Lee Huss, Bloomington city forester, called me yesterday, while I was trying to figure out how to change title and registration of an old truck that my son Colin is gifting to the GANG garden with this great news: “I’ve got a driver out your way, with chips. Where should he put them?”
“Great! Thanks, Lee. Put them in front of my house, between the garden and the street.”
The driver did a very precise job. YES.
So much fun, scavenging for the GANG. Jim already moved the load of grass clippings from a couple of days ago. This load will go on the carpets, laid down over the aisles.
Well, we have survived the drought… let’s hope! We have 1 really active bed at GANG, full of basil and tomatoes and peppers so enthused to be growing! I was able to harvest some today to start preserving food for the change of seasons (mmmmmmm pesto!) and have a couple pictures to share of the beautiful harvest!
First, friendly tomatoes.
The cool thing is all the different colors and shapes of tomatoes that we were able to grow, and there are lots more that are on their way!
Here is one tomato going directly into our hot sauce:
Hot sauce? Oh yeah… harvested a couple of those “pipi de mono” – monkey penis – peppers ! Here they are chopped and ready for the hot sauce. Remember: if you take the seeds out of hot peppers they are more tolerable!
We mix that with some onions and lime juice and vinegar and take it out every meal to put on our food. YUM!
I also decided to put in some of the other beautiful peppers I harvested. The red ones are Venezuelan sweet habaneros. And they really are sweet, with just a touch of spice, but I eat them like candy! They have a really fascinating flavor. And the yellow…well I am pretty sure that is a Peruvian Habanero and it is deceptively HOT! First we just cut into the flesh and each took a little bite… no flavor. Then I cut it in half and just barely TOUCHED the pepper to my tongue and it BURNED! I drank 3 glasses of milk and have recovered. So I just put a little slice of that in our hot sauce. Here they are, the gorgeous Habeneros!!
And basil, yes, I mentioned basil. It is growing like CRAZY! We already harvested a whole bunch, and it was featured at: The Rail! But it keeps growing…. so got to make more pesto! Here’s some of the raw, beautiful basil:
That’s all the show and tell for today but if you are interested in how this stuff grows and where it comes from, come visit us at GANG!
Last weekend, we had our annual Children’s Art Hour and Garden Party. It was a delightful and magical moment of sharing, made special by the wonderful company.
We started the day with 2 families and their children, who painted fun decorations to put around the garden to invite in the fairies and the “little people” who protect and care for us. Look at how dedicated they were to their work!
Zinnia was very intense with her artwork…!
And proud Sarah made a piece or two to share, as well!
The best was watching the young ones explore the garden!
When they were all tired out and the sun was hot and high… it was time to prepare the food!
Some pesto with basil and garlic from our very own Garden!
And the whole table of food was a FEAST!! Pure abundance!
Grateful for a crate of peaches from our musician friend…we made some peach cobbler!
It was very popular! Especially with ice cream!
We were lucky to have some musicians create sacred space for us while we ate…
And everyone had a delightful time sharing, laughing, and eating in the beauty of the flourishing garden.
And the music continued….
We had a wonderful ceremony to bring us together, a simple moment of thanks and celebration marking the Summer Solstice. Each one of us participated in our own way, adding to the circle.
Ann
Steph
José
And so, a little something of each of us stayed there in the garden, adding to its light and life.
Lee Huss, Bloomington city forester, called me yesterday, while I was trying to figure out how to change title and registration of an old truck that my son Colin is gifting to the GANG garden with this great news: “I’ve got a driver out your way, with chips. Where should he put them?”
