Orioles Community Garden Evaluation

Now that the season has officially come to a close it is to time to evaluate what worked well, what needs to be improved and to determine what needs to be changed in the garden for next year. This discussion will help to inform how other community gardens in the area are run in the future.

Please join us Monday November 2^nd from 5:30-7pm. If you can't make it, leave a comment here or email greening@dmsmca.ca

Perennial Plant and Bulb Sharing

Our annual Perennial Plant and Bulb Sharing Event is taking place Wednesday, October 7th from 5-8pm. Feel free to attend even if you don't have any perennials or bulbs to bring. Last year there were plenty of extras.

Tim Jeffrey, a permaculturalist, will be on hand to answer any questions that you may have about appropriate light conditions, soil types, etc. for your new plants.

borscht garden

From this...

To this...

To this (yum!)...

Michelle and Catherine shared garden #15, and after Michelle came up with the brilliant idea of planting a borscht garden, they put in potato, cabbage, dill, onion and beets. The end result? Delicious!

Catherine's favorite recipe, from the Moosewood Cookbook:

Russian Cabbage Borsch

1 1/2 cups of thinly sliced potato

1 cup thinly sliced beets

4 cups of water

1 to 2 Tbs butter

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp salt (more or less, to taste)

1 stalk celery

1 medium carrot, sliced

3 to 4 cups shredded cabbage

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dill (more if using fresh)

1 to 2 Tbs cider vinegar

1 to 2 Tbs brown sugar

1 cup tomato paste

Toppings: sour cream or yogurt, extra dill

1) Place potatoes, beets and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender (20 to 30 minutes).

2) Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot. Add onion and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent (8 to 10 minutes).

3) Add celery, carrots, and cabbage, plus 2 cups of the cooking water from the potatoes and beets. Cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender (another 8 to 10 minutes).

4) Add the remaining ingredients (including all the potato and beet water), cover and simmer for at least 15 more minutes. Taste to correct seasoning, and serve hot, topped with sour cream or yogurt and a sprig of dill.

Produce watch!

Summer is well under way and Orioles Community Garden is doing great! The plants are getting huge and starting to produce; many of the leafy greens have been ready for harvesting for a couple of weeks now. We'd like to share a few photographs with you to celebrate these accomplishments.

Garden workshops!

Edit!: Instead of having two canning and preserving workshops we are Having one Herb preserving workshop on Monday August the 17th from 6-8 in the Kitchen of St. Matthew's Anglican church. The second workshop in August is on Thursday the 20th. this one will be on Canning and preserving; it will be held at the same time and place as the Herbs preserving workshop.
Sorry for the confusion!

We're having number of workshops in July and August For those interested in Attending
the first one is tonight from 6-8 pm at the Orioles-site Community garden. (Rain location inside the building, 444 Burnell.) It will cover efficient Watering and mulching practices for your garden or lawn.
The second on Monday July the 20th is a composting workshop brought back by popular demand. Come out if you're interested in learning how to recycle your plant wastes to create fertile soil. This workshop is also from 6 - 8 at 444 Burnell rain or shine.

The two workshops in August are about canning and preserving. They will be hosted in part by the Manitoba Food Charter and will be held In the basement of St. Matthew's Anglican church, 641 St. Matthew's Ave, in the kitchen. Participants are asked to enter through the McGee doors. The workshops themselves will be held on the 17th and the 20th; a Monday and a Thursday from 6-8 pm. Canning Supplies and produce will be provided.

More news from the garden coming soon!

A Hearty Hello

Hello all! This is the Daniel McIntyre / St. Matthew's Community Gardens blog. For all of you involved in our gardening project this site is meant to keep you up to date with events, the development of the garden at the growth progress of it's plants. As well as several other tid bits of information. This is Also communication platform for those who have general questions and/or questions about their plants, projects in the garden or upcomming workshops.


Here are some photograps taken in the garden: