What’s growin on
in the GardenHouse?
September 14, 2009
Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?
1. Good Morning!
2. Why are we turning our beds?
3. Corn-ey Joke from the GardenHouse
4. DELICIOUS Corn Chowder recipe (my absolute favorite!)
5. Lovely Links
6. Special THANKS to Estella!
7. Premiere of “Craftsman Style”
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1. Good Morning!
OUCH! Anyone else feeling the burn this morning? This week has been full of laborious tasks, done in hopes of a plentiful growing season. I don’t think I have seen a volunteer leave this week without a good stream running down his or her forehead! For this, I would like to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to everyone who has helped us with the transition. Really, we couldn’t be planting—couldn’t be fulfilling our educational, demonstration function—without the consistent help of our volunteers. GRACIAS!
2. Why are we turning our beds?TURN IT UP! The real benefit of using raised beds in our GardenHouse comes from the control we have as gardeners over the soil contents of the beds. Some greenhouses farm directly from the soil in the plot over which the building stands, but we have the benefit of using raised beds (THANKS Youth Service Corps and helpers!!).
After a very active summer growing season, we have been able to remove much (or all, if desired) of the soil from the beds where plants may have extracted essential nutrients. We vamped the richness of the soil by replacing the extractions with compost (the super rich soil that has been hiding, untouched, below the blue tarp by the YSC garden).
Before replacing the extraction with compost, we dug out the compacted soil from the bottom layers of soil in each of the beds, loosening clumps and encrusted edges. This allows yields to be higher as more oxygen is available for stronger root growth in soils that are not compacted (loose soil also makes weeding much easier). Next, we added the compost, mixed the two substances like a dry cake mix, and smoothed over the bed with a rake.
The looseness of the soil is important for roots, but we (Mostly Steve R J) compacted the top layer of soil by tapping wooden boards onto the surfaces of the beds so that future seeding can be a little more organized. When the seeds are finally planted, they will have less air pathways through which water can evaporate or trickle, preventing them from drying out.
3. Corn-ey Joke from the GardenHouse
Corn-ey Joke from the GardenHouse:
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Lettuce!
Lettuce who?
Lettuce in and I’ll tell you!
Think you have a joke that is cornier than this one? Try me. We can feature them in the next newsletter!
4. DELICIOUS Corn Chowder recipe (my absolute favorite!)
This is what I’m having for dinner tonight and I HIGHLY recommend it!
(I found all the ingredients I needed at the Farm Market on Wednesday)
Corn Chowder-Excerpted from 50 Chowders by Jasper White
- 3 medium ears of fresh yellow or bicolor corn
- 4 oz bacon, cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion (7 to 8 oz),cut into 1/2 inch, dice
- 1/2 large red bell pepper (6 to 8 oz), cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped (1/2 teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 pound Yukon Gold, Maine, PEI, or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- For Garnish 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives or thinly sliced scallions
1. Husk the corn. Carefully remove most of the silk by hand and then rub the ears with a towel to finish the job. Cut the kernels from the cobs and place in a bowl. You should have about 2 cups. Using the back of your knife, scrape down the cobs and add the milky substance that oozes out to the corn kernels.
2. Heat a 3 to 4 quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced bacon. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is crisp and golden brown. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, leaving the bacon in the pot.
3. Add the butter, onion, bell pepper, thyme, cumin, and turmeric and saute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until the onion and pepper are tender but not browned.
4. Add the corn kernels, potatoes, and stock, turn up the heat, cover, and boil vigoursly for about 10 minutes. Some of the potatoes will have broken up, but most should retain their shape. Use the back of your spoon to smash a bit of the corn and potatoes against the side of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and season the chowder with salt and pepper.
5. Stir the cornstarch mixture and slowly pour it into the pot, stirring constantly. As soon as the chowder has come back to a boil and thickened slightly, remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let is sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
6. When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat, don’t let it boil. Ladle into cups or bowls and sprinkle with the chopped chives.
5. Lovely Links
LOVELY LINKS
Check out the sites listed below for more information about the hot topics and happenings relating to the GardenHouse.
Corn Chowder Recipe:
http://kitchenconfit.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/jasper-whites-corn-chowder/
Gardening in Raised Beds:
http://www.raisedbedgardeningtips.com/
6. Special THANKS to Estella!
*~*La Muchacha mas fuerte en el JardinCasa*~*
Estella flexed her muscles and got down to work Thursday morning! She watered everything outside, turned a bed effectively in the blink of an eye, and made it on time to pick her son up from Kindergarten following her shift! SUPERWOMAN indeed!
See some hard work going unrecognized? Email Allison to get the word out about who on the GardenTeam is sweating it out for the neighbors in Hunter Park J
7. Premiere of “Craftsman Style”
Lansing Premiere of Craftsman Style: The Movie
September 18, 7 pm at Dart Auditorium. Tickets are now available for the Lansing premiere of Craftsman Style: The Movie, a new documentary that tells the story of a local veteran contractor turned citizen-filmmaker, and his two-year journey to restore a house on Lansing’s Eastside. The documentary provides a detailed account of the rebuilding work done by Eastside restorationist Dave Muylle and his fellow craftsmen at 124 Regent Street. The premiere will be at LCC’s Dart Auditorium, September 18th from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Allen Neighborhood Center, a hub for community revitalization and activities that promote the health, safety, and stability of individuals, their families, and community stakeholders on Lansing’s Eastside.
Best described as “This Old House” for regular people, Craftsman Style: The Movie explores how home restoration provides a better model for home construction in urban America, one in which wonderful old houses are not simply torn down and replaced but are restored to their former glory, a practice that saves valuable natural resources while also honoring the past. The film was an Official Selection in the 2009 Muskegon Film Festival and has been entered into many other film festivals around the state and country.
Tickets for the premiere can be purchased for a suggested donation of $10-$25, and will be available for presale at the Allen Neighborhood Center, or at the door the night of the event. If you have any questions about this event, please call Meg Sparling at (517) 999-3921 or email her at megs@allenneighborhoodcenter.org.
*Thanks to everyone for putting in the elbow grease to help us grow green in Hunter Park* If there is anything we can do to help YOU grow in the GardenHouse, please don’t hesitate to email me, Allison, at allisonb@allenneighborhoodcenter.org.