Organic Garden Apprenticeship Program • Summer 2012

It would be hard to imagine a more delightful year in the Himalayan Institute Gardens. The 2012 participants in the Organic Gardening Apprenticeship Program (OGAP) are a wonderful group of people and a great team that works well together in what has been a hot and dry growing season.

The OGAP folks managed to grow and transplant over 8,000 seedlings and provide thousands of pounds of fresh, nutritious, organically grown produce to Himalayan Institute residents and guest. Thus far, over 3,000 pounds of spring and early summer produce in the form of lettuce, beets, zucchinis, cabbage and greens have been delivered to the kitchen. The late summer and early fall crops that the gardeners are beginning to now harvest will make up the largest percentage of the gardens annual yield.

These crops include tomatoes; potatoes; basil; cabbage; celeriac; fennel; onions and peppers, as well as what appears to be a massive quantity of winter squash for late September harvest. (The giant Blue Hubbard’s are on their way!)

Each season is a little different and, as in most years, the weather conditions determine which crops do well and which crops don’t do so well. Whatever the outcome this year, we’re grateful for what the garden has provided and certainly the experience of working with such a great group of people contributes to creating something positive in all that we do. We are all indeed thankful for the delights of summer.

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