The Garden of Concord

Wake up, wake up, wake up!

2012-03-02T04:55:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone. It is truly “thyme” to wake up the garden (has it really slept with this crazy weather we have been experiencing?). The alarm is set for this Saturday, 3/3 at 10 am –Noon with the snooze delay (encore opening) set for the following Saturday, 3/10, same time. Lots of fun activities “planted” to include door prizes, healthy snacks, seed sharing, Kidz Thyme, and yes..plenty of gardening!

New membership applications will be available for renewals and hopefully many new garden members. The commitment and fees have remained the same..$10 per family per season or $25 per year (March-Nov) plus a one hour commitment (per adult) of working in the garden each week. If you desire to work in the garden and need financial assistance, we have garden angels that would be happy to bless you with a garden membership. If you do not desire to work in the garden, but feel led to help others that do, please consider a garden angel membership with a donation of $50.00 that will help with many plantings!

As mentioned last month, our work nights are changing to Tues/Thurs 5:30-7:30 and Saturdays from 9-Noon. Kidz Thyme will be on Thursday nights beginning 3/16 from 6-7pm (reminder..preview this Saturday and next during the “wakeup”! Debbie Cook and Amy Hoffmeier are co-leading our Jr. Gardener’s this year with lots of fun activities planned to include the kidz planting a “pizza garden”!

Our pre-wake up activities have been incredible over the past 3 weeks as we have prepared and cleaned up beds for spring plantings, planted peas, and many starts in trays (beets, broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach, romaine, and celery!)

Backing up a bit…our presence at the 2^nd annual “Christmas Cheer Chocolate Festival” last month at Holly Hill Mall was REALLY good! So amazing how many folks filled up their purchased ticket by selecting our garden chocolates! Thank you everyone for your help in baking and serving our chocolate treats while serving and glorifying our God!

Looking forward to growing with all of you as we plant many fruits in the garden this year to include an abundance of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness ,and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)…Thank you everyone for your continued support and prayers. It WILL be good!

-Donna Poe

Many CHEERS for the 2nd Annual Christmas Cheer Chocolate Festival!

2012-02-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

It was a day full of many sweet blessings as we shared our samples of chocolate treats made with vegetables and fruits (and eggs whites!) that we harvest in our garden. Egg white cookies, white chocolate blueberry bark, double chocolate zucchini nut cookies, pumpkin swirl brownies, sweet potato brownies, mint fudge, potato fudge, sweet potato brownies, strawberry/blueberry cupcakes, beet cupcakes, chocolate pecan toffee, apple chocolate cake, and the “cherry” on top was the chocolate dipped strawberries!

Many thanks to all the chocolate lovers that came out to support Christmas Cheer along with our bakers and chocolatiers for the Garden of Concord! One of the most asked about recipes was the Potato Fudge listed below with a few of the other favs to be shared shortly. Mark your calendar for the garden’s awakening on March 3 (and 10^th!). It WILL be SWEET!

Potato Fudge (De-lish..thanks Jenn!)

3 squares unsweetened baking chocolate

4 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup mashed potatoes

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1lb powdered sugar

Melt chocolate and butter together. Add potatoes, salt and vanilla. Add powdered sugar a little at a time. As it gets harder to incorporate sugar with a spoon, butter hands and knead in the rest of the sugar by hand. Continue kneading until smooth and glossy. Spread into 8x8 square pan and Cut into squares when cool or roll into balls. Top with a nut if you'd like.

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies (thanks Cat and Betty Crocker!)

Go to: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pumpkin-swirl-brownies/a04602d7-4c6a-4008-9224-9c76a5ccd4f7

Blueberry Bark

1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
12 oz white chocolate morsels
Dried blueberries (Trader Joe's has some great ones)

Preheat oven to 350. Place crackers in one layer on parchment-lined baking sheet (with sides). Melt butter and brown sugar in medium saucepan stirring for 3 minutes constantly. Pour butter-sugar mixture over the crackers, spreading evenly and then bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with white chocolate morsels. When they start to melt, spread evenly over entire layer of crackers. Sprinkle dried blueberries on top and re-spread chocolate a little bit to coat blueberries. Refrigerate 1 hour and then crack into pieces.

Chocolate Beet Cupcakes (Beets are the only vegetable that I truly dislike..but I LOVE these cupcakes! Thank you Shirley!)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine

1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar

3 eggs

4 ounces semisweet chocolate

2 cups cooked beets, pureed (2 cans 15 oz each drained)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to375 degrees F. Soften butter. Cream together ¾ cup of the butter with the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Combine chocolate with remaining butter and melt in the microwave at15-second intervals. Allow to cool slightly and add to egg mixture. Add beets and vanilla and mix well. Combine remaining dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add to large bowl and mix well. Pour into paper lined cupcake pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar or top with your favorite frosting.

It WILLbe good!

2012-02-04T19:29:00.001-08:00

It WILL be good!

Hi everyone.
I remember often the day I went to “just take notes” at a workshop on community gardening. I remember the trip that was planned to go visit my sister in VA that weekend and the recent death of a beloved Concord church member. I remember wishing I had been a member sooner so that I would have met Miriam Dean. I remember hearing all the heartwarming and wonderful stories about her from her family and church family. I remember hearing about the upcoming workshop and that a refund for attendance was submitted because our Pastor would be presiding at the funeral on that day. I remember this tugging of my heart wishing that I could somehow go to that workshop but not wanting to disappoint my family. Where was this feeling coming from? I didn’t know how to garden really…mostly weeding my husband’s garden..dabbled with some lettuce and marigolds. Organic growing? What was that all about? I remember the elation when the trip plans changed. I remember immediately emailing Pastor David to see if I could go in his place and “just take notes”. I remember the constant fluttering of my heart as I took LOTS of notes while touring Anatoth Community Garden and learning all the ways that we could reach out to many by sharing, working, and taking care of God’s creation. I think what I most remember though is an overwhelming feeling, a silent voice (wasn’t sure then, but I now know who the voice belonged to )that kept saying to me… “it WILL be good!”

As we begin our fourth year of The Garden of Concord, I am continually amazed at the love and support that our Concord UMC church family and the community of Eli Whitney have shown through prayers, donations, and time spent in the garden. God has blessed our community with the knowledge of how to be good stewards of His creation by sharing His love to many through the planting of seeds of faith and watching them grow. The fruits of the harvest have nurtured the hearts and health of many through learning organic growing practices, food awareness, and new friendships, along with connecting our food to our faith.

This year, we are excited to join together again in food and fellowship at our favorite gatherings to include our First Fruits Luncheon, Tomato Sandwich Supper, Harvest Celebration Dinner, and Final Fruits Luncheon. We also resume our weekly Kidz Thyme program, summer weekly water fun nights, and Garden Gritz. Our work nights are changing to Tues/Thurs 5:30-7:30 and Saturdays from 9-Noon.

We have lots of new ideas planted to include a brick pizza oven and picnic shelter (Eagle Scout projects!), Bed Blessing donations, First Fruit Fridays and Sample Saturdays, and also working on our next summer series. A Food and Faith three week Bible study is planned for April to be led by Daniel Corpening, our garden intern, which will culminate with our annual “Blessing of the Garden of Concord” joined by Crosswave! We will be providing more details for all of these plantings in succession!

We officially “Wake up the garden” on March 3 with an encore presentation (snooze alarm!) on 3/10th and have tentative plans to co-host a public movie screening of “Fresh the Movie” at the Saxapahaw Ballroom on March 9th. Again, more details to follow as these plantings grow!

As you can see, I am really excited at all the plans and plantings God has in store for us in our garden and community. I thank you again, Concord UMC for your many blessings. It WILL be good!
-Donna

Season finale in The Garden of Concord!

2011-12-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

Our final season episode was packed with plenty of fabulous food, fun, and fellowship at our Final Fruits luncheon last month. We are so thankful to all of our garden members, garden angels, our community, and Concord UMC for their incredible support and prayers for our garden! We are so thankful to God for His leading in the creation of the Garden of Concord and the members He has graced us with to work and take care of His gift.

The fruits shared with each other were in abundance through many harvests of prayers, joys, and lots of fresh veggies! Beginning with our “Wake up the Garden” in March, our seasons were filled with many fresh beginnings and blessings to include 21 new family memberships along with 10 new feathered friends! We celebrated love at our First Fruits Luncheon, “Nurtured our Nutrition” with our summer garden series, ate lots of tomatoes at our “Tomato Sandwich Supper”, filled up on delicious dishes at our “Fall Harvest Dinner”, splashed on summer nights, and had an especially good thyme with the kidz!

While our garden is officially in slumber, the Brussels are still sprouting and the kale is still calling! The majority of our beds have been tucked in with cover crop and will be full of fresh energy for our new plantings in the spring. We are also still harvesting a variety of garden gifts to include notecards, postcards, prints, magnets, t-shirts, and calendars…all with beautiful photos of our garden taken by garden members. Your support will significantly help buy our seed and feed...for our plantings and our girls! Great Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers!!

We are planning another “Food and Faith” Bible study in January and will be providing the details soon. Also, mark your calendars for our 2012 “Wake up the Garden” tour and celebration on March 3, 2012!

Thank you again for your shared love of God’s creation in the Garden of Concord. Wishing you many seasons of blessings and harvests of joy through the New Year! It WILL be good!

-Donna Poe

Garden Coordinator

Many Fall Blessings in the Garden of Concord!

2011-10-02T17:03:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for our garden! With the change of seasons, so is our garden as we have been pulling up our summer crops and planting the fall. We have begun harvesting a few leaves of Romaine, turnip greens, and kale, with our spring mix and possibly carrots due in a couple of weeks. Our Brussels sprouts are over a foot tall, the snap peas are creeping up their trellis, and the beets are looking good. The sweet potatoes are being harvested this week with a few previews indicating football size taters! Still picking peppers, okra, beans, and eggplant, and the basil remains bountiful. We have been thinning out and transplanting runners from our strawberry beds and have tons to share (so let me know if you want any). Our chickens are laying an average of 9 eggs per day and we have one broody hen. We will be planting garlic and flower bulbs during the month of October along with preparing beds and planting cover crops for their winter slumber.

We are so thankful for our new intern, Daniel Corpening, along with two new members this past month..welcome Traci Philips and Jennifer Booker! New fall pictures are on facebook and updates on our blog: thegardenofconord.blogspot.com. Our Kidz Thyme continues on Monday nights from 6-7 with Debbie Cook leading our Jr. gardeners in a variety of fun gardening themed activities and is enjoyed by all (including the moms)!

Our fall garden season officially began 9/1, however, it is never too late to join the garden! Only $10.00 per season with our last work day for fall scheduled to be on 11/19, with some of our fall veggies available to harvest through the winter. If you would like to learn more about our garden and have some seeds of ideas you would like to share, join us at our next Garden Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday, October 25^th at 6:30 pm. Come grow with us! It WILL be good!

-Donna Poe, Garden Coordinator

Feelin’ Like Fall!

2011-09-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Garden of Concord! As our summer season and final wave of water nights is upon us, we are excited about the fresh fall “fruits” now planted and planned! We look forward to a bounty of Brussels sprouts, lots of lettuce, beets, turnips, sugar snap peas, kale, okra, and carrots. It is never too late to join the garden!

We are still harvesting some tomatoes, peppers, beans, eggplant, basil, and melons with sweet potatoes soon! Our chickens are averaging a colorful 9 eggs per day and we suspect that they are all now laying. They are also very food demanding so please remember them with any discarded fruits (especially melon rinds) and veggies (not moldy). Our Kidz Thyme will continue through the fall on Monday nights along with shared tid bits during Garden Gritz!

Our summer series, “Nurturing our Nutrition” concluded last month with an informative canning class given by Jessica Oswald from the Alamance County Extension Agency. Thank you everyone for your participation and donations! For next year, we are considering “Getting Back into the Kitchen” for a series of guest chefs! For our 3^rd Annual Harvest Celebration Dinner on 8/26, we had a roomful of family, friends, food, and fellowship!

Thank you again everyone for your continued help, support, donations, and prayers for The Garden of Concord!

It WILL be good!

-Donna

One Tomato, Two Tomatoes, Three Tomatoes...

2011-08-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

We are all about tomatoes now in the garden as we have been enjoying abundant harvests and had great fellowship at our Tomato Sandwich Supper this past Friday night! Brandywine, Amish Paste, Rutgers, Amana Orange, Valencia, and Yellow Pear Cherry are now readily picked with the Mortgage Lifters, German Johnson, and Longkeepers to be maturing in succession through the remaining summer into fall. We are also enjoying lots of leeks, plenty of peppers, bucketful’s of cukes, bounties of basil, still some blueberries, clusters of grapes, and three colors of beans! In a couple of weeks, our edamame beans should be ready along with some cantaloupes with the watermelons shortly following.

Our chickens have been behaving themselves since we topped their run with a roof. They too enjoy our regular harvests along with the extra donations of treats from all of you! They love stale bread, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and especially watermelon! At our recent Garden Gritz while "Chatting About Our Chickens", 4 eggs were discovered in one of the nesting boxes. Hadn't checked recently because we thought they had another month to mature! Looking forward to dozens more soon from the rest of the flock!

The kidz have been enjoying summer garden fun with our water fun nights and Kidz Thyme which have switched for the season. Kidz Thyme is now on Monday’s from 6-7pm and we then slide on Wednesdays. Garden Gritz will also be on Monday nights at 6:30.

We enjoyed Part II of “Nurturing our Nutrition” yesterday with an amazing presentation by Ron Veitel, the general manager and seasoned nutritionist from Saxapahaw General Store on “The Circle of Nutrition”. His talk provided a detailed understanding of how we are connected to God's creation through a circle of rhythm, cycles,and seasons, the plants and animals He provides, our call to take care of His creation to include our own bodies, and the effects of healthy eating verses non. Part III of our summer series on nutrition is scheduled for Saturday, 8/20 from 12-2pm with a canning class given by Jessica Oswald from the Alamance County Extension Agency.

We also look forward to our 3rd Annual Harvest Celebration Dinner scheduled for 8/26 from 6-8pm. Also our fall season registration begins September 1st with a full menu of crops planned with some already started! It is never too late to join the garden!

Thank you everyone for your continued help, support, donations, and prayers for The Garden of Concord!

It WILL be good!

-Donna Poe

Part II of our summer series "Nurturing Our Nutrition"

2011-07-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

The Garden of Concord invites all to Part II of "Nurturing our Nutrition" scheduled for Sunday, July 31st from 2-4:30 with a presentation by Ron Vietel, General Manager of the Saxapahaw General Store and seasoned nutritionist.

The talk entitled "The Circle of Nutrition" will take us on a round trip tour of the many important elements required in obtaining complete nutrition to include environmental factors,soil attributes, planting, harvesting, and consuming local foods. There will be hands on demonstrations, a question and answer session, and of course some healthy snacks!!

The event is free but we would welcome any donations! Space is limited and reservations are suggested.

Event location: Concord UMC Fellowship Hall. 4462 East Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road, Graham (Eli Whitney), NC 27253.

Come nurture with us...it WILL be good!

-Donna

COMPOSTING...Collection to completion.

2011-07-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Our 2nd session of Garden Gritz two Wednesdays ago (sorry..a little behind!) was on composting and why we organic gardeners LOVE this free black gold treasure!

We don't feed the plants, we feed the soil and let the soil feed the plants. Compost is made up of partially decomposed organic materials, mostly plants and the manures of plant eating animals, and the soil dwelling microbes that do the decomposing. Compost helps the garden by providing nutrition needed for vigorous plant growth, improving soil structure, increasing the ability of soil to retain water, contributing to the health of plants, moderating soil pH, and feeding soil organisms. No wonder we love it so much and so does our plants!

In the The Garden of Concord, we begin, side dress, and end our beds and seasons with compost and lots of it. We have been feeding and making our own compost from the beginning and supplementing the large volume needed with gracious donations from Brooks Compost every year. One of my favorite days of the year is when the semi from Brooks pulls up early Spring and I stand there smiling and thanking God while watching 38 yards of rich dark dirt dumped into a huge pile that the kids will be so excited about at the the next garden work night! Without getting too technical,I will share with you some of the basics that I have learned and how we make our compost.

Getting the right balance and recipe for compost is not too difficult, however, the finished product occurs faster if you follow a few simple guidelines. Like everything else that grows, Compost is made up of many elements. The two most important are carbon and nitrogen. Carbon is the "brown" component of compost and would involve the layering of sources such as dried out stems, stalks, or leaves of plants, straw, hay, dried out pea, and bean vines, and fall leaves. All free stuff naturally occurring and gifts from God! The nitrogen element, or "green" factor would include grass clippings, kitchen scraps (veggies, fruits, eggshells, stale bread, coffee grinds..) and any non diseased freshly pulled up plant debris. Our chickens do their part by donating their droppings and feathers when we clean out their coop area.

We had originally built a 4-Bin system using scrap lumber and have since added additional bins with donated pallets for the sides tied together and also one on the bottom (great for airflow). We begin a pile by layering 6" of browns and then following with some greens, then a thin layer of dirt or finished compost and this is when the chickens donations can be added also. Time for more browns again with approx 3" of crunchy dry stuff. The layering then continues while trying to keep a ratio of approximately 30-1 by weight and roughly 3"-1" in volume. Two additional important elements to the living compost is providing sufficient air flow and water. We water in between layers for the consistency to resemble a wrung out sponge and also by turning the pile frequently (after the pile has been layered up to 4'), sufficient airflow will be obtained. Without the above 4 elements and layering increments, the pile will not heat up properly, will delay a timely completion, and maybe get smelly! We strive for workable finished compost within 4 months, but you can still get some good compost w/o a lot of effort by letting it just sit for a year or more.

A fully layered 4' pile should heat up to approx 140-160 degrees fairly quickly and stay up there for 3 weeks or so. If the temp starts dropping, we make sure it has been well watered and fluffed up a bit. After 3-4 weeks, it is time to turn the pile (moving the materials from the outside top to the center bottom) to Bin #2 with then continued frequent watering, fluffing, and checking temp to see if it is maintaining a good heated temp range to around 110 degrees. Another 3-4 weeks later, time to turn to #3 and then subsequently to #4. The temp finally drops to around 80 degrees and we then work it through a sifter we made to shred up and remove any large pieces such as non-decomposed branches. If the pile is not reheating at this point and remaining at around 80 degrees or below, it is considered stable and ready to feed to the garden!

That is my version of "Composting 101" excluding many more details that I could go into, but our Garden Gritz break is over and it is time to get back to work and take care of God's creation!

It WILL be good!

-Donna

SAVE (and change) the date(s)!

2011-07-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.

We have several garden activities planted this month that you won't want to miss! We continue to slide into the week on Monday nights with lots of cool water splashing fun and on Wednesday's, we break for Garden Gritz with thyme for the kidz at 6! No cooking on Friday, July 29th (postponed from the 16th) as we join together to feast at our Tomato Sandwich Dinner from 6-8 in the fellowship hall. On Sunday, July 31st (originally scheduled for the 10th) from 2-4:30, we welcome Ron Vietel from Saxapahaw General Store for Part II of our summer series "Nurturing our Nutrition".

The kids will have a BLAST the week of July 17-21 with an "out of this world" vacation bible school planned with Concord UMC. Galactic-Blast takes off on Sunday, the 17th and continues through the week beginning with a provided meal at 5:45 pm followed by a full spaceship of discoveries, stories, singing, dancing, crafting, and praising God! The activities conclude each night at 8:30 and there will be a special performance by the kids on Sunday morning, the 24th followed by a covered dish fellowship luncheon. For more information, please contact Commander Kevin Miller at kevin.c.miller@duke.edu. Please note that because of all the cosmic activity happening that week, we will not have our Monday night splash night, nor Kidz Thyme scheduled, however, the garden WILL be open and hoping for visitors by the parents of the Jr. Astronauts!

Looking ahead on the calendar for August, we finalize our summer series with a canning class presented by the Alamance County Extension Agency in the afternoon of the 20th as we practice with some of our own harvested tomatoes and cucumbers. On the 26th, we share our favorite garden recipes with each other and the community at our 3rd Annual Harvest Celebration Dinner. All of our dates can be found on our blog (thegardenofconcord.blogspot.com) and the details for our garden events will be provided in succession!

Thank you everyone for a great summer and your continued support of our garden! It WILL be good!

-Donna

FIREWORKS in the garden with lots of RED tomatoes, WHITE potatoes, and berry good BLUEberries!

2011-07-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Happy July everyone and thank you for all of your help, support, and prayers for our garden. Our hot nights have been on fire with many members and kids (and chickens) working and taking care of our garden while enjoying abundant harvests graced by our God. We have been sliding into summer on Monday nights with lots of water fun, water pools, and watermelon and will continue through the remaining summer. Come splash with us…it WILL be cool! “Kidz Thyme” from 6-7pm on Wednesday nights has now been paralleled with “Garden Gritz” at 6:30 every week for a short water break and chat about garden tips and topics.

While we have retired most of our spring plantings, we are still harvesting Swiss chard, carrots, lots of basil, dill, parsley, and other herbs, along with a few strawberries still sighted. We have begun harvesting blueberries, beans (green, yellow, and burgundy!), potatoes, jalapeno and banana peppers, leeks, and even a few tomatoes! Stock up on your Duke’s mayo because we have over 200 tomato plants in ground to harvest until the first frost. The peppers and eggplant have begun flowering while the beds of sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, cucumbers, and watermelons are all filling up fast. We also look forward to one of our newest plantings..Edamame beans!

This past month we had our first gathering of our Summer Series “Nurturing our Nutrition” with the class, "Learn How To Make Cultured Vegetables" led by garden member, Denise Kennedy. Over 20 people shared in fellowship and tastings while listening and participating in a hands on demonstration along with a great Q & A session about general nutrition. Our next class will be on the 31^st of this month from 2-4pm with Ron Veitel, the general manager and chef from Saxapahaw General Store sharing a presentation on nutrition and the benefits of consuming healthy, organic, and locally grown foods. More information will be provided soon. Also save the date for Friday the 29^th to attend our Tomato Sandwich Dinner from 6-8pm. Yum!

Our next GAB (Garden Advisory Board) meeting will be held on Thursday, July 7th at 7pm and is open to anyone interested in sharing ideas and/or learning more about our garden.

Thank you again everyone for a super summer! Praying for many July blessings (and more rain)!

It WILL be good!

-Donna Poe

"Support" feature is under construction...

2011-06-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your past,present, and future support of our garden! The "Support" feature to the right enabling donations to be planted in our garden will be operational shortly...it WILL be good!

Kidz Thyme!

2011-06-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

Our Kidz Thyme program is full of fun organized, supervised garden activities every Wednesday night from 6-7pm led by Debbie Cook and helpers (moms:) Stories, snacks, crafts, dancing, (and yes gardening!) are shared with our Jr.Gardeners designed to nurture a love for gardening (and eating vegetables!) along with taking care of God's creation while also giving the moms some alone time in the garden as well. Ages ranges from 2-12 with the older kidz helping out with the little ones. Come spend thyme with us...it WILL be good!

Garden Gritz: Maters and Taters!

2011-06-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

While the kidz had their thyme, we had our first Garden Gritz gathering last Wednesday night at 6:30 and talked about maters and taters. Briefly, we discussed the two different types of tomato plants (Determinate-having a set amount of fruit produced, a bushy type plant with no pruning necessary; and Indeterminitate-plant/vine continually grows with an indeterminate amt of fruit and needs to be pruned regularly to keep under control..especially the suckers). We talked about the varieties planted in the garden to include "Brandywine" (A tomato sandwich tomato dark pink/red in color) The first two beds planted in May and we just harvested our first 4 maters today!; Next up, "Amish Paste" (A smaller Roma type tomato..new to the garden this year) Planted 1 1/2 beds of this heirloom tomato; Rutgers (a fav from last year. Good tomato for slicing or saucing...the tomato that Campbell's Soup grows for their soup!); Our yellow tomato bed consists of "Valencia" (which we grew last year and they were de-lish), "Amana Orange", and "Yellow Pear Cherry" (cute as anything) all of which are low acid tomatoes great for those that don't do well with regular maters. Next up is the locals' favorite.."German Johnson". A whole bed..so stock up on the Duke's mayo! Last but not least (and to be the longest!) we have planted "Longkeeper Tomatoes" recommended to us by our own Marion and Bobbie Hargrove. They were so excited about this breed of tomatoes which enabled them to enjoy a tomato in March saved from their last season's harvest in VA...sounds good to me! We have planted each bed a couple weeks apart to prolong the harvest of fresh sweet maters until the first frost and hopefully if the Longkeeper's pan out, we will enjoy our favorite fruits of the garden while the snow is falling!

We also talked about potatoes and the importance of harvesting them on a cloudy day or as the sun sets. A natural forming toxin called solanine that develops in sunlight turns the taters green. Ironically, when the potatoes are cut and planted, we set them out in the sun to develop a thin layer of solanine which helps protect them from diseases and pests. After harvest, however, the solanine is not needed nor wanted because in small does if consumed, they can be toxic and in large amounts, fatal (yikes!). So if you can't wait until our next garden harvest of potatoes and have to buy them from the store and you notice green on them, either cut that section out or better yet, just throw out and wait till our next harvest!

Thank you everyone for a great first Garden Gritz! Next week we will chat about composting from collection to completion. It WILL be good!

Springing into Summer in the garden...

2011-06-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...a time to plant and a time to uproot…" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)

Our summer season begins this month with a garden full of many fruits and friends! We have been blessed in abundance and welcome the plantings of so many new members this year along with the replanting of past members! We have lotz of kidz attending our Wednesday night “Kidz Thyme” now led by Debbie Cook (thank you Debbie!) as they engage in an hour of garden themed activities full of crafts, dancing, singing, snacks, and yes..gardening too! Thank you everyone for your help and support! It is never too late to join the garden! Come grow with us!!

Some of our spring plantings have begun to final with flowers while many are still producing. Our long awaited peas, broccoli, garlic, strawberries, and onions were well worth the wait and we look forward to our beans and blueberries later this month. Our tomato plants are in ground with more planned…looking forward to that first tomato sandwich!! Lots of peppers planted too with eggplants following soon. Many cantaloupes and watermelons seeded and praying for no squash bugs!

The garden girls are very happy in their new home and playground (Thanks John Galloway and Tim Cook!) Our 10 chickens are fed a menu of organic feed with garden greens daily and will return their gratitude with fresh eggs to share in the fall! We also look forward to welcoming many butterflies into their new houses built for them by Bruce Pederson (thanks Bruce!) and painted by the many hands of our kidz! Bruce has also planned and will be building our garden shed later this month (thank you again!)

This past month we celebrated Mother’s day with our annual flower sale with many plants purchased in support of our garden (thank you!). We also enjoyed our 1st Annual First Fruits Potluck Lunch as we showered Eric Prenshaw and his fiancé Carley, with gifts for their upcoming wedding along with thanking him for all his help in the garden through his internship. Thank you everyone for your help and support towards both of these events.

Following on our successful summer series last year of learning how to cook with our harvests, we have planted three workshops this summer designed to nurture our knowledge on nutrition and learn about why all this good food we grow in the garden (and buy locally) is so good for us. We begin with the class, "Learn How To Make Cultured Vegetables" led by Denise Kennedy, a natural chef and certified nutritionist (also one of our garden members!) on June 11th from 2-4pm in the fellowship hall. There will be a talk, hands on demonstration, door prizes, and product purchase opportunities. The cost is $10.00 per person. See Donna Poe for signup and details.

In July, we welcome Ron Veitel, the general manager and chef from Saxapahaw General Store on Sunday, the 31st from 2-4pm with a presentation on nutrition and the benefits of consuming healthy, organic, and locally grown foods. In August, Jessica Oswald, from the county extension office joins us on Saturday, the 20th from 12-2pm for a two hour lecture and hands on demonstration on preserving our food through canning, drying, and freezing methods. We will provide more details soon on both of these events. Save the dates for our super summer series!

Looking forward to growing with you this summer…it WILL be good!

-Donna Poe
The Garden of Concord

"Life is growth and all growth starts from a seed."

2011-05-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

"The seed of Christ is in us all, and under the right conditions it will grow!"

The conditions are right in The Garden of Concord as there is an abundance of life from the seeds and members planted! In April we renewed several memberships, welcomed many new families, and were blessed by more garden angels. Presently we have 37 families of gardeners working and taking care of God’s creation and 13 garden angels helping to provide for His creation. Lots of garden Thyme shared with Kidz too! Thank you everyone and if you haven’t already, come grow with us!

April began with our “Blessing of the Garden” led by Eric Prenshaw and shared with our garden family, friends, and Crosswave, followed by many hands making light work of prepping and building new beds. It WAS very good! The Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 24th continued into the garden with the kids harvested Easter egg radishes, sowing seeds of beans, and ending the day with the planting of a 10’ cross in the East center of the garden. It was also the final planting and end of Eric’s internship with our garden. We will miss him!

We’ve added 12 new beds for more planting of vegetables, fruits, and flowers to include butterfly, hummingbird, beneficial, and cut flower gardens, raspberries, grapevines, and many melons! All of our spring plantings are gaining full speed with several already producing such as lots of lettuce, turnip and beet greens, kale, radishes, Chinese cabbage, asparagus, spinach, and herbs. Looking forward to peas, broccoli, strawberries and blueberries soon, as well as 50lb cabbage heads!

The chickens are growing as well! The first flock is now 10 weeks old and will be moving to the garden soon! The second group will follow in a few weeks. We have a few more that were just hatched to bring our total to 10 feathered friends. No roosters..just hens with lots of eggs to share beginning in the fall!

We will again be having our annual Mother’s Day Flower Sale as a fundraiser for the garden. 4” wrapped potted plants will be available for purchase on Mother’s Day weekend (5/7-8) for $5.00 each or 5 for $20. Thank you in advance for your support towards our garden as well as shopping at J & J Produce (Stanley and Vivian Jones), as they so graciously donate to our garden every year the flowers and many other plantings.

We will be having a “First Fruits Pot Luck Lunch” and shower for Eric and his fiancé, Carley, on May 21st from 12-2. Please consider joining us as we share in fellowship, food, and farewell to Eric and celebrate his upcoming wedding. All are welcome to bring a covered dish and use any produce from the garden. An invitation with more details will follow shortly.

Thank you everyone for your continued prayers and support of our garden. Come grow with us and/or watch us grow on Facebook (The Garden of Concord) and our blog (thegardenofconcord.blogspot.com).

It WILL be good!
Many garden blessings,
Donna Poe

The Garden is awake!

2011-04-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

God saw everything that He had made and indeed it was very good. (Genesis 1.31)

THANK YOU everyone for a great beginning to our garden season! Our two day “Wake up the Garden” event indeed was very good with an abundance of new and existing members coming out both Saturdays. We celebrated with door prizes, donuts, digging, and giving glory to God as we began working and taking care of His creation. Most of our spring crops were planted, now growing, and showing. A row of grapevines and raspberries have been planted with our strawberries looking “berry” good! We will be building some more beds this month to include a butterfly garden and lots of flowers for all to enjoy (especially the bees!).

Our memberships are growing as well with a total of 14 new members joining our garden family along with 16 renewed memberships. We have also been blessed with 10 Garden Angel Memberships! Thank you all for your commitment and support! Kidz Thyme has also been planted and growing on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings for an hour with our Jr. Gardeners playing and learning to love gardening as much as we do! Our regular garden hours are now in effect on Monday and Wednesday nights, 5:30-7:30 and Saturday mornings from 9-Noon. The garden is always open for weeding and harvesting herbs. The garden is also always open to new members! Come grow with us!

This weekend we look forward to our “Blessing of the Garden” led by Eric Prenshaw, our garden intern and joined by Crosswave as we share in praise and prayers. Crosswave will also be working in the garden with us building beds and friendships! Also in April, the cub scouts have been rescheduled for April 16th for a morning of garden tasks and toasting (hotdogs!). The Easter Bunny will be planting some special treats in the garden on 4/23 so be sure to have the kids stop by after the Easter Egg Hunt and help us harvest our Easter egg radishes! Our baby chicks are almost chickens and will be moving in to their new home in the garden later this month.
Looking ahead, save the date of May 21st as we enjoy our spring harvests in a “First Fruits Potluck Lunch” along with celebrating the upcoming wedding for Eric and his fiancé, Carley. Make plans to join us as we shower in food, fellowship, and gifts to the bride and groom!

Thank you everyone for your continued support, prayers, and growing with us in the garden!

It WILL be good!
-Donna

Thyme to wake up the garden!

2011-03-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

Spring is upon us and we have several new and existing crops and memberships already planted as we begin our spring season. The peas are peaking, the strawberries are starting, the tulips are topping, the garlic is growing, and the sweet onions will be a treat! We welcome 6 new members along with 3 garden angels and 3 renewed memberships…Thank you!

The community is invited this Saturday, March 5th and next, as we wake up the garden with donuts, door prizes, dancing, and digging! Many kids’ activities and plantings planned to include Chocolate Cake Peppers and Purple Carrots! Come see our new greenhouse and tenants (Thank you again John and Jim!) and help us pick our chicks!
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ (1 Cor 12:12)…and The Garden of Concord! You really don’t have to get your hands dirty if you don’t want to! Your committed hour could be well spent and graciously welcomed by weekly hand watering new plantings and theme beds. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and will be rewarded according to their own labor (1 Cor 3:8) We will have lots of flowers blooming by summer that would require regular trimming, cutting, and sharing. Bugs..we do have them and don’t want them..the bad ones that is. Many bug pickers make light work lighter!

We are also excited to share the garden with as many children as possible. Maybe you might want to help by reading a story about gardening, leading a planting activity in the kid’s garden, or any other ideas that you and we are working on. This would seed and feed the desire for gardening in the hearts of our “sweet peas” as well as enabling moms to have some gardening time on their own. We are hoping to establish a set hour/day (or more!) so any thoughts or suggestions you may have would be great!

Mark your calendars…On Sunday, March 13th, we will have a special garden blessing performed at the end of our worship service by Pastor David and Eric Prenshaw. We welcome back the cub scouts on March 19th as they work in the garden and share in a hotdog cookout with anyone that wants to join in! On April 2nd, CrossWave will be blessing our garden again with their prayers and plantings.

Thank you everyone for your continued support and prayers.

Come grow with us…it WILL be good!

Many garden blessings,
-Donna

Chocolate Cheers Recipes!

2011-02-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple with more to follow! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Blueberry Pine Bark:

http://cookthestory.wordpress.com/2010/12/28/white-chocolate-bark-with-blueberries-toasted-pine-nuts-and-a-zest-of-lemon/

(Beet) Chocolate Cake

This cake is almost too good to make it into a list of recipes for dessert made with vegetables. If you do not tell your family and friends, no one will ever suspect that this moist, rich cake is anything but chocolate.
Ingredients
1 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 cups cooked beets, pureed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Soften butter or margarine. Cream together ¾ cup of the butter or margarine with the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Combine chocolate with remaining butter or margarine and melt in the microwave at 15-second intervals or in a double boiler. Allow to cool slightly and add to egg mixture. Add beets and vanilla and mix well. Combine remaining dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add to large bowl and mix well. Pour into greased cake pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar or top with your favorite frosting.

The next time your family is clamoring for something sweet, make it a little bit healthier using one of these delicious yet nutrient-packed recipes for dessert made with vegetables.

Three cheers for "Cheers for Chocolate Festival!"

2011-02-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

It was a chocolate lovers feast on Saturday at the Holly Hill Mall in Burlington. Our own Sally Brown was the "Willy Wonka" of the event as she planned, planted,and harvested an abundance of chocolotiers and chocolate cheers for a sweet filled day! Approximately 30 businesses to include restaurants,caterers,(and our garden!)shared 500 scrumptious samples each of chocolate treats to a steady crowd of cravers. The Garden of Concord's offerings were not the most elite, but in creativity(and variety!),we did compete! Chocolate covered carrots, Beet chocolate cupcakes, Spinach brownies, Chocolate delights, Jalapeno brownies, Zucchini chocolate muffins, Chocolate truffles, White pine bark with blueberries, and the best ever chocolate chip cookies were enjoyed by many!

We also shared many garden cheers in anticipation of our season soon beginning. Our first new seasonal membership for the year was sold to an unknown buyer in the silent auction held (looking forward to meeting and growing with you!)

Many thanks to all our garden members that whipped up samples and served and to everyone that considered and selected our sweets! Many of you have inquired of the recipes and they will be posted soon!

Come grow (and cook!) with us..It WILL be good!
-Donna

A Change of Seasons in The Garden of Concord!

2011-02-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...Then God said “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds”…And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years”…Then God said, “I give you the plants...and trees…to be yours for food”…God saw all that He had made and it was very good…Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the East…He took the man and put him in the garden… to work it and take care of it… (Genesis 1-2:15)

As a change of season is on the horizon, we reflect on the many blessings that God has given us in The Garden of Concord and how thankful we are to His calling of us to be stewards of His creation. We offer our praise to our Lord as He continues to lead us in our mission to provide a means for those in our community, both in and outside the church, to experience Christian fellowship, love, and joy, through the sharing of our gifts and fruits of the garden. We offer many thanks to our community of members,family, and friends for your continued prayers, support, encouragement, and donations to our garden ministry.

It is a season of change this year in the garden with new plantings and membership plans. We look forward to a new greenhouse, additional strawberry beds, raspberries, asparagus, a row of grapevines, beneficial flower gardens, and even new-feathered friends! We will continue with all of our past garden favorites to include plenty of beans, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, herbs, kale, lettuces, okra, onions, peanuts, peas, peppers, popcorn, potatoes, radish, spinach, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, and of course lots of tomatoes!

Our new membership plans will reflect the seasons and needs of our members. We are hopeful that this pilot idea planted will produce an abundant harvest of new (and existing) gardeners! $10 a season or $25 for all three: spring (Mar-May), summer (Jun-Aug), and fall (Sep-Nov). The work commitment remains the same, gardening one hour per week during a scheduled work day (Mon/Wed/Sat) for a share of that days’ harvest. Come garden with us! Many hands do make light work!!

“Don’t want to get your hands dirty? Gardening just isn’t for you? Already have a garden? How can I help?” Please prayerfully consider becoming a “Garden Angel” with a supporting membership of $50 per year as you partner in our focus of physically and spiritually nurturing the needs of our community. Your donations will provide membership assistance, the offering of (more) garden side shoots such as group projects, “Jr. gardener” activities, plantings for food ministries, food and faith studies, and garden gatherings.

Come grow with us as we sustain our continued growth for many seasons to come!

It WILL be good!
-Donna Poe

"Just gardening..." NOT in January!

2011-01-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, the garden is most definitely sleeping soundly while we gardeners rest as well, and begin looking forward to another year of abundant harvests in 2011!

Thank you everyone for your help, support, donations, and prayers for a great past year..it WAS really good!

While we won’t be turning any dirt or planting until later next month, we will be turning the pages of seed catalogs and planting new ideas at our Garden Advisory Board meeting on January 17th at 6:30 pm at Concord UMC. The public is invited to join us while we share thoughts and suggestions for our continued growth to include crop selections, garden events, and the possibility of seasonal memberships.

What a great New Year’s resolution towards a healthier lifestyle…

”Grow in the Garden of Concord!"

It WILL be good!

-Donna Poe

"Just Eating" in January!

2011-01-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

As many of us are regretting that extra cookie (or two…or three!), we look forward to the new year and our recommitment to a healthier lifestyle of exercise (ugh!) and good eating practices.

Beginning in mid January, we will be offering a 7-week Bible study led by Eric Prenshaw, our garden intern, entitled “Just Eating,” in which we will explore what it
means to eat well in relationship to our own bodies, other people, and the earth. This curriculum aims to shape a way of life with food that flows out of a deep understanding of how food connects us with God and all of Creation.

Each week, we will begin by “just eating” a shared meal together while reflecting on the past week’s discussions, readings, and selected Scripture. Through our course of study, we will pray together, celebrate the Eucharist, discuss our day-to-day eating habits, the Christian faith, and the needs of the broader world. We will explore faith practices which encourage healthful eating, enjoy some short films on food awareness, and discuss spiritual disciplines that may be new to you, while providing support to each other in taking personal and congregational action that reaches beyond this seven-week curriculum.

We have ordered a limited number of participant books so please let me know a.s.a.p. if you would be interested so that we can order more if needed. We are hoping to start Wednesday, January 19th to continue through the following 6 weeks to conclude before Ash Wednesday. The exact start date and weekly day will be confirmed shortly contingent upon Eric’s class schedule.

Like dieting, it is always more fun to work at it together and I pray that many of you will want to join us on this journey of “Just Eating” according to God’s will.

It WILL be good!

-Donna Poe

Feeling like fall for sure!

2010-10-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

After a loooooong "mui caliente" summer, what an incredible fall season we are experiencing in our garden. If you haven't been out recently, please consider doing so to experience the glory and abundance of fresh air and new growth of our many fall plantings in God's creation of our garden. Our peppers are still popping, Swiss chard still in supply, sugar snap and snow peas are flowering, kale, Chinese cabbage, and romaine lettuce are looking lovely, our greens and salad mix are de-lish, turnips and beets are bulging, and the okra is still climbing. This past Sunday, the Concord/Saxapahaw UMC youth groups worked their service project by planting garlic and flower bulbs in the garden.

With the days shortening, so will our garden hours. Presently, we are still meeting Monday and Wednesdays from 5:30-7 until daylight saving time ends. :( We will continue to meet on Saturdays from 9-noon through November 20th. Still plenty of things to work on as we continue harvesting and prepare our garden for it's winter slumber. Next week we will be installing row covers for our lettuces to hopefully extend their fresh enjoyment when it is frozen outside.

We will continue composting (and begin vermicomposting!) through the winter so any kitchen waste/garden debris/grass clippings/leaves/shredded paper, etc. will be "wormly" welcomed!

Thank you everyone for all of your incredible support, time, donations, labor, encouragement, and prayers for our garden. It has been REALLY good! -Donna

Meet on Monday

2010-10-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

Eric Prenshaw! We have been blessed with an intern for The Garden of Concord through the entire school year! Eric is a third year Duke Divinity Student with a passion for the outdoors and working in the garden! Thank you God! He will be out at the garden tonight so please consider stopping by to meet him and maybe do a little gardening as well!

It WILL be good!

Come One, Come All

2010-08-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

To our family, friends, and neighbors of the Eli Whitney
and surrounding communities, we invite you to our
2nd Annual Harvest Celebration
with
The Garden of Concord
Please join us to celebrate our second year of abundant harvests while we feast on delicious dishes
from“around the garden.” Enjoy an evening complete with entertainment, appetizers, pastas, and sides
with our garden veggies and recipes. Be sure to save room for dessert including a special performance by
Debbie’s Darling Dancers!
When: Friday, August 27th 6 - 8 pm
Where: Concord United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
4462 E. Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road
Eli Whitney, NC
Come grow with us! Come dine with us! It WILL be good!!
Donations to help us feed those in need in our community by “growing” together will be appreciated (but not required).
New Member garden applications will be available.
Contact Donna Poe, 512-7434 for more info or visit us at http://www.thegardenofconcord.blogspot.com/ and also on facebook!

Recipes, Yum....

2010-08-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

Grilled Corn with Crema and Cheese (Elotes Locos)
Copyright Sandra Gutierrez, 2008
Ingredients:12 ears of corn, 1 cup Mexican crema or crème fraiche, 1 cup
mayonnaise, 2 cups crumbled Queso Cotija (or Parmesan) Ancho chile
powder (to taste).
In a large pot of boiling water, place the corn and cook it briefly for 3-4
minutes; remove from the heat and set aside. Heat a grill until moderately
hot. Grill the corn turning them until they are slightly charred and tender. In
the meantime, in a measuring cup, combine the crema and mayonnaise; set
aside. Place the cheese in a shallow plate. When the corn is nicely grilled
remove them from the grill and wrap the bottom ¼ in aluminum foil (that’s
to make a handle so you can hold them). Dip them into the crema mixture,
rolling them well until coated; roll them in the cheese, to coat and top with as
much chile powder as you like. Serve immediately.

True Vanilla Ice Cream (Makes about 1 quart)
1 ½ cups whole milk, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, ¾ cup sugar, 1 vanilla bean,
split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped out (or 2 tsp vanilla extract) 4
large egg yolks.
Position a strainer over a medium bowl set in a larger bowl containing ice
water. Heat the milk, cream, ½ cup of the sugar, and the vanilla seeds and
pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to break
up the vanilla seeds, until steam appears and the milk is warm (about 175
degrees), about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and remaining ¼ cup sugar in a medium bowl
until combined and pale yellow. Whisk half the warm milk mixture into the
beaten yolks, ½ cup at a time, until combined. Whisk the milk- yolk mixture
into the warm milk in the saucepan; set the saucepan over medium heat and
cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until steam appears, foam subsides,
and the mixture is slightly thickened or an instant-read
thermometer registers 180 to 185 degrees. (Do not boil the mixture, or
the eggs will curdle.) Immediately strain the custard into the bowl set
in the ice bath; cool the custard to room temperature, stirring it
occasionally to help it cool.
Cover and refrigerate until an instant-read thermometer registers 40
degrees or lower, at least three hours or up to 24 hours. Remove and
discard the vanilla pod from the custard (or add the vanilla extract, if
using) and stir well.
Pour the custard into the ice cream machine canister and churn,
following the manufacturer’s instructions, until the mixture resembles
soft-serve ice cream.
Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap flush
against the surface, cover the container, and freeze the ice cream until
firm, at least 2 hours. (The ice cream will keep for up to 2 days.)

Big Batch Mexican Roast (Use for beef burritos, with guacamole, Add to vegetable soups Roast beef sandwiches, Mexican
Pizza – Salsa, Beef, Corn, Monterey Jack Cheese
One 4-5 pound Chuck Roast
1T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 T brown sugar
3 T cider vinegar
Two 14-oz can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cook like the French style pot roast…in dutch
oven at 300 degrees for 4½ to 5 hours. Turn roast over every 30-45 minutes.
Check Meat temp to see when it reaches approx 210 degrees. Keep on
cooking the roast for at least 1 hour once meat has reached internal
temperature of 210 degrees.

Pineapple Salsa
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cubed
1 cup loosely packed, coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Vietnamese chili paste
Coarse-grained salt

Place all ingredients except salt in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Let
stand for 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste and serve. It will keep for
about 3 days in the refrigerator. Makes about 4 cups.

Pickled Onions
>
> 1 red onion, halved and sliced thin
> 1 cup red wine vinegar
> 1/3 cup sugar
> 2 jalapeno chiles, seeds and ribs removed, sliced into thin rings
> 1/4 teaspoon salt
>
> Place the onion in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the vinegar, sugar,
> jalapenos, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high
> heat, stirrong occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Pour the
> vinegar mixture over the onion, cover loosely, and let cool to room
> temperature, about 30 minutes. Once cool, drain and discard the
> liquid. The pickled onions can be refrigerated in an airtight
> container for up to 1 week.

Eggplant Dip (no real recipe, just from my brother's head-Carla)

Place the eggplant in a dry pan on the stovetop over medium-high
heat. Keep turning it until all sides are black. Prick it so that it
releases the water (which can be bitter).
Chop the eggplant into pieces and place in a food processor or
blender. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a clove
of garlic. Add the following ingredients to taste: sundried tomatoes,
lime juice, cumin and coriander.

Blueberry Betty

6 Slices Pepperidge Farm Original White Bread
6 Tbs butter
8 Tbs brown sugar
4 Tbs lemon juice
4 Cups of blueberries
Cube bread. Melt butter in skillet, add cubed bread off heat. In a
buttered 2 qt baking dish, put 2 cups of berries, 1/2 of bread
mixture, 4 tbs brown sugar, 2 tbs lemon juice and repeat layering.
Bake for 30 min @ 350 and serve w/ vanilla icecream.

Donna's Salsa - Makes about 4 quarts

10 cups chopped roma tomatoes with skins removed.
4 cups chopped onions
4 Bell peppers chopped
4 Jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped.
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 cup sugar
2 Tb chili powder
3 Tb salt
1 1/4 cup vinegar
1 Tb paprika
2/3 cup cornstarch
Combine everything except the cornstarch in a large kettle and cook on low heat for 20
minutes. Take about 2 cups of the liquid from the mix and blend with the cornstarch until
smooth. Add cornstarch liquid back into the rest of the mix and cook until thick.

Poppers recipe:
　
Pillsbury crescent rolls (i like the kind with garlic)
Block of cheddar cheese　and/or cream cheese
Jalapeno peppers cut in half　and remove seeds
Bacon cooked (optional)
　
Divide and cut in half the crescent roll sections (small triangles).　 Place a 1/2　piece of jalapeno in the middle of each section,　top with a　slice of cheddar　or cream cheese.　 Top with a piece of small piece of bacon.　 Wrap up the crescent by pulling up the corners and seal.　 Place the "package" seam side down on cookie sheet and bake till golden brown.　 Yum yum.
　
They reheat well so I usually make a bunch of them.　　

Cantaloupe Bread
Original Recipe Yield 2 - 9x5 inch loaves

Ingredients
·3 eggs
·1 cup vegetable oil
·2 cups white sugar
·1 tablespoon vanilla extract
·2 cups cantaloupe - peeled, seeded and pureed
·3 cups all-purpose flour
·1 teaspoon salt
·1 teaspoon baking soda
·3/4 teaspoon baking powder
·2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
·1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or nutmeg
Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
·1 2/3 cups brown sugar
·1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease and
flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and
cantaloupe. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda,
baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Stir flour mixture into
cantaloupe mixture; stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into
center of a loaf comes out clean. Meanwhile, combine margarine and
brown sugar. Microwave for 3 minutes, stirring at 1 minute intervals;
mix in pecans. Pour sauce over warm bread. Let cool for 1 hour before
serving.

Any plans for tonight or tomorrow?

2010-08-06T06:58:00.000-07:00

How 'bout spending some time in our garden? Our 10' tall sunflowers are full of blooms and our zinnias are spectacular, along with all of our other beautiful cut flowers. Still many tomatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupes, and peppers to pick! I'll be there tonight from 5:30-7:30 and tomorrow from 8-9:30 and 11-1. Lots to do. Lots to be thankful for.
It WILL be good! - Donna

Monday, July 19th in the Garden

2010-07-19T07:10:00.001-07:00

Just a few things to work on this week. I won't be in the garden tonight or Wednesday (vacation bible school) so I've left our task list on the center table (and also attached). Your continued help and support is so appreciated! Lots of tomatoes to pick. Be sure to try the Valencia tomatoes (yellow-orange)! We've started harvesting eggplant as well (mmm..love eggplant parmesean!)

Our July cooking class will be next Friday (July 30th) with a Mexican theme. Muy Caliente! More details to follow.

Have a great week everyone!

It WILL be good!

-Donna

Annual Tomato Sandwich Dinner - July 14, 2010

2010-07-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

The Garden of Concord
invites you and your family to join them
for their annual

"Tomato Sandwich Dinner"

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
6-8:00 pm
Concord UMC Fellowship Hall

Enjoy a "Mater" Sandwich with us along with tasty sides
and sweet treats using many ingredients from our garden.

No fee or commitment required!

Just bring a good appetite and a yummy side dish
(Feel free to use our veggies!)

Come eat with us...
It WILL be good!

For more info, contact Donna Poe (512-7434)

What we are working on in the garden on Wednesday...

2010-07-07T06:34:00.000-07:00

It WILL be good! -Donna

What we are harvesting:

-Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Swiss Chard, Jalapeno Peppers

-Yukon Gold potatoes (in the bucket inside the church)

-Green beans (pole and bush-try the Gold Rush yellow beans..yum yum!)

-Herbs.. (Try the Lime Basil in the North Herb Bed!)

-Cut Flowers

What we are working on:

-Hunt for Japanese and June beetles and squash bugs (eggs).

-Remove stems/heads of spent flowers.

-Turn compost piles (within existing bin #’s 2,3,4 with pitch fork).

- Thin carrots in Bed #18.

- Harvest Lime Basil.

- Hand water non-irrigated beds and Bed #5.

- Shape and add compost to Bed #7.

- Place watermelons and cantaloupes on cardboard pieces.

- Sidedress compost to Perennial beds, Grapevine entry, Cut flower gardens, Bulb Garden, Edible Flower Garden, Medicinal Garden, Sunflower House, Prayer Garden.

- Fish Emulsion to new Melon Beds, Beans in Bed #6, and #26.

-Tie-up tomato plants.

What we are planting:

-Carrots (fill in Bed #18)

Wednesday night in the garden....in Pittsboro?

2010-06-30T08:44:00.001-07:00

As mentioned earlier in the week, I will be touring the CCCC farm in Pittsboro for a seminar scheduled that should prove to be great (hope so since I am giving up "our" garden night together!) The event is free and according to this article http://www.greeneatsblog.com/2010/06/joel-salatin-speaking-at-cccc-june-30th/, when referencing refreshments, there is mention of a brick pizza oven on site-yum yum! The tour begins at 5:30 with the speaker Joel Salatin (funny VA farmer guy from Food, Inc.) presenting at 7pm.

"Our" garden WILL be open tonight for anyone that wants to enjoy a refreshing evening with cooler temps. Plenty of bugs to hunt, flowers to clip, and veggies to pick. The fence will be open (and turned off) with the water cooler and a task list set in place on the middle table.

Feel free to call me for more info if interested in joining me tonight in Pittsboro or if you have any questions while working in our garden this evening. 336 512-7434

Where ever God leads you, It WILL be good!

-Donna

Monday night in the garden (and short update)...

2010-06-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

Life is good in the garden! All of the open areas have been recovered with hay, keeping the bugs under control (no sign of that nasty hornworm!), waiting for the tomatoes to ripen (a few huge ones are starting to along with the cherry tomatoes), the beans and jalapeno peppers are starting to produce, the swiss chard is still an amazing crop, the cantaloupes and watermelons are getting crazy, the basil is still screaming "pesto", the cucumbers are creeping, the corn is the tallest stalks I've ever seen, still some strawberries, little bit of lettuce, the Rose of Sharon in the prayer garden has beautiful white blooms, and the zinnias are spectacular (despite the japanese beetles!)

So what's up for tonight? Just a few tasks of trimming, trellising, and turning to work on. It WILL be good!

Can you believe that I am giving up a "hot" garden night to go visit another garden? I am SO excited about a seminar this Wednesday at the Central Carolina Community College-Pittsboro Campus presented by The Natural Chef program and the Sustainable Agriculture program. The topic is "Local Food to the Rescue" and the speaker is Joel Salatin, a Virgina Farmer, and is also (hilarious) in the movie "Food, Inc." I've promoted that documentary in the past and it is still my favorite and a must see for all my gardening and health conscious friends! I'm thinking that this seminar will prove to be equally inspiring!

Please consider joining me at 5:30pm for a tour of the CCCC student farm followed by refreshments at 6:30 and the seminar begins at 7pm. This seminar comes at a perfect time when we are pretty caught up in the garden and just waiting for the tomatoes to turn red! Since I "work" in Pittsboro, I'll be going directly there. Please let me know if you need a ride or I can help in organizing a car pool. Sorry for the short notice on this! The flyer that PJ gave me got buried under some gardening books!

For more info you can go to http://www.cccc.edu/news/viewStory.php?storyNum=396 Also www.cccc.edu/naturalchef and www.cccc.edu/sustainableag

It WILL BE GOOD!

-Donna

This Friday and Saturday morning hours in the garden...

2010-06-24T12:11:00.001-07:00

beginning at 8am - it gets too hot! We have just a few things to work on or just come and enjoy our beautiful garden while sitting in the shade with a cold drink. It WILL be good!

-Donna

Pulling up Potates LATER tonight in the garden

2010-06-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

Our Red Potatoes are ready! Bill and I sampled a couple and they are DEEELISH! Potatoes need to be dug up either on a cloudy day or as the sun sets so we will be digging them up tonight around 8:00(possibly earlier if it looks like rain). Please join us for our treasure hunt later this evening..it will be cooler then and It WILL be GOOD!

We will begin our garden hours as scheduled at 5:30 working on light tasks with plenty of water and body coolers available. Please let me know if you want us to save some potatoes for you to pick up on Friday or Saturday instead. We will have another potato harvest (Yukon Gold) next month.

Thank you for all of your help and incredible support of our garden!

-Donna

We'll be gellin' instead of meltin' in the garden on Monday...

2010-06-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

We had some garden angels this past weekend, donate to the garden a supply of personal body coolers for use while we are hard at work in the garden. Thank you Debbie Cook and my mom and dad for your thoughtfulness and generosity!

Our new garden gear comes just in time to celebrate the first day of summer and a hot, hot, hot week in The Garden of Concord. Hoping to see many of you there (even for just a little bit:0) while we work and take care of our garden. It WILL be good!

-Donna

Maybe skip the garden tonight?

2010-06-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

See the weather advisory below. I will be at the garden to work on just a couple of things that really should be done but please consider skipping this work night because of the extreme heat. The pops will stay cold in the freezer and the garden will keep growing without us! It WILL be good on another day for sure! -Donna

Weather advisory for Alamance County
June 14, 2010 12:46 AM
Times-News
If you can stay inside today, it might be a good idea.

The National Weather Service in Raleigh has issued a heat advisory for Alamance County.

While afternoon temperatures are expected to reach the mid to upper 90s, the humidity will create heat index values between 100 and 104 degrees today.

Weather officials say that heat index values around 100 degrees pose a health risk to the elderly, children and anyone working or exercising outdoors. Dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat cramps are all possible if proper precautions aren’t taken, such as consuming small amounts of water throughout the day.

Monday night in the garden will be cooler...

2010-06-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

than Saturday was for sure! It was hot, hot, hot, but great, great, great! Plenty of water and shade breaks a necessity. Forgot the pops (sorry!)..they are now in the freezer and ready to chill out with. My mom suggested cold rags chilled in a cooler (thanks mom!) so I will have those regularly available as well. Here is what we will be working on tonight and through the week. It WILL be good! -Donna

Monday, June 14th in the garden…

What we are harvesting:

Lettuce “ “

Basil

Herbs

Cut Flowers

Swiss chard

What we are working on:

Tomato plants in Bed #’s19.20 Tie up.

Spread straw and cardboard/newspaper where needed.

Pull up spring mix in Bed #15, add compost and feather meal.

Hunt for squash bugs and Japanese beetles.

Install trellis in Bed #8.

Water with fish emulsion Bed#’s 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 25.

What we are planting:

Carrots on sides of Bed #18 (w/peppers) ¼-1/2” deep, 2” apart.

Basil on sides of Bed #14 with eggplant and peppers.

Spaghetti squash 3 Rows with seeds spaced 18” apart in Bed #26. 1”deep

Cantaloupe in Bed #6 - ½” deep, 15” apart.

Lettuce on South side edge of children’s bed.

Bush beans on perimeter of Bed #8 with cucumbers.

Who's planning on planting on Saturday?

2010-06-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

Lots to work on. Come early. Plenty of ice cold water and pops to cool off with. It will be hot. It WILL be good!
-Donna

"What's up Doc" for Wednesday in the Garden?

2010-06-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

Lots to work on and plant with CARROTS as the main crop for tonight! Come join us for a beautiful evening in the garden before the heat wave hits again! It WILL be good! -Donna

Wednesday, June 9th (and through the week) in the garden…

What we are harvesting:

Herbs (Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Cilantro)

Romaine (Final)

Swiss Chard

Strawberries (a few to keep our junior gardeners busy:0)

CARROTS

What we are working on:

Pull up peas and romaine lettuce in Bed#4

Pull up collards/mustard crop in Bed#11.

Pull up carrots in Bed#6.

Pull up spring mix in Bed #15

Add feather meal to Bed#18, 26.

Add compost and feathermeal to Bed #’s 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15

Rake compost pile.

Tomato plants (suckers and pull in to cages)

Spray squash plants with garlic/pepper spray.

Spread straw and cardboard/newspaper where needed.

What we are planting:

Pepper transplants in Bed 12” apart Water in with fish emulsion.

Dwarf sunflower transplants in center of Bed #18 – 12” apart.

Carrots on sides of Bed #18 (w/peppers) ¼-1/2” deep, 2” apart.

Cucumber transplants in Bed #4. 12” apart. Water in with fish emulsion.

Butternut squash 3 Rows with seeds spaced 18” apart in Bed #26 ½ -1” deep

Spaghetti squash 3 Rows with seeds spaced 18” apart in Bed #8. 1”deep

Cantaloupe in Bed #6 - ½” deep, 15” apart.

Meet Me at the Water Cooler on Monday

2010-06-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

Our garden has become more "gardener friendly" with the purchase of an umbrella installed in the center table along with another umbrella (donated by Bruce and Gail Pederson-Thank you!!!) set up on the South side over the bench. We will also have a large cooler filled with ice cold water on the center table during our work hours to keep us hydrated and happy while we work, chat, and chill out (in the shade) in our garden.

Lots to do this week. Looking forward to seeing many of you in the garden and at the water cooler! It WILL be good! -Donna

Monday, June 7th (and through the week)…

What we are harvesting:

Herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Cilantro)

Romaine and Spring Mix (Final)

Peas (Final)

What we are working on:

Hunt for Potato bugs and squash bugs.

Add feather meal to Bed#6, 18, 26.

Add compost and feathermeal to Bed #8, 9, 10.

Tie up tomato plants in Bed #’s 3,19,20.

Hill up potato plants in Bed #5.

Rake compost pile.

Spray neem oil on eggplants..

Pull up collards/mustard crop in Bed#11, add compost and feather meal.

Pull up peas and romaine lettuce in Bed#4, and “ “

Spray squash plants with garlic/pepper spray.

Spread straw and cardboard/newspaper where needed.

What we are planting:

Hollyhock seeds in our Edible Flower bed (Donated by Marion and Bobbie Hargrove-Thank you!)

Climbing Okra seeds around bean teepee (Donated by Shirley Pierce - TY again!)

Butternut squash 3 Rows with seeds spaced 18” apart in Bed #26 ½ -1” deep

Spaghetti squash 3 Rows with seeds spaced 18” apart in Bed #8. 1”deep

Sunflowers on backside of bean tunnel in children’s garden 12” apart ½-1” deep.

Pepper transplants in Bed 12” apart (starting in the middle and work out towards end of bed) Water in with fish emulsion..

Carrots on sides of Bed #18 (w/peppers) ¼” deep, 2” apart.

"Kid sized" Sunflowers (Donated by Debbie Cook-TY!) in children's garden area

and on ends of Bed #18.

Cantaloupe in Bed #6 - ½” deep, 15” apart.

Cucumber transplants in Bed #4. 12-18” apart. Water in with fish emulsion. (on Wed)

Plent of Sun(flowers) in the garden on Saturday

2010-06-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

I love playing with words, but I really LOVE playing in our garden. Hoping many of you will join us for breakfast and then spend some time in our beautiful garden planting sunflowers, morning glories, peppers, climbing okra, butternut and spaghetti squash. Many other tasks to work on requiring the talents and gifts of all our garden members!

It WILL be good and a morning filled with "glory"!

Thursday in the garden anyone?

2010-06-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Despite the rain all around us Wednesday night, the garden was in the clear with several of us picking peas, picking peas, and picking peas! We also harvested and pulled many other crops from beds for upcoming summer plantings. It WAS really good!

I'll be in the garden today for most of the morning and then again later in the afternoon so please let me know if you might want to join me! Several harvested beds need to be topped with compost and in the afternoon, we will be receiving a delivery of 100+ bales of hay which need to be placed and stacked.

Thank you everyone for your help and support of our garden!

Springing Into Summer...

2010-06-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

What a great first spring harvest we have been blessed with! Lots of "final picks" and summer prepping to work on in the garden.
It WILL be good! -Donna

Wednesday, June 2nd in the garden…

What we are harvesting:

Herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Sage)

Collard/Mustard Mix (Final)

Romaine and Spring Mix

Broccoli

Turnips (Final)

Beets (Final)

Radishes (Final)

Peas (Final?)

What we are working on:

Collect soil samples

BT on Beds #9,10.

Hunt for Potato bugs and squash bugs.

Pull Pea crop from teepee, add compost.

Pick remaining Peas in Bed #18, pull crop, add compost.

Pull Pea crop from Bed #6, add compost.

Pull Radishes from Sunflower Bed, add compost.

Pull Beets from Bed #26, broadfork, add compost.

Rake compost pile.

What we are planting:

Climbing Okra around teepee.

Bring your garlic in...

2010-06-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

We still have plenty of garlic left which I am drying so let me know if you would like some (more). We should have another abundant harvest next Wednesday with this great weather we are having combined with a little more rain. Feel free to stop by anytime to pick some lettuce and herbs.

Thank you again to all of you for a great week in the garden.

Melon Monday...maybe?

2010-05-24T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hopefully we might get a break in the clouds and rain to push some watermelon seeds in the ground this afternoon. We are "sharing seeds" and efforts with the Cheek Family to hopefully grow some prize winning melons for the State Fair in the fall.

Depending on the weather, below is also what we will be working on through the week. If you happen to stop by on your own, weeding is always welcomed!

Have a great week and I look forward to seeing you all soon in the garden!

It WILL be good!

-Donna

Monday, May 24th in the garden (and thru the week)…

What we are harvesting:

Herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Sage)

Collard/Mustard Mix

Romaine and Spring Mix

Broccoli

Turnips

Garlic

Peas

What we are working on:

Fish emulsion on new plantings.

Finish caging Tomato plants.

Row cover on North side of Bed #16 to

cover squash.

Weed!

Groom Tomato plants for suckers.

Thin Zinnias.

Plant and bed markers.

What we are planting:

Watermelon in Bed #25.

Eggplant on North side of Bed#14 (18” apart.)

Jalapeno Peppers on South side of Bed #14 (12” apart).

Saw some thick steaks in the garden!

2010-05-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

Hoping that got the attention of the men...actually I need someone to "saw" some "stakes" to tie to the tomato cages. I left a pile of 2X2s and 1X4s on the picnic table to be cut into 1X2s. If you happen to get started before I get there, give me a call or email for more details. Thanks!

-Donna

Pass the peas please...

2010-05-18T05:27:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Well I just couldn't stand it, so I stopped by the garden this evening in the rain (2" so far) and just had to check out how our garden was doing and to make sure that it hadn't completely flooded. I really thought that the growth, as a result of the rain, would be evident after the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. How exciting to see how much everything has grown in two days!! We have peas now (yay!!) and our broccoli is 2-3" wide. The lettuce is crazy as is the swiss chard. The mustard has flowered which is ok because it is so pretty..the collards are still available for picking. The cantaloupe has sprouted along with all the beans that were planted. The basil is ready to be picked and made into pesto (another yay!) I just love our garden! It IS good!

Saturday, May 15th in the garden

2010-05-14T05:27:00.000-07:00

What we are harvesting:

Herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Sage)

Lettuce Mix

Collard/Mustard Mix

What we are working on:

Plant markers

Compost in prayer garden

“ in bulb garden

Begin building East perennial bed.

Shape Bed #14

Pine straw around fig and pear tree.

Fish emulsion on new plantings.

What we are planting:

Nasturtium down center of Bed #16.

The Garden is Looking Pretty

2010-05-12T06:02:00.000-07:00

..with the peas and potatoes blossoming, peanuts, corn, and beans popping, and the greens are oh so green!! Here is what we will be working on this evening if it is not raining! -Donna

Wednesday, May 12th in the garden…

What we are harvesting:

Herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Sage)
Lettuce Mix
Collard/Mustard Mix
Swiss Chard
Onions

What we are working on:

- Add more compost to Bed #14 along the East side.

- Add compost to North side of Bed #16.

-Add approx. ½-1”compost to Perennial beds (outside in front of garden).

“ “ to grapevines on either side of arch opening.

“ “ to Bed #8 around onions and turnips.

- Cut/shape/install wire to secure drip tapes on beds.

- Stake trees and bb bushes where needed.

- Adjust netting on bb bushes.

- Mulch planted trees with grass clippings and pine straw.

What we are planting:

Bush beans in Bed #22 with corn.

Leeks on East side of Bed #21

Basil on sides of asparagus bed.

Herb seeds in North Herb Bed.

Zucchini and yellow squash in Bed #16.

Cantaloupe in Bed #13.

Nasturtium down center of Bed #16.

Fill in with soaked corn seeds in Bed #23 and 24.

Planting remaining trees.

It WILL be good!

Monday in the Garden

2010-05-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. Hope you had a beautiful weekend. Thank you and many blessings to all our garden angels on Saturday! Can't wait until we can begin cutting flowers from our Cut Flower Garden and someday sipping lemonade under our shade trees!

Looking forward to playing in our garden this evening. Please let me know if you might be joining us:0)
Here is what we have planned...

Monday, May 10th in the garden…

What we are harvesting:

Herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Sage)
Lettuce Mix
Collard/Mustard Mix
Swiss Chard
Onions

What we are working on:

-Widen Bed# 14 to at least 45” ttl width using shovel and/or broadfork (if soil is not too hard) and add more compost.

-Add approx. ½-1”compost to Perennial beds (outside in front of garden).

“ “ to grapevines on either side of arch opening.

“ “ to Bed #8 around onions and turnips.

“ “ to Bed #26 (around garlic and beets).

Planting Cucumbers in tray.

Planting remaining trees.

Watering tomatoes with fish emulsion.

Water all recent plantings.

It WILL be good!

Praying that it rains al day...

2010-05-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

and stops around 5:30 tonight! If it does, this is what we will be working on in the garden and continue through the week...

- Side dress peas in Bed #'s 4 & 6 with compost.
- Widen Bed #14 with broadfork and add more compost.
- Spot cover open areas.
- Plant cucumbers in tray.
- Finish planting marigolds on ends of beds on South side.
- Plant seeds and plants in Medicinal Garden.
- Plant basil seeds in Herb Garden.
- Plant Leeks in North Herb Bed.
- Hunt for potato bugs and weeds.
- Plant trees where placed. Backfill dirt with added compost.
- Stake blueberry bushes where needed.
- Planting tomatoes in Bed #'s 2 and 3 (Wednesday).
- Cage in pea plants (Wednesday).
- Green bean tunnel in children's garden (Wednesday).

We are still harvesting LOTS of greens, herbs, spinach, and now onions. We have Mother's Day Flowers available still to "harvest" as last minute gifts! Choose from zinnias, dianthus, yellow daisy, snapdragon, and verbena (all in a variety of colors). $5.00 each or 5 for $20!

There is also a GAB meeting tonight at 7pm in the meeting room of Concord UMC. All garden members are invited to attend.

Thank you to all of our Saturday "planters" as well as all of our garden members for your help and continued support of our garden.

It WILL be good!

Green Light (again?) in the Garden on Saturday

2010-04-30T05:24:00.000-07:00

So glad we held off on our plantings the other night with the threat of a late season frost. We will try again for Saturday to get some summer transplants in and pray for no more frost scares! Basil, parsley, leeks, marigolds, calendula, rosemary, chives, tarragon, and lavender are leaving my porch and moving into the garden! We still have lots of fresh "greens" to pick, along with a few splashes of red (strawberries and radishes)!

Maybe join us for food and fun at the Haw River Festival in Saxapahaw after working in the garden. Our junior garden member Evie Becknell will be performing in dance under the direction of our new garden member Debbie Cook around 1:45 (Can't wait to see!) Also Rebecca Von Hoene and her husband will begin their new season of sales at the Farmer's Market and handing out our garden brochures as well(thanks Rebecca!).

You know...It WILL be good!!

Plantin's and Pickin's a Plenty Tonight!! and What Time Is Good For You?

2010-04-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

As you know our garden hours are presently Monday and Wednesday 5:30-7:30; Friday and Saturday 9:00-Noon.

So what day/times are good for you? This is your garden and we want to be open and available for you when it is convenient for you. As a reminder, part of the membership "dues" is working in the garden (at least) one hour a week or 4 hours a month. We want to make this as easy as possible for everyone by scheduling available work hours that work for everyone. Please think about what "hour(s)" would be best for you to commit to (if possible) so that we can adjust our work day schedule accordingly. As mentioned in the past, it is very helpful in my planning of tasks for the day/week, to have a heads up of who will be visiting the garden for the scheduled work day/time. A note again for parents of our junior gardeners, that on Wednesday evenings, we are blessed to have Jessica Dean joining us in the garden to "oversee" their activities:0)

The joy and success of a community garden is made possible when we are gardening together in unity as a community! Many hands truly do make light work! Thank you to all of our 35 present family memberships' help and support. Your thoughts and time are so appreciated and I look forward to seeing all of you again soon in The Garden of Concord!

It WILL be good!

Saturday in the Garden

2010-04-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

This past week, we planted a bunch of spider lillies in our bulb garden donated by Shirley Pierce from her garden and we have about 50 left to share. Thanks Shirley! We also planted some more onion sets in the strawberry bed donated by Robin Council. Thanks Robin! With the little bit of rain we had, everything in the garden is looking so fresh and pretty. Come check out the pea trellises that we have worked on (Thanks Cindy and Gretchen!)..too cool! There are some really big berries developing in the strawberry bed. The perennial herbs are incredible. The potatoes, brocolli, cauliflower, and brussels are all gaining speed. Radishes ready soon.

Preview for next week: Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!

Saturday, April 24th in the garden…

What we are harvesting:
Herbs (Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Sage)
Lettuce Mix
Collard/Mustard Mix
Note: Instead of individually picking leaves like we did last year,
we are harvesting this time by using scissors and cutting
bunches at a time. We might have cut too low on Wednesday
so cut a bit higher.

What we are working on:

Finish adding compost to Bed#13.

Add compost to Bed #14.

Complete trellis on teepee by tying vertical pieces of twine on
bottom two horizontal strands in same pattern as above.

Work on planting trees where placed. Backfill dirt with added compost.

Spot cover open areas where grass has popped thru by pulling up and pulling over cardboard and straw. Add additional cardboard or newspaper with straw if needed.

**Extra Spider Lily bulbs (around 50) available to share in garage (Thanks Shirley Pierce!!)

"Oh Baby"

2010-04-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

Lots of baby collard/mustard and salad greens to pick tonight! Yum yum!

Handwatering is crossed off the "to do" list with the needed rain received and hopefully the skies will clear a bit so we can get a couple of things done.

Don't forget the showing of Food, Inc. tonight on UNC TV at 9:00 pm.

It WILL be good!

Plantings this Week

2010-04-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

This week we will be planting a big box full of Spider Lily bulbs (thanks Shirley!!), bunching onions, leeks, and some flowering trees (where's our "grunt workers"?!). We will also be working on (and figuring out how to!) build a tent trellis for the peas out of bamboo, as well as prepping (cutting), placing, and filling with soil, the wine barrels for plantings (another "man" job?).

On Wednesday (now dubbed "Kid's night in the garden") will be full of fun and activities for our junior members led by Jessica Dean (thanks again Jess!!).

All of our new plantings (the theme beds and blueberry bushes) need alot of handwatering so if you happen to be around and want to water them, that would be great (don't forget to turn off the electric fence..and back on:0)

We have also "planted" the announcement and order form for the Mother's Day Flower Sale to the members of our churches (Concord and Bethel). The flowers this year will be 4" begonias potted, wrapped, and ribboned for $5.00. This is our only fundraiser planned at this point so please share our sale with all your friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Order forms can be picked up at the garden, Bethel UMC, and Concord UMC. I will send one by email with more details shortly.

Wendesday in the Garden

2010-04-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is enjoying their week. This evening in the garden, we will be working on moving the tomatoes to larger living quarters for a short stay until their permanent residence; starting German Johnson tomatoes in a tray, feeding the peas, finishing up the walkways, and spraying a garlic/pepper mix around the asparagus bed (we are suppose to be sampling the asparagus and not the rabbits(?)!....hope it's not the groundhog from last year visiting again!) We have some brochures and info cards to work on as well...always something for everyone!!

Welcome to our new member Jessica Dean! One of the gifts she will be sharing in the garden will be her time spent entertaining the junior gardeners when they get tired of gardening. She will be regularly visiting every Wednesday to keep an eye on our little ones, play with them, read stories, etc. so we (adults and kids) can all enjoy fellowship and fun in the garden. Thank you Jessica!!

There is some spinach that can be harvested and we can begin picking some spring mix lettuce...yum yum! There is also an abundance of parsley and oregano that has sprung up from last year.

Looking forward to seeing some of you tonight. It WILL be good!

Saturday in the Garden

2010-04-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

We have had a great week in the garden with the many hands that have helped. This week we planted the broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, more strawberries, more lettuce, radishes, and more carrots. All the tomato, pepper, eggplant, basil, and flower seedlings are doing great and repotted. The Easter egg radishes have popped up from the perfect planting performed last Saturday by the kids (great job!!)

Saturday we will begin building some of our theme beds focusing on the prayer garden, bulb garden, and cut flower garden with the help hopefully from the wonderully energetic kids with Crosswave. Lots of other fun things planned so please consider joining us for a beautiful and blessed morning in The Garden of Concord!

It WILL be good!

The Garden Is Growing!

2010-04-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

Not only are our spring plantings in the ground and growing, but our membership is as well! Welcome Shirley Pierce, Sheila Kiliru, Mary Michael, Gretchen Becknell, Rebecca VonHoene, Debbie Cook, Aleisha Tickle, and Jeff Shepard! Several members have renewed their membership and we look forward to many more new and existing growers to plant and share their gifts of help, support, ideas, and fellowship in The Garden of Concord!

We have planted shell peas, sugar snap peas, snow peas, romaine and spring mix lettuces, asparagus, carrots, onions, garlic, beets, turnips, collards, mustard, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, potatoes, and strawberries. We have started in trays for later planting, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, herbs, and flowers. Regular updates of what we are working on, growing, and harvesting can be found on our blog http://www.thegardenofconcord.blogspot.com/

Please mark your calendars for a couple of garden events happening soon. On Saturday, April 17th, a local cub scout troop will be joining us in the garden to plant blueberry bushes, grapevines, and flowering trees along with other planting activities. We will be grilling up hotdogs to serve along with sides and drinks to the troop, their parents, leaders, and all garden members. More details will follow shortly to include a signup list for food.

We also will be having our Mother’s Day Flower sale again this year as a fundraiser for the garden. 4” wrapped potted plants will be pre-sold for $5.00 each with a gift card included. Order forms will be available soon along with details of the pickup date and site. Thank you in advance for your support and participation in these garden events.

Many material donations have been received over the past couple of weeks to include newspapers, straw, compost, pine needles, cow manure, cardboard, and of course, our awesome new broad fork! Your continued donations are appreciated to include yard décor pieces such as large pots (or any interesting container to plant flowers in), benches, picket fence sections, bird houses, small signs, etc. for our theme gardens. Monetary donations are always welcomed and needed!

We have completed the rebuilding and prepping of our existing vegetable beds and are now ready to plan, build, and plant our theme gardens for all to enjoy. Please let me know asap if you would be interested in managing one of these theme gardens which would involve the planning, planting, and care of the flowers as related to the particular garden. We have already marked out designated areas and will assist in the building and continued stages of the beds. We have several flower seeds to pick from to include some that have already been started in flats. The beds suggested so far include a prayer garden, butterfly garden, edible flower garden, medicinal garden, container garden, cut flower garden, bulb garden, and wedding garden. We are open to any other suggestions and ideas you may have! Remember, no green thumb is required in The Garden of Concord! We are learning and planting together!

The Garden Advisory Board has met several times over the past couple of months to brainstorm planting plans, events, fundraisers, grant research, and membership development. All members are always invited to attend these meetings. This is “your” garden and we value everyone’s thoughts, ideas, and concerns. The next GAB meeting is scheduled on April 12th at 7:00 pm in the meeting room of Concord UMC. We have been contacting other community gardens to get their ideas as well on the areas mentioned above. Generally, the success found by most in membership and fundraising has been by word of mouth and the donations from individuals within the garden, congregations, and the community.

Thank you for your continued help, support, and the sharing of the good news of our garden!

It WILL be good!

Join us for a FREE movie and popcorn!

2010-03-25T05:22:00.001-07:00

This event is part of the "Where's Your Food From" Discussion/Film Series presented by Chatham Marketplace in Pittsboro. Come early (6:00?)to join us for dinner! I'm looking forward to trying their hot/cold buffet (it looks delish!) They also have a great grilled chicken sandwich that I have tried-yum yum! A wonderful co-op to visit and shop at. I've contacted the owner and she is excited about our garden members attending and sharing our good news by displaying our brochures. Hope many of you will join us!

It WILL be good! -Donna

This Friday, March 26th at 6:30 PM

at the Chatham Marketplace in Pittsboro (480 Hillsboro Street)

to see

"King Corn"

A feature documentary about

two friends,

one acre of corn,

and the subsidized crop

that drives our fast-food nation.

The movie is followed by a discussion

led by a panel of experts.

No workday "morning" on Friday, March 19, 2010

2010-03-18T05:53:00.001-07:00

Our first Friday workday "morning" has been cancelled for this week, but will resume next Friday from 9-Noon. We will be working in the garden as scheduled this Saturday from 9-Noon along with sharing our joy of the garden to potential new garden members at our Open House/Garden Tour.

It WILL be good!

I"rish" we were planting potatoes tonight...

2010-03-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

GREEN is in the forecast instead! Salad Greens and Collard/Mustard Greens are the planned plantings for this St. Patrick's Day evening in the garden. The potato plantings are postponed till Saturday so they can dry out some more. Hope to see many of you there. It WILL be good (and GREEN!)

Extra Hours of Daylight in the Garden

2010-03-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

SO excited that our days will be longer and we have more time to spend in the garden! Tonight we will be planting carrots, beets, turnips, peas, and spinach. If you don't feel like getting your hands dirty and would like to take a nice walk (or drive) instead, we have some flyers that can be passed out to our neighbors inviting them to our open house/garden tour this Saturday. On Wednesday, we will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the garden while we plant Irish Potatoes. Go green! So glad to be growing again in our garden!

How great it was to see all of you we have missed while the garden was sleeping. We had several memberships renewed and also a very special new member join...Welcome Baby Brooke to the Garden of Concord! We had to unfortunately decline a membership..Petey the pup was not adhering to the rules of no walking on the beds or running in the garden!

Thank you everyone for your help today and continued support of our garden. New/Renewal Membership forms are now available. Please see me or Sally Brown to renew your membership for the 2010 season. The fee is still only $10.00 per year and additional donations are always welcomed and appreciated! Next Saturday, our open house and garden tour will continue as we pray for more sweets (thanks Sally!), nice weather, and new garden members. Remember to ask your friends and neighbors to "Come Grow With Us" and tell them that "It WILL be good!".

Updated Garden Hours

2010-03-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

Monday 5:30-7:30

Wednesday 5:30-7:30

Friday 9:00-Noon

Saturday 9:00-Noon

The garden is always open to pull weeds, pick herbs, or just breath and enjoy its beauty. Just make sure you turn the electric fence off (and back on!)

Container Garden...

2010-03-05T12:13:00.000-08:00

for a "Container Garden". While you are spring cleaning, be thinking of old pots and containers that would provide a good home for a lovely potted plant in our garden. Plastic pots, half barrels, old water tanks, oil drums, large tin cans, old boots, polystyrene fish boxes, old wheel barrow, wagon - if they can hold soil, we can adapt them. Just make sure the container is large enough to hold a good volume of soil (the bigger the better). It will be good! -Donna

New hours for working in the garden

2010-03-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

Monday - Wednesday: 5:00 - 7:00 pm

Friday: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Saturday: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

To "dig" or not to "dig"...

2010-03-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

...that is the question-that I have been working on! Because we had such great double diggers last year on the North side of the garden in addition to almost half of the total beds successfully cover cropped through the winter, it looks like we might be able to refrain from having to double dig all the beds and focus on only the ones that deep rooted vegetables will be planted in. We will also be utilizing a fun tool called the broadfork that is being loaned to us by another community garden. That should save some of our energy and efforts for maybe digging a couple new beds as theme gardens (ie. butterfly, edible flowers, cut flowers). Planning on spending a good part of the day tomorrow breathing in some fresh spring air in our garden! Hope to see some of you out there! It WILL be good! -Donna

Welcome to the Garden of Concord

2010-03-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

"The Garden of Concord" is a community garden created on the grounds of Concord United Methodist Church in Eli Whitney, NC. Support for starting the garden has been provided by the Council of Ministries of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. It is a garden dedicated to the community, to be worked and shared by the community. No experience is necessary. We will learn and grow together. Membership is open to all people who want to work together to grow fresh, healthy organic fruits and vegetables.

Our Vision: To plant a garden. To work it. To provide a means for those in our community, both in and outside the church, to experience Christian fellowship, love, and joy through the sharing of our gifts and fruits of the garden. It will be good. (Gen 2) The garden (100' X 150') is a collective (not individual plots) community garden with (27) 25’X4’ wide raised beds at present. Operating under the basic principles of sustainable agriculture, our crops are grown without fertilizers or chemicals, relying instead on cover cropping, manure, and the compost we make ourselves. Initially the ground was plowed with a member’s tractor but now all ongoing and future tasks – carting manure, weeding, planting, etc. are done manually. We are striving to work and give back to the land as stewards of God’s creation.

Membership in the garden is $10 a year per family with a commitment of working 4 hours a month and a share of the harvest, with a portion donated to the local ministries of the church. Members of the garden and anyone else interested may contribute to the “feeding of the soil” by saving their kitchen waste in a lidded bucket and bringing it to the church weekly to add to the compost bin. The garden is always open “to be worked and taken care of”. We also have regularly scheduled workdays on Monday and Wednesdays 5pm-8pm and Saturday 9-Noon.

Presently we are growing a wide assortment of seasonal crops, cut flowers, perennials, and herbs. Our children’s garden area consists of a sunflower house, bean teepee, and pumpkins. We have a beehive, a grape arbor entry, picnic tables and a children’s play area for when they get tired of gardening! Future plans include a native plant area, wedding garden, pavilion, garden shed with greenhouse, vegetable and fruit perennials, “how to” workshops, youth group projects, and so much more.

Feel free anytime to stop by for a visit to take a look at the garden or for a guided tour, stop by during a scheduled “workday”. You can also contact Donna Poe (336 512-7434) donnalpoe@hotmail.com at anytime for more information about our garden.

We are especially interested in sharing and inviting to the garden, children and young people to observe, plant, and learn. We have kid-sized tools and play things for when they get tired of gardening. Parents, this is a great way to get your kids to try new veggies!

While we are growing good things to eat in the garden, we also seek to build community relationships. Periodically, we will have meals together, and will participate in other events outside of the garden several times a year. The garden is a wonderful place to meet new people, make friends, and share our celebrations and our concerns with each other.

We will be working to build relationships, encourage each other in our gardening efforts, and provide support for those interested in starting gardens in their own communities in Central North Carolina.

Come grow with us!