THE GARDEN STORY

Retail Construction Services, Inc. is dedicated to giving back.

We give back not only to those in need within our community, but also the future generations of this wonderful community. What started out as a great idea has grown exponentially and became an amazing reality. Here at the RCS Giving Garden, school groups, master gardeners, corporate volunteers, and our own employees work together for the common good of teaching children the art of gardening and the importance of healthy eating. Click Here for Full Story.

LOCATION:
Retail Construction Services, Inc.
11343 39th Street N.
Lake Elmo, MN 55042

From HWY 36 - go south on Lake Elmo Ave, turn left onto 39th Street, garden is at corner of 39th and Laverne.
From HWY 5- going west from Stillwater take right onto Laverne (near Fury dealership) garden is on the right at corner of Laverne and 39th street.

See what else RCS and the Giving Garden are up to:
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The RCS Giving Garden

The RCS Giving Garden

6/24/13

“Thar She Blows!”


Avery peeking through another fallen tree!
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Evan Peeking from one of our fallen trees!
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“Thar she blows!” is an old whalers term, but those are the words that came to mind when I arrived at The Giving Garden today! The Retail Construction Services property sustained great wind damage from the recent storms. Mature Linden and Pine trees were ripped from the ground, and the building was still without power after four days. Miraculously, though signs blew around and cucumber trellises fell over, the garden and all of the young plants were untouched!

Avery, Evan and Sydney putting
together the colorful row markers.
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This was great news for a small group of Rutherford Junior Master Gardener kids and adults who came out to help! We were able to fix the trellises and get to the business at hand...picking red, ripe STRAWBERRIES to bring to Valley Outreach! While picking the berries we learned that there are around 200 seeds on the outside of each berry, that berries won’t ripen after they are picked so
Picking Strawberries
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reach for the red ones, and that strawberries are always picked by hand due to their delicate nature. We also used magnifiers to get a closer look at the berry seeds and flowers and the tiny strawberries emerging from them! The kids discovered that many strawberries look like hearts and that sometimes two berries will grow together. They loved learning of the Legend of Love! If one shares a double strawberry with someone special, they may fall in love! Finally, of course, we had to have a yummy little taste test with
Evan, Avery and Sydney with
Scarecrow Bob!
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Berry stained fingers!
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berries picked from the garden and California berries purchased from the grocery store. Though both were delicious, nothing beats a juicy berry warmed by the sun and freshly picked! Plus, the Giving Garden berries didn’t have to be flown cross-country by an airplane!

More berry stained fingers...
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Placing the row markers
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Thanks to Jessica, Sydney, Amanda, Evan and Avery! Thanks also to Stephanie from Lakeview Hospital for coming to the Giving Garden to take photos and learn about this wonderful place and how it can help people learn and grow! We can’t wait to read your story!


--contributed by Kathy Luoma, Washington County Master Gardener Volunteer
Cucumber t-pees put back after the storm!
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