Thank you,

Masterson’s Garden Center

by Lauren Merriman

Have you been wondering about the greenhouse just beyond the propane tank and pallets of topsoil? Well now is your chance to come check it out! Pathways Greenhouse Project will be having an open house THIS Saturday, October 22^nd from 1-3pm. Come learn about cutting edge sustainable agriculture and purchase “chemically free, locally grown” produce for a great low price!

Pathways Greenhouse Project is owned and operated by Pathways Christian Fellowship, with support from a grant established by the Community Action Organization (CAO) and a generous donation of land from Mike Masterson.  With funding from the CAO, the Pathways Greenhouse Project is part of a larger Federal Stimulus Program.

Initially, the greenhouse project was envisioned as a source of food for the community living in the Route 16 corridor. That “food source” could be accessed through the sale of fresh, chemical free healthy food at a low price and/or earned as part of compensation for work. It quickly became evident that it was not possible to support the business side of the project given its current size and amount of produce that can be harvested throughout the year. It is important to note that this greenhouse has been “winterized” extending the growing season to a full twelve months but even with the full-year growing season cannot currently produce enough to fulfill its initial mission.

The first order of business then, was for the greenhouse to become sustainable as a standalone resource with growth potential.  With this, finding distribution channels for the produce grown at the greenhouse to derive revenue enough to support the functioning of the structure and fuel further growth became paramount.  Quickly matching marketplace needs with greenhouse capabilities, the primary produce grown at the greenhouse currently is comprised of highly specialized vegetation that is sold to area upscale restaurants to round out their menu offerings. Some of these restaurants include: Mother’s, Betty’s, The Buffalo Chophouse, The Buffalo Convention Center, Adam’s Mark. During the summer, Oliver’s restaurant menu was comprised of 100% produce from the greenhouse project!

Admittedly though, this “restaurant customer” does not align with the mission of the originally- humanitarian church ministry.  The second phase of this initial model then brings the second objective to the forefront- using the current greenhouse to in some way serve the community.  Not necessarily as a food source today, but in a bigger-picture manner of offering training, volunteerism opportunity, nurturing at-risk youth through education and empowerment, etc.

However, the bigger opportunity for the greenhouse is in extending their reach even further to the community at large by changing not only perceptions about healthy eating, but access to healthy eating.

Changing perceptions can be done through education and example.  While access to healthy eating can be provided not only through distribution of food from the greenhouse but by encouraging and assisting participants to explore their own food resources in the form of gardening.

This is not a chicken-vs.-egg syndrome, it is instead a challenge of “beefing up the chicken” to raise more to lay eggs to feed many.  It is, after all, in feeding, nourishing the community living in the Route 16 corridor that we find the true mission and purpose for building the greenhouse.

You may be wondering now, how you can get involved. We need volunteers and eventually managers to oversee different administrative roles such as publicity director, volunteer coordinator, training coordinator, funds sourcing manager etc. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday and answering any questions you may have for us. Remember this project is still young but with support will grow up to do great things in the community! J

Stink bugs are stinky, hence the name. This time of year, we seem to see more and more of them making their way into our gardens and even our homes. And that’s kinda gross.

 Never fear! We have stink bug lures and traps should you find yourself in the midst of an invasion.

 In addition to these useful things, we’ve also come up with some pretty useless stink bug trivia…enjoy!

• stink bugs were accidentally introduced to the US very recently, the first being reported in the late 1990′s
• they eat leaves, flowers, fruits, and crops like soybeans
• they are not harmful to humans (unless you have a VERY sensitive nose and feel a need to squish them)
• they emit a foul smell when their bodies are damaged
• they are also called shield bugs, which makes sense since they are shaped like shields…
• stink bugs can fly
• stink bugs can bite
• they will happily move into your house with you if given the opportunity

While we like to feed the wild birds year-round, early fall is the time to start if you haven’t been supplying a buffet all along.

Fall is when birds that will hang around for the winter months begin to establish their food sources.  if you’d like to see them in your yard all winter long (face it, there’s not much else to look at), begin putting food out for your favorites now.

A few tips:

• Different birds feed at different heights. Some like to feed off the ground, some from tabletop level, some from hanging feeders. An assortment of feeders at different locations will attract a much wider variety to your yard.
• Place feeders near trees or bushes to provide safety and security for the birds.
• Use the appropriate type of seed for the feeder you have. Big seeds in a feeder with small holes? Mean trick to play on birds.
• Choose the type of seed that your favorite birds prefer. Stop in and ask us what will work best!
• Suet is a great treat in the cooler months. Buy pre-made cakes or get it from your butcher and make your own (fun project with kids!)

We have lots of feeders, suet holders, and premium bird seed in stock year-round.

Not all of us have skimmers on our ponds.  I don’t.  For some reason, the one tree in my yard that loses its leaves has already begun to drop them, and of course every single one ends up in my pond.  They will float for a little while, but will eventually end up in the bottom of the pond and clog up the intake of the pump.

Leaves in the bottom of your pond are not a good thing.  Neither are flower petals, berries from your neighbor’s bushes (why are they ALWAYS in my pond?), or clumps of grass your kids throw in there. Organic matter decays and adds to the bad-gas-emitting sludge on the bottom of your pond.

So, even if you DO have a skimmer, check out your pond regularly and remove any leaves, twigs, etc. that have fallen into the water.

As we approach fall, consider using a leaf net stretched over the pond to make this job a bit easier.  We have many sizes in stock.  And, use Microbe-Lift Autumn Prep bacteria to quickly break down any organic matter that does make its way to the bottom of your pond. ]]> http://mastersons.net/2011/09/skimmers/feed/ 0 http://mastersons.net/2011/08/deterring-predators/ http://mastersons.net/2011/08/deterring-predators/#comments Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:30:56 +0000 Erin http://mastersons.net/?p=599 There are many different predators out there waiting to snack on your fish.  The great blue heron, mink, kingfisher, green heron, and turtles to name just a few.  The great blue is by far the most common, but mink attacks are definitely on the rise in our area.

Here are a few things that you can do to protect your finned friends:

• Cover your pond with netting.  Although somewhat unsightly, this method is very effective against heron attacks.  If you have lost fish this can be a good temporary deterrent to prevent a return visit.
• Provide plenty of hiding places for your fish.  Floating plants, rock ledges, or a short length of drainage pipe laid on the bottom will give your fish a safe place to hide.
• Motion activated sprinklers, called ’Scarecrows’, have proven to be very effective at scaring off most predators
• Design your pond to be predator-proof.  Ok, it’s not really possible to make it totally predator-proof by design, but you can certainly deter most attacks by making access difficult.  Dense landscape plantings along the pond’s edge, tall aquatic plants and steep, vertical sides are examples of design features that will help protect your fish.

You found the perfect new plant for your garden. When it fills in, it’s going to be gorgeous.  The problem? It’s kinda puny right now. Don’t be tempted to plant things too close together. Instead, try filling in the empty space around a new planting with some garden art.

Gazing globes, statuary, birdbaths, or even a small bench can be a unique addition to your garden space while preserving the area that your new planting will need as it grows up.

This is also a great trick to use in places where spring blooms have faded and left you with a boring spot in the garden!

Be creative when selecting garden art – anything goes!

Congratulations, Sue Kogutek! Gorgeous fish, great photo!

Honorable Mention goes to Brian Masterson for this next photo. Though clearly disqualified because of his last name, we think this is a pretty funny picture!

Take a moment to browse through the rest of the entries. Our customers have some gorgeous fish!

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If you’ve grown tomatoes in the past, you’re pretty likely to be at least familiar with what is commonly known as blossom end rot. It is called this for good reason. The end of the tomato, where the blossom was, develops a black, leathery spot that looks rotten.

A case of blossom end rot, sadly from tomatoes in my own garden.

The sad news is that once you see the signs of this disease, there is not a lot that can be done to reverse it quickly. This is because blossom end rot is primarily caused by a combination of two things: lack of sufficient calcium in the developing fruit and poor uptake of water (due to drought, insufficient root system, damage to roots, etc.).

Though there are certainly other instances where blossom end rot will occur, it is seen frequently in gardens in cooler climates with heavy soil…sound familiar? The plant’s root system cannot thrive and just is not able to supply the plant with adequate calcium to properly form the fruits. Another common situation that leads to this disease is in gardens that are not kept evenly moist. For example, a garden that is watered heavily and then allowed to dry out between waterings (maybe like my own :-/) will stress the root system and not allow for even delivery of calcium to the plant.

So, what to do if you notice blossom end rot on your tomatoes?

• Fertilize with a low nitrogen (first number), high phosphate (second number) fertilizer
• Mulch the garden to help maintain even moisture
• Shade plants that tend to dry quickly
• Avoid cultivating the area at the base of tomato plants
• Aim for even soil moisture
• Don’t panic – it cannot spread from plant to plant, nor can it hurt you if you consume the tomatoes

Chances are if you can take these measures now, you’ll see the problem lessen as the season goes on. That’s what I’m hoping for, anyway…

Do you have more tomato questions? Check out this link to some really good info from Cornell University. And feel free to let me know if you have any questions I might be able to help with.