Dear Gardeners, We have had word back on the crane chick that was hit by a car on University Bay Drive. He (probably, sex not certain) has bonded with a foster dad and is recovering better than expected, but still not flying. See photos and more info on the Garden Blog on our website at http://eagleheightscommunitygarden.blogspot.com/ We'll have two workdays this weekend, both at Eagle Heights gardens. We are working on a buffer area project and will be moving wood chips for that Saturday and Sunday afternoons starting at 2 pm and going to 5 pm. Please reply if you would like to work and I'll get you more details and on the list. The colors are spectacular this year but leaves are coming down fast with the rain this week. Still time to get in some overwintering crops, mulch the perennials, clean up debris, harvest greens and make notes for next year. Rotating your areas for vegetables can help with disease and pest management so make a little sketch of where things were this year so you don't plant the same things in the same spots next year. We have some students who would like to do some soil testing for lead in garden plots at Eagle Heights. They would need to take two samples from any volunteers who would allow sampling. If you would be willing to let them sample, it might provide useful information for the Gardens. Please reply to me with your plot number and any instructions (where you planted garlic for instance). I will accompany them during sampling to ensure they are aware of your plantings that might not be obvious. The probe is very small diameter and shouldn't be intrusive. Check out the loons on Lake Mendota (some just off Memorial Union or in the bay between Second Point and Picnic Point). They are coming down from up North but will stay for a while as long as there is open water for fishing. Enjoy one of the best times of the year, Gretel, Garden Registrar