Roger Nelson Memorial Food Garden
Established in 2012
Located at the Redwood Country Church
1640 Redwood Ave Grants Pass
Established in 2012
Located at the Redwood Country Church
1640 Redwood Ave Grants Pass
Mission
The gardens mission is to grow vegetables for the homeless, community members needing a little help, Saint Vincent DePaul Mobile Food Pantry and the Josephine County Food Bank
The gardens mission is to grow vegetables for the homeless, community members needing a little help, Saint Vincent DePaul Mobile Food Pantry and the Josephine County Food Bank
History
In 2012, Robert Nelson, a 25 year farmer and an active member of the Redwood Country Church planted potatoes on on ‘back land’ on church property. The result was 1,400 lbs of potatoes which were donated to the food bank.
The success of this first year garden renewed efforts as the garden expanded in size yearly. When Robert Nelson passed away in 2013, his son Gary promised to further carry on his father’s wishes.
Twelve years later, the deer fenced garden continues to produce ‘home grown’ vegetables for the hungry of our community. As the work of local food pantries increase, so does the need for fresh, locally grown vegetables. Plans for 2025 are well under way for growing and yielding a record garden harvest
The success of this first year garden renewed efforts as the garden expanded in size yearly. When Robert Nelson passed away in 2013, his son Gary promised to further carry on his father’s wishes.
Twelve years later, the deer fenced garden continues to produce ‘home grown’ vegetables for the hungry of our community. As the work of local food pantries increase, so does the need for fresh, locally grown vegetables. Plans for 2025 are well under way for growing and yielding a record garden harvest
2025 Plans
The Rogue Gardeners want to help and encourage Gary Nelson’s garden efforts by soliciting donations for specific agricultural products to enable 2025’s garden to be the best ever.
Growing strategy include:
- Addition of organic matter to planting beds 5 – 6” layer of compost/manure. (45 yds)
- Soil fertilizer amendments including: Bone meal, kelp meal, dolomite, 13-13-13 and
Osmocote timed release fertilizer (when transplanting).
- Use of colored poly mulch over top of planting bed – red, silver and black. Used for weed suppression and to enhance growth and productivity of specific plants. Example: Red Mulch - Reflects and far-red spectrum of light back to the plant which enhances early fruit set and increased production of tomatoes.
- Planting ‘superior’ varieties. F1 hybrids specifically bred for high production along with disease resistance. Example: Diomede cucumber which produces a higher proportion of female (fruit bearing) flowers and can also produce fruit with without pollination. Especially important during periods of rainy or windy weather, when bee pollination is minimized.
- Mycorrhizal fungi will be added to the seed planting mix of the vegetable transplants s and also incorporated inthe planting hole during transplanting. The root inoculation helps the plant increase water and fertilizer absorption, fights root diseases, increases the plant’s drought resistance and increases overall growth and production.
Steve Nelson’s knowledge of growing on this site is key to success. He has been growing on the plot for over a dozen years, has set up and is familiar with the irrigation system (furrows from irrigation ditch). Given a little help this garden will become a model for other organizations to follow and most important it will produce fresh vegetables to help feed the hungry in Josephine County.
Project Description: 8 beds, each 3 ½’ X 120’ (3,360 ft2 actual growing space)
Fertilizer: Per 100 ft (13-13-13 / 3lbs; Bone Meal / 3 lbs; Kelp Meal 2.5 lbs)
Materials Needed
13-13-13 - 100 lbs 50 #/ $34.99 2 ea $ 69.98
Bone Meal 100 lbs 25 # /$44.99 4 ea $179.96
Kelp Meal 84 lbs 50#/ $105.99 2 ea $211.98
Osmocote 15 – 9 12 (6M) 8#/ $37.99 1 ea $ 37.99
Red Poly (4’ X 500’) 1,000 ft roll 1 ea $ 120
Silver Poly (4’ X 500’) 600 ft roll 1 ea $ 110
Compost/ Manure 45 yards
Varieties/Transplants (to be determined)
Growing strategy include:
- Addition of organic matter to planting beds 5 – 6” layer of compost/manure. (45 yds)
- Soil fertilizer amendments including: Bone meal, kelp meal, dolomite, 13-13-13 and
Osmocote timed release fertilizer (when transplanting).
- Use of colored poly mulch over top of planting bed – red, silver and black. Used for weed suppression and to enhance growth and productivity of specific plants. Example: Red Mulch - Reflects and far-red spectrum of light back to the plant which enhances early fruit set and increased production of tomatoes.
- Planting ‘superior’ varieties. F1 hybrids specifically bred for high production along with disease resistance. Example: Diomede cucumber which produces a higher proportion of female (fruit bearing) flowers and can also produce fruit with without pollination. Especially important during periods of rainy or windy weather, when bee pollination is minimized.
- Mycorrhizal fungi will be added to the seed planting mix of the vegetable transplants s and also incorporated inthe planting hole during transplanting. The root inoculation helps the plant increase water and fertilizer absorption, fights root diseases, increases the plant’s drought resistance and increases overall growth and production.
Steve Nelson’s knowledge of growing on this site is key to success. He has been growing on the plot for over a dozen years, has set up and is familiar with the irrigation system (furrows from irrigation ditch). Given a little help this garden will become a model for other organizations to follow and most important it will produce fresh vegetables to help feed the hungry in Josephine County.
Project Description: 8 beds, each 3 ½’ X 120’ (3,360 ft2 actual growing space)
Fertilizer: Per 100 ft (13-13-13 / 3lbs; Bone Meal / 3 lbs; Kelp Meal 2.5 lbs)
Materials Needed
13-13-13 - 100 lbs 50 #/ $34.99 2 ea $ 69.98
Bone Meal 100 lbs 25 # /$44.99 4 ea $179.96
Kelp Meal 84 lbs 50#/ $105.99 2 ea $211.98
Osmocote 15 – 9 12 (6M) 8#/ $37.99 1 ea $ 37.99
Red Poly (4’ X 500’) 1,000 ft roll 1 ea $ 120
Silver Poly (4’ X 500’) 600 ft roll 1 ea $ 110
Compost/ Manure 45 yards
Varieties/Transplants (to be determined)
Partners
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