Putting the Garden [gang] to bed for the winter . .

Just as gardens are being readied for their winter idleness, our gang is taking the winter off also. Partly because our meeting places close earlier in the fall and winter, and partly because some of us are up to our eyeballs and other body parts trying to can, freeze, dry and otherwise preserve the garden's bounty.

We will have a January meeting to take a peek at all those seed catalogues that will soon flood our mailboxes. Check back for more details.

So...........speaking of preserving the garden's bounty, what are you preserving? Leave a comment so we know.

I've got tomato marmalade, pear chutney, pear preserves, apple pear preserves, tomato chutney, dried tomatoes (lots and lots of dried tomatoes), and pickles (all sorts of pickles) in the larder. Hoping to make apple butter and maybe some pumpkin butter. Oh..... almost forgot - lots of pesto in the freezer - basil pine nut pesto, cilantro almond pesto, Thai basil almond pesto, basil walnut pesto - all made with Wisconsin Parmesan cheese. Oh I just love this time of year. I really do love preserving food and enjoying all those marvelous creations and flavors during the long, cold winter.

September gatherings

Don't these veggies look good enough to eat? Harvested from a local community garden.

Can you believe it? It's time for another gathering. What's your garden doing? Has it survived our dry spell? Is it producing? Are you ripping your hair out trying to keep up? What's your favorite recipe using all that fresh garden produce? Mine's posted to the right.

We'll be gathering on Wednesdays, September 3 and 17 at the Washington House. Detailed info also posted to the right.

Topic: Gardening, eating what's in the garden, preserving the garden's bounty.

Can't make the meeting? Leave a comment - share a recipe. We'd love to hear from you.

Here's what I've been up to: reading a most interesting book, Wild Fermentation authored by Sandor Ellix Katz. It's given me ideas of things to ferment. Right now I've got a crock of kraut going. And a crock of pickles. When I get another crock, I'll be choosing another recipe to try. There's so many, it's hard to choose.

I'll bring the book to the meeting. Do you have a favorite gardening or preserving book? Bring it along and show it off.

It's time to meet again......

Did you see us in the news in Sunday's Herald Times Reporter?

Here's the link
http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808170375

The article included photos of Soozi watering her garden with water from her rain barrel, and a nice shot of the rain barrel. Still trying to find those photos on-line, so we can share them here.

Anyway, hope your garden is growing and producing - keep us posted.

We are meeting Wednesday, August 20th at 6:30 p.m. at the Washington House. See the side bar for more info. (Yes, we know the meeting info is not quite right in the HTR.)

How's your garden growing............

Can you believe it's time for another meeting? I don't know . . . what do you think?

Are you all busy with garden stuff and you don't have time, or are you looking for a reprieve from all the garden stuff? I thought we maybe should just not meet during August, but not everyone thought that was a good idea.

So, here's what we're gonna do.

Stumpjack switched over to their summer hours. David and Kim tell me they like the new hours (and so do the customers - no more belly aching about not being open on Monday and Tuesday). H-o-w-e-v-e-r, they now closed earlier in the day - like 4 p.m. so David can lay on the beach or surf or whatever - no whining there.

So August 6 and 20, we'll meet over soda and ice cream at the Washington House, 1622 Jefferson Street, Two Rivers. (Jefferson St. is one block east of Washington Street).

The Washington House is operated by the Two Rivers Historical Society. You will find historical displays, Ed Berner's ice cream parlor (serving Cedar Crest ice cream - manufactured on Tenth Street in Manitowoc), historical murals on the walls of the second floor ball room and an old-time bar (serving soft drinks), used books and other fun items for sale.

Join us if you wish, we'll eat ice cream or drink sodas and talk about our gardens - any giant zucchinis yet?

Maria

Friendship Garden

We're thinking it's time to finish up the Friendship Garden at Woodland Dunes. And we sure could use a hand or two. There's one more lasagna garden to plant and plenty of 5 gallon pails just aching for tomatoes and peppers. We'll start at 6:30 p.m. (and finish no later than 8:30 p.m.) on Thursday, July 24th.

We'll review techniques for constructing a lasagna garden and how to create container gardens.

We so much appreciate working with Woodland Dunes to make this garden experience possible. And the really cool thing is that all the produce that comes this Friendship Garden will be donated to the Two Rivers Mishicot Ecumenical Pantry for distribution to food insecure families.

Can you help us out? Leave a comment or send an email (see footer for addy), so we can have idea of who just might show up.

Do you know someone who might want to learn these gardening techniques, or who might have an hour or two to help out on Thursday? Well then, pass this information along to them.

An Urban Garden

Here's a link to Dr. Soozee's urban garden - check it out! Everything's growing so fast, you can almost hear it. I've seen stuff in her garden double in size in one 24 hour period - how's that for growing.

Some pretty tasty stuff is coming out of that garden. I know - I'm tasting it! Sorrel, spinach, lambs quarters, a local variety of amaranth (aka "pig weed"), pea greens, onions, chives, mesclun (lettuce mix), mustard greens, radish greens, kale and cabbage greens, rhubarb, asparagus, chive blossoms, garlic tops.

Yes, pig weed and lambs quarters are quite edible. I know, I know, you've thought all along they are just weeds. As young leaves, they are great tossed into a green salad. As the leaves mature, try them sauteed or braised. Here's a recipe or two (and some new blogs and websites to check out).

July meetings

Wednesdays: July 2 & 16
6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Stumpjack Coffee Co.

Workshops

Here's an opportunity for ya! On Monday, June 30th, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., we'll be leading a workshop at Woodland Dunes on how to create lasagna gardens and container gardens. Ever heard of a lasagna garden? It's an age-old method of gardening in grassy, rocky, weedy areas - and no digging or tilling is required. Whew! that cuts down on back breaking labor.

So come on out and join us, help us create a lasagna garden, a kiddie pool garden and five-gallon bucket gardens. You'll learn new gardening methods, and the best part is that produce from these gardens will be donated to an area food pantry!

Here's the press release from Woodland Dunes announcing the garden workshop:

What’s a lasagna garden? Who would want to use a container garden? On Monday, June 30, 2008, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Woodland Dunes Nature Center will host a workshop on lasagna and container gardens. Soozee Weisflock and Maria Birch of the Urban Garden Gang will lead participants in creating garden spots in a fenced in area at Woodland Dunes.

According to Weisflock, “The lasagna method of gardening is ideal when creating a garden spot in a grassy area. No digging or rototilling is required. Instead layers of newspapers, cardboard, compost and soil are heaped on top of the ground. Containers such as kiddie swimming pools and five-gallon buckets can be converted into mini gardens. “

Participants will construct a lasagna garden, a kiddie pool garden and five-gallon bucket gardens. Plants and seeds donated by local greenhouses will be used in the gardens. Produce generated by these gardens will be donated to the Two Rivers Mishicot Ecumenical Pantry.

Woodland Dunes is located at 3000 Hawthorne Ave (Hwy 310), just west of Two Rivers.

On the Road

Hey there - the Urban Garden Seminar is heading north to Stumpjack Healthy Cafe in Green Bay. Awesome that David of Stumpjack Coffee Company in T'Rivers asked us to do the seminar thing in GB! How cool is that?

Another Gathering of the Urban Garden Gang

Hey all you gardeners, future gardeners and garden dreamers - we're meeting again. Stumpjack Coffee Company, 1606 Washington St in T'Rivers, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 18th. I'm so excited about the interest that's been generated in our little group and some of the projects members are working on.

So, what is the Urban Garden Gang? Simple, we're a group of people interested in urban gardening and in helping others benefit from urban gardening. We are not a club, don't have officers or pay dues. We get together a couple times a month at Stumpjack Coffee Company and talk gardening, exchange ideas, and update everyone on projects that members may be involved with. Know anyone who wants to join us? Bring them along. It's a really fun time as our members have diverse gardening experience.

At this Wednesday's meeting, we'll be doing Q & A, and talking about the pantry garden project at Woodland Dunes. Let us know what you'd like for topics at future meetings. Come on down to the Stump on Wednesday and enjoy the garden talk and a good drink. See ya' there.

So, what ya got planted so far?

We've had a late spring - cool, cool, cool. Garden planting is in full swing, now that the weather has warmed up! Our urban garden friends are telling us they are working like busy little beavers to get tomatoes, cukes, pumpkins, cabbages, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash plants into the garden. And beans, peas, corn, radishes, onions, mustard, collards, spinach and carrots from seed are now snuggled into the earth. Then there's all those varieties of potatoes being planted in-ground, under straw on top of the ground, and in potato towers.

I'd love to have my herb garden expanded with lemon balm, spearmint, cat mint, chocolate mint, apple mint, cilantro, parsley, yarrow, tansy, and garlic chives. What's in your herb garden?

We know of one urban garden that has 50+ varieties of fruits and veggies planted in French style raised beds in a 20 square foot area. What an incredible sight! All the interplantings are eye pleasing now and I'm sure will be palate pleasing shortly.

Have you ever eaten radish pods? One acquires a radish pod by letting the little radish bloom and "go to seed". The pod contains the seeds. Pluck the pod when it's plump, filled with seeds - at it's peek. Toss in to a stir fry or chop up and add to a salad or throw into a soup or scrambled eggs at the moment just before serving. Wonderful, mouth watering bit of a bite - I love the flavor!

When the seed pods dry out, they can be harvested and seeds saved. Or one could just let the seeds drop and watch for new radishes to form. This is a good way to get a fall crop of radishes - by letting the spring radishes seed themselves.

So, what ya got planted so far? Post a comment to let us know............... we'd love to hear from you. Have digital photos? Send them to us - the email address is in the footer.

Farmers' Market Lovefest

Saturday’s farmers market was a blow out, literally. High winds kept us gripping our sunshade for the first half of the market. We then peeled off the fabric as we could no longer take all the tent gripping we were doing – can’t grip the sunshade and serve customers at the same time. Some sunshades were damaged – mostly bent legs. Feel sorry for the folks who now have to replace the sunshade. We really can’t be without them as there’s no shade and constant exposure to sun wilts produce in a hurry.

And the best part of the day was selling out – well, almost selling out. It was truly incredible. One Hmong lady stopped by and purchased all our 6 year-old asparagus roots! She wants to grow asparagus and sell at the market next year. All the garlic is gone and only three or four raspberry plants remain. One chap on a bike purchased raspberry plants, and shoved them in his backpack. He spent quite some time trying to figure out how to get a 3 ft. tall tomato plant home on the bike, and decided to return next week better equipped to transport a tall tomato. Off he pedaled, all happy with his farmers market purchases packed into his backpack – he was grinning from ear to ear.

About 15 minutes later, a guy arrived in a car, which he parked right in front of us (we sell in a community park, and our stand is right on the sidewalk next to the street; so people can park right in front of us). He came right over to us, with a big grin on his face. I thought he was bike guy sans baseball cap, especially when he headed for those same tomatoes that bike guy was coveting. Not so – not bike guy, totally different guy, equally interested in tomatoes. The sale is quickly completed, and off he goes with tomato just as the market is closing. We’ll have to wait for next week to see bike guy and how he plans to transport tomatoes on his bike. I think we’re gonna have some cardboard boxes and twine at the market that can be used to make a temporary bike transport device for those folks have found so many good things at the farmers market.

All excited to have local honey for the next market. And cds from our friend Becky, who just cut her first cd. Is that the right way to put it – cut a cd? Anyway Becky will be performing at our booth one of these Saturdays. She has an incredible voice, and is so positive and friendly. I love being around her.

And I’m busy sewing market bags from reclaimed, upcycled fabrics and findings. Today saw two pretty yellow and green kitchen towels – the cotton kind with the design printed on – become really cute market bags. One has green handles cut from a Thai skirt; the other has handles made from yellow ribbon with white polka dots. Both look so good – makes me want to run to the nearest farmers market and fill them up with the freshest veggies I can find.

The newest sewing trick is adjusting the size of the market bag and making it a bike bag. It has long handles on is so one can carry it through the market or grocery. A couple buttons and fabric loops allow the bag to be attached to bike handlebars. Got the idea from a Copenhagen bike blog I read each day. I’m thinking these will sell at the farmers market, as we note more and more bike traffic each week.

Our next gathering

Urban Garden Gang* Update

We'll be gathering on Wednesdays, June 4 & June 18 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Stumpjack Coffee Co., 1606 Washington Street, Two Rivers. The format for these two gatherings will be a 15 minute presentation, followed by conversation, question and answers, sharing photos, etc. Come when you can, stay as long as you can.

We know you are busy with your gardens, but we want to stay in touch during the gardening season. Our goal is to support urban gardening in it's many forms. Besides, it's just fun to sit down with fellow gardeners, have a great coffee drink, and talk gardening! Bring your friends along - let people know about us.

Do you have photos of your urban garden? Do you have questions or comments about urban gardening? Post here or send us an email (see addy below).

We've taken vendor space at the Two Rivers Farmers' and Artisans Market on Saturdays. Stop down and see us - the market is open from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturdays. You'll find us near the band stand - look for the Urban Garden Gang sign.

We are currently selling fresh produce and bedding plants from Soozee's urban garden, rain barrels, Maria's market bags and other items made from repurposed fabrics. We also carry other local items (more items added each week):

Maple syrup
Six-year old asparagus roots and sprouted garlic cloves from an organic garden
Rhubarb from an urban gardener

We're looking for other locally raised or produced items - especially those with a sustainable theme or feature. Do you have something that you might want to offer through our booth? We'd be happy to work with you to make that happen, just send us an email.


*Where did that name come from - Urban Garden Gang?
We were having a coffee at Stumpjack Coffee Company and tossing out names for the urban garden group. We didn't want to use the word "group" or "club", so we were coming up with some unique suggestions - mostly we were struggling with the name. David, primo barrista that he is, looked at us over the screen of his laptop and said, "Why don't you call yourselves the Urban Garden Gang?" - and there it is, our new name. David chuckled as he noted that our acronym would be UGG. Thank you, David.

Where you can find us this weekend

Well, we've taken the plunge. You can find us in a vendor stall at the farmers' market. Yep, we'll have urban gardening info and urban garden "stuff" for sale. And.........fresh, fresh, fresh plants and produce. So excited................

And you'll be able to find us hanging out at Stumpjack Coffee Company on some Wednesday evenings chatting about urban gardening with all our new garden friends - information exchange. We'll get more information posted as the plans are firmed up.

And one final plug for the Art & About Spring Gallery Tour on Friday and Saturday. Hope to see you there. Really cool art by really cool artisans.

List of cool sites to visit for info on urban gardens and eating local

BLOGS AND WEB SITES TO VISIT

URBAN GARDENING, LOCAL EATING AND WHAT HAVE YOU

urbangardengathering.blogspot.com/ - Urban Garden Gathering – information on the urban garden and local eating scene in and around Two Rivers, WI

drsooz.blogspot.com/ - photo documentary of an urban backyard garden

garden.manty.us/ - Community gardens in the city of Manitowoc

uwmantygogreen.blogspot.com/ - UW Manitowoc green blog

www.manitowoc.org/comm_farm_home.html - Manitowoc Farmers’ Market

www.trmainstreet.org/events/fcmkt/farmmkt.html - Two Rivers Farmers’ & Artisans Market

wisconsinlocalfood.wetpaint.com/ - Wisconsin local food network

www.arts4all.com/elca/ - container gardening

cityfarmer.org – City Farming (urban gardening in Canada)

homepage.mac.com/cityfarmer/comiclife/ - City Farmer Comics

foodnotlawns.com - just what it says: grow food instead of lawns - really cool site

www.squarefootgardening.com/ - Square foot gardening

www.ehow.com/video_1745_create-seed-starting.html - how to make newspaper seed starting pots

www.greentreks.org/allprograms/roughterrain/urbangardening/index.asp - urban gardens

www.sacgardens.org/ - urban gardens

www.urbangardeninghelp.com/ - urban garden help, tips

adventuresinmyurbangarden.blogspot.com/ - blog from an east coast urban gardener

www.pbs.org/now/shows/344/locavore.html - 10 steps to becoming a locavore

www.eatlocalchallenge.com/ - tips on eating local

www.milwaukeeurbangardens.org/ - urban gardens in Milwaukee

Let us know if you have other sites we might add to this list.

It's taking off ......

We're starting to hear from people who love the idea of an Urban Garden Gathering. It's alway fun for me to find kindred spirits - and that's what some folks have been telling us about this gathering.

Some are truly experienced gardeners and some are new to this. The excitement is building and there are plans in the works for our first gathering meal. Now that's right up this foodie's alley.

And those who can't attend on Wednesday, are telling us to let them know when the next gathering is, so they can attend.

Urban Garden Gathering

There is nothing like the full flavor of food freshly pickeed from the garden. I can still taste the heirloom tomatoes my grandparents grew in their garden.

A group of us were talking about how victory gardens were in vogue during the second world war. Well, they were more of a necessity - a way to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for families. Then we began to wonder out loud if there would be a resurgence of back yard gardening - given rising food and fuel costs. So we hopped on the internet - and voila! There it was -- the resurgence documented with a new, updated name - urban gardening.

We soon realized we had the know-how to put on an urban gardening seminar or gathering - and our favorite coffee house - Stumpjack Coffee Company - offered to host the event.

So here it is: we'll have experienced urban gardeners on hand to talk about how to put a garden in your back yard, side yard, or even the front yard; and how to increase garden yields by using scatter planting and square foot gardening. One of our speakers will talk about rain barrel watering. Don't have space for a garden at home? Well, how about the local community garden?

Not into the gardening thing, but interested in eating locally - (being a locavore)? We'll talk about that too.

And there will be time for networking and Q&A - we want to get to know one another.

Our hope is that this will be the first of many gatherings of urban garden buffs and folks who love eating good local foods. (I can see a dinner or two evolving from this venture.)