Dayton "Dirt" - July 13, 2012

Tomorrow is our annual Blueberry Fest that will be centered around the Owl Barn Market including food, hayrides, music and of course luscious and juicy blueberries, blueberry pie, blueberry jams and jellies. The music is one of local flavor featuring Frankie Spetich who is known as the Polka King of Barberton. The hayride will include stops at the newly planted blueberry patch featuring the varieties such as Duke, Patriot, Bluecrop and Elliot all under drip irrigation during the hot and dry summer. The Owl Barn Market is in full swing with Ohio grown sweet corn and tomatoes but we’re chopping at the bit for local Seiberling sweet corn which is on the edge of being ready. We’ve been on a cleaning binge at the nursery preparing for the festival which has included flower planting, mulching, weeding and such. Many of the shrub beds and displays need renovation but that job will have to wait until we get some much needed rain. The last few years has been a building boom at the nursery in the building of the Owl Barn and new greenhouses but this year will be tame by comparison with a major renovation of the parking lot and a new roof of the equipment barn and the addition of a train garden featuring a German made train that will be a permanent feature of the landscape due to the tracks being constructed of solid brass. Another addition to our list this year is a playground with a slide, ladder and swings that was built just in time for the Blueberry Festival! For those of you in our garden club don’t forget to use your Dayton Dollar coupons before the expiration date. See you at the festival!