On Monday Mike Nelson and I installed the 6 new full color metal signs on the five Firewise Demonstrations Garden beds at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. One sign is for the project as a whole and the rest describe the purpose of each garden bed; the Permaculture Garden, the Bees and Pollinator Garden with Mike’s wonderful Insect Hotel, the Monarch Butterfly garden, the Natives Edibles Garden and the Rain Garden. The beds are now going into their third year and are doing very well!
Mike also just installed a new bird house designed especially for swallows, and moved the small one it replaced down to the crepe myrtle in the Monarch Butterfly bed.
Our butterfly “bath”, which was a 12″ un-glazed clay saucer, disintegrated this winter and we need to replace it. If you have a large clay saucer you don’t need, please let us know.
As a reward for all our hard work – we did a little harvest of purple asparagus before we left – some of the biggest asparagus I have ever seen! Yum! The strawberries and blueberries are in full bloom and the fig tree has lots of little figs forming. Last summer we had a bumper crop of grapes as well! Anyone working on caring for the beds gets to enjoy whatever is ripe at the time.
Stop by the Fairgrounds at any time (they are always open) and check out the new signs. I am usually there on Monday mornings. If you have an interest in helping to maintain the gardens email me at barb22 at mandalaarts.com.
sustainableroguevalley.org 
These demonstration gardens, now with helpful signage, are a gift that keeps on giving to people, plants, animals, environment, all! Thank you for the beautiful fruition of much hard work and great love. Michelle Keip
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Thanks, Michelle! It’s a really nice group effort. I look forward to it expanding into spring plant sales and classes each year.
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