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June 16, 2011 Volume 17, Issue 2 |
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The List: broccoli, arugula, Asian greens (mizuna and Tokyo bekana), radishes, lettuce, spinach, and maybe pea greens
Bread of the Week: For those of you who ordered a bread share, rye is coming your way this week!
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Greetings!
Welcome to the Common Ground Garden 2011 Season!
Hello, members of the Common Ground Garden community! We are excited to welcome you to the 2011 season. While the weather has fluctuated significantly from our first day of planting (May 2) to today, our enthusiasm and inspiration have continued to grow (almost as richly as the greens!). And now the vegetables are ready to eat and we look forward to building relationships with you!
As we've engaged the beginning of the season activities of planting, setting up irrigation, getting organized in our new space, and growing together as a team, several common themes have emerged. Rooted in the garden's mission, the gardeners are eager to grow the highest quality produce in as sustainable a manner as possible. Over the next few weeks, as you read introductions to each of the gardeners, you'll notice that many are interested in potentially managing CSAs in the future -- this isn't just a random summer job (S. Phyllis, did you ever think that there would be such a boom of community focused gardens when you founded Common Ground in the mid-'90s?).
On a deeper level, the gardeners have resonated with the mission's call to build community through inspiration and education. And when we say community, we mean it in the broad sense of all who are interested in eating locally produced, healthy food. That's you, the subscribers, members of the monastic community, patrons of the St. Joe and St. Cloud food pantries, customers at the Farmer's Market, and anyone who happens by and is excited at the taste of fresh vegetables. As the Rule of Benedict reminds us, "Any guest who happens to arrive at the monastery should be received just as we would receive Christ himself" (Chapter 53). So we'll be focused on hospitality this year. And with a freshly irrigated focus on these values, you'll notice a few changes. First, more social and educational events! Today we ask that you take a few minutes to fill out a survey about the kinds of programs that most interest you. (For the survey, click here.) We've got a lot of great ideas and envision a program at least once a month. A second topic on the survey is volunteering. Every day we get a healthy workout and learn so much about compassionate care for the plants. And we invite you to participate. Help grow food for your community, learn about gardening, tone a few muscles and get some fresh air. After we see the results of the survey, we'll organize a weekly time to volunteer. And with that, here's to a great summer. May the garden and our relationships together inspire you! Kate Ritger, Production Manager
Contact information commonground@csbsju.edu Ryan Kutter, Garden Director, cell: 320-219-3389
Kate Ritger, Production Manager, cell: 262-339-7737 |
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2011 Gardeners
Lindsy Ganong, Kate Ritger, Elizabeth Gleich, Virgina Zenzen, Kayla Altendorf
These are the women who are the gardeners for this season. Each week one of the women will be featured so you can learn a little about each one. They are all looking forward to meeting you and getting to know you, too.
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Meet the Production Manager
 Greetings! My name is Kate Ritger and I'm very excited to be serving as this year's Production Manager. This is my third wave back in the CSB/SJU community. When I was first here as a college student (CSB '03), I studied theology and secondary education. I came back for a second wave as a graduate student at Saint John's School of Theology ('07). And now I return to deepen my Benedictine roots as I become an Oblate of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, and to tend the roots of vegetables, fellow gardeners and fresh food-lovers at the monastery's Common Ground Garden.
My passions include, but are not limited to, engaging my body, mind and spirit in work that cares for the earth and provides healthy and beautiful things to eat and enjoy, participating in and fostering community life, nurturing spiritual and ministerial formation, and offering pastoral care (to humans and plants). My previous gardening experience includes years of planting, weeding, eating and preserving on my family's hobby farm in Wisconsin, volunteering at Common Ground Garden during my first wave at CSB/SJU, interning in Innisfree's garden (a community for adults with mental disabilities in Virginia) and any opportunity friends will give me to get in their dirt.
When I'm not in the garden, I enjoy cooking, baking, hiking, biking, reading, writing, being near water and spending time with family, friends and little people. I look forward to getting to know you and the gifts you bring to this community. Blessings!
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Take the Survey
We want your input! Please take about five minutes to take our survey: Click here (We'll have some paper copies at distribution as well).
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Recipes
You will find a wide variety of greens in your bag today. All of them can be eaten raw and mixed together in your recipes. Try some of the recipes on the Web site, such as Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, Blues Salad, Garlicky Radish Dip, Roasted Radishes with Soy Sauce (Click here) or creatively add greens to your omelets, sandwiches, pasta dishes, soups or casseroles. Please e-mail us with your recipes to share.
Here are two other recipes we tried and really liked.
Pea Greens and Chicken in Garlic Sauce
From www.allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves - cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch pea greens, trimmed
3/4 cup chicken broth
salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Toss the strips of chicken breast with the cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the sesame oil and toss until evenly mixed.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in the chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the pea shoots just until wilted; pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook and stir a few minutes until the chicken broth has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper
Broccoli Salad
(Stevens, Christine and Russel Wasserfall. Harvest: Recipes from an Organic Farm. Auckland Park, South Africa: Jacana, 2008. Print. Revised from p.25)
Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli
6 slices streaky bacon
1 cup raisins
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
Honey mustard mayonnaise/dressing
Directions:
Separate the broccoli into small florets, then fry the bacon and break into smaller pieces when cool enough to touch. Place all the ingredients in a salad bowl and pour all the dressing. Toss well. This salad absorbs a lot of dressing.
Variations: (ooooh fun!) You can really play with this recipe. Bacon is essential and so is something sweet. I have replaced the raisins with other dried fruit and also added nuts. If you want a more filling dish, add 2½ cups of cooked penne and it becomes pasta salad.
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What's Next
Events: Garden Blessing, tours and hors d'oeuvres on Thursday, June 23. MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Vegetable Forecast: Next week we're anticipating more greens (lettuce, spinach, etc.), radishes, rhubarb and garlic scapes (more information about this next week) from www.plumcreekgarlic.com
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 Common Ground Garden is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, where members purchase a share of vegetables and each week during the farm season receive a bountiful box of fresh produce. We pride ourselves on producing fresh, clean, healthful food picked at the peak of flavor and nutrition. Our vegetables are produced as far as possible without the use of any chemical herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. We us cover crops, rotations, compost and ingenuity to produce your food in a way that's healthier for you and healthier for the community. |
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Common Ground Garden is the ministry of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Bneeidct
104 Chapel Lane
St. Joseph, Minnesota 56374 |
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