ncg newsletter - issue 5

5
Niles Community Gardens Great Success For The First Annual “Run to Grow 5K!” Over $2000 raised for the Niles Community Gardens! Despite the chilly wind, the Niles Community Gardens “Run to Grow 5K” had a great turnout, with over 90 runners and walkers! Thank you to all of the runners, walkers and volunteers who helped make this event possible! We also want to give a huge shout out to Cathie Yoder and Lauren Thurston for coordinating this event! To see the results of the race, visit www.timetorun.net . We look forward for the 2 nd annual “Run to Grow 5k” next spring! Issue 5 May 2012 Helping others produce their own fruits and vegetables while learning how to live more sustainably in Southwest Michigan Niles Community Gardens needs your votes to win the DeLoach Community Garden Grant! Vote every day at www.deloachcommunitygardens.com!

Upload: niles-community-gardens

Post on 15-Mar-2016

219 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

DESCRIPTION

Niles Community Gardens May 2012 Newsletter

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: NCG Newsletter - Issue 5

 Lorem  Ipsum  Dolor   Issue  #,  Date  

 

Niles  C

ommun

ity  Garde

ns  

Great  Success  For  The  First  Annual  “Run  to  Grow  5K!”  Over  $2000  raised  for  the  Niles  

Community  Gardens!  Despite  the  chilly  wind,  the  Niles  Community  Gardens  “Run  to  Grow  5K”  had  a  great  turnout,  with  over  90  runners  and  walkers!  Thank  you  to  all  of  the  runners,  walkers  and  volunteers  who  helped  make  this  event  possible!  We  also  want  to  

give  a  huge  shout  out  to  Cathie  Yoder  and  Lauren  Thurston  for  coordinating  this  event!    To  see  the  results  of  the  race,  visit  www.timetorun.net.    We  look  forward  for  the  2nd  annual  “Run  to  Grow  5k”  next  spring!  

Issue  5   May  2012  

Helping  others  produce  their  own  fruits  and  vegetables  while  learning  how  to  live  more  sustainably  in  Southwest  Michigan  

Niles  Community  Gardens  needs  your  votes  to  win  the  DeLoach  Community  Garden  Grant!  Vote  every  day  at  

www.deloachcommunitygardens.com!  

Page 2: NCG Newsletter - Issue 5

 

 

Lorem  Ipsum  Dolor   Issue  #,  Date  

2  

 

The  Niles  Community  Garden’s  first  annual  Run  to  Grow  5K  took  place  Saturday,  April  21st  without  a  hitch  due  to  the  marvelous  organizational  skills  of  Cathie  Yoder  and  Lauren  Thurston.    My  hat  is  off  to  these  ladies  for  the  many,  many  hours  they  spent  in  planning  this  event;  they  didn’t  miss  a  thing  and  that  made  it  fun  for  everyone.    Great  job!!    I  look  forward  to  doing  this  again  next  year.  I  also  want  to  thank  the  many  volunteers  who  graciously  weathered  the  cold  winds  to  do  their  assigned  tasks  and  guide  about  95  runners  and  

walkers  through  the  finish  line.    And  of  course,  the  Niles  Community  Gardens  gives  a  very  special  thanks  to  the  sponsors  of  this  event:  Chemical  Bank,  Lakeland  Health  Care,  Niles  Vikings,  Southwestern  Medical  Clinic,  Road  ID,  Wonderland  Cinema,  the  YMCA,  Tyler  Automotive,  the  UPS  Store  and  Campbell  Ford  Lincoln!  Once  again  we  see  our  community  joining  hands  to  support  our  efforts  and  reach  our  goals.    We  can  all  be  proud  to  live  in  such  a  place.    Thanks  again.  

                                                                   Keep  on  Growing,    

                                                                   Mark  Van  Til  

A  Bit  of  Humor  .  .  .  

The  only  difference  between  the  tax  man  and  a  taxidermist  is  that  the  taxidermist  leaves  the  skin.”  

 -­‐Mark  Twain  

Letter  from  the  Director  

Thank  You!  The  Niles  Community  Gardens  is  so  grateful  to  Jeff  and  Sarah  Saylor  (Saylor’s  Pizza)  for  the  use  of  their  tractor/tiller  whenever  we  need  it  to  till  up  the  

gardens.    We  couldn’t  get  the  job  done  without  them.    By  the  way,  I  think  they  have  the  best  sandwich  in  town  -­‐  their  Italian  beef  with  sauce  is  the  best!!!  

 

Page 3: NCG Newsletter - Issue 5

 

 

Lorem  Ipsum  Dolor   Issue  #,  Date  

3  

  All  About  Spinach  Nutritious  and  Delicious!  

Remember  Popeye?    That  was  good  TV,  wasn’t  it?    It  was  not  like  today’s  television,  with  all  of  the  violence.    And  Popeye  was  right,  you  know,  about  the  ‘spinach  thing.’    It  is  packed  with  power!    

Spinach  is  high  in  nutritional  value.    It  is  rich  in  antioxidants  and  in  vitamins  A,  C,  E,  K  and  many,  many  others!  

It  ranks  as  one  of  my  favorite  veggies,  hot  or  cold.    It  is  incredibly  versatile  for  cooking.    You  can  steam,  boil,  use  in  a  salad  or  soup,  over  potatoes,  stuff  it  in  pork  tenderloin  with  cheese,  roll  it  in  a  flat  steak  or  mix  it  in  a  dip.    Use  your  imagination.  The  possibilities  are  endless!  

 Spinach  is  a  cool  weather  crop  and  will  often  

winter  over.    Plant  it  now  and  have  a  spring  crop,  and  then  plant  in  late  summer  and  have  a  fall  crop.  Harvest  by  pinching  off  the  large  outer  leaves,  leaving  the  center  to  continue  growing.    If  you  leave  the  plants  in  the  ground  in  the  fall,  they  usually  produce  a  very  early  spring  crop.    Make  sure  to  plant  a  lot  because  a  bag  full  will  only  boil  down  to  enough  for  four  people.    Spinach  can  also  grow  well  in  containers  on  the  porch  or  patio.    When  spinach  begins  to  bolt  (sends  up  a  center  stalk  to  produce  flowers  and  seeds,  usually  because  of  heat),  pinch  off  this  stalk  right  away  and  you  will  extend  production  of  leaves  for  a  while.    Keep  spinach  well  weeded  and  watered  and  it  will  reward  you  with  taste  and  nutrition.    Your  body  will  thank  you.  Warning:  don’t  plant  too  deep.  

“Why  try  to  explain  miracles  to  your  kids  when  you  can  just  have  them  plant  a  garden.”  

 

-­‐Robert  Brault  

Page 4: NCG Newsletter - Issue 5

 

 

Lorem  Ipsum  Dolor   Issue  #,  Date  

4  

Spinach  Pest  Control  Because  spinach  is  a  cool  weather  crop,  it  has  very  few  bug  problems.    Watch  for  slugs  in  late  spring  to  early  summer,  when  the  weather  gets  warmer.    Rabbits  can  be  an  issue,  but  usually  very  small  -­‐  just  share.    If  they  overtake  your  garden,  consider  putting  up  chicken  wire  or  an  

electric  fence,  both  work  well.    For  slugs,  surround  your  plants  with  coffee  grounds,  planks  of  wood  (they’ll  crawl  under  the  wood  at  night  and  you  can  catch  them  the  next  day)  or  shallow  containers  of  cheap  beer  set  into  the  soil  (they  will  drown  themselves).  There  are  also  a  few  organic  pellets  available.      Written  by  Mark  Van  Til    

12 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1 garlic clove, minced 1 small shallot, minced The juice of 1/2 lemon 1-1/2 Tablespoon sherry vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 pounds spinach, washed 4 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1. Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a pan lined with paper towels. Reserve 1 teaspoon of bacon fat, and discard the rest.

2. Meanwhile, combine the garlic, shallot, lemon juice, and sherry vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil and add parsley and salt and pepper.

3. In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, cooked bacon, reserved bacon fat, the vinaigrette, and the chopped egg. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Spinach,  Egg  and  Bacon  Salad      

Kid’s Corner - Rock Coloring! By Sarah Markley

Warning:  due  to  hot  temperatures,  an  adult  MUST  facilitate  this  activity!!!  As  a  child,  this  was  one  of  my  favorite  activities!  

Materials:  box  of  crayons,  rocks,  cookie  sheet,  oven  mitts,  newspaper  

Find  a  variety  of  small  to  medium-­‐sized  rocks  (the  smoother  the  better).    Wash  thoroughly  and  dry.    Place  on  a  cookie  sheet  in  the  oven  and  heat  to  200  degrees  for  15  minutes.    Remove  with  hot  pads.  

Make  sure  your  surface  if  covered  with  newspaper  before  you  start.    Have  your  children  wear  oven  mitts  as  they  handle  the  rocks.    Begin  to  draw  on  the  rocks.    The  wax  should  melt  as  you  draw.    If  the  wax  melts  too  fast,  let  the  rocks  cool  for  a  bit  before  continuing.    Let  the  rocks  cool  after  you  

are  content  with  your  design.    These  decorative  rocks  look  great  in  the  garden  or  as  a  paperweight!  

Page 5: NCG Newsletter - Issue 5

 

 

Lorem  Ipsum  Dolor   Issue  #,  Date  

5  

 

 -­‐  Ipsum  

Voting  for  the  Deloach  Community  Garden  Grant  Voting  started  March  6th  and  continues  until  August  6th  2012.  

Go  to  http://deloachcommunitygardens.com/  and  click  on  the  Niles  Community  Garden  video.    Type  in  your  email  address  and  name  to  vote!  

Remember,  you  can  vote  every  day!  

 

Find  Niles  Community  Gardens  on  Facebook!    

Share  with  us!  If  you  have  any  stories,  jokes,  poems,  recipes  or  anecdotes  you  would  like  to  share  in  our  

monthly  newsletter,  please  send  them  to  Sarah  Markley  via  email  at  [email protected]  

or  via  U.S.P.S.  at  2625  Holland  St,  South  Bend,  IN  46619    

If  you  are  not  on  our  email  mailing  list  and  would  like  to  receive  our  newsletter,  please  send  your  email  address  to  Sarah  Markley  via  email  or  U.S.P.S.  (address  above).  

 If  you  do  not  have  email,  you  can  get  a  copy  of  our  newsletter  at  the  Niles  Public  Library,  City  

Hall  or  the  Ferry  Street  Resource  Center.  

 Garden  with  us!  

If  you  would  like  to  volunteer  in  the  gardens  or  on  special  projects,  or  if  you  haven’t  gardened  with  us  but  would  like  to,  please  email  Mark  Van  Til  at  [email protected]  or  call  

at  269-­‐815-­‐5034.    

There  is  still  garden  space  available  for  the  2012  growing  season!    We  have  space  at  these  gardens:    Northside,  Arbor  Trails,  Ring  Lardner  School  and  Ballard  School.  

 Support  us!  

To  make  a  monetary  donation,  please  make  checks  payable  to  Niles  Community  Gardens  and  mail  to:  

Niles  Community  Gardens  PO  Box  304  

Niles,  MI  49120