Greetings!

Note from the Director   

Ryan Kutter

The daily work of a garden is composed of fragments, a few weeds pulled here, a little planting and watering there, trying to bring it all together at the end of the day and feel that you've accomplished something. Time fools us. Standing up at the end of a long row of picked beans, the slow work of one bean at a time has amounted to a long stretch of garden and a bucket full of beans.

This year Common Ground celebrates its 20th year, a long row of beans to be sure. Begun by Sister Phyllis Plantenberg as a way of providing fresh, chemical-free food to the local community, this concept of food as a critical aspect of the way we relate the environment and to each other has blossomed across the world. Even in the last ten years organic foods have gone from a ghost presence to significant representation in conventional food stores. Farmer's markets and co-ops have become mainstream. Twenty years ago this progress was a long way down the bean row, and we're grateful to S. Phyllis and a generation of leaders who thought this was worth working toward.

To be sure, this CSA model and the local food movement haven't solved all of our problems, and present us with new problems. The most troubling aspects of industrial agriculture, with environmental degradation and the fracturing of rural communities, remain large in our lives. The work on sustainable farming hasn't yet found a way to make this wonderful food readily available to all income levels, and a livable income has remained elusive for small farmers of all stripes.

To think of Common Ground and our food world in 20 years, 40 years from our starting mark, is no small task. That scale of vision is so much easier in hindsight, but here we are, looking a mile up and a mile down that row of beans. As we settle into the harvest season of our 20th year, I hope you'll take some joy in what we've made so far, even as we keep filling those buckets with beans.

A Note from the Production Manager   

Kate Ritger

Hello, friends!  I'm Kate Ritger and I'm happy to be back for my third season as the garden's Production Manager.  For those of you who don't know me, I'm originally from southeastern Wisconsin, but Minnesota has been my grounding place since I came to college here in 1999. So, I'm a Bennie ('03), a Johnnie ('07), and an Oblate of the Sisters.

People often ask me how I came to the Common Ground Garden. Well, it wasn't through studying agriculture; I studied theology and ministry. Eating out of the garden is what comes naturally to me though, and it is the lifestyle I want to continue. My family has a small hobby farm and my parents continue to have a garden that is excessively large for two people -- it must be in my blood!  

And why do I stay at the garden? Because I love the combination of physical work, growing healthy food for people, building community, mentoring and learning with college students, and cultivating food justice, all grounded in the Benedictine tradition and spirituality of the earth. Each day is fresh and provides endless opportunities for reflection, humility, laughter, amazement and gratitude.

When I'm not in the garden, I also enjoy cooking, baking, hiking, biking, dancing, reading, writing, being near water and spending time with family and friends. I look forward to getting to know you and the gifts you bring to this community. Peace.

Here's the garden crew!  

From left to right in the back: Molly Johnson, Alicia Lang, S. Phyllis Plantenberg, Jamie Swanson, and Ricky Richards.  Front: Shelby Kitterman, Erin Stout, and Kate Ritger.   

Stay tuned for introductions to the gardeners. 

• If you are unable to pick up during the scheduled time, be in touch with me and we'll make other arrangements -- a friend or family member can pick up for you, or we can find another time.
• Fourth of July: because the holiday falls on Thursday, we will distribute on Wednesday, July 3.   

Follow us on Facebook! We've been posting photos of our planting and progress.

We have an abundance of great recipes, organized by vegetable, on our website. A goal of the gardeners, based on questions last season, is to provide general information about what can be eaten raw, what should be cooked, what parts of the plant can be eaten, and easy ways to preserve what you can't eat immediately. We always love hearing about your creative endeavors in the kitchen or on the grill, so send us your recipes!

Note on storing salad greens: Try to keep as much air in your bags. This will keep your greens fresher longer, and prevent wilting.

Raspberry-Lime Vinaigrette

12 oz. frozen raspberries, thawed

¼ cup grapeseed oil or nut oil

3 T. lime juice

1½ t. sugar

½ t. salt

Pinch of grated lime zest

Ground pepper

Use a large spoon to press the thawed raspberries in several batches through a large sieve into a medium sized bowl. Discard the seeds. Add the remaining ingredients, whisk to combine, and pour into an airtight container if not using immediately.

Gorgonzola Pasta

1 T. olive oil

¼ - 1/3 lb. walnuts, crushed

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

6 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled

¾-1 lb. spinach, shredded or broccoli, chopped

Pepper

Pasta of your choice

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat; add garlic and sauté until golden. Add spinach; toss and cook until wilted. Stir in walnuts and cheese; toss until well combined. Season with pepper to taste. Serve over pasta.

Rhubarb Custard Bars

Base:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup butter, soften

Filling:

2 cups granulated sugar

7 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whipping cream

3 large eggs, beaten

5 cups finely chopped rhubarb

Topping:

2 (3-ounce each) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, for filling, combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until custard is set. Cool.

4. For topping, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth; fold in whipped cream. Spread over top. Cover and chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 3 dozen bars.

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Every week we will send several recipes that make use of the produce you are receiving in your bag. We also have a significant collection of recipes on our website at http://sbm.osb.org/ministries/common_ground_garden/recipes/.   Please send us your own recipes, too--either favorites from your cookbooks or your own concoctions.

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Common Ground Garden is the ministry of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict.

104 Chapel Lane
St. Joseph, Minnesota 56374