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June 23, 2011 Volume 17, Issue 3 |
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The List:
    
Pac Choi Spinach Spicy Greens Mix Pea Greens Mizuna (Asian green)Rhubarb, Radishes, Lettuce
Bread of the Week: Start salivating for some multigrain bread.
Reminder of pick-up schedule:
Saint Benedict's Monastery Barn (St. Joseph) - Thursday, 4-6 p.m.
St. John's Episcopal Church (St. Cloud) - Thursday, 5-6 p.m.
Directions to locations:
You really can't miss the barn at Saint Benedict's Monastery.
Enter at the college entrance from Minnesota Street near 4th Ave SW. Make a right at the stop sign and follow the gravel road out to the barn.
The other pick-up is St. John's Episcopal Church in St. Cloud. It is located on the southeast corner of Roosevelt Road and Cooper Ave.
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Greetings!
Join us for the Garden Blessing, Tours and Hors d'oeuvres
Where: Common Ground Fence Garden (across from the Quonset shed; watch for signs)
When: 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23
Why: We come together at the beginning of this garden season to recognize the sacredness of this land, give thanks for the goodness of God's creation, ask for continued blessing and celebrate the communities that enjoy its bounty.
Please join us and offer your voices in prayer and thanksgiving for a season of life and richness in the garden.
Bonus: Tours of the garden and fresh garden hors d'oeuvres made by the gardeners! Check out those culinary skills.
Contact information
commonground@csbsju.edu
Ryan Kutter, Garen Director, cell: 320-219-3389
Kate Ritger, Production Manager, cell: 262-339-7737
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Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer
1. Produce grown at the Common Ground Garden is eaten not only by our garden subscribers, but the greater community through the farmers' market, local food pantries and the members of the monastery.
2. Get to know us, the gardeners, and give us an opportunity to get to know you.
3. While you work, develop more of a connection with the land by enjoying the sweet, summer breeze that blows through the seemingly endless rows of fresh and colorful vegetables in the garden.
4. Experience the satisfaction of eating vegetables that you helped grow.
5. Gardening is great exercise and relaxing as well.
6. Notice the garden grow and change as the season progresses.
7. Experience the day-to-day workings of our CSA as well as plant care and upkeep.
8.Get involved with the local community and meet some nice folks.
9. Enjoy the fresh air, sunshine and the extensive bird population of St. Joseph.
10. Have fun and get some dirt under those fingernails.
Stay tuned ... we are in the process of scheduling a weekly volunteer evening in the garden.
Kayla Altendorf |
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First Distribution Photos
Kayla, Kate, Virginia, Lindsay, Ryan, S. Phyllis Kayla, Ryan and Lindsay packing greens
New members picking up their first bags of produce at the barn distribution center. |
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Meet Kayla Altendorf
Hello! My name is Kayla Altendorf and I am a senior environmental studies major at  CSB/SJU. I grew up in a small town just west of the Twin Cities called Loretto. This is my second summer in the dirt at the Common Ground Garden, and I am thrilled to be back. I spent this past spring in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, living with a host family and learning Spanish as part of a study abroad program. It was a very valuable experience for me and the lessons I learned will continue to reveal themselves as I embark on new adventures in life.
My primary interests within my studies at CSB/SJU are focused on small-scale organic and local foods agriculture. Last year my eyes were opened to a whole new world of agriculture here at CGG and I fell in love with it. I see myself working in some sort of agriculture after I graduate, whether that is to continue my studies in graduate school or get more experience. My favorite parts about working at the garden are being outside, physical labor, conversation across the rows with my fellow gardeners and the thinking time that I have during those long hours of weeding and hoeing. This thinking time allows me to reflect on our contribution to the local foods market and the environmental benefits of this type of food production, as well as to dream big about my future plans. Besides gardening, I enjoy running, camping, riding my bike, swimming in Lake Sag and spending quality time with friends and family. I am looking forward to getting to know you all at distributions and some of the garden and community events over the summer.
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Pac Choi: This vegetable is also called Chinese cabbage and is from the same species as the turnip (but much tastier!)
Radishes: This plant's scientific name is Raphanus sativus. Raphanus is Greek for "quickly appearing," which is appropriate because these vegetables mature in less than a month. Radishes have been used in folk medicine to treat whooping cough, cancer, stomach aches, liver problems, arthritis and kidney stones.
Spinach: 73% of the United States spinach is grown in California - but not what you get from Common Ground! Spinach was once believed to be a miracle vegetable because a researcher investigating it made a mathematical error and reported that it contained 10 times as much iron as it really does. Spinach does contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, though. |
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Recipes
Try some of these tasty recipes: (on the Web site) Rhubarb Bars, Garlicky Radish Dip, June Garden Pizza (salad greens), Sweet & Sour Stir-Fry (Pac Choi) Click here. Please e-mail us with your recipes to share.
Moosewood Feta Garlic Salad Dressing
http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com/2009/05/moosewood-feta-garlic-salad-dressing.html
1 cup olive oil
2-3 Tbs. vinegar
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp. dried dill or 1 Tb. chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 cup feta cheese
1 cup milk or buttermilk
In a blender or food processor, whirl all the ingredients except the milk (or buttermilk) for one minute. With the blender running, slowly pour in the milk. As soon as the dressing thickens, turn off the blender, or the dressing will separate and become runny. It should be thick and creamy. Chill at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld. Refrigerate, tightly covered. Feta Garlic Dressing will stay fresh for three or four days. If the dressing separates, simply re-blend it.
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Wisdom from a Benedictine:
"In the spirit of Hildegard, try to make the act of eating a sacred offering of thanksgiving to God rather than an automatic 'hand-to-mouth' experience. Here are some ways to accomplish that goal.
1. Eat your meals in a quiet and serene environment. Eat in an atmosphere of love and joy -- the two most important accompaniments of a meal.
2. Do not eat standing or on the run. Sit down at the table to eat. Make your meal a restful reward.
3. Eat food that is in season. Food grown locally and in season provides more of that vital energy of greenness so highly prized by Hildegard.
4. Make the end of the meal as important as the beginning. Say another prayer of thanksgiving. Even regard cleaning up as part of the process."
From: Fournier-Rosset, Jany. From Saint Hildegard's Kitchen: Foods of Health Foods of Joy. Ligouri/Triumph: Ligouri, Missouri, 1999, p.33-34.
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What's Next
Vegetable Forecast:
Look forward to more greens, radishes, garlic scapes from www.plumcreekgarlic.com.
and potentially alcosa cabbage, Swiss Chard, scallions, or collards.
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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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