The Eco Friendly Sierras

This past weekend Greenhorn Ranch celebrated not only Mother’s Day, but christened their VICTORY GARDEN with 2 rows of corn, 2 rows of tomatoes, 2 rows of cucumbers, 5 basil plants, and 4 bunches of parsley. Playing a roll in the tilling of the soil, was Mabel, one of the ranches draft horses. “It was truly a community effort” says Ralph Wilburn who has been with Greenhorn Creek Guest Ranch since the early 70’s. The garden plants as well as nursery flowers and shrubbery were donated by Jerry Vande Burgt of JV Lawn & Virginia House Nursery in Reno, Nevada. Jerry visited Greenhorn Ranch in April and felt like he was home. “I wanted to contribute to the Ranch in a way that I could lend both my expertise and my physical labor!” Lend it, he did. Jerry planted flowers and shrubs all day and in the late afternoon, he helped lay out the vegetables and instruct the kids on planting and watering. Also at the event, were Jack Sutton of Nevada Back Roads a News Travel segment on CBS Channel 2; Heather Forcier of KODS – 103.7  The River, and Jerry Evans, Owner 99.1 FM, in Reno, Nevada. According to Trish Wilburn, there were over 100 guests enjoying the outdoor lunch and celebrating Mother’s Day including the 10 children planting the garden.

Lisa Kelly, Manager of Greenhorn Ranch, has been leading a 4-H group in the science of Vermiculture this past winter, with the expertise of Noreen Thompson, Master Gardener and Dana Galloway of Native Touch Massage in Quincy. “We are using the worm castings as part of our fertilizer recipe and if the castings do all that we have researched, then we should have award winning salad fixings!” The worm castings are also a wonderful source of other garden products such as worm tea. “If you spray the tea on plants, they really thrive”, according to Dick Owens, owner of Dick’s Wigglers in Washoe Valley, Nevada. Worms will happily turn your kitchen scraps into some of the best fertilizer on earth – worm compost, otherwise known as “worm castings” or “vermicompost” is a fascinating, fun and easy way to recycle your waste, vermiculture:

• Requires very little work
• Produces no offensive odors
• Helps plants thrive

The goal of the Victory Garden and the Worm Farm is to contribute to a sustainable community. “This is only a small part of a big effort, says the Wilburn’s, but ya gotta start somewhere!”