A few updates on member activity

A number of members have had damage from the storm. Linea is scrambling to move hostas to shadier spots in the yard since losing a number of large trees. Stop by her place to see what plants she has to give away, there just isn't room for all of them.

Don't forget Kris's Spirit Lake Lilies open house and plant sale on July 30.

Mary G and I made a trip over to Janet's and availed ourselves of her generous offer of two free plants. There are still lots of plants. Stop by Thursday evening 5:30 to dusk.

Mary C had big losses. Stop by her place, if you can, or drop her an email to let her know you are thinking of her.

Stop by my place if you want to check out the progress I am making on putting things back to some order. Looks a bit like a moonscape around here these days.

If you are working hard to get your place back in order and would like a friendly face and some moral support, let me know and I will send out an email. It really does help to commiserate!

The Grantsburg sign is looking good. The mulch is making weeding pretty easy. Give yourself time to enjoy the lovely garden when your week comes up. If you need help let me know and I will send out an appeal to members.

Be sure to keep in touch this summer. Missing the garden tour has been a big hole in our calendar. I miss seeing everyone. Hope everyone will be able to make the Aug 11 Summer Potluck. The venue may be changing so watch for emails.

Grantsburg cleaning up from Friday's storm

It is with great sorrow that this summer's Community Garden Tour is being cancelled due to the July 1 storms. Tour chair, Janet Byers, put a lot of time into planning the tour this year but at least one of the member's gardens slated for the tour has sustained significant damage. Other members have damage as well and will undoubtedly be busy with cleanup.

The Burnett Medical Center garden has survived unscatherd. If anyone is disappointed about the tour cancellation, they can visit the hospital garden anytime.

Please let us know if you have damage from the storm and would like help with the cleanup. I will post requests on the blog. Anyone available to help can call these members: Pam, Becky, Linnea, Linnea’s mom Shirley, or Teresa. Numbers can be found in the 2011 bulletin.

Here are a few pictures of the damage at my house (if you'd like to share photos, send them to pameladavies @ yahoo.com) :

Wanda's garden tour--great fun!

Seven of us met at 2Eskies Garden Store in Rush City. A small store but with some really fun stuff. We all bought plenty!
Loading up the van was a little tricky.
The Grant House in Rush city, less than two blocks away, was a great place for refreshments. The raspberry cream cake was a real hit. Thursday's special two dollar burgers were home made! We all agreed we'd be back.Wanda's house, a few miles out of town on lush, winding roads, is situated on 15 beautiful acres that feature a small pond and a terrific bonfire pit.

Lovely little gardens are situated all about the property.

Wanda has been working hard edging and mulching beds.
In the backgound, notice Wanda's experimental square foot gardens.
We posed for a photo, Kristie serving as photographer, then went to have a quick look at the livestock--chicks and ducklings!

Thanks for organizing a terrific evening for us, Wanda! And thanks Kris for documenting the event!

Zucchini Parmesan served with Couscous

Pam’s Zucchini Parmesan with couscous

1-1.5 hours prep time

Serves 4 – 6 people as main course

Simmer in medium saucepan for 30-45 minutes:

4-5 med to large tomatoes diced (fresh tomatoes are wonderful but you can use canned)

1 reg can of tomato sauce (home made is great)

small can mushrooms or equivalent sautéed fresh mushrooms drained

¼ cup dry red wine

1 tsp Worchester sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

salt and pepper

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ - ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Sauté in olive oil in a skillet

½ cup green onion chopped (or as much as you like)

1-2 tbsp garlic chopped (or as much as you like)

1 tbsp oregano and other Italian spices (as you like)

Remove from pan and add to tomato mixture. Then, in a little more oil, sauté lightly

1½ to 2 thinly sliced medium sized zucchini

Lay out the lightly sauteed zuchinni in a rectangular pan (8.5 x 13 inch) overlapping

Pour the tomato mixture over the zucchini

Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs

Sprinkle over this 1/3-cup of Parmesan cheese

Over this sprinkle about 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 325 –350 degrees. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes. Let stand for five minutes while you prepare couscous.

Prepare couscous (1 part couscous to 2 parts liquid, I make 1 cup cousous in 2 cups liquid) in water, a little olive oil and chicken flavoring (bullion or chicken stock) Combine water and chicken flavoring, salt and oil in a saucepan, over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and stir in couscous. Cover and turn off heat. Let stand thus for 5 minutes.

Serve couscous topped with the Zucchini Parmesan. Enjoy!!

Tour of Wanda's garden, Thursday, June 23

We are all set up for June 23^rd for the Rush City tour. Unfortunately we will not be visiting Melon Vine Farm as the owner is going in for eye surgery, but Wanda has arranged for us to go to 2 Eskies Green House in Rush City instead.

Our schedule is :

5:30 PM at Grantsburg High School, if you wish to carpool to Rush City

6:00 PM meet Wanda at 2 Eskies Greenhouse (right on 61 in town—they close at 7:00 PM))

7:00 PM go to Grant House for dessert (they close at 8:00 PM)

We will tour Wanda’s garden after dessert.

Sounds like a fun time!! Hope to see you all there!

Plant Sale pictures

We had a great time at the plant sale!

Sign Planting, Plant Sale and ....

June is here and our garden club calendar starts out with a flurry of activity:

June 2, 2011 5:30 pm at the Grantsburg sign on Hwy 70, Annual Sign Planting. Bring gloves and shovels and any other cultivating tools you like. We will clean out the beds and plant annuals along the boarder. Refreshments to follow.

June 4, 2011 6:30 am Saturday in front of the Espresso Cabin. This is our Annual Plant Sale (8 am to noon). Rain or shine. Dress for the weather. We will be setting up, selling and tearing down. We need members to help set up and sell but if you can't get there that early, come when you can. This is a fun event and members usually go home with a lot of plants for their own gardens!!

June 16, 2011 Garden jaunt to Rush City to see Wanda Bjorn's garden as well as another private garden (possibly). We will also make a stop at Melon Vine Farm. Dessert at Grant House in Rush City (if you haven't been to the Grant House, this will be a treat!) 5:30 pm carpool from the High School.

Hope to see you all there!!