Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you all that I’ll be stepping away from my role at Grow Local Colorado as of November 1. Throughout my life, I’ve stepped away from other work because it ceased to “align with my values.” We’ve all heard that before. Well, this is not that. I’m shifting to a smaller home and have chosen to leave the Denver area. It will be an opportunity for me to stretch into another place and participate with another set of people. I know this leaves a gap (hoping not too long), but it won't be a bad thing, as this organization is a collection of gardeners and partners that are always there for support. The best part is that I’ll be near enough to check in, help in the gardens or with fruit gleaning, or seed related fun on occasion. GLC is a part of who I am and I love the people that are part of this movement. So my friends, this isn’t goodbye, it’s see you soon. Thank you for 11 incredible years on the front-lines of feeding people and the planet. I’m grateful to know and be a part of this community.

Our gardens are starting to produce in abundance. Thanks to the help of 754 adults and 576 youth so far this season, we have been able to harvest and share 1,645 lbs of fresh, healthy produce with over two dozen food relief organizations. The next two months we will be gathering thousands of pounds of produce. Want to experience the joy of harvesting? Consider joining us in a garden. We have volunteer opportunities just about every day of the week.

Tips on harvesting

We’ve all been there growing our veggies and then it comes time to harvest. Is it the right time, what should I look for? Let’s start with the time of day. It’s generally ideal to harvest in the morning, when the weather is cooler and your fruit will be its crispest. Other factors to consider are size, color, or firmness when gently squeezed. The timing of your harvest will affect flavor and nutrition. Start with a deep dive into each plant you’re growing to determine their days to maturity. To highlight the subject, we’ve got cucumbers pictured here in various stages of growth. There are many kinds of cucumbers, therefore, many different approaches for when it’s best to pick. For instance, a gherkin is picked at 1.5-2 inches long and a slicing cucumber will need to be uniformly sized on each end and roughly 5-8 inches long. Happy harvesting the tastes of the season!