – or just show up!

Bring your yoga mat (if you have one – a limited number of extras will be available) and water bottle, and wear comfortable clothes that let you move. A portion of donations will go to garden operations and building. Pay what you are able!

WHEN: Tues., July 25, 6-7pm
WHERE: Keystone-Monon Community Garden at Arsenal Park, 1400 E. 46th St., Indianapolis IN 46205
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: John-Payton Rowley is a Certified Yoga Teacher, Personal Trainer, Athletic Trainer, Mentor, and Youth Development Coach. He started his career at the YMCA working with the youth leadership program. He received his teacher training through CITYOGA School of Yoga and Health which changed his life and gave him an invaluable deeper understanding and connection to the earth, our environment, and how we grow our food. He has a powerful intention to connect yoga and community gardens and to showcase the love and understanding of our community on a deep level. He is the resident yoga teacher at SoBeFit in South Broad Ripple and manifests human transformation, mind, body, and spirit.

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” — May Sarton