Fall Crops

The Milo Grogan Fall planting has come and gone with mixed success. Initial intentions were well meaning. Seeds were sown in mid-October and covered with soil just in time for the "Columbus Hurricane." Luckily the seeds stayed put, pushed through the dirt, and grew us some greens! Unfortunately, it became challenging to rally enough support to maintain the garden and watering became, as usual, a problem. Consequently, the plants were not given the right amount of love an nourishment needed to fully grow.

Luckily, we were able to harvest some Arugula and Mustard Greens and received some Chard and Collards from the Garden next door at Milo Arts. A friend and I just sat down to enjoy some of these with our lunch and the greens were delicious!

We learned the hard way though how quickly the frost can kill your crops and didn't harvest everything in time. We probably lost 90% of the food that we planted become of this and also because of inadequate watering and care.

So the growing seasons ends with mixed feelings and results, but it was nonetheless a learning experience that I have grown from. Many people received and enjoyed the food that we grew and had to offer and that has made the journey for the first year of the Milo Grogan Starr Garden a good one. Wish us luck for the next growing season!

Mama the Tomato Queen

I recently picked back up again a book I've been reading called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver. It is a book about a woman and her family living only off of locally grown food for one year. In the chapter I just finished, her daughter refers to her as "Mama the Tomato Queen." The author planted 50 tomato plants in her garden that season, about the same number we planted ourselves. I know now why her daughter called her such. Zach and I picked what seemed like 20+ pounds of tomatoes this weekend. Man! And there are probably that many more to pick this week. We hope to give away some of the next batch to a local shelter / food pantry.

Up next: Milo Fall Planting.

Milo Grub Down

Made up a recipe today using all produce ('cept for the garlic) from the Milo Garden today! See below for a rough recipe.



Milo Mexican Collard Greens

• 1 Large bunch o' collard greens (ribs removed, cut into half inch strips)
• A variety of chopped peppers including : Green, cubanero (some yellow small thing), little sweet peppers (green and red ones), and one very damn hot little skinny red pepper, mostly de-ribbed and with just a few seeds so you don't catch your mouth on fire.
• 2 small zucchinis
• 5 heads of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup malt vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 2-3 Tablespoons Olive oil

Sautee garlic and peppers for 5 minutes. Add water, brown sugar, malt vinegar. Let sugar dissolve while stirring. Fold in collard greens and zucchini. Cover, and let simmer over low heat for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.

BAM!!! VIVA LA MEXICANA!




If there is anyone out there that reads this, and then actually makes this, let me know, there may just be a prize involved.

H2 - OooooHHH

Dave watered the garden this Saturday... hopefully we'll get some rain coming through this week. Garden is looking good... some of the Roma tomatoes are getting blossom-end rot, I hope to get out the next few days and buy some calcium-spray which apparently helps solve the issue.

We have been pretty consistant with getting some people out on Saturdays to help. Usually trying to be there around 1 - 1 30. Come out and help weed or water and grab some Milo-grown veggies, *mostly* organic, on your way out!

Sweet Like Candy

Got a handful of our first ripe tomatoes today... quite possibly one of the best things there is to eat... sweet like candy! Also first sunflowers bloomed last week, they are almost black in color.




So this is how brussel sprouts grow...






Melons are fuzzy when they are small.

Helping Hands Indeed!

Welcome new neighbors Robbin and Dale! We are excited to share the space with them and gain some gardening wisdom as well.

Hope to see some people out this Saturday at 1pm! Garden is looking HOT.

Taming the Jungle

Got a ton done this weekend and I think it's safe to say that the jungle is finally tamed... at least for now.

This week we will continue with our late staking of tomatoes. Apparently this should be done much sooner in the gardening game... learning that lesson the long, laborious way...

The Garden is a Monster

Lots of rain equals lots of happy plants. It also equals a lot of happy weeds. Everywhere. A jungle of little green monsters. We are all very pleased though to see the vegetables really taking off. We had our first harvest too - of red leaf lettuce, a cucumber, and a couple zucchinis. The fruits of our labor! How rewarding!

Now all we need is a Community to share it with. Turns out it's a bigger job than expected to maintain this little (or not so little?) garden of ours. With the majority of time spent on weeding and keeping things tidy, it's difficult to find time for community organizing and rallying. Hope to change this as the season grows on...


Patrick smiles at a handful of red leaf lettuce, given to us from Chris at Four Seasons City Farm.


A diamond in the weeds!

Collards flapping in the wind. Patrick and Suzie in the jungle.

Zucchini blossoms. I've read these are edible, stuff them with ricotta perhaps?

Chomp chomp.

Chomp.

It's hard to tell where the weeds end and the vegetables begin, isn't it?

Our first cuke!

Corn

Planted corn and watermelon seeds this weekend...

Paul preps soil for corn.



Rock bed above to be filled with dirt below. Rocks and soil salvaged from some sort of demolish or remodeling (not sure) and given to us thanks to Zack and Patrick.



Rocks also used between beds to help controls weeds.

Mimus Polyglottos

Got a lot done this week. Neighbors have been helping tend the garden by watering and an offering of grass clippings which was used for mulch. The giant pile of rocks have been turned into bed pathways to prevent weeds and make new raised beds. Got a bit of help today too from some people stopping by... weeding... moving rocks for beds...


All done in sunny weather while listening to a Mockingbird across the street singing head high while perched on a graffitied billboard.

Hot Hot Hot

Hot weather and bright sun = lots of water needed for our new plants.

If there is anyone out there, a lone fan perhaps, an eager neighborhood volunteer - hiding in the cool shadows, who reads this blog, this lonely little blog - get in touch with Milo and help us water!

We plan on meeting tomorrow as scheduled as well at 1pm for some weeding and watering as well as decided what to do with our newest addition - a giant pile of rocks and a giant pile of top soil.

Stay tuned.

First day of planting!

Big day and great weather today for the first planting at Milo Grogan! Thanks to everyone who came out and helped and the neighbors that made a point to stop by and say hello. Also thanks for Elijah on the corner cleaners for the use of his water.

Today we planted lots including a variety of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, collard greens, zucchini, melons, herbs, and flowers. In the next few days we will finish up the majority of the planting with rows of corn, carrots, watermelons and sunflowers.

We hope to continue to get together every Saturday and encourage neighborhood members to come and help out. As Zack said, "pitch in and pitch out"... meaning, when it comes time to harvest, all who have helped can join in on the plenty.

We are trying to start a mailing list to keep people informed via email of upcoming events or news. If you are interested in joining please email: milogrogangarden-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Here are some photos of the big day:




Zack planting a row of pepper starts



Dave and Patrick making rows for the raised beds



Ellie plants petunias!





Peace to you too Lorian




End of the day results:


Go Milo Go!