Elgin gardeners keep on sharing
We received 10 pounds of peppers last Tuesday, 4 pounds of cantaloupe and 10 pounds of tomatoes week before last. Adding to our total poundage!!!
Additional Drop Off Time
The Community Cupboard has just added an additional drop off time on Thursday evenings from 6-7. This additional drop off option may make it easier not only for those who work in Austin, but also allows gardeners to pick at the first and end of week. We want to make donating as easy as possible so please email or leave comments.
We’d love to hear about your donations, so please feel free to leave a comment.
Donations are Happening
A Community Cupboard volunteer told me that last week, after the Elgin Courier article, a donation was made of fresh lettuce from an Elgin citizen. Quick response!
The image above is part of my first donation to the Community Cupboard. I had the pleasure of dropping these off yesterday and watching them go home quickly with the Community Cupboard’s clients. I had not only my own Rainbow chard, but another huge bag donated by Lorraine, with whom I played phone tag with all weekend. She wanted to know if we would want her chard… absolutely! Undaunted by reaching my voice mail more than a couple times, we finally touched base with each other Monday. She really wanted to donate her chard, and when I saw how much there was, I was so pleased! She brought the chard to me Monday evening and I delivered it along with fresh Rainbow chard, spinach, and romaine from my own garden on Tuesday morning.
Before I delivered, I printed up a couple recipes for the chard in case some were not sure what to do with it. The original recipe below called for Kiebasa, but I substituted Elgin Sausage, of course. So do think about providing a recipe or two with your donation… I’m a pretty experienced cook and I’m still not sure about the best way to prepare kohlrabi.
Pasta with Elgin Sausage and Swiss Chard
yield: Makes 4 servings
active time: 25 min
total time: 30 min
Ingredients
1 bunch Swiss ( or any) chard
1/2 pound Elgin sausage, cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1 pound pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Cut out center ribs and stems from chard, then thoroughly wash, along with leaves, in several changes of cold water. Cut ribs and stems crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and coarsely chop leaves.
Cook Elgin sausage in oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Cook chard ribs and stems with salt in fat remaining in pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chard leaves, water, and red-pepper flakes and simmer, partially covered, until chard stems are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir in Elgin sausage.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water and drain pasta in a colander. Add pasta to chard mixture with cheese and salt to taste and toss until combined well. Thin with some of reserved pasta water if necessary.
Since these donations are perishable they require a bit of planning on both the person donating and the volunteers, so we may be adding a drop off time on Monday evenings so commuters can bring their home-grown fare over after work on Mondays. We’ll certainly keep you posted.
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Yesterday I visited Becky Maass’s 4th period Horticulture class to thank them for growing vegetables for the Community Cupboard. I also wanted to see how their gardens grow…
They’ve planted tomatoes and squash
Okra
Peppers and Strawberries
Squash, potatoes & chard
I have never attempted to grow potatoes before, and may have put them in a little late, so wish me luck. I also welcome any bits of wisdom you may have about spuds. The squash have surprised me how quickly they blossomed. I guess it’s going to get a bit hot for chard soon, but I’ll stretch it as long as I can, I love bitter greens in pastas and quiche. Wonder if they’d hold up as well as kale for making chips?
Welcome our Newest (and youngest to date) Gardeners
We are so excited to have the participation of Becky Maass’s Horticulture class at Elgin High School. They have agreed to grow vegetables to donate to the Community Cupboard. They recently planted okra, corn, tomatoes, and peppers to donate.
Not only are these students gaining the knowledge and experience in planting and harvesting, but also an understanding of how even a small contribution can directly impact someone’s life.
Way to go!
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