Just a block away

I work for a non-profit farming organization whose main mission is to connect communities through food, farms and education. I thoroughly enjoy working with young people and getting them excited about growing their own food.

One of the projects I became involved in a few years back was to create an after-school garden club and school garden at the local elementary school just a block away from my house. The idea was that students and their families would take turns tending the garden throughout the summer months but as we all know life gets busy. And with that, each summer I usually find myself (happily) taking care of the garden instead.

Since we walk by the garden several times a day my girls and I had noticed recently that things were getting a bit swallowed up by weeds and there was much to be harvested (there were cukes actually sticking out of the fence!). And so we grabbed our tools and baskets and got busy today. Our hard work paid off and we were rewarded with quite an abundance of cucumbers and swiss chard and Norah was thrilled to find the first ripe tomato!

We plan to make pickles this week and will save a few jars to bring back to garden club in the fall to share with the students.

With only part sun conditions in our own garden it's such a treat (and very convenient) to have a sunny prolific garden plot just a block away!

leafy greens harvest & a recipe

this week we harvested our first bunch of kale & swiss chard of the season! there isn't anything much better than homegrown greens freshly harvested from the garden right after a long winter season.

harvesting fresh vegetables from our garden allows me to get a little more creative in the kitchen & with our meal plan. on tuesday evening, i meal planned a brussels sprouts side dish to accompany our mushroom & tomato stew. with a bounty of leafy greens right outside our door, i decided to add a mix of kale & swiss chard to the sprouts.

 with a pinch of salt, a drizzle of olive oil & a helping of minced garlic, my bit of experimenting in the kitchen turned out delicious. i want to share my recipe with you for a healthy green dish!

leafy greens & brussels sprouts saute

serves 4

 1 1/2 cups brussels sprouts, chopped in half

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 cup kale, chopped & tightly packed

1 cup swiss chard, chopped & tightly packed

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

in a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan, drizzle olive oil. allow to warm up just a bit until the oil starts to sizzle. add onions & brussels sprouts. cook on medium high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until brussels sprouts are tender. add swiss chard & kale. cook for an additional 4 minutes or so on medium heat until leaves are slightly wilted. add minced garlic & cook for another minute. salt & pepper to taste.

enjoy as a side dish or with beans as a main dish.

----
as we enter into the season of bountiful leafy greens, i would love to hear your recipes for creatively adding greens to your meals! please share your ideas with us!

freezing greens

swiss chard has been the biggest success in the garden this year. i started my chard from seed in the early spring months at our old home in missouri. i planted them in my spring garden & then dug them up & re-planted them in pots. after traveling across state lines & surviving 115 degree summers, i'd say my swiss chard plants are troopers.

we are still harvesting basket fulls of chard for our summer dinners, but the chard just seems to keep growing. for that reason, i decided it was necessary to preserve some of our chard for later. i always pinch myself in the grocery store, wishing i had saved some of my greens, when purchasing kale, swiss chard & spinach during the winter months.

after some research & experimenting, i found that blanching & freezing greens (swiss chard, collards, kale, spinach, etc.) is the easiest & quickest way to preserve your harvest:

1. gather your greens.

2. wash your greens.

3. cut off & remove stems & other blemishes from leaves.

4. bring large pot (3/4 full of water) to a full boil. submerge greens into pot & keep in pot for three minutes.

5. once those greens have been in the pot for three minutes, drain & add to a large bowl full of ice water for three minutes.

6. drain & add to plastic freezer bag. remove air from bag (tip: use a straw & suck out air). make sure to label bag with name of greens & date.

7. place in freezer for later use!

happy freezing, friends!

final garden tour

take a final walk with me around our front yard garden...

the swiss chard is ready to be harvested for our favorite meals

the snap peas are crispy & perfect for the pickin'

the radishes are bright & round

around the corner, the container garden is waiting for its big move south

the strawberries are ripening & so sweet to the taste

soon, this goodness will be transplanted to raised backyard gardens,
bigger pots & flower beds.

little red house with its edible landscaping, small garden plots, cold frame, & compost pile- you will be missed. not for too long, though. we have bigger plans in our home down south.

swiss chard

swiss chard,
oh how i love thee!
your dark crinkly leaves
and your bright colored stems.
you are a true gem in the garden.

can you tell that i love swiss chard?

i love this green for so many reasons.
one of them being it’s beauty in the garden.
due to my limited growing space you will not find swiss chard growing in neat little rows (or any vegetables for that matter) but rather tucked in among my perennial flowers, and in pots and planters.
i like the “bright lights” variety with stems of many colors including gold, pink, orange, purple, red, and white.

a member of the beet family, swiss chard is the perfect green to grow for beginner gardeners. a hardy green with few pest problems, it can grow from spring until frost providing a continuous supply of delicious leaves.

i am always searching for edibles that can handle shady conditions. yet another reason why i adore this green which can withstand both full sun and part shade.

but the best part about swiss chard is the flavor. a mild, nutritious green similar to spinach, swiss chard (stems and all) is wonderful in omelettes, soups, stewed in with beans and tomatoes, or just simply sautéed with olive oil and loads of garlic.

but our favorite way here, quick and easy, is it playing the starring role in a smoothie.

did i mention that i love swiss chard?