Last work session of spring + springtime recipes

Happy Flag Day!

Tonight will be our last work session of the Spring as next Tues. will officially be SUMMER! 

Tonight we will be focused on: 

• Suckering tomatoes 
• Beginning to train the tomatoes to the stakes 
• Drenching the corn 
• Drenching the nasturtium 
• Pulling weeds! 
• Replanting cucumbers 
• Harvesting kale, chard, and broccoli 

NEEDS: 

• More stakes for more tomatoes! Please bring them if you have them. Anything tall and slender, like a tamarisk branch... 
• Boxes & plastic bags for harvesting (especially for when we have bounty for Grow Another Row) 
• Twine for training tomatoes up the stakes 
• Organic Cucumber seeds (we need about 8 seeds to replace what hasn't sprouted in a few of the mounds!) 

Please bring whatever you have on this above list to our work session this evening. 

Here are two recipes to help you utilize our garden's bounty. The first one showcases a succulent weed which is popping up everywhere (especially in the cracks of my back patio!) 

Purslane Pesto 1 bunch purslane
1/2 of a lemon’s juice
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 clove garlic
1/4 c or less olive oil added slowly until it reaches desired consistency
salt and pepper to taste

Blend up in food processor and enjoy! Serves two. Excellent over salmon, and a medley of roasted onion, new potato, sweet carrots, and cutting celery greens. So delicious! 

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Roasted Broccoli with Soy Sauce and Sesame Seeds 1 lb. fresh broccoli florets (see trimming instructions) 1 1/2 T olive oil 1 T soy sauce 1 tsp. sesame oil 1 T sesame seeds, toasted 
Preheat oven to 450 F (or use 475 and shorten the cooking time slightly.) ---OR---  forget the oven and marinate the broccoli then toss it in your stovetop or outdoor grilling wok!  
Cut broccoli into pieces about 2 inches long. Then cut through stems just to where florets start, and break apart so broccoli is in same-sized pieces. (This method of cutting through the stems and then breaking the broccoli apart also eliminates the mess when you cut broccoli and small bits fall off.) 
Place broccoli in plastic mixing bowl and toss well with olive oil, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet and roast 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir and continue roasting 5 minutes more, or until broccoli is tender-crisp and slightly browned on the edges. 
While broccoli roasts, toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over very high heat for 30-60 seconds. When broccoli is done, put it back into plastic bowl, dump in sesame seeds, and toss again. Serve hot.

 

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Toodloo spring...see you again next year.  
(image from DesignSponge)