HART talks gardens

The Hanna Agricultural Resource Team (HART) met at 5 p.m. on August 12 at the Hanna Market.

Recent summer meetings have been held at the community garden. The indoor meeting had almost a dozen members attend, including Hanna Mayor Lois Buchanan.

Perry Goodrich, the chairman of HART, said that the organization had purchased a new water pump and hose that made watering the gardens easier.

Linda Goodrich, secretary of HART, said there was going to be a work day in September to be decided. L. Goodrich said the walkway that HART is constructing for the Hanna Basin Museum needed to be completed.

P. Goodrich said that one bed should be taken out of circulation to upgrade.

“The idea is to take a bed out each year to make it better,” P. Goodrich said. “Although most beds are in decent shape, we can upgrade one each year which will make sure the beds stay in good condition.”

HART member Rose Dabbs has asked for a few of the dozen greenhouse panels that are off to the side. The members present agreed to Dabbs’ request. The panels are used to cover the beds during inclement weather.

P. Goodrich said by September 26 there was a 90 percent chance of the temperature going below 32 degrees according to the National Climatic Data Center. There is a 50 percent chance a freeze will come by September 9.

“In the next few weeks the gardens should be harvested and get prepped for the cold weather that is coming.” P. Goodrich said.

P. Goodrich said he would like to reach out to different agricultural organizations in the county and individuals that are doing innovative things with gardens.

“I am looking to learn from anyone who has had success with their crops, so we can do the same thing,” P. Goodrich said. “Like this year, we have learned that strawberry plants do better than in some shade whereas in Illinois when we planted them, we put them in full sun. But the higher elevation here, the plants get burned.”

P. Goodrich concluded all sources on agriculture in Carbon County should be cultivated to help the HART members gardens.

The next regular meeting will be at 5 p.m. on September 15 at the Hanna Market.