Share your stories and recipes with us!

The St. Francis AgriCulture Exchange is looking for recipes, cooking and gardening tips, and short stories/vignettes that have inspired you, your family and/or your health.  

Remember, you may not have a recipe, but a story from your Mom in the kitchen, your Grandfather in the garden, a funny joke about gardening/health/eating, an experience with food/cooking, a shortcut in the kitchen or garden, or a lifestyle change that has improved your overall health….we want to hear about it! 

The Exchange plans to collect submissions and create an inspiring anthology, giving recognition to contributors.  The book will be sold to the public with all proceeds going to the St. Francis Community Garden.  Specific guidelines for recipe submissions are below:

RECIPE GUIDELINES

1. Must be an original recipe (not from a cookbook or from the internet).
2. Recipe should not contain ingredients from processed sources (i.e. canned soup, canned biscuits, boxed crackers and cookies).
3. Recipe should incorporate at least one fruit, one vegetable, or one herb (i.e. berry banana smoothie, tomato pie, ginger marinated Portobello mushrooms, savory sage chicken).

Submissions are due by April 5th, 2012. Though we may not be able to incorporate all entries, we truly appreciate every submission in support of the Community Garden!  For more information, please contact Natalie Dougherty at 255.1326.   

Bon Secours St. Francis AgriCulture Exchange

Some of you may have noticed a change in the name on our Facebook page.  The St. Francis Community Garden is only one of Community Ministries’ programming and outreach efforts in sustainability.  We also mentor and support other gardens; offer assistance with environmental questions; help set and achieve the St. Francis Green Team’s ecological goals; help plan the health system’s Earth Week activities; and teach about sustainable living, gardening, healthy food preparation and food preservation.

To better represent our scope, we’ve rebranded as the St. Francis AgriCulture Exchange.  We recently finished a vision statement that we believe reflects our goals and philosophy:

The St. Francis AgriCulture Exchange provides leadership in sustainability and collaborates with community partners to educate the greater Greenville community in gardening, environmental stewardship, and healthy food preparation and preservation. We welcome the exchange of ideas, strategies and resources that encourage development of a healthy food culture and secure local food system.   

We’ve also created of list of our current programs:

Community Garden Program:  We manage the St. Francis Community Garden and support the Odessa Street Garden.  Expansion plans for 2012 include the addition of berry bushes to all gardens, financed through the generosity of the Greater Greenville Master Gardeners and Trees Greenville, and the incorporation of other gardens into our mentoring program.

Agricultural Education Program:  Our Sustainability Specialist and other experts teach classes on topics such as garden design, organic gardening techniques, backyard homesteading, season extension, herb and fruit propagation, seed saving and seed starting.  We also are supporting the development of urban farms, beginning in the Sterling Community.

Sustainable Living Program:  Our Sustainability Specialist and other experts teach classes on healthy food preparation; food preservation (drying, canning and freezing); “green” home cleaning and personal care products; and sustainable practices.  

This year, we’ll be announcing new events that will raise both program funds and community awareness.  We hope that you will join us in celebrating our transition from a community garden to a community support system focused on collaboratively creating a vibrant, healthy, local food system in Greenville.

Choosing Our Seeds: Part 2

The last blog post highlighted three great seed companies.  With this post, we’ll describe other interesting options.  This is not meant to be a comprehensive directory; it’s just a list of seed companies we know and love.

Sow True Seed  http://sowtrueseed.com

A favorite regional seed company is Sow True Seed in Asheville.  They carry many heirloom and certified organic varieties that grow well in the southern Appalachian Mountains and the piedmont area (where Greenville is located).

Sow True only sells untreated seeds, which means that no fungicides or other chemicals have been applied to them.  All seeds also are open-pollinated (as opposed to hybrids), which ensures that when the purchaser saves seeds, the resulting plants normally look and taste like the originals.

Seed Savers Exchange  http://www.seedsavers.org/

Seed Savers Exchange, located in Decorah, Iowa, is a leader in locating and resuscitating heirloom and historically-significant varieties of vegetables, flowers and herbs.  SSE publishes a beautiful catalog with botanically accurate names and vivid descriptions of plants and fruits.  A favorite of mine is their McMahon Texas Bird Pepper, a variety grown by Thomas Jefferson, which can be dug up, wintered inside, and replanted outside the following year.  

If you join SSE (for about $40/year, or $25 for those on a reduced or fixed income), you receive a 10% discount on each order and a copy of their Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook, which lists nearly 14,000 varieties of seeds owned by members.  Its intent is to encourage seed-sharing and to connect people who have similar growing interests.

High Mowing Seeds  http://www.highmowingseeds.com/

If you want a catalog where you don’t have to search for the organic seed designation, take a look at High Mowing Seeds, a small operation in Vermont.  100% of their seeds – over 600 varieties - are certified organic and non-genetically modified.   

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply  http://www.groworganic.com/

Peaceful Valley offers a line of private-label, organic seed.  One advantage of ordering from them is that they also sell other brands of seed (Renee’s Garden, Horizon Herbs and Seeds of Change), allowing you to purchase from several companies with one order form and one shipping charge.

Horizon Herbs  http://www.horizonherbs.com

Horizon is the ultimate seed catalog for high-quality, organic herb seeds, herb plants and tincturing supplies.   The most beautiful plants I’ve ever received were shipped by Horizon from the west coast, one of which was a horseradish plant that’s been shared with many friends over the last few years. 

Do keep in mind that the companies we’ve covered in both blogs sometimes have very different prices for comparable varieties of seeds.  Always check the number of seeds or weight of packets when you are comparing companies’ prices.

If you have any other companies you think we should know about, please share their information with us in the “Comments” section below.  It’s time to curl up on the sofa with those beautiful catalogs and a cup of hot chocolate or eggnog!

Choosing Our Seeds: Part 1

Seed catalogs have started pouring in.  Gardeners, place your orders!  Seed sales have increased 20% - 30% each year for a while now, so early ordering is the key to securing the varieties you want.

Before you choose your seed sources, identify what is most important to you about the companies from whom you order.  Is it organic seed selection; a good choice of heirloom, open-pollinated varieties; offerings of old Southern standards; or maybe plants related to your birthplace or ethnic heritage? 

I usually order at least a few packages from Johnny’s Seeds in Maine.  They’re geared toward commercial growers, but still have much to offer the home gardener.   (http://www.johnnyseeds.com/).  The germination rates are among the best in the industry, and although not all of the seeds are open-pollinated or organic, they do have many organic and heirloom varieties.  Their catalog alone is a wealth of information.  It lists germination time, planting instructions and information about which plants are heat-resistant and cold-tolerant.  If you want a place to help you identify more edible flowers for your garden, this is it.  Johnny’s also offers organic strawberry plants, which sometimes are difficult to find.  Even if you don’t plan to order from them, be sure to get one of their catalogs.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (http://rareseeds.com/) is another source for non-genetically modified, heirloom, open-pollinated varieties - although none are certified organic.  Their focus is on maintaining and reviving ethnic specialty varieties and preserving biodiversity in our gardens. As our climate changes, many of us are shifting some of our production to more unusual plants that thrive in our hot, humid area:  Malabar spinach, winged beans, yard long beans and different varieties of melons.   Baker Creek offers all of these, along with complete homesteading packages for the Southeast.  Their photographs will fuel your summer garden fantasies!   

Paul Manuel, Director of Food & Nutrition Services for Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, favors Heavenly Seed, a company based in Anderson:  http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/seed/.  Their seed offerings are focused on what grows well in our region, which is an often-overlooked, but critical, characteristic.  They offer many open-pollinated heirloom and organic varieties of seeds, in addition to Clemson-developed hybrids and sweet potato plants.  The prices are very reasonable:  a packet of 400 Burgundy Okra seeds (a favorite of Paul’s) sells for $2, as does a package of 8000 seeds (1/4 oz.) of Southern Giant Curled Mustard.  We will be ordering from them in 2012.

Before you place an order with anyone, be sure to check the companies you’ve chosen on the Dave’s Garden Watchdog site:  http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/. Consumers rate their experiences with garden companies as positive, negative, or neutral, with supporting comments.  Using this resource can help you avoid becoming entangled in a customer service nightmare - or confirm that you've made a good choice!  

Part 2 of our blog, which will be posted next week, will cover additional seed company choices.

Transitioning to Your Fall Garden Part 2: Soil Recovery and Season Extension

Soil Recovery

If you can, allow part of your garden to rest for the winter.  Late fall is a great time to rebuild soil fertility by adding compost or piling on manure.  Some types of manure, like poultry droppings, require a 90-day waiting period before you plant, making November and December the perfect months to incorporate it for your early spring garden.   No matter what you do with your soil, at the very least, do not let it remain bare in the winter months.  The simplest method of protection is to cover the ground with spoiled hay or straw.  The mulch will help prevent vital nutrients from leaching out of the soil and will add organic matter to your garden as it decomposes over the winter.

Season Extension

Many of us continue to grow vegetables into the fall and winter.  Mustard greens, collards, broccoli, lettuce, radishes, arugula and onions are all thriving at the St. Francis Community Garden right now.  Here in South Carolina, we don’t have to resort to heated hoop houses or greenhouses to extend our gardening season through the winter and keep our plants alive.   There are several steps we can take, however, to extend the life of our less hardy greens and to keep our plants growing for a while longer. 

Using heavy straw mulch helps.  You can often avoid damage from a light frost by covering your less hardy greens with the straw, then pulling it back off the plants after the air has warmed (mid-morning).  Covering your plants with row covers or plastic draped over hoops or lines also helps protect plants from frost.  The covers we use in the garden should add about 4 degrees of frost protection and will keep the ambient temperatures just warm enough to bolster the greens’ growth until the coldest part of the winter (December and January).

If you decide to use a row cover, whether it is fiber or plastic, make sure that you keep the material off the plants to ensure frost protection. 

Instead of row covers, some gardeners use milk jugs or similar containers to cover plants.   Cut the bottom out of the milk container and place it over the plant.   Take the cap off the jug when the daytime temperatures hit the high 30’s, and put it back on as the temperatures cool in the evening.   If the temperatures move above 50, remove the jug entirely during the day.

Another thing to be aware of is that you can create a “spa” environment for pests when sheltering your plants.  They like season protection, too.  Check your plants for cabbage worms and related pests before putting on a cover.  If you notice new damage after the covers have been placed over the garden, patrol again.  For natural slug (and some caterpillar) control, put sweet gum balls around the bases of the plants.  Tender-bodied pests don’t like to crawl over the prickly seed pods.  Just be sure to pull up any sweet gum volunteers quickly next spring.

Speaking of spring, we'll cover seed companies and plant variety choices in the next blog.  Catalogs come out in December and January; it won't be long before we'll be planning our spring gardens!

Rebecca

Transitioning Your Garden from Summer to Fall I: When to take out summer vegetables

The question I’m most often asked at this time of year is, “When do I take out my summer vegetables and plant my fall garden?” Your timing for transitioning the garden depends on two factors:

1) Space. Do you have to take out your summer vegetables to make room for fall? If not, leave them in the ground until the first frost.

2) Productivity. Are your summer plants still productive? If they are, leave them in and reap the benefits.

You may be surprised at how productive summer vegetables can be in October. Last year, my tomatoes had hundreds of green fruits on them when our local meteorologist predicted the first frost. I kept the larger ones on my counter, and they ripened over a 5-week period. Their taste and nutritional value were somewhere between fresh-picked, vine-ripened July tomatoes and grocery store offerings. It seems like the longer it takes them to ripen, the less flavorful they are.

As an alternative to covering your countertops with fruit, you can pull the tomato plants out of the ground and hang them upside down, in a cool but protected spot, picking tomatoes as they ripen.

Green tomatoes can be used in cooking (see Dot Russell’s recipe in the newest issue of Edible Upcountry) or pickled. Pickling was the method I chose for the cherry tomatoes. The only required additions were pickling salt and vinegar. I chose to include garlic and dill seed from my garden, before I processed the tomatoes with the water bath method.

So many recipes for pickled tomatoes are based on pecks or bushels – but here’s one that’s great for small batches: http://www.foodinjars.com/2010/10/small-batch-pickled-green-tomatoes/.

We’ll post more information about fall gardens soon – and watch for our upcoming courses on food preservation and cooking!




Rebecca

Welcome Rebecca!

We are thrilled to finally have Rebecca McKinney join our St. Francis Community Garden family! Many of you are very familiar with her from her volunteer work in the garden over the summer. As of Monday, September 12th, she is now a part time St. Francis employee and your expert in gardening. To reach Rebecca, her phone number is #255.188 EXT. 2233 and her email is rebecca_mckinney@bshsi.org. She has a wealth of knowledge in many areas (as highlighted in her biography below). She will be hosting the Sprouting Saturdays through the Fall and assisting me with educational programming, so stay tuned! Addditonally, here are 6 interesting facts about our new face of the St. Francis Communtiy Garden:

1. She grew up in Southwestern Ohio, in an area surrounded by farms. As a child, she spent most of her vacations on relatives’ farms in Southwestern Kentucky.
   



2. She has one sibling, a brother, a patent attorney in California who specializes in nanotechnology (The science and technology of building devices, such as electronic circuits, from single atoms and molecules.).

1. She and her husband's suburban homestead houses 13 chickens, 5 ducks, bees and 3 cats. She has future hopes of adding Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats to her animal one day.
   



2. She and her husband enjoy bicycling the Swamp Rabbit Trail together.
   



3. She likes to bake and make cheese, yogurt, jams and salsas.
   



4. She is published in the area of psychometrics (The branch of psychology that deals with the design, administration, and interpretation of quantitative tests for the measurement of psychological variables such as intelligence, aptitude, and personality traits).
   
   

Rebecca McKinney is an experienced organic gardener, instructor and consultant. A former college professor, Assistant Dean of a School of Business Administration, corporate trainer, manager for industry, and management consultant, she now focuses on developing self-sufficiency and on sharing knowledge about organic gardening and sustainable living.

Rebecca has trained elementary school teachers and garden volunteers for Greenville Organic Foods Organization’s (GOFO’s) Grow Healthy Kids program and staff for the Phoenix Center’s therapeutic adolescent gardening program. She and GOFO’s founder, Viviane Trama, also developed a 12-week gardening and nutrition curriculum for the Phoenix Center and worked with staff and residents to plan, plant and maintain their garden.

She continued her work with children at Stone Academy, where she developed outdoor garden-related activities for elementary school students.

Rebecca also teaches for the OLLI program at Furman University. Her first class, “Beginning Organic Gardening,” was so popular that she was asked to develop more courses. “Our Local Sustainable/Organic Food System” brought farmers and food experts in to highlight the importance of buying locally and organically-produced meat and vegetables, and led to a series titled “Locally Owned and Grown,” in which students will tour local farms and restaurants that source locally.

Rebecca has been a Master Gardener since 2007. As a member of their Speakers Bureau, she is frequently asked to speak to garden clubs and other organizations about organic gardening, native plants and invasive plants. The MG evening program recently requested that she present “Transitioning to Organics” as part of a continuing education requirement for all Master Gardeners.

She recently graduated from the South Carolina New and Beginning Farmers Program, where she built a network of contacts and friends throughout the state and attended classes on agribusiness and farming.
Rebecca is a member of GreenWorks, a green networking group; Carolina Farm Stewardship Association; Piedmont Beekeepers Association; South Carolina Upstate Mycological Society and Greater Greenville Master Gardeners.

Please join me in welcoming Rebecca! Our next Sprouting Saturday is scheduled for September 24th at 9am. Additionally, for those who have a hard time attending on Saturdays, Rebecca will be holding a Sprouting Tuesday evening in the garden beginning at 5:30 (for those who can get away after work). Please take advantage of these times for having Rebecca guide your Fall planting and assist in troubleshooting issues.

Plot Spotlight: Ben and Sarah's Plot H

Many a plot owner and stranger alike have marveled at our community garden's Plot H. The bed is exploding with standard garden fare; herbs, leafy greens, vegetables, root crops and a few more unusual elements, like plastic water bottles. For our first Plot Owner Spotlight, Ben and Sarah graciously spilled the (green) beans and confided their gardening secrets, dreams, and demons (cabbage maggots, of course).

Ben and Sarah may say they are garden “newbies,” but both have had outside experience. Sarah is an avid rose gardener, a pursuit whose difficulty prepared her for the commitment a productive food plot requires. Ben's mother has casually gardened at her home in Florida as long as he can remember, growing exotics like dead man's fingers and bananas. Their signature upturned liter bottles of water are actually a trick taken from Ben's mom. She wanted to improvise an alternative to the trendy “aqua globe” to water her plants in the summer's heat. An upside down bottle filled with water allowed the soil to absorb the water it needed close to the root system.

Perhaps the pair's influences explain their garden's unique style, which could be explained as at once whimsical and utilitarian. Every inch of space is meticulously planted with the spacing, nutrient, and pest prevention needs of each plant considered. Ben and Sarah follow a master plan they designed months before the growing season that allows for crop rotation and companion planting and keep a detailed techie garden notebook (on Ben's phone) so they can review and plan for the next year.

At the same time, the plot is undeniably beautiful. From a distance the rainbow chard provides a shriek of color against the jeweled emeralds and jades of leafy greens, broccoli, lettuces, and nightshade leaves. Heirloom vegetable varieties are sought out for both their flavor and stunning additions of color and texture. Globes of water are suspended, seemingly in thin air, throughout the plot and a wispy border of herbs and sleek onion tops edge in the perimeter.

As vegans, Ben and Sarah are as careful with their plot inputs as they are with their diets. Their garden is organic and they try to avoid soil amendments that are made from animal meat, like fertilizers containing blood or bone meal. They mentioned poor soil fertility, a common problem in beginning urban gardens, as an issue in their plot and amended their soil with worm tea and ZOOM! Organic Garden Food. Ben and Sarah are finalizing their planting plan for fall as their summer crops go in and are hoping to build a cold frame and start more of their vegetables from seed. The strengthened connection they now feel to their food is not going to be easy to let go. They plan to plant through the winter in hopes of a year round harvest, we hope they succeed!

Want a plot like theirs? We are hoping to stock the shed with “The Vegetable Gardener's Bible” and Neem Oil, their garden manual and pesticide of choice, but their daily diligence in watering, pruning, and picking off pests is up to you!

Meet your new Sustainability Specialist!

(L-R) Sydney with plot owners Sarah Kocienski and Ben Carson

Hi all! This is Sydney, St. Francis’ newly hired Sustainability Specialist. I will be working in the garden, leading workshops, organizing garden related events, and, hopefully, posting regularly on this blog! I am so excited to be part of the good work everyone involved in the St. Francis Community Garden is doing and cannot wait to meet all of our plot members and supporters.

Before I fill you in on upcoming garden news, I would like to share a bit about myself. My life sometimes feels like it revolves around food.

Cajun roots ensure I love good eating, music, and times. I have a relentless itch to travel. When stationary too long, I become a voracious reader and cook and let my mind and palate wander. My bachelor’s degree focused on sustainable food systems, anthropology, and women and gender studies. I am certified in Permaculture Design, a system for designing sustainable cultural and agricultural systems that mimic patterns in nature, which has greatly influenced my personal direction and philosophy. I have experience working domestically and abroad on gardens, urban farms, and various food projects. My career focus, and passion, lies in increasing access to fresh produce in underserved communities, which makes St. Francis’ Community Garden a great fit!

Natalie and I thought it would be nice to have an event where we could all meet. I hope you can attend our Garden Meet & Greet tomorrow (Friday, April 29th) from 11:30am-1:00 pm and start the season off right! If friendly faces and good conversation is not enough to get you out, we will also have lemonade!

Our Sprouting Saturdays schedule has been sent out. The first will be May 7th from 9-12. I hope we can cover a special gardening topic each Sprouting Saturday and would love your feedback. What has been ailing you in the garden? What green buzz has you itching for more information?


Please do not hesitate to contact me with garden questions or concerns (or even just to chat). My office number is (864) 255-1800 ext. 2233 and my email is Sydney_Daigle@bshsi.org.

First Spring Planting Day of 2011

This past Saturday was our first Spring Planting Day of 2011 and the day could not have been more perfect. After a 4 month hiatus from garden activity, it was so nice to get back into the gardening routine and see so many familiar faces and new ones. To top it off, the weather was amazing!

I mentioned a few announcements at the Spring Planting Day that I wanted to mention here as well. First, we have a slightly new look at the garden, as we were able to get the outside of the garden, closest to the road, landscaped for "curb appeal." Many community gardens are not well know for their aesthetics, so we are blessed to get some help in this area (see below)!


Next, we have also put in an order to get our garden storage unit wrapped, adding an awning on the front. This will also increase the curb appeal and allow a bit of shade for us on hot summer days.

Amidst much fuss trying to create home-made permanent plot markers, we have commissioned Ryan Galloway, the local artist down the street, to create metal weather-proof garen plot markers for our plots. We are going to maintain the alphabet theme and will paint them ourselves. If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact me!


Finally, we are in the midst of adding a new addition to our gardening team. Thanks to a grant applied for through the Bon Secours Mission Fund, we will soon have a person to support the St. Francis Communtiy Gardening efforts part time. This Sustainability Specialist will be skilled in vegetable gardening, organization, and community relationship building. We are currently interviewing qualified individuals and hope to have a person hired by the end of the month/beginning of next. We will keep everyone posted on our new addition:)

Our next Sprouting Saturday will be March 26th at 9:00am. See you then!

Tree Planting and Celebration November 6th

We had a great turn-out for our tree planting and celebration on November 6th. The Garden now has about 15 trees growing around the property. We're excited to see them mature!

Busy Busy!

We continue to be very busy in the St. francis Community Garden!

First, the garden storage unit has had a complete make-over! It is now very structured and organized to accommodate all of the tools and garden accessories we need to keep our garden looking beautiful and producing well. Additionally, there is a bulletin/dry erase board inside to help us with communication and keep track of all of the garden activity. Thanks to the Fall weather - it is now a nice place to retreat as well!


Next, we will be employing Hagin's landscaping company to help us manage the weeds around the garden. A band of mulch will be spread around the perimeter of the garden to keep the weeds at bay. They will also be developing a storage system to help us organize the piles of mulch and topsoil that have become such an eyesore. Many thanks to Dot Russell and her grandson for weed eating around the perimeter - it looks so much better!


The compost tumbler is working great and our first batch of compost should be ready in several weeks. We have filled up the right compartment and are now adding exclusively to the left. If you notice either pile dry, please add a bit of water. This will help the material we have added decompose properly. Additionally, please don't forget to add a mixture of greens and browns to the compost tumbler (used coffee grounds and filter are an easy addition for a "brown"). thanks to some herbs that were trimmed (mostly basil), the compost actually smells quite nice.

Most excitingly, please make sure November 6th is marked on your calendars. TreesGreenville will be planting trees around our garden! Between 10 and 20 trees (from Maple trees to persimmon trees) will be donated and planted around the perimeter of the garden that morning. TreesGreenville will help in planting the trees, as well as provide education and guidance on properly maintaining the trees (and the fruit that some will produce). November 6th happens to be a scheduled Sprouting Saturday as well. I’m extremely excited about this addition!

Finally, despite the rain, we had a wonderful and productive Sprouting Saturday over the weekend. See pictures below:)

Mary Duckett & Vicki Ashley showing off some basil

Vicki Ashley, Dr. Boota & Dot Russell in the newly organized storage unit!


Cheryl Baxley, Susan Hubbard, Dot Russell, Vicki Ashley and "Mantis," our compost tumbler

We've had a busy Summer!

Meet Luke

Mrs. Mary Duckett, Adriana Vandross and Luke Howerter

Although slightly remiss in announcing, our Community Ministries department and the St. Francis Community Garden is happy to have Luke Howerter join us for a summer internship. Luke is a recent graduate from Furman University and a Servant Scholar through the Mere Christianity Forum. He received his undergraduate degree in Earth and Environmental Science and has a unique passion for gardening and a heightened interest in sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Currently in the 4th week of his internship, Luke has already completed so much. He has planned a new design for the two handicap beds that are in desperate need of some TLC. He has researched and ordered a compost tumbler for the garden, also creating an education sheet for it. In addition, he is working with Mrs. Peggy Baxter and her Odessa Street garden. This garden will be specifically focused for seniors.

At 35 hours a week for 10 weeks, this internship is an intense one. 50% of his time is dedicated to being outside the office in the community where there are undeserved in need. Luke will also be helping with the blog, among other things. We are so happy to welcome him to our team and garden! If you have any specific gardening questions, please feel free to contact him at lucas_howerter@bshsi.org.

The Family's Favorite Dressings

Have you picked up a bottle of salad dressing lately and read the label? You might find some interesting ingredients like Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Cellulose Gel and Cellulose Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Maltodextrin, Propylene Glycol Alginate and High Fructose Corn Syrup. I will admit that those things regrettably sit on the shelves of my refrigerator. One can barely pronounce them, much less have a clue what they really are and ultimately know what the nutritional benefits may be. Since moving to the Upstate from the Low Country almost 2 years ago, we have enjoyed the bounty of locally grown produce, and tasted the difference in farm fresh milk and eggs.

Real food allowed to ripen on the vine needs little to add to the flavor; we are learning to savor what's in season. It all began with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers bought at Robert Jackson's road side stand just around the corner. We ate bowlfuls of them cut up with a simple dressing. Below are some of our family's favorite dressings and some simple salad variations. I've slowly stocked my cupboard and refrigerator with some basic oils and vinegars so that a dressing can be made in a few minutes. In taking the time to do this, you will avoid the list of preservatives and artificial flavor enhancers store bought dressings offer and instead introduce good simple nutrition and flavor to the table. The oils used provide Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids that promote heart health, stronger immune systems, better brain function and a long list of other health benefits. (for more information visit these websites http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/ and http://proteins-carb-fats.suite101.com/)

The way I figure, if a food was served a thousand years ago, it's probably still worth eating today. Enjoy!!

Basic Vinaigrette: serve on any salad or drizzle some over a bowl of chopped up cucumbers, tomatoes, and sweet onions, add olives, fresh basil and feta cheese if available.
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup canola oil
4 T red wine vinegar
4 T balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp garlic salt (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp salt)
1 tsp Italian Herb blend (or either dried oregano or basil)
1/4 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake until blended. (I use a jelly jar)

Raspberry Mustard Vinaigrette: this is great served with a spinach salad made with cut up strawberries, sweet onion, pecans or walnuts and either feta or gorgonzola cheese. You can substitute different fruit like apples or pears and add dried cranberries or cherries.
4 T Walnut oil (you can use olive or canola oils or any combination of them)
1 T Balsamic vinegar (if you don't have Raspberry syrup, a flavored Balsamic vinegar can be substituted)
1 T Raspberry Syrup (I found mine while visiting the Biltmore)
2 tsp Dijon style mustard
1/4 tsp salt
Mix all ingredients together in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake until blended.

Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette: serve over a bed of spring lettuce or spinach, pear, avocado, red or sweet onion and blue or gorgonzola cheese.
1/2 C Canola or Sunflower oil
1/3 C seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 T fresh lime juice
1 T minced fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp garlic power
pinch salt
Mix all ingredients together in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake until blended.

Enjoy!

Diane Biedler

LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL

Recently, a plot owner sent this article link to me discussing "4 Good Reasons to Buy Local Food:" http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1473

It is worth your time to read it as it greatly justifies buying local produce. The question now is - where do you buy local produce? For your convenience, I have a put together a list to help link you to our local Upstate food resources.

Carolina First Saturday Market

South Main St. and McBee Ave.

May 1st - Oct. 30th

Saturdays, 8am - noon

Easley Farmers Market
205 N. First St. Easley
April 17-Oct. 2nd
Saturdays, 8am-noon

Fountain Inn Saturday Farmers Market

102 Depot St., Fountain Inn

June 5th - Oct. 30th

Saturdays, 8am - noon

Greenville State Farmers Market

1354 Rutherford Road, Greenville

Open year Round

Mon-Sat 8am-6pm

Tomato Vine

4120 Old Buncombe Rd., Greenville (Berea area)

Open year round

Mon-Sat. 8:30am-8pm; Sunday 9-7pm

Traveler's Rest Saturday Farmers Market

1 Center St., Traveler's Rest (behind Sunrift Adventures)

May - October

Saturdays, 9am-noon

Whole Food Tuesday Local Farmers Market

1140 Woodruff Rd., Greenville

May 4th - Oct. 26th

Tuesdays, 10am - 2pm

Additionally, here is a brief description and contact information for local farms in the Upstate area, many who specialize in berries, dairy or specific meats. As it is peak season for many things, you may find some useful info below. Be sure to call first to check conditions.
(adapted from the Happy Berry website (http://www.thehappyberry.com/otherfarms.html)

Hunter Farm

Eric Hunter is located between Easley and Dacusville or off of 183 between Pickens and Greenville. 864 859 2978. hunterfarms@bellsouth.net. (They have vegetables and flowers also.)

Hardy Berry Farm

The Hardy family is located near Anderson. 854 224 5441. In addition to strawberries, they will have other berries, they are adding Peaches and they have built a store where they are selling whole wheat you can grind yourself. hardyberryfarm@aol.com.

Beechwood Farm

The Ledford’s are located near Marietta SC. The farm address is 204 Bates Bridge Road, Slater, SC 29683, if you want to Mapquest(TM) it. Their phone is 864 836 6075. They do not have a web site or an email that they check. They will have vegetables in season.

Rose Hill Plantation

The Corey’s are located near Powdersville at 1910 Three Bridges Rd. Their phone is 864 306 0303 and email is 1corey@bellsouth.net. They have greenhouse strawberries as well as vegetables and flowers.

Happy Cow Creamery

Happy Cow Creamery is a unique on-the-farm milk bottling operation offering high quality fresh milk directly from its own dairy cows. Their milk is non-homogenized milk that is pasteurized at 145 degrees instead of 165 degrees used in flash pasteurization. Whole Milk, Chocolate Milk and Cultured Buttermilk are just a few of the products offered at the on-site-store. Strawberries too. Located south of Greenville: 864 243 4801

Split Creek Farm

Split Creek Farm Grade A Goat Dairy is in a barn designed and built by the owners to include the milking and cheese operations and a kid nursery. A retail gift shop featuring goat milk products and folk art is open to the public. Anderson, SC: 864 287 3921

Zehr's Peach Orchard

While we sometimes have peaches from the Zehr (pronounced zare) Peach Orchard for sale at The Happy Berry, to go directly to the source, you'll find them in Sandy Springs (near Anderson): 864 261 8658.

Carolina Peaches

We also sometimes have peaches from the Calahams for sale at The Happy Berry, or you can go directly to the source,off Crawford Rd in Belton South Carolina: 864 338 0810, email scfarmer@charter.net.

Emerald Farm

Emerald Farm is a working dairy farm with a walk-through herb garden, Soap Factory and Gift Shop where all natural Saanen goat milksoap and body products are made, Natural Food Store and Train and Hobby Shop, bound to stimulate interests of all ages. Picnic or just rest a while in the pavilion by the pond and get closer to nature. Located on the edge of the city of Greenwood, SC: (864) 223-2247 or 1(888) 747-9246.

Perdue's Mountain Fruit Farm

Growing a wide variety of fresh fruits, Taylors/Traveler's Rest, Greenville County, SC: Office(864) 244-5809; Farm Market(864) 895-5002; Email: perdueapple@aol.com

May-Lan Farms

May-Lan Tree Plantation originally began as a harvest your own Christmas tree farm. It now offers both fall and spring activities. Cooley Bridge Road, Pelzer, SC: (864) 243-3092
New Hope Farm A working farm near Walhalla,SC, they offer tours by appointment, shearing dates, broom making, hay rides and the like. Please call ahead: 864 718 8365

Bee Well Honey Farm & Market

A commercial honey packaging facility operating over 400 colonies of honeybees in the Upstate. In addition, they offer a full line of beekeeping supplies, a market full of honey products, and shelves that are stacked with good, pure nature foods; organic meats and produce, milk and buttermilk from a local dairy, Amish cheeses and bulk grains. Visit to see nature's miracle, gain an interesting and pleasurable hobby, and educate the children.

Greenbrier Farms

John and Joyce Palmer raise pastured beef, goats and chickens, and age and process it locally. They focus on quality not quantity. Their raising process is designed to enhance the environment. Located at 772 Hester Store Rd, Easley SC 29640, Email Greenbrierconst@aol.com or call 864 859 0125 [No Website]

Victoria Valley Vineyards

1360 South Saluda Road off of Hwy 11 near Table Rock State Park near Cleveland SC 29635. Offering tours and tasting daily and enjoy wine, cheese and music on the terrace overlooking the vineyards. Call 864 878 5307 or contact vickijayne@bellsouth.net

Ronald Martin Dairy

Located at 460 Dairy Farm Rd, Westminster, SC, 29693 phone 864 972 9829, Cell 864 710 1663. Grade A All Natural Raw Milk in gallons and half gallons available at the farm. Also sell at Pickens Flea Market on Wednesday mornings. No email or web site. Permit Number 1-37-09
O6 Farm Services. Doug Morrison, Gap Hill road, Six Mile SC 29682 has hay for sale. Email RDM95573@BELLSOUTH.NET, phones 864 868 4517 barn and 864 868 4516 House

Bio-Way Farm

Chris Sermons,197 Bio Way, Ware shoals, SC 29692, 864 992 6987. Email biowayfarm@gmail.com A certified organic farm using permaculture design principles. Asparagus, edible greens, forest gardens and perennial polyculture.

Big Sky Farm

Jerry Munns, 801 Princeton Hwy, Honea Path, SC 29654 864 369 0988. Email Jmunns@bellsouth.net. Meat and Dairy goat farm with rabbits, emus, turkeys, chickens, peafowl, and pheasants.

Western Starr Farm

Terry and Tara Wyatt, 1851 Rainey Rd, Starr SC 29684, 864 352 3211, wsfarm@wctel.net. Fresh Lamb.

Clemson Student Organic Farm

Geoff Zehnder, 864 656 6644, Email zehender@clemson.edu. 5 acres of certified organic seasonal vegetables, herbs and cut flowers. Products sold through CSA [community supported Ag]and local farm markets.

Healthy Farms

Pasture Poultry (eggs & meat), Grass Fed Beef, and Fresh Churned Raw Buttermilk. Christina & Bob Persson, 488 N Barton Rd, Taylors, SC 29687. Call (864) 895-6751 or email healthyfarms@bellsouth.net

The Merry Christmas Tree Farm

The Merry Christmas Tree Farm Featuring (You Cut) Leyland Cypress, Eastern White Pine, Eastern Red Cedar, Clemson Greenspire, Carolina Blue Sapphire, and (Freshly Cut) Fraser Fir from NC mountains. Located in upstate South Carolina between Liberty and Central. Thanksgiving until December 23: 864 639 6492.

Upstate Food Co-op

For a selection of fresh farm produce. On the corner of 137 and John Holliday Rd, Six Mile SC: 864 868 3105 fax 868 4582 sharecoop@bellsouth.net

Walker Century Farms

Purebred Devon cattle for sale. Grass-fed beef. Call or email, visitors always welcome. Bill & Nancy Walker. 1130 Shackleburg Road, Anderson, SC 29621. Phones: (864) 226-2668 (home), (864) 940-4593 (Nancy's cell). Email wwalker207@bellsouth.net.

Billy's Boer Meat Goat Farm

They have pastured chevon the healthy red meat. USDA inspected and certified. They have packages of chops,steaks, roasts, ribs and tenderloin as well as stew meat and ground. They sell whole and half cabritos too. Located in Westminister SC 29693 Phones: 864 647 8993 or 710 3703

Take the time to visit one of these farmes/mearkets and stock up on your favorite seasonal produce, local dairy products and meats, knowing that you are not only making a local effort, but a global one as well.

Master Gardener Plant Sale

This is an annual event supported by Upstate Master Gardeners

The plants that will be available for sale at very reasonable prices: annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, ground coverings, ferns. Most all of the plants will have been grown by Master Gardeners themselves and there will be several Master Gardeners available to answer any questions you may have. In addition, there will be a load on vegetables (many heirlooms) and herbs which have always been among the best sellers in years past! Many of the decorative plants and vegetables are not available at our local nurseries or stores.

Gardener's Tag Sale: this event is run as part of the Plant Sale. "Gently used" gardening tools, decorative items, books, magazines, etc. at very reasonable prices. This is a fun event and there are many great "finds".

Date: Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Time: 8 - 11 AM - But come early for the best selection!

Location: University Center, on Pleasantburg Dr. The sale will be behind the building, in the vicinity of the old Belk Store.

Payment: Cash or Check only


This sale will be in rain or shine!

Tomato Pie

Among much conversation during our recent Spring Planting Day, a couple of our very supportive and passionate plot owners (Diane Beidler and Dot Russell) came up with the idea to share recipes from produce derived from the garden. I have since passed Diane's Tomato Pie recipe onto Dot, but thought I would share the wealth with others. See below recipe below. If you have a recipe you would like to share, please contact me at natalie_dougherty@bshsi.org.

Tomato Pie

1 9 inch deep dish pie shell baked (I've included my favorite below)
2 to 3 large tomatoes thickly sliced
2 to 3 green onions chopped (or about 1/4 C sweet onion chopped fine)
salt
pepper
basil
chives (optional)
1 C mayonnaise
1 C sharp cheese, grated
3 slices bacon, fried crisp
Parmesan cheese

Fill cooled pie shell with alternating layers of tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil and chives. Combine mayonnaise and cheese and spread over tomatoes. Sprinkle top with crushed bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 min.

Pie Crust:

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C cold butter (do not substitute margarine)

In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake 375 until lightly browned, about 7-10 min.


Recipe Adapted from:
"Gracious Goodness Charleston"
"Taste of Home" (Crust)

Spring Planting Day, March 20th

It could not have been a more beautiful day for out 2010 Spring Planting Day! About 35 people showed up to work in their plots, lend support and enjoy the time with others. Suzy Seagrave was our Master Gardner on had for the day and she was a ton of help, physically and educationally. Our next Sprouting Saturday is scheduled for Saturday, April 10th from 9-11am.

A New Gardening Season....

It is time again for the St. Francis Community Garden to be revived. We took a much needed hiatus for several months to revel in the holidays and bear the chilly weather, letting the soil lie dormant and recover for this season. While our first planting day was set for this Saturday, we have since decided to postpone it for March 20th, our originally scheduled rain date. With the several inches of rain we have received and are continuing to receive, it will be much more pleasant to garden when the weather is more cooperative, and appropriately, the first day of Spring!

In addition, we have several new developments in our garden. We have officially set the gardening season from March through November and will host "Sprouting Saturdays" to collectively work in the garden a couple of times each month. We have 3 new benches built by Eagle Scout troop 747 to rest our working legs, and the large cargo POD has been replaced with a smaller and much more accessible storage shed. Finally, we have graded a large area for accessible parking around the garden. Cars may now enter from Andrews Street. Ta da!

Although several gardeners were not able to commit for another year, we have many new members joining our family! It will be exciting to see old and new faces this gardening season. A garden information piece was also developed by our talented marketing department (See below).

We are looking forward to dusting off the skills we have learned and embarking on new this second gardening season. Please look for more information on garden talks we are planning this year!


There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling. ~Mirabel Osler