Dear Gardeners, Lots of rain and warm weather and the summer harvest is really underway. Please consider giving extra produce to the Food Pantry on Wednesdays (before 8 am ) or Saturdays (before 10 am). Other days, leave extra produce on the share shelves for other gardeners. There are lots of ways to preserve vegetables for later: consider freezing, canning, pickling, dehydrating and fermenting. Some resources here: http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/preservation.html and our website (bottom of the page): http://www.eagleheightsgardens.org/tips/gardentips.shtml This weekend is a holiday weekend with many people having Monday off. There will be workdays Sunday, 8/31, at University Houses (8 am to 11 am) and Monday, 9/1, at Eagle Heights (8 am to 11 am). Please reply if you would like to work one of these opportunities and I will get you more details. Two reminders: Workday obligations (to work a three-hour shift or pay the "no workday" optional fee) must be met by December 1 of each year. Only one workay is required per plot by one person. The fee if you want to pay is $32 for a large plot and $16 for a small plot. Make checks payable to Division of University Housing and send to Eagle Heights Community Center, 611 Eagle Heights, Madison, WI 53705. We will be scheduling workdays into the fall and usually continue into November if you want to work your shift. IMPORTANT: Every gardener, returning or new, must reapply each year for the gardens. Every year, some people forget to apply and are disappointed when they can't get the plot they want and must go on the waiting lists. Applications for next year will be available in mid-December and due by Feb. 15, 2015 for prioritization. After Feb. 15, applicants are taken in the order they apply, but we may have a waiting list by then. Put a reminder on your calender now and don't miss applying. The garden committee is discussing the application changes now so participate in those discussions at our garden meetings or email me with suggestions. Basil downy mildew is taking a lot of the basil with this wet weather. More information is available here including varieties that are more resistant: http://www.plantpath.wisc.edu/wivegdis/pdf/First%20Report%20of%20Basil%20Downy%20Mildew%20in%20Wisconsin.pdf The gardens are a busy place now with gardeners carrying home their produce, birds starting to flock up and feed for the fall migration, lots of caterpillars and butterflies and many fall flowers starting to bloom. Enjoy the warm weather and the vegetables! Gretel, Garden Registrar