We always plant a garden collectively with 7 other families at another family's house. it is 120'x60' and since we don't have time to check the garden and divide up the produce all summer, we take turns weeding and watering each weekend and plant foods that will be harvested altogether.

So - this weekend we spent several hours today and yesterday planting a 40'x60' grid of hilled squashes - acorn, butternut, buttercup squash, and pumpkins. Then in the remaining 80'x60' area, we planted rows 2 feet apart of black turtle beans, Jacob's cattle beans, kidney beans, Vermont cranberry beans, and black garbanzo beans. Then row after row of carrots, onions, Gilfeather turnips, garlic (from last year), flax, beets, potatoes, and multi-colored pole beans. I think the pole beans are the only veggies that have to be harvested mid-summer.

At the end of today, we had piles of newspaper and 30 bales of mulching hay to put between the hills and rows. We'll wait until next weekend, when the seedlings emerge, to mulch the field. It was really nice to have everyone working alongside each other, cracking jokes and of course they all teased me because I insisted on straight rows this year. Last year was a little too chaotic looking for me.

It is fun to work with others, especially when you have a good purpose. Tonight we meet to discuss the launch of our new food co-op. I hope that has the same spirit.