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...