In this update:

* Winterizing Your Garden
* Now is the Time to Plant Your Garlic
* It's Vegetarian Awareness Month!
* Don't Forget These Two Great Events This Weekend

Winterizing Your Garden

Our current blast of cooler (and yuckier) weather hasn't quite reached a frost yet, but it's getting real close - so that means it's time prepare your food garden for winter!

The basics in terms of the food? Warm weather crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, etc. need to come out right away. (And yes, your green tomatoes will ripen!) Winter greens and root veggies are fine, cooler (but not winter) veggies like lettuce won't do great, but should generally survive a light frost.

Beyond that, though, there is plenty to do in the garden getting it ready for winter. Here are three resources to help guide you through the process:

"What to do in the garden before the first frost arrives" - article from the Christian Science Monitor

"The Secrets of Winterizing your Garden," from Garden Stew (make sure to scroll down past the adverts)

And, since in fall/early winter frost can be a very localized event, a good article from National Gardening Association on determining when and if you'll be hit - A Gardener's Guide to Frost.

For those of you who want to continue gardening right through the winter, fear not - just keep your eyes peeled for an article on cold frame gardening in a future update!

(Thanks to Erica Smith of Montgomery Master Gardeners and Charlie Nardozzi of the National Gardening Association for the above links.)

 

Now Is the Time to Plant Your Garlic

There is nothing quite like garlic, and as with most wonderful edibles nothing quite like growing it yourself. And here's the final reminder: October/early November is the perfect time to plant garlic in Montgomery County, to be harvested this coming summer. It's easy to grow too!

For some good basic info on planting and growing garlic, click here. (And it never gets more than basic, since it's so simple!)

And for those who prefer video instruction, click here

You can of grow garlic from the cloves of any bulb you by in a store, but for those who prefer you can still buy excellent "seed" garlic from our friends at Red Wiggler Community Farm. Call 301-916-2216 to coordinate with a farmer at Red Wiggler, or contact them here.

 

It's Vegetarian Awareness Month!

Montgomery Victory Gardens promotes and celebrates local, sustainably grown food, and as farmers such as Joel Salatin (of Omnivore's Dilemma fame) and others have shown, there is no question that meat can belong honorably in the local food community.

That being said, there is also no question that the vast amounts of industrial (factory-farm) raised meat that Americans consume is bad for our health and the planet's health, as well as brutally inhumane to the animals. We would all do better to adopt a more vegetarian diet.

And what better time to begin making that switch than Vegetarian Awareness Month?!  (Betchya didn't even know October was Vegetarian Awareness Month, huh?) Organized by the North American Vegetarian Society, the month-long celebration of vegetarian diet features parties, potlucks, presentations, food tasting displays...and lots of friendly discussion. Check out the following links for great information and resources . (And you don't have to be 100% there, either - as they say, "Non-Vegetarians Welcome!")

Click here for the World Vegetarian Day website (and order a free poster!)

Click here for an excellent and comprehensive "Vegetarian Starter Kit" from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

 

Don't Forget These Two Great Events This Weekend

What could be more perfect to beat our lousy weather than a Winery Grape Stomp and an Organic Beer Tasting!

Grape Stomp at Sugarloaf Mountain Winery - This Saturday and Sunday, October 17th and 18th, the Stomp will be held at Sugarloaf Mountain Winery in Dickerson, Maryland, at the very northern border of Montgomery in our county's famed Agricultural Reserve.  The '09 Grape Stomp features live music, great food, kite flying instruction and demonstrations, tours of the winery and - of course - tastings of their award winning wines! Click here for more info

Organic Beer Tasting - This Saturday, October 17th from 4-7pm, the organic beer tasting will be held at the Historic Cady Lee Mansion in Takoma Park (just on the DC side of the border). Leading the event will be local author and beer maker extrodinaire Chris O'Brien, who will take us through a tasting of numerous leading organic microbreweries, accompanied by food and music. The tasting is a fundraiser to support the Takoma Foundation Community Grants Program, click here for ticket information.

Thanks for your feedback and suggestions! Let us know what's on your mind, and please send us any items, particularly about local food production (and consumption, and celebration!) that Montgomery Victory Gardens can promote. Send to info@montgomeryvictorygardens.org

Gordon Clark,
Project Director
Montgomery Victory Gardens