This is also the registration deadline to sign up for your plot again for the 2012 growing season please fill out the waiver and bring it on the day (http://oakstreetgarden.wordpress.com/administration/gardener-responsibilites/)

Events to happen that day:

• clean garden for winter
• prepare area on south side of shed for new rain barrels (If you have flat limestone or old patio stones to donate please bring them.
• compost workshop (3PM)
• rototilling of plots in fall as opposed to spring. sign up on the tiller form now (http://oakstreetgarden.wordpress.com/administration/tiller/)
• Backyard Chicken Demonstration (4PM)
• Dinner (5PM)

see you then

People attending meeting:

Mike

Nick

Maryse

Pierre

Tim

We discussed options for installation of the 4 new rain barrels.

We decided to:

• keep the 2 barrels we already have where they are
• add a screen to the current 2 barrels
• get flat limestone or patio stones to properly level the current 2 barrels
• put the 4 new barrels on the south side of the shed.  They will act as a heat battery for our proposed seed starter. Seed starter will have a plexiglass roof a small frame and roll down plastic sides (to be discussed and budgeted in more detail later).
• connect all rain barrels by disconnect-able tubes connected to the tap at the bottom of each barrel.  This creates one big reservoir that can be pumped by hand pump from both end barrels.
• add shelves to the south side of the shed for the purpose of starting seeds. (Tim to submit a plan for this in October).

What we need to do this fall

• Move out current seed starter before October 16th
• Ask people to donate old patio stones or large flat limestone rocks
• level the ground behind the shed

For more information visit this website  http://www.kingstoncommunitygardens.ca/   and look under upcoming events

two free gardening workshops.

1. At 4:30p.m. Louise Cooper will be demonstrating how to harvest sweet potatoes and explaining the curing process.

2. At 7 p.m. Tim Lyon will be showing us how to prepare garden beds in the fall for next year’s planting.

Everyone is welcome to attend!

Wednesday September 7th

At 7 p.m. the site coordinators and odd jobs team will have a meeting at the garden to discuss different options for installation of new rain barrels.

Sunday October 16th Fall Clean up Party 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Items happening at this event

• cleanup garden
• Compost workshop
• Putting your garden to bed for the winter workshop
• Rototilling plots in fall as opposed to spring
• Backyard chicken demonstration
• Dinner at 5 p.m.

Date: August 24, 2011

people present : Nick, Mike, Maryse, Tim

item 1 fall dates

we agreed to have the fall cleanup party on October 16^th 3pm to 6pm with dinner at 5. with the rain date being the next Sunday.

Items to do at this event

• cleanup garden
• compost workshop
• rototilling plots in fall as opposed to spring
• get Rudy to do bed prep workshop
• bring chickens as a educational event

action items

Nick- talk to event planners, compost, and rototiller teams, advertise this as the registration date

mike- get permission to bring chickens for education

item 2 market training garden documentation

we agreed that Tim would write up a summary of what happened at the garden this year and it will be added to the website.

We went over the document prepared by Susan and answered many questions (document with answers int will be attached). We still need to go over one item on this list and it is in regards to how the job is renewed after the first 3 years.

Action items:

Tim to prepare a summary of progress at the market training garden this year in November

Tim to follow the new procedures we outlined int he documentation

the site coordinators to work together and continue finishing the drafting of this document.

Item 3 Kingston blooms

we were given the option to be entered in the Kingston blooms edible garden category but were only given 2 days notice.

Tim- get the form from Sue Hitchcock and see if Landon would take pictures. If possible this will be submitted if not we will consider it for next year.

Item 4 things that worked this year

• grass trimming went very well
• tasting garden was excellent
• new signs at the garden
• a start from permanent crops
• shed light
• rain barrels

things that need improvement

• flooding of new row
• compost organization need more workshops and maintenance
• events team – needs a leader
• need system to organize workshops for what people want to volunteer
• need to move lumber out of garden from second accessible bed
• need to plant herbs in accessible bed next year.

Other things we need to do

• better organize who we send thank yous to
• ideas – qe
• -native garden

item 5 plans for next year

• start using a scythe to hay grass in field or see if city would bale for us?
• Remove 4-5 plots from the map that are too flooded possibly offer them up as partial extensions to other plots
• add to registration form _This year i did _ hours of volunteer work for the garden and I agree to do 5 or more next year.
• Not going to expand next year but focus on improving and engagement.

2pm – 6pm

BBQ Dinner at 5:30 with live music

Kids activities and a sprinkler (bring bathing suits) all afternoon.

Work to be done for the day:

• Weedathon: help weedy plot owners get plots weeded
• move rocks out of gardens and to the base of water taps in central isle (this helps our grass trimmers a lot)
• Repair our broken composter and learn how it works
• Help mulch and dig over a few unused beds
• help weed the permanent crops
• install new rain barrels if they are delivered

You can believe the hype about kale ~ This is one food trend Rosie Schwartz hopes sticks around – here’s why

Kale is hot: It’s everywhere you look – restaurants, food magazines farmers’ markets and grocery stores. While I’m sometimes happy to see a food trend bite the dust (bacon in anything and everything that’s edible, thank you very much), I hope this one has true staying power.

If you haven’t yet jumped on the bandwagon and discovered what a wonderful veggie kale is, now’s the time to get on board and reap its countless health perks.

Kale has always been considered to be chock full of traditional nutrients such as vitamins C, K and A, fibre and minerals such as potassium, manganese, iron and calcium. For a mere 36 calories in a cup of cooked kale, you get almost three grams of fibre and a little less potassium than what’s contained in a small banana – not too shabby.

But as scientists probe its heaping dose of phytochemicals, they’re finding even more disease-fighting properties.

Also see:

• Bing: Foods with the most antioxidants
• Last week’s Enlightened Eater: Scientific proof healthy marketing works
• Get Enlightened Eater on Facebook!

The latest? Spanish researchers just recently identified in kale eight different glucosinates – compounds which fight cancer in a variety of ways. But their power is only unleashed once they’re eaten and they turn into a variety of different anti-cancer substances that work in different ways. Some may target cancer-causing agents while others may stop cancer cells from spreading. And there’s more: The same researchers found 20 different flavonoids, the same compounds that have elevated the health status of dark chocolate and red wine.

Other Spanish scientists – they certainly seem to love that kale in Spain, don’t they? – have identified a flavonoid called kaempferol, which has a simply astounding range of effects. Not only does it act as an antioxidant, but it also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties – meaning it kills germs while defending against heart disease, diabetes and allergies. How’s that for a superstar?

Antioxidants protect arteries throughout the body, both in the heart and brain, lowering the odds of heart disease, stroke and even cognitive decline. When it comes to killing germs, scientists have found that kale’s antimicrobial effects can play a role in decreasing the risk of stomach ulcers caused by the bacteria H. pylori.

Finally if that’s not enough to sell you, consider that kale ranks along with spinach as the top sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, two compounds with potent power to protect your eyesight. These pigments have been linked to a reduced risk of developing both cataracts and macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

Just one note of caution for those taking certain blood thinners such as warfarin: The vitamin K in kale can impact the rate of blood clotting and as a result, it’s often recommended to simply not eat these vegetables in order to determine proper medication dosages. But rather than avoiding kale, consuming a consistent amount of dark leafy greens is a better approach that allows for healthy eating and taking the right amount of blood thinning medications. But before you make any adjustments, make sure to talk to your doctor.

As diversified as kale’s health benefits may be, so is its cooking versatility:

For a side dish, add it trimmed and chopped to sautéed garlic and onions and cook until it’s wilted. Or toss the mix with cooked pasta and garnish with freshly grated parmesan. You can also use kale in salads – I had a yummy one recently made with chopped kale, dried currants, pine nuts, parmesan and lemon vinaigrette. Add it to soups, as you might use spinach or Swiss chard.

Or go for Asian dishes or stir-fries, using it as you would any dark, leafy green. Whatever preparation, save the tough stems, chop and add them to your veggie soups.

And if you’ve never tried kale before, these tasty chips are a sure fire preparation that will definitely hook you. To make Kale Chips:

1. Wash the kale well and dry (a salad spinner will do this in a flash).
2. Cut off the stems and remove any thick ribs and reserve for another use.
3. Place the leaves in large bowl and sprinkle with a little extra virgin olive (about one tablespoon for about four cups of leaves) and salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Place in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake in a preheated 300°F/150°C for about 25 to 30 minutes or until kale is crisp.
5. Remove from the oven and cool them on a rack – unless they get snatched away and eaten first.

Rosie Schwartz is a Toronto-based consulting dietitian in private practice and is author of The Enlightened Eater’s Whole Foods Guide: Harvest the Power of Phyto Foods (Viking Canada). You can find her on Twitter @rosieschwartz.

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Gallery: Rosie’s 11 best food picks for 2011 (kale made the list!)

4 Surprising Health Benefits of Gardening

You may garden just for fun, but you’re also protecting your mental and physical health, too

If the idea of digging in the dirt has never much appealed to you, consider this: A growing number of studies are finding improved mental and physical health benefits of gardening that extend far beyond the obvious rewards of exercise and fresh air. And in this economy, the free food certainly doesn’t hurt. There’s no need to dig up your entire backyard, either.

If you want to change your time allocation reply by clicking on this link

Thanks!

Garden Veggie Pizza Squares

 

Link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/garden-veggie-pizza-squares/Detail.aspx

 

By: Meghan Brand 

“This is a must make appetizer for every event in my house. I received it from a friend years ago and everyone loves it. Great for Christmas parties.”

Rate/Review | Read Reviews (480)

17,486 people have saved this | 8 custom versions

Servings  (Help)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Roll out crescent rolls onto a large non-stick baking sheet. Stretch and flatten to form a single rectangular shape on the baking sheet. Bake 11 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Allow to cool.
3. Place cream cheese in a medium bowl. Mix cream cheese with 1/2 of the ranch dressing mix. Adjust the amount of dressing mix to taste. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange carrots, red bell pepper, broccoli and green onions on top. Chill in the refrigerator approximately 1 hour. Cut into bite-size squares to serve.

~ Another great recipe to feed a crowd. Some of the comments suggested that a second package of crescent rolls made the construction of the pizza squares easier. Also the addition of broccoli and other vegetables were suggested to make it even more delicious.

For personal use only.