Giving Garden

Last Harvest of the Season

2011-11-01T14:31:00.000-05:00

We dug, cut, picked and gathered the last crops for harvest during our Fall Garden Clean Up event last week.

Twenty pounds of produce including beets, kohlrabi, carrots, kale, Swiss chard, parsley, onions, bok choy and cabbage were delivered to Eagan Resource Center.

Afternoon Snack

2011-10-11T11:34:00.000-05:00

Caterpillars of the Arctiidae family are often called woolly bears due to the dense coat of hairs (setae) adorning the body. They come in a variety of different, striking colour patterns and are often found in the fall when looking for a sheltered spot, (under a rock, fallen log, etc.) to hibernate as caterpillars.

This woolly bear was spotted in the garden getting an afternoon snack. Once 'our' little bear reaches adult hood, he will transform into a Virginian Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica). Adults are white with long-hairy backs and generally one small black spot.

Busy Bees, Busy Volunteers

2011-09-27T19:44:00.000-05:00

During our Fall Celebration Event I spotted a bee busy at work. As I took the photo, I couldn't help but think of similarities between this busy little bee and our volunteers. Our dedicated volunteers tend to the garden everyday for probably 6 months out of the year. Bumble bees tend to visit the same patches of flowers every day, as long as they continue to find nectar and pollen. These little pollinators, like our dedicated volunteers, can be found busy at work in the garden, day after day. The garden brings us together, and as a team, we make it a success.

Together, we are making a healthy difference in our community. So to all of our fabulous, dedicated volunteers (and bees) we say THANK YOU! Without you none of this would be possible.

Preschool Diary's

2011-09-15T17:54:00.001-05:00

For the past couple years the public, onsite, Bright Horizons, child development center has participated in the giving garden. The children love being out in the garden and getting dirty! Here is an excerpt from a daily parent email about one of their garden visits:

At the garden, Ms Heather and friends got to walk around the garden and check out the different vegetables, fruits and flowers that are growing. It was very exciting to see how much things have grown since our last visit. As we waited for Ms. Alison to get there we had fun running up and down the hill by the garden and played one of our favorite games of duck-duck-gray duck! When Ms. Alison got to the garden we were very excited to put on our garden gloves and get to work. :) We planted marigolds this morning, it was so much Fun! We got the opportunity to see how different marigold seeds are to green bean seeds. (very interesting.) Everyone had a turn to put some marigold seeds into the dirt and had so much fun being able to be apart of something that is so special to Blue Cross! We did such a fantastic job with the walk there and back and definitely are excited for our next garden visit! Everyone also got to take a snap pea back to school with them. They are in your child's cubby. We also came back with a tomato and a green pepper to show our friends.

Powdery Mildew

2011-09-06T20:22:00.003-05:00

It seems once again this year we have some crops affected with powdery mildew. We spotted cucumber and melon leaves covered in the tall tell signs. Luckily it has struck later in the growing season and hasn't taken over the crops entirely.

We did some research (http://organicgardening.about.com/od/diseases/p/PowderyMildew.htm) and discovered powdery mildew thrives in temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees. Dry, shady conditions are ideal, as are areas with poor air circulation. Planting disease resistant cultivars and making sure you allow for good air flow are two ways to guard against powdery mildew. Inspect plants regularly during warm, dry conditions, and remove any leaves that show signs of infection. Destroy (do not compost!) infected plant parts. A spray made with baking soda, if applied weekly at the first signs of infection, can protect plants against further damage. Plants that are badly infected should be ripped out and destroyed to prevent the disease from spreading further.

A commercially available organic option is Neem oil, which both treats existing powdery mildew and protects the plant against further infection. (One of our gardeners uses Neem oil spray on aphids in her garden, and has found it to be really effective!)

Interestingly enough, the most effective measure in preventing and treating powdery mildew is to spray the foliage of your plants daily with plain water from the hose. Powdery mildew hates water! The only caveat with this method is to be sure you do it early in the day so that the foliage completely dries before cooler evening temperatures arrive, otherwise you may invite other fungal diseases, such as black spot, into your garden.

If your garden has fallen victim to powdery mildew, how have you treated it?

We would love to hear from you!

80 Pounds!

2011-08-30T17:37:00.002-05:00

The giving garden just keeps growing and giving thanks to our great volunteers and the wonderful plant donations from MN Green.

To date we have harvested and delivered over 673 pounds to the Eagan Resource Center and Lewis House.

These last few deliveries have topped the chart with 121.50 lbs being delivered last week and now an additional 80 lbs delivered today!

The Melons Are Coming

2011-08-03T22:02:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the hot, wet weather the melons are looking great.

47 Pound Harvest!

2011-08-01T19:32:00.002-05:00

Almost 50 pounds of produce picked and delivered this morning before it started raining including 3 bags of really nice sized cucumber.

The dedicated team of volunteers who harvested early this morning said there was a lot more out there so it could be a record harvest week. Would be great if we had to deliver to the food shelf everyday this week.

Squash and Tomato ... and Melted Cheese

2011-07-25T22:04:00.003-05:00

The Squash and Tomato teams have done a fabulous job this year, and now we're reaping the benefits of their work. We love this recipe loosely based on a more complicated one from Better Homes and Gardens.

2 lbs summer squash, sliced (or zucchini if you like)
2 lbs tomatoes cut in thick slices
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Seasonings recommended – if using fresh, feel free to use more or less as you prefer. We like a LOT of fresh basil instead of powdered. But that may be because the basil grew like mad this year.

1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook the squash until still somewhat crisp. Stir together flour, sugar, and seasonings; stir in drained tomatoes. In a 2-quart square baking dish, layer half of the squash and half of the tomato mixture; repeat layers. Bake uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses; bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until heated through and sauce is bubbly around the edges. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Midsummer Garden

2011-07-25T08:18:00.001-05:00

The garden is just about to burst.

We've been harvesting for weeks but once the tomatoes, cucumbers and beans are ready soon we'll be carrying out some really heavy bags for the food shelter and shelter.

2011-07-13T21:26:00.003-05:00

The gardeners have been picking and delivering scads of produce. Lettuce, raspberries, peppers, peas, and all the greens are thriving. We were so thrilled with this beautiful chard that we had to post this recipe from allrecipes.com. Scrumptious. You can use Swiss or Rainbow chard:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste (optional)

Directions

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

Parsley and Dill

2011-07-12T19:41:00.003-05:00

Oh, the parsley and dill! It made us think of our favorite new potato recipe. There are so many variations, but the basic is this:

Boil red or new potatoes (with or without skin) until cooked but still firm. Put in glass pan with butter or olive oil to taste. Stir in fresh parsley and dill - add a little more or less of whichever you like. You can add some sea salt or pepper to taste. That's it! You're ready to eat.

Happy Greens

2011-06-28T06:58:00.003-05:00

All the rain may make the potatoes cranky, but boy, are the greens ever happy this year!

Our favorite easy recipe for spinach, kale, or chard:

1 or 2 bunches of greens

2 cloves of garlic

Olive oil

Sea salt

Slice garlic, sauté in olive oil, greens, stir till wilted and thoroughly warm. Remove, add salt to taste, and eat!

Donation from Bailey Nurseries

2011-06-24T10:51:00.001-05:00

We have some wonderful additional varieties of veggies and herbs to add to the garden thanks to a donation from Bailey Nurseries through MN Green.

Perfect timing too as some of our squash seeds did not germinate and some tomato plants suffered in the 100 degree heat earlier this month.

Pepper:
3 Hot Summer Savory
3 Ancho San Martin
8 Lady Bell
3 Alma Paprika
1 Giant Marconi

Pumpkin:
2 Howden
1 Gerradina

Cabbage:
5 Red Express
6 Pennant

Squash:
2 Zucchini
4 Goldy Zucchini
2 Butternut

3 Egg Plant

8 Cauliflower

Tomato:
2 Beef Master
4 Sweet 100
2 Super Fantastic
4 Big Boy
2 Early Girl
1 Arkansas Traveler

Herbs:
1 Golden Oregano
1 Tricolor Sage
4 Golden Sage
3 Golden Lemon Thyme
1 Tarragon
1 Peppermint
2 Dill
2 Valerian
1 Summer Savory
3 Sweet Basil
2 Marjoram
2 Fennel
1 Spice Globe Basil
4 Garlic Chives

Thank you Bailey Nurseries!!

Radish Sandwich?

2011-06-22T06:50:00.005-05:00

We weren't expecting to pick radishes yesterday. We were just thinning. We ended up with a colander full of greens and a bonus bunch of radishes.
Looking for simple recipes, we found Radish Sandwich. Brown bread, butter, and thinly sliced radishes. That's it! You try it first and let us know how it is.

West End Garden Tour

2011-06-19T09:02:00.004-05:00

A little bit of rain (okay, a lot of rain) didn't prevent avid gardeners from touring the Fort Road Federation's West End gardens. We saw wonderful examples of flower and vegetable gardens using compost bins and rain barrels and imagination.The highlight for us was the Fort Road Community Gardens featuring creative use of space and re-use of materials. We saw apple tree limb trimmings used as stakes for vining plants, an old bedstead used as fencing, and burlap sacks for weed reduction. Not an inch of space or material wasted. Beautiful!

Smooth

2011-06-17T07:42:00.005-05:00

The garden is really starting to produce now! Our latest delivery of spinach and strawberries had us thinking of spring salad - but then we found this smoothie recipe:

6 oz fresh spinach
8 oz fresh or frozen strawberries
1/4 cup honey or your preferred sweetener
1-2 ripe bananas
4 cups milk

Blend until smooth. Makes 4 servings. You can switch it up - we like it without the sweetener since the spring strawberries are so sweet. You can also add flax or oat bran if you like for a little extra oomph.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Recipe

2011-06-16T07:10:00.003-05:00

Friend of the Garden Amanda S. sends this recipe:

Rhubarb Crisp

Yield: 4 generous servings

1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, about 4 cups
1 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted but not hot

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine rhubarb with white sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and cinnamon, and transfer to a 9x9 greased baking dish. In a bowl, combine remaining 1 cup flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, and butter, mixing well. Sprinkle over the rhubarb mixture and bake for 35 minutes until topping is golden brown and rhubarb is tender. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Strawberries and Sun

2011-06-14T06:35:00.002-05:00

The beautiful weather and bright sunshine has brought delectable strawberries, delivered to Lewis House, and lots of baby plants coming up in the garden. Thinning and weeding have begun.

Rhubarb, Onions, Strawberries

2011-06-09T06:37:00.006-05:00

Delivered more rhubarb, along with jiu cai, oregano, thyme and walking onion greens! Does anyone have good rhubarb or herb recipes to share?

Next up - strawberries. Our strawberry patch is thriving!

In Florida, we plant onions next to our strawberries. The onions keep the pests (bugs, rabbits, elephants) away from the strawberries, and the strawberries send a nice sweet flavor to the onions.
And if you chop up the onions or their greens with sliced strawberries, and mix them with your favorite lettuce, you have a lovely spring salad!

First Delivery

2011-05-17T17:09:00.001-05:00

It has been a cold spring so we've only just started planting this week.

Thankfully our rhubarb plants that we added to the garden the summer of 2008 don't mind the cold and we had enough today to harvest and deliver to Eagan Lewis House.

Got Compost?

2011-05-03T15:17:00.005-05:00

We do! A dump truck load was delivered to the garden yesterday by the Mulch Store. A big thanks to the Mulch Store for offering a 50% discount to community gardens during International Compost Awareness Week.

Now it just needs to stop snowing and warm up a bit so we can start planting.

Signs of Spring

2011-04-26T11:15:00.001-05:00

The rhubarb, strawberry, and Egyptian walking onions are well on their way this spring despite the cold, cloudy weather.

Manure Donation

2011-04-25T11:09:00.002-05:00

Thank you to Reliable Property Services for donating 10 bags of manure to the garden!!

Volunteers added the Moonure to the garden last week and we'll have some happier plants this summer.

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-22T10:43:00.019-05:00

Volunteers finally made it out to the garden yesterday after rescheduling due to cold and rainy weather.

We rolled up the fence, took down the tomato trellis, put in the hose reel, and cleaned up.

Garden is ready for tilling.

Thanks to everyone who lent a hand!

Think Spring - Community Garden Resource Fair

2011-02-20T17:44:00.003-06:00

Gardening Matters

If you are in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, consider attending Gardening Matters' Community Garden Resource Fair, Saturday, April 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A couple of our Giving Garden gardeners, Magda Surrisi and Joan Barrett, will be part of the Employee-Sponsored Community Gardens Panel sharing information about starting a garden at your workplace.

Other workshops include: Fruit Tree Orchards, Doing More with Less: Superabundant Small Gardens, Share Your Produce! Gleaning and Food Shelf Donation Panel, Community-Based Problem Solving, or What Happens When Gardeners Won't Weed!

Summers Past

2010-12-06T19:54:00.012-06:00

You've seen that it's been snowing,
about a foot or two,
The garden isn't growing.
We were feeling kind of blue.

But then we started looking at pictures from summers past, and now we're feeling better.

We Can't Feel Our Toes!

2010-10-21T12:09:00.008-05:00

But otherwise, we feel splendidly. Out gardening early this cold October morning, enjoyed the glorious sunshine!

The Kale and Collards and Cosmos love this time of year.

And apparently, so do the peppers, eggplant, and herbs. But we were worried about the tomatoes, so we picked the red and the green.
Our wonderful Facilities team delivered piles and piles of leaves and clippings for our fall garden use. We were tempted to use some of the leaves for a bonfire to warm up our toes, but will use them instead to put the garden to bed.
One more fall, one more winter; and spring will come again.

Who Is It?

2010-09-25T15:05:00.007-05:00

This gentleman and some of his family have taken up residence in the celery. Anybody know who they are and whether we like them or not?

Oh, and check out the photo slideshow on the right. We've added lots of pictures from our archives!

Garden to Garden

2010-08-31T11:58:00.005-05:00

Our team delivered cucumbers, melons, peppers and tomatoes to Lewis House yesterday.
Then brought more to ERC food shelf this morning and stopped by to visit their thriving community garden!
And they're growing okra, one of our favorites!
For more information about ERC's Garden to Table project, visit here.

Not Quite a Peck But Lots of Pretty Peppers

2010-08-24T15:08:00.002-05:00

I had to look up what a peck was and our harvest today could be close since there are four pecks in a bushel.

So maybe not a peck but certainly a colorful pepper harvest.

We also dug up our first sweet potatoes and more eggplant, broccoli, squash, okra, cucumbers, and tomatoes with a lot more out there ready to be picked.

Another Big Harvest

2010-08-20T15:31:00.001-05:00

Cucumbers, beans, eggplant, Swiss chard, collard greens, tomatoes, corn, cabbage, kohlrabi, cantaloupe, peppers, okra, and squash!

The following photos are just part of the harvest picked for delivery yesterday by dedicated Giving Garden volunteers. Chard and greens were added along with more eggplant, beans, and squash.

Black-eyed Peas in MN

2010-08-19T08:43:00.002-05:00

This spring Susan's southern roots compelled her to add a row of black-eyed peas to the "experimental" area of the garden. And now we have black-eyed peas!

Looks like we'll have a black-eyed pea harvest and delivery to the food shelf this year.

Red Tomatoes Red Chard Read Recipe

2010-08-16T14:54:00.002-05:00

The chard has been glorious since spring and continues strong through the warm weather. Our tomato crop has been bumper, too, and the onions haven't been half bad either. So in honor of all (and because we like garbanzo beans in anything), a recipe we found on allrecipe.com:

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch red Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Stir in shallot and green onions; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft and fragrant. Stir in garbanzo beans, and season with salt and pepper; heat through. Place chard in pan, and cook until wilted. Add tomato slices, squeeze lemon juice over greens, and heat through. Plate, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Dedicated

2010-08-12T08:42:00.012-05:00

One of the great unexpected pleasures of the Giving Garden is the chance for teams to work together toward a common goal. Our Major Accounts Membership group does just that.

A quote from one team member: I joined the Community Giving Garden because it gives me a chance to incorporate something that I am passionate about in my personal life, into my daily work routine. I can share my passion with my co-workers and give back to the community at the same time.

It has been a great experience sharing my knowledge with my co-workers that are interested in learning about gardening. It’s wonderful knowing that we work for a company that gives us the opportunity to think outside the box in our daily routine and put other people’s need in front of our own. To be allowed 15 minutes to go and work in the garden and think about the people that you are helping is very refreshing.

Thank you, Team!

Flashback to Spring

2010-08-08T01:15:00.000-05:00

I'm always amazed at how in a few short months the garden can go from

Lots of Beans!

2010-08-07T04:13:00.000-05:00

For our second deliver to the food shelf and Lewis House this week, 3 groups of volunteers (including the kids from the Child Development Center) picked beans and each reported back that there were still lots ready to harvest.

So many beans delivered that Susan included the following recipes with the delivery.

Green beans cooked in the skillet with bell peppers and onion, along with garlic and seasonings.
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
16 ounces green beans, cooked
1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced in strips
1 small onion, halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
Preparation:
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add cooked green beans, peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring, until peppers are crisp tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6 to 8.

Tasty Spanish style seasoned green bean recipe.
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small bay leaf
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
4 cups cooked green beans
Preparation:
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine tomatoes, onion, green pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, chili powder, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer; simmer for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in tomato mixture. Add cooked green beans. Heat through.
Green bean recipe serves 4 to 6.

Fruits of our labor, Fruits of the City

2010-08-06T09:36:00.002-05:00

100 pounds of vegetables split between the Food Shelf and Lewis House deliveries yesterday. Granted, those are some heavy cucumbers, but Green beans! Okra! Chard!

And as we get into the harvest season when everybody has overflowing gardens and trees full of fruit - Joan posted this a year ago (Sharing the Harvest), but it bears repeating:

Too many beans, tomatoes, or zucchini? Donate to a local shelter or food shelf. Apples, plums, or cherries just falling to the ground and rotting in your yard? Join the Fruits of the City - Fruit Gleaning project. The best part about the Fruit Gleaning project is that they coordinate volunteers to harvest the fruit and get the fruit to those in need. So do you have a tree that needs picking? Sign up a tree Would you like to volunteer as a gleaner? Sign yourself up

The Okra is Ready

2010-08-05T17:16:00.001-05:00

Our first harvest of okra was included in the second delivery of the week. Susan's mom would be proud of us, our okra didn't get too big although a few were probably a little bigger than what she recommended.

Why We Garden

2010-07-29T15:34:00.005-05:00

From volunteer Mary Jo: I've enjoyed working in the garden for multiple reasons. Volunteering is one way I work to keep my life in balance and I think the on-site garden is a wonderful project with so many benefits for the volunteers as well as the community. Teaming up with my friend Alice has given us a chance to keep in touch since we no longer work in the same department (or the same building), and scheduling weekly time at the garden is also helping me increase my activity level this summer. It has also been quite a challenge - keeping up with the weeds this year has been difficult, but I'm determined to keep trying!

July 15 Delivery

2010-07-16T07:42:00.008-05:00

Delivered 35 pounds of produce to the food shelf today.

From the delivery volunteer:

I just delivered to the Eagan Resource Center and they were so pleased with the donation of 35 pounds of fresh produce from the garden! In the summer months there is always a drop in dry good donations so the fresh produce helps to off set the drop. Plus the fresh produce is so much healthier. Please thank all the volunteers for all the work that they do. They are making a difference in the lives of many.

Worth the work.

Red Yellow Green

2010-07-13T16:21:00.005-05:00

We strolled out to the garden after a weekend of glorious weather and found that the crops had soaked up the sun and rain and grown like mad!

We'll be delivering squash, greens, beets and tomatoes this week!

And my favorite! Raspberries!

Beautiful Broccoli . . .

2010-06-29T14:53:00.007-05:00

Beautiful Broccoli

Cheery Chard

Corn Knee High by the Fourth of July

Lots of Leafy Greens

2010-06-25T13:56:00.000-05:00

As you can see our food shelf and Lewis House deliveries are still primarily spinach, lettuces, kale, and herbs.

Strawberries are all done but the raspberries should be ready for picking some time next week. And the rest of the crops continue to grow nicely.

Ready for Harvest: Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes, Herbs

2010-06-17T12:11:00.000-05:00

Growing

2010-06-14T17:05:00.010-05:00

Everything's growing including the weeds so we'll be busy weeding while we wait for more crops to harvest.

Pumpkins

2010-06-04T13:06:00.003-05:00

The four year olds adopted the pumpkins and beans this year. On their first planting visit, they were so excited to see what was in the big supply box. And, of course, they love wearing the gloves!

It just so happened that they were learning about the letter 'P' this week so they quickly picked up on the fact the "poking", "patting" and "pushing" (the soil) - and pumpkins - all started with the letter P! Thanks, gardeners, for providing this alphabetical boost!

First Delivery of 2010

2010-05-28T14:46:00.003-05:00

Sweet spring strawberries, chives, green onions, thyme and oregano - and that lone carrot that sprung up from last year's planting! Delivered all but the carrot to Lewis House; the first of many more baskets of fruit, herbs and vegetables from our garden this year.

Woolch

2010-05-17T15:24:00.003-05:00

The Woolch was rolled out and put in the garden last week. We placed it where the melons, pumpkins, tomatoes, and peppers will be planted.

To keep it from blowing off the garden, we grabbed some rocks from our ever growing rock pile to anchor down the edges.

We're excited to see how well it keeps the weeds from growing.

Getting Down to Business

2010-05-15T17:28:00.000-05:00

Beautiful afternoon for setting up the fence and trellis! First we rolled out the fence that had been stored over the winter. Then we spent some time untwisting the chicken wire . . . .
And added the trellis for the tomatoes and the climber for the peas.

Now the rabbits will stay on their side of the fence, we'll stay on ours, and everybody will be happy.

Straw, Berries and Snacks

2010-05-14T13:12:00.013-05:00

We were working out amongst the straw and berries this afternoon .

We needed energy to step out the rows and plant the crop signs, so naturally Joan brought out some Swedish Fish, since I had left the M&Ms in the office. Swedish Fish are a known vulture attractant, and sure enough, the vultures began circling.

Luckily, we were able to stow the candy and go back to work, and the vultures turned up their noses and coasted away.

Next time we'll snack on the asparagus.

Plants won't wait for Planting

2010-04-26T21:13:00.009-05:00

We won't be officially planting for another week or two,

but don't expect that to stop the rhubarb. or strawberries or onions or celery . . . they're all well on the way to salad.

Great Donations!

2010-04-22T15:15:00.006-05:00

It was a great week for donations to the garden.

Friday Joan and I went to an alpaca farm to pick up two truck-loads of manure and some straw bales. What fun it was to watch the alpaca, and to play with the kittens and dogs running around.

Sunday, I went to Grazeland Farm to pick up a generous donation of Woolch. For those of you that are interested: Woolch™ is a blend of wool fibers and wood shavings. The wool is waste fiber from the yarn/blanket making process at a Minnesota woolen mill. The wood is a waste by-product created from virgin timber as it goes through the sawmill process near Cloquet, MN. These fibers are blended, sprayed with a green vegetable-based dye, and then fused together via a roller and heat process at a small industrial plant on the edge of Minnesota’s Iron Range region. See this web site for more information: http://www.mlwp.org/woolch.htm

More information will be coming on the straw bales and how the Woolch works. Happy Gardening!

Tilled!

2010-04-20T09:48:00.000-05:00

A big thanks again to Ron, Bev's husband, for tilling the Giving Garden!

Now we just have to get out there and start planting.

Till We Till

2010-04-05T13:04:00.021-05:00

The onions couldn't wait for us to start planting - they have already sprung up in their old row! Don't worry, we won't waste. We'll pick before we till. The thyme and oregano are already up, too, so we'll deliver spaghetti sauce seasonings to the food shelf.

We won't till under the onions and the herbs, but we'll have to put the kale to the test since it's in the wrong row. But that kale - it survived winter; it can survive a plow.

By the way, I tried the kale chips! Go easy on the sea salt- because somehow the kale tastes a little salty anyway. But, wait till you taste the crispy curls. Delish.

Kale Chips?!

2010-03-28T12:57:00.000-05:00

And speaking of kale... Just saw this on the smitten kitchen a post for kale chips. Sounds strange but says they're very tasty even for someone who may not like kale.

Recipe from the smitten kitchen
1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

We'll have to pass this recipe along when we deliver the kale to Lewis House and the food shelf.

Planning to Plant

2010-03-27T10:10:00.002-05:00

The snow has melted off the garden, and Candy's already gone out to check spring's advance guard. Irises poking out a little, strawberry vines running all over, and the mysterious, indefatigable kale that we keep getting told is not a perennial is already sprouting! Our tilling volunteer with the fabulous John Deere has already spoken up again for mid April - that will save some time and backs. And - we have seeds waiting in the window!

One More Harvest

2009-11-21T08:21:00.005-06:00

We were out in the garden yesterday enjoying the sunshine, spreading manure, planting some more bulbs, and amazingly found some more vegetables to harvest.

There was bok choy, cabbage, broccoli, onion, and kohlrabi. So one more delivery of garden produce to Lewis House.

2009-10-10T07:24:00.006-05:00

Delivered cabbage, bok choy, kale, green beans and herbs to the food shelf around the corner. The kale is still going to town, so here's the Portuguese Kale Soup in case you need to use your kale up:

2 med. onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
Bunch of kale, chopped
16 oz. can white beans
5 tomatoes
46 oz. can chicken broth
Salt & pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add potatoes, cabbage, carrots and half of the can of chicken broth. Cook until almost tender. Add kale, tomatoes and the rest of the broth. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Season to taste.

Or you can donate your kale and any other excess produce to your local food shelf! For Minnesota food shelves, you can search here.

Recent Harvest

2009-10-05T16:22:00.003-05:00

The following photo says it all about our most recent harvest.

Plums!

2009-09-16T22:36:00.005-05:00

I mentioned in an earlier posting that I had a neighbor who had plethora of fruits growing in her tiny little Minneapolis yard. Here's an example:

Tonight I finally got to pick some of the plums that have finally ripened. (Have I happened to mention that this is a very slow year?) Anyway, so in about 15 minutes, I managed to clean off about 6 branches -- a tiny dent when you consider the size of the tree. And yet, that dent resulted in 12.5 POUNDS = 235 individual plums!! That's a lot of fruit.

My fiancee and I have already planned to make some Plum Leather (easy and people enjoy it as a healthy snack), and I'll probaby make a cobbler or two using the recipe provided in an earlier blog....likely something on the lines of Plum/Apple. (One of these I will give back to my neighbor for being so kind and sharing.)

We are also considering making plum butter and jam -- both are great as gifts and can easily be stored long-term. I'm currently on the search for good recipes that we can use -- any suggestions/recommendations are appreciated.

The following recipe I have seen referenced on multiple other sites. It's for a plum chutney and sounds tasty enough to give a "go".

Here's the recipe as provided at: withknifeandfork.blogspot.com
This recipe is from Delia Smith.

3lb plums
1lb apples
3 onions
3 cloves garlic
2 heaped tsp ginger
1lb seedless raisins
1lb soft dark sugar
1lb Demerara sugar
1 pint vinegar (recipe says malt I used cider)
2 tbsp salt
2 cinnamon sticks
1oz allspice berries
1 tsp whole cloves
large non-reactive pan
6 jars

Note: you can adapt the spices to a mix of your favourites but you need roughly the same quantity, for example I had a smoked chilli in mine, and coriander because I like them.

Put the spices in a muslin square and tie it tightly with string. Stone the plums, finely chop the apples (cored but leave on the skins), finely chop the onions and put them all in a large pan. Crush the garlic and add it, the raisins, ginger, sugars and vinegar to the pan. Sprinkle in the salt and stir well.Suspend the whole spices in their ‘bag’ into the pan and tie to the handle for easy removal later. Bring to the boil and then simmer pour about 3 hours until the vinegar has almost disappeared and you have a thick, soft chutney. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Sterilise the jars and fill whilst both they and the chutney are still warm.L eave to mature in a cool place for a minimum of 3 months.

Potato, Leek, and Carrot Soup

2009-09-11T07:57:00.005-05:00

An extremely easy, delicious late summer meal. This is my favorite soup recipe and perfect for this time of year as all three ingredients are ready to harvest or available at your farmers' market.

4-5 potatoes, cubed

2 large carrots, diced

3 large leeks, sliced

3 T butter or olive oil (I actually use 1 1/2 T of each)

Heat the butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add enough water just to cover the vegetables. Increase heat until water begins to boil, then decrease and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender.

More Giving

2009-09-06T08:58:00.009-05:00

A cabbage, a couple of squash, some peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and carrots for one family - now multiply that by a thousand! We're seeing so many Giving Gardens in the news. They're springing up all over the country - and there's plenty of room for more!

Chicago

Utah

New Jersey

Washington

Minnesota

The Beautiful Garden

2009-09-03T20:59:00.007-05:00

I love these flowers, and so do the bees. Not only are the flowers beautiful, they are beneficial, too.

Bees are one of the best way to pollinate your garden, and flowers are the perfect attractor for bees. A bee's diet consists of nectar (carbs) and pollen (protein & fat) - sounds a lot like our diet, except our version of nectar and pollen is apple juice and peanut butter sandwiches.

Plant a variety of flowers and veggies that will bloom at different times throughout the growing season to offer the bees and other pollinating insects, like butterflies, a constant supply of food.

Aim to plant flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors. Bees are particularly drawn towards native plants and herbs. Plant the flowers in clusters, like you see in the beautiful photo of Cosmos Susan took early last Thursday morning. Other great flower options are Aster, Caltrop, Goldenrod, Lupine, Purple Coneflower and Rhododendron.

Not only will the bees thank you, but your garden will be beautiful and bounteous!

You say (green) tomato.....I say tasty treats

2009-09-02T22:07:00.009-05:00

This summer hasn't been the most usual -- then again, is any summer typical when you live in Minnesota? This is one of those summers that although very lovely -- with nary a day when an air conditioner or fan needed to be used -- hasn't been the greatest for the summer harvest. Cool nights and very little rain -- it's been a challenge.

For anyone new to sustainable gardening, you might be a little less enthusiastic if your harvesting dreams are not coming to fruition as you had hoped. But fear not....unripe vegetables don't have to remain unripe and not all summers will be as cool as this.

In my own garden, which doesn't get nearly the hours of sunlight as the Giving Garden, I am now in a position of having a lot of green tomatoes. Usually by this time of year I've had so many red, yellow, orange, and "black" tomatoes (I am a fan of the heirloom), that I don't mind when the 'coons and squirrels sneak the occasional few. This summer, however, the only bounty of ripe tomatoes that I am receiving are from my cherry tomato plants. So, now I am on a quest to find things to do with softball sized green tomatoes.

Of course, I could ripen them in my cellar (and some I still will) or make "fried green tomatoes", but I was looking for something new. In my search, I came upon another blog that provided a very good recipe and some interesting commentary on green tomatoes. Check this out....and hopefully it will raise new hopes for the possibilities of your harvest!

http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2005/09/saving-harvest-green-tomato-relish.html

Volunteer Squash

2009-09-01T01:00:00.001-05:00

Our volunteer gardeners are getting a helping hand from a volunteer squash plant. Last year the squash was planted on the end of the garden by the corn. This year our most gorgeous squash plant planted itself just outside the garden next to the storage bin.

Florida Natives Survive Minnesota

2009-08-29T10:32:00.006-05:00

When Granddad B sent seeds from his garden in FL to ours in MN there were some skeptics. But the acorn squash is growing! and the melons are growing!

And the marigolds . . .

Thanks, Granddad. Save some tomato seeds for us.

Pixie in a sleeping bag?

2009-08-28T01:00:00.002-05:00

Check out this crazy looking pepper. On first glance, I thought it looked like a witch's nose. My husband saw a pixie in a sleeping bag. What do you think it looks like?

Harvest Still Life

2009-08-27T14:30:00.002-05:00

A few teams of volunteers had already harvested yesterday and this morning, but a couple of us needed a break over lunch today so we walked down to the garden.

Most of the produce had been picked but we found a few veggies ready to go. Actually it ended up being a full bag weighing over 20 pounds because Susan really wanted to pick a cabbage.

From the veggies we found Susan composed a beautiful harvest still life pictured above.

Pollinating by paintbrush?

2009-08-27T01:00:00.005-05:00

According the the National Agroforestry Center over 100 crop species in North America require a visit from a pollinating insect. Many of these crops are the kinds you would find in a kitchen garden. When the crops don't get the visits they need, what you will see are a plethora of blossoms that never turn into fruit (or veg). We are seeing this in our garden, especially with our pumpkin and squash crops.

In an article written by individuals leading up the Forgotten Pollinators Campaign, I read that "there are fewer beehives today in the U.S. than at any time in the past 50 years." I also read that there are over 40,000 species of bees in the world. Pretty amazing, and sad at the same time. It reminds you how the smallest change in our eco-system can have a major impact.

Tamara, one of our squash crop gardeners was talking to her dad - a long-time farmer - about the lack of squash, and he recommended helping the pollination process along by gently twiddling a small paint brush around inside the head of each flower.

For squash, you start with the male blossom (a flower with no swelling or bump where the stem attaches to the plant) - gently touch the center of each flower with the brush. Then move to the female blossoms (the flowers are attached to the end of a small ovule that will grow into a full sized fruit) and dab the paint brush inside the flower. Voila pollination is complete!

Another option - if you are not into painting - that will help draw the bees to your garden is to plant white clover.

Kale and Hearty

2009-08-24T19:44:00.006-05:00

We delivered 33 pounds of produce to the food shelf last week, and another 12 to Lewis House. The garden is giving now! Our old friend kale is coming back, along with all the tomatoes and onions and peppers. I've become a real fan of kale, sauteed with garlic and olive oil, or in soup.

Blackeyed Peas

2009-08-21T20:35:00.006-05:00

When Grandmom Stone found out we're going to plant blackeyed peas in the experimental garden next year, she was pretty pleased. During WWII, she helped her grandfather grow blackeyed peas in their Victory Garden. When the peas were ripe, she helped her grandmother snap them and can them to send to her father was overseas. Her advice to us is to toughen up our thumbs - snapping peas is hard work!

The British Contingent

2009-08-20T01:22:00.000-05:00

My British Mother-in-Law was just here for a visit and was eager to see the garden. My husband and I took her over to the garden one Sunday and like all garden-lovers she was full of compliments, curiousity and culling fingers - weeds beware!

As she yanked weeds she told us that the White House garden was often mentioned on their newsprograms. As you can imagine, gardening is a popular activity in England. The English are well known for their lush, rolling countryside. They also have "allotments" - small parcels of land that individuals can rent from the government to grow food crops. The concept of allotments are popular throughout Europe and Scandanavia. To learn more about allotments follow this link: http://www.allotment.org.uk/articles/Allotment-History.php

Sharing by any other mode....

2009-08-19T01:57:00.000-05:00

....is still caring.

Even if you aren't privvy to a huge lot of land to develop a caring garden, you can still grow and provide fresh food for others in need. Take my neighbor. When she bought her house, she inherited multiple raspberry and blue berry bushes, grape vines, 4 plum trees, 3 pear trees, an apricot tree, 4 cherry bushes.....and that's when I stopped counting. And believe it or not, she lives on a city lot that's no more than about 50 x 110.

Her plants produce so much more fruit than she can use, her choices are to either give it away to neighbors, donate or let it go to waste (which could also be considered a donation to the local urban wildlife).

She mainly does the latter two.

You don't have to go that crazy. But imagine what we could do together if each person took on the goal to add just one plant to their garden or home with the sole purpose of donating the produce. There are tons of local shelters, food banks, and other community groups that would appreciate donations of fresh and HEALTHY local food.

Imagine how THAT could be a change to the overall health and care of this country.

Powdery Mildew on the Pumpkins

2009-08-18T07:34:00.001-05:00

Late summer a common time of year for powdery mildew to show up and it's spreading quickly on our pumpkin leaves.

A quick Google search netted a couple possible homemade solutions:
1/4 of an ounce of baking soda mixed with 1 gallon of water and sprayed on the leaves
50/50 solution of milk and water also sprayed on the leaves

We're trying the baking soda solution and Liz, our master gardener, started the treatment today.

Crossing our fingers that it at least slows the spread of mildew long enough to harvest some pumpkins.

If anyone else has had success with another remedy, we'd love to hear it.

Land of 10,000 giving gardens??

2009-08-14T08:55:00.004-05:00

Minnesota has been long known to be the land of 10,000 lakes. But what if we could also be known as the land of 10,000 giving gardens? Minnesota has the perfect environmental and social climate to support an idea like this. Just think of all the good we can do - all the healthy, local food and friendships that can be grown. Gardening is fun and rewarding, and can be done just about anywhere - a school yard, church land, corporate campus, roof top, containers, raised beds... A few friends, a few strangers (who will become friends), a handful of seeds, a little dirt, a little water, and a little TLC can result in 100s of pounds of food for those in need. It truly is amazing.
We challenge you Minnesota to become the land of 10,000 giving gardens!

Walk Like an Egyptian Onion?

2009-08-13T01:00:00.000-05:00

Liz, our master gardener, picked up these funky perennial plants at a Master Gardener plant swap. They are called "Egyptian Walking Onions." The plant grows straight up and sprouts a head of little onions. The weight of the clustered onions causes the stalk of the plant to bend down (or walk) and the little onions plant themselves and grow a new stalk. Fascinating!
It has been a lot of fun to watch, and the onions are very tasty, too! The cool part is you can eat either end of the plant and they re-seed themselves so you don't have to save the bulbs. Deadead if you don't want volunteer seedlings next year.

They are also called "tree onions." Their species name is "proliferum," but are very similar to "Allim cepa" (cultivated onion, garlic). Despite their name, they are actually thought to have originated in India or Pakistan and were later introduced to Europe by the Romans.

Fruits of Abundance

2009-08-12T06:39:00.001-05:00

Even with the generally cool summer we've had, the fruit has been prolific. Raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, blueberries, plums....the crops have been amazing.

Of course one of the best and simplest ways to eat these fruits are to pick and pop directly in the mouth. But sometimes it's nice to "switch things up" particularly if an abundance of fruit has ripened at the same time. And using the fruits in recipes provides another vehicle by which to share the goodness of both fruit and other healthy ingredients with others.

One recipe that I've been experimenting with lately is crisp or crumble. There are tons of good recipes for this but one additional challenge that I've been working with is gluten-free. Below is my version of fruit crumble -- please feel free to enjoy and share.

Fruit Crumble

Fruit Filling

6 cups of fruit -- either use on fruit, or try mixing them up: rhubarb and cherry, rhubarb and raspberry, rhubarb and apple, or triple berry (blue berry, strawberry and raspberry)
About 4 Tablespoons of sugar -- more or less depending on the fruit.
About 2 Tablespoons of lemon -- more or less depending on the moisture content of the fruit
2 Tablespoons of cornstarch
Cinnamon, vanilla or other baking spices you enjoy to taste

Preparing the filling:

Mix the fruit together in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice to cover. Add the cornstarch, sugar and spices and mix together thoroughly. Put the mixture in a baking pan (any size that is appropriate for the mixture) that is large enough to allow for about an inch clearance. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 375 for about 30 minutes (or until bubbly).

Crumble topping

1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup oatmeal flour
1/4 cup white rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking power
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
Cinnamon to taste
1/2 cup butter (melted)

Note 1: If you can't find the flours listed about try others. As I'm learning, the key with gluten-free baking is that you typically can't use just 1 of any type of flour -- because no one flour "fits the bill" like white/wheat flour. If you go in with the attitude that the worst that can happen is that the crumble won't quite meet your expectations -- but the results of the dessert will still be tasty -- what's the worst that could happen?!

Note 2: The above portions can be increased or decreased depending on the amount of filling you have and the amount of topping you enjoy on your treat. OR you can also make extra and freeze for another day!

Preparing the topping:

While the filling is baking and the butter melting on a burner set to low, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly pour in the melted butter into the dry mixture and combine completely. The mixture will look a little like a moiste cookie dough. When the fruit is done baking, add the topping, spreading out evenly across the top of the fruit. Return to the oven and heat for another 15 minutes (or until the topping takes on a nice golden brown color). When you take it out of the oven, you can also add a little demerara sugar (i.e., raw sugar) on top for a nice little added touch. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes. (Personally, I think it tastes even BETTER the next day.)

ENJOY! Eat well and live beyond yourself.

Cool, Cucumbers are Ready

2009-08-11T18:38:00.003-05:00

Just got word this evening that the Tomato Team found over 7 pounds of cucumbers ready for this week's deliveries. Our first big cucumber harvest!

Cucumber Raita

Ingredients:

* 1 medium tomato, diced
* 1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
* 1 scallion, finely chopped
* 1 t fresh mint, finely chopped
* 1/4 t toasted cumin seeds
* 1 1/2 c firm plain yogurt
* salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

From: Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant by The Moosewood Collective

We Dig Potatoes

2009-08-10T19:37:00.005-05:00

Ready for potato delivery! We have three rows of different varieties to harvest over the next month, so should be able to provide for mashed and boiled and baked and fried and hash browned. Add our onions and herbs and that translates to a tasty treat.

Eat Local Challenge

2009-08-09T10:12:00.003-05:00

August is the "Eat Local Challenge" month here in Minnesota. We encourage you to take part. Check out the "the Minnesota Project" website (http://mnproject.org/food-whyeatlocal.html) for more details and links. Home gardens, community gardens, farmers markets, community supported agriculture initiatives (CSAs) and natural food co-ops are all great options for local food. Just think of all the wonderful heirloom varieties bursting with flavor and nutrients right around the corner. Eat local, eat happy!

Peas and Thank You

2009-08-07T06:33:00.007-05:00

One of our gardeners donated her entire CSA box this week for us to deliver to Lewis House, so most of our Thursday harvest went to the food shelf. Thank you, Pat!

Our peas and lettuce have been producing in abundance! Lettuce has been replanted twice already - so we won't complain about the cool summer. How about lettuce and pea salad? Saute fresh peas in some olive oil, stir in baby lettuce long enough to wilt, add your favorite fresh herbs (we're growing thyme, oregano, dill, chives - but herbs are a matter of taste, aren't they?) and throw a little salt and pepper on.

Can't keep a good Dill down

2009-08-07T01:00:00.000-05:00

We are not lacking in dill this year. It has happily rooted itself throughout the annual side of our garden and is flourishing right along side the pumpkins, squash, eggplant, carrots, broccoli... The funny thing is we didn't even plant dill this year. Luckily, it has lovely colorful blossoms and we can eat it, too!