Chalkboard

Goodbye Chalkboard- Hello Wrigley Garden

2009-06-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

Huge thanks to everyone for making the Chalkboard such a success. I wanted to let you all know that this site will remain here for archive purposes but we are moving to http://wrigleygarden.org

Wrigley Garden will be the new spot for garden updates, food exchange info, tree planting projects and anything else we need to cover.

Please visit our new home on the web.

The Chalkboard will be archived so no need to worry about that Limoncello recipe, it is still there waiting for you.

Summer Crops

2009-06-25T17:55:00.001-07:00

Click article for larger image to read.

Wrigley Farmer- Summer

2009-06-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wrigley Is Going Green- July Article

2009-06-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tool Collection

2009-06-23T17:46:00.001-07:00

Wrigley Garden- We Can Dig It!

2009-06-18T09:52:00.001-07:00

Wonderful news for all my gardening friends and neighbors. 1950 and 1960 Henderson Avenue has been approved for us to start our Community Garden.

Today we will be out there measuring and checking out the property. We heard that this land was once Indian land, so amazing. If you are interested in reserving a plot please let us know. You can email me @ chalkboardcoop@mac.com. This lot is huge so there will be plenty to go around.

We want you to know now though that there is a catch with the property (but of course) we will be able to farm here for 2 years only. We must move out January 31st and return the property to the city. But the good news with that is they will be building Habitat for Humanity housing there and by then we will have found a permanent piece of land. Think of this as a practice run.

Anyway, its all very exciting. I'll let everyone know when its time to dig.

Thanks for all the help and support this is going to be great!

chalkboardcoop@mac.com

There Are Others Just Like Us

2009-06-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

My mom sent me the link to this NY Times article. It looks like we are on the right track. Keep up all the good work.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/dining/10Fruit.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Neighbor, Can You Spare a Plum?

Published: June 9, 2009

OAKLAND, Calif.

NOTHING WASTED Asiya Wadud organized a neighborhood fruit exchange in Oakland, Calif.

THE loquats were ripe and just begging to be picked.

But there was a problem. Although the tree was planted on private property, the loaded branches hung over the street.

Did that make the fruit public property?

In the end, with no one around to ask, Asiya Wadud decided the answer was yes. So she added them to a bag already heavy with Meyer lemons picked (with permission) from a yard a few blocks away. Then she headed off to check on some plum trees.

It was just another day of urban fruit foraging for Ms. Wadud, one of a growing number of people who looked around their cities, saw trees full of fruit and thought, “Delicious.”

A year and a half ago, Ms. Wadud, who studied urban sociology in college and bartended at Chez Panisse, began organizing a little neighborhood fruit exchange called Forage Oakland. She did it as much to build neighborhood relations as to get her hands on some of that fruit.

It works simply. A woman with a yard full of lemon trees, say, can share her bounty in exchange for a paper bag full of someone else’s persimmons when they come into season. So far, 200 people have signed up.

All over the country, the underground fruit economy is growing. At new Web sites like neighborhoodfruit.com and veggietrader.com, fruit seekers can find public mulberry patches in Pennsylvania and neighbors willing to trade blackberries in Oklahoma.

In Royal Oak, Mich., a woman investigated how to start a fruit exchange modeled after Fallen Fruit (fallenfruit.org), an arts group that designs maps of accessible fruit growing in Los Angeles neighborhoods.

In Alaska, cooks used Facebook to find willing donors of backyard rhubarb, the first dessert crop that grows after the long winter. In Columbia, S.C., university students pulled spare peaches from orchards and donated them to a local food bank.

Supporters of this movement hold two basic principles. One, it’s a shame to let fruit go to waste. And two, neighborhood fruit tastes best when it’s free.

“There have always been people harvesting fallen fruit,” Ms. Wadud said, “but there’s a whole new counterculture about gathering and eating public fruit. This tremendous resource is growing everywhere if people just start looking around.”

Jennifer Perillo, a mother and food writer who lives in Brooklyn, became an accidental neighborhood fruit forager last summer. She was driving to her mother’s house in Bensonhurst when she saw vibrant red balls hanging from a tree in someone’s yard. Cherries!

She saw a peach tree, too, and leaned over a fence for a sample. The owner was none too happy, but when she explained that she only wanted her children to taste a fresh Brooklyn peach, he gave her half a dozen.

Then she started looking for fruit in her own neighborhood, Carroll Gardens, finding apricots and figs in abundance. “Honestly, for years I walked around the neighborhood in my own world and I never noticed all of this before,” she said.

Three years ago, Katy Kolker had a similar experience in her northeast Portland, Ore., neighborhood. Fruit was going to waste, and she decided to do something about it.

She and some friends went to the home of a woman who had planted apple trees 30 years before, but was too old to pick them. They gathered nearly 200 pounds, gave some to the woman and went back to prune her trees.

That apple adventure inspired the Portland Fruit Tree Project, a database of more than 300 trees, each registered by the owner, who promises to call about two weeks before the fruit is ripe to arrange a harvest.

“A family can only really eat 20 pounds of fresh apples or so before they cry uncle,” Ms. Kolker said. “A fruit tree is really made for sharing with your neighborhood.”

This year, 20 picking parties are planned. Half the fruit goes to the people who pick, and half to a local food bank. Ms. Kolker reserves half of the dozen slots at each picking party for low-income people.

Hynden Walch, a voice-over actress for animated films, put together a more modest fruit program in her Los Angeles neighborhood. “I would walk up in the hills where I live and I would see all this incredible food just dying on the tree and rolling down the hill,” she said. Plus, her own seven fruit trees were going unpicked, which was an embarrassment.

Last August, she sent an e-mail message to her neighbors asking them to drop extra fruit and garden bounty at her house, where she would divide it up and give everyone back a bagful.

Since then, membership in her little Hillside Produce Co-operative has doubled, and other neighborhoods are copying her.

She recently filled bags with lemons, oranges, grapefruits, kumquats and loquat jam. The jam came from a chef who didn’t have fruit but had skills.

“Everyone’s contribution weighs the same,” she said. “A fig will get you a bag. In my gigantic idealism, where money isn’t the center of the universe, this is a small way I can right the balance of the world.”

For cooks, like Samin Nosrat, a cook at the restaurant Eccolo in Berkeley, free fruit is like a little kitchen miracle. She sneaks grape leaves to wrap sardines. Once, she stumbled upon so many fallen green walnuts on a sidewalk that she piled a bunch into a blanket she retrieved from her car, and made nocino, a walnut liqueur.

Ms. Nosrat calls it opportunistic cooking, which she means in the best way.

“It’s cooking from nothing,” she said.

As with content on the Internet, though, not everybody believes that fruit wants to be free.

Danila Oder, who works at a hospital in Los Angeles, learned that lesson a few years ago when she wrote a list of tips on making public fruit tree maps for Fallen Fruit.

A woman whose tree was included on one of the maps was furious that people were raiding her trees, even though some of her fruit was hanging over public space, making it legal to pick under California law.

Since then, Ms. Oder has wrestled with the issues of fairness and legality, which can vary by state and neighborhood. She has come to see that not everybody is respectful when it comes to the civic sharing of public fruit.

“If you let everyone know who’s got extra food, someone is going to break in or go over the fence,” she said.

Then there is the debate over whether money should be made from spare backyard fruit. Two new Web sites are trying to find a balance. The thousands of people who have registered on veggietrader.com can choose to swap or sell their backyard garden’s overflow, Craigslist style.

Neighborhoodfruit.com offers a swapping system and lists 5,000 public fruit trees around the country. The founders are considering charging a $4 finder’s fee for people who want to use the site, said Kaytea Petro, who helped start the project.

That sum could help pay for the Web site but still be affordable for people with low incomes, who might be able to sell pies or other items made with the fruit. The fee would be waived for people who give fruit away.

They might even add a V.I.P. service for “the super-fancy Slow Food people who really like the idea of extremely local food but don’t have time to go get it,” she said.

Of course, there are legal considerations. So the founders carefully worded their site user agreement. “If they register a tree with malicious intent, then they are liable,” Ms. Petro said.

Some money-for-fruit models are less ambitious. Jennifer Fisher, a stockbroker, sells the Santa Rosa plums that proliferate in her Berkeley backyard.

“It became this big ordeal to give away my plums every year,” she said.

She decided to set out a table of paper bags each holding a generous pound of plums. Next to them was a box where people could drop in a dollar per bag.

Last summer, she made $75, including the dollar she charged parents who wanted their three children to pick the fruit themselves. It’s not about the money, Ms. Fisher maintains. She just wants to make sure the plums go to people who really care about fruit.

“You could just give them away,” she said, “but if you sell them for a dollar a pound you know people are using them.”

Limoncello- Edited

2009-06-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hello limoncello fans-

I reread this recipe and it seems a little complicated. I edited the recipe a little. I also cut the recipe it in half and its still enough to make 2 bottles. You can use any bottle, even the original vodka bottle as long as its glass.

Please make and enjoy...

Rosemary Limoncello

10 lemons
One bunch rosemary sprig
1 bottle of vodka, Stolichnaya is good, I use Monopolowa from Trader Joe's it a great vodka for the price.
1/2 cups sugar

1. Juice lemons, strain and set aside.

2. Put rosemary in your jar.

2. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water and 1 cup lemon juice to a boil and add sugar. Cook, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Let sugar syrup cool to room temperature. Add to jar.

3. Add syrup and remaining vodka to jar, seal container. Let sit in a cool, dark place for about 2 months. I put it on the calendar so I don't forget.

5. Serve chilled or over ice. So good.

Thanks For Last Night

2009-06-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

Ask and you shall receive.

Thank you to everyone who brought me lemons, and if you need lemons give a hollar. I'm definitely holding.

Limoncello

2009-05-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

Annabelle Breakey

I need 18 lemons please.

Rosemary Limoncello

18 lemons (Meyer or Eureka; see Notes), washed and dried
One 4-in. rosemary sprig, washed and dried
2 bottles (750 ml. each) 100-proof vodka, such as Stolichnaya or Smirnoff
4 1/2 cups sugar

1. Peel lemons with a sharp vegetable peeler, taking only the zest (top layer) and avoiding any white pith. Put rosemary in a 1-gal. glass or ceramic container with a tight seal. Add zest to jar.

2. Pour 750 ml. vodka over rosemary and zest; seal container. Let sit undisturbed in a cool, dark place for 40 days.

3. In a saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil and add sugar. Cook, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Let sugar syrup cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

4. Pour syrup and remaining 750 ml. vodka over lemon-vodka mixture, stir, and seal container. Let sit in a cool, dark place for another 40 days.

5. Pour limoncello through cheesecloth into a large spouted pitcher and divide among gift bottles.

Food Exchange This Monday

2009-05-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

Aloha Gardner's-

Don't forget co-op swap this Monday night. I'll be bringing red leaf lettuce and some other goodies.

I'm hoping to pick up some citrus from someone. I had to buy lemons at the market this week, not only did they look plastic and processed but they were very expensive. Boo on that!

See you Monday, happy growing!

Wrigley Is Going Green Makes A Garden

2009-05-19T20:07:00.001-07:00

The city council meeting was a success. The motion was granted for Wrigley Is Going Green to enter into a 2 year lease with the city to turn the Henderson property into a community garden.

Big thanks to Lisa, Mauna, Jenny and Annie, who even offered to pay the water bill. What a great start to a great summer.

I'll keep the facts posted here on the Chalkboard.

Happy growing indeed!

City Council Meeting Tonight

2009-05-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

On tonight's agenda is the proposed community garden in Wrigley.

Taken from the Press Telegram:

The Long Beach City Council meets at 5 p.m. today at City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd.The meeting can be viewed live on Charter Communications Channel 8 or online at www.longbeach.gov.

Among items on the meeting agenda:

Andrews also is requesting that the Long Beach Housing Co. enter into a two-year lease with the Wrigley Is Going Green Association to use 1950 and 1960 Henderson Ave., a few blocks east of the Los Angeles River and just north of Pacific Coast Highway, as a temporary community garden.

Seeds Available For Trade

2009-05-18T10:56:00.001-07:00

Aloha-

Here is a list of seeds I have available for trade. They are all perfect to grow now. If you are interested in any of these let me know.

Golden Detroit Beets (High Mowing Seeds)
Japanese Turnip (Kitazawa Seeds)
Yellow Cylindrical (Baker Creek Heirloom)
Red Cloud Hybrid (Cooks' Garden)
Rat's Tail Radish (Baker Creek Heirloom)
Chioggia Beets (The Cook's Garden)
Flat Of Egypt (Baker Creek Heirloom)

First Harvest

2009-05-14T11:41:00.001-07:00

Its not enough to share but its a lot to be excited about. Its the first summer squash I have ever grown. The plant is very compact and does not even need the trellis I put up. The tomato's probably needed another day or so but I was scared something was going to eat them. I ate them 2 seconds after I took this picture.

Happy growing!

Food Exchange Tomorrow!

2009-05-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow gardeners tomorrow is another co-op swap. Its growing season so I hope we have good things to share or at least stories of things to come.

Sorry to say I might not make it to the swap. Please have a great time and send pictures if you happen to take any.

and to Lisa and Mauna, I can't wait to hear about your tree planting adventure.

Thanks,
Sasha

Sausage Soup

2009-04-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

James Carrier

We ate this soup last night for dinner. It was so yummy. I replaced the spinach with the left over collard greens, onions and bacon I had made for dinner.

This is a wonderful recipe to build from and add things to. You can replace the meat with different meat, add wild rice instead of pasta and on and on.

Italian Sausage and Pasta Soup

Notes: You can prepare soup through step 2 up to 1 day ahead, but do not bring mixture to a boil; instead, cool, cover, and chill. To reheat, lift off and discard fat; bring soup to a boil.

2 pounds hot or mild Italian sausages
3 carrots (12 oz. total), peeled and chopped
1 onion (12 oz.), peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 cups dried large shell-shaped pasta
4 quarts spinach leaves (about 12 oz.), rinsed
Salt and pepper
About 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Squeeze sausages from casings into an 8- to 10-quart pan over high heat and stir often, breaking them apart with a spoon, until browned and crumbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon out and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

2. Add carrots, onion, and garlic; stir often until onion is limp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes (including juice), beans, and basil and bring to a boil.

3. Add pasta, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Skim and discard fat. Stir in spinach and cook just until it is wilted, about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup from the pan, or pour into a tureen. Offer parmesan cheese to add to taste.

Plant Sale In Long Beach

2009-04-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

Myself, Adriana, and Fern will be at the Long Beach City College plant sale this Friday. Its my first time going to this sale. I've heard its great. I sure hope so. I can never have enough_____(fill in the blank here).

Annual Plant Sale at PCC April 08 - 11, 2009

Thousands of plants will be on sale April 8 – 11, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., as the Long Beach City College Horticulture Club presents the 37th Annual Open House and Plant Sale in the Horticulture Gardens of the Pacific Coast Campus, 1305 E. Pacific Coast Highway (at the corners of Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway).

Available for the public to purchase at low grower prices will be:

· Tree & Bush Roses

· Shade & Sun Shrubs

· Fruit & Shade Trees

· Annual & Perennial Bedding Plants

· Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Plants

· Cacti & Succulents and more!

For more information please call David Frattalone at (562) 938-3092 or the Greenhouse at (562) 938-3192.

Joining the Horticulture Club for the fourth year will be the Sheet Metal Club selling their metal plasma art, copper planter boxes, copper waterfalls, copper birdhouses, wrought iron furniture, bar-b-ques etc. The sheet metal and wrought iron projects range from yard art stating at a couple of dollars to a wrought iron patio table and chairs for $350. Call Tim Shoemaker at 562-938-3051 for more information.

Proceeds from all sales assist with scholarships, field trips, student projects and support.

For more information, please contact the Office of Community Relations & Marketing at (562) 938-4353 or (562) 938-4846.

Last Night's Exchange

2009-04-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to everyone who participated. I gave away lots of lettuce and I gained an eggplant seedling and tons of lemons. I will use them all.

After the meeting adjourned there was some talk of people building raised beds and getting rid of their lawns. Its such great news. Eat more homegrown, love that.

Looking forward to next month. I wonder who is going to be the first one with tomatoes. I hope for bushels and bales.

Exchange Tonight

2009-04-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Dont' forget the exchange tonight!

I have lots of empty seed packets to give out along with homegrown red leaf lettuce.

What will you be bringing?

Food Exchange

2009-03-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Don't forget our next exchange is coming up. April 6th we will be there. I know I have some beautiful red leaf lettuce I will be bringing. What about you?

Hope to see you all there.

Art Tonight In Long Beach

2009-03-13T12:53:00.001-07:00

Things To Do In Your Garden

2009-03-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately I have not had time to write any articles for our monthly neighborhood newsletter. Hopefully I will soon find the time.

To hold you over until that happens. Here are a few things that we can do this weekend.

- enrich our soil
- plant edamame
- plant lemon trees
- plant corn

Happy gardening!

Food Exchange Pictures

2009-03-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Adriana for taking pictures on Monday night. Thanks to everyone for bringing lots of goodies. I even ended up with a bunch of lemons, loquats and tangerines.

Yay for fruit!

Exchange Tonight

2009-03-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

Don't forget! Adriana will be there running the show. Please stop by and she what she has to offer. I heard its going to be a good one...

Available For Trade:

2009-02-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

Manoa Butterhead lettuce (SK)
Red Leaf Lettuce (SK)

Please email chalkboardcoop@mac.com if you are interested in these yummy items. They will also be available to trade/ pick up at our monthly Wrigley Association meeting.

The First Leaf

2009-02-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, January 11th Wrigley is Going Green once again gifted fruit trees to it's residents and exactly one month later the first leaf has emerged! Check out the leaf on Lisette's nectarine tree. She also planted an apple and tangerine tree and is on her way to having an orchard of her own.

Seems like her cat Willy has a garden of his own too. On the right, Cat Treats, Gourmet "Mixed Greens." Thanks for sharing your progress Lisette!

Welcome A New Member

2009-02-09T17:02:00.000-08:00

I would like to welcome Adriana to the Chalkboard. She has been a big part of the co-op but now she will be helping me to maintain this blog. She hosted our monthly food swap last week. I heard it went well, sorry to have missed it.

Your crops should be planned and ready for planting season. Or if you are like me you are still trying to figure out what you are going to try this year. Either way I hope we have a great 2009 with the Chalkboard co-op, keep up the great work.

Happy growing!

Available For Trade:

2009-01-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

Lemons (SM)
Italian Parsley (SM)

January Food Swap

2008-12-31T08:44:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year to all my Wrigley Farmers!

I hope you all have been having a wonderful holiday season. The weather has been perfect for all our root vegetables. Hopefully you have all had a nice winter harvest.

Few things to mention. We have still been having activity on the Chalkboard. Please remember, food exchanges can happen at any time, not just the first Monday of the month. We have had postings for citrus. That would be so refreshing right about now.

And speaking of the food swap I need your help. This is what will make this truly a co-op. I have been unable to make the meetings and I'm sorry to say that its not looking good for the new year. If anyone is willing to set up the table before the Wrigley Association meetings, your help would be appreciated. If you are interested let me know.

The set up is very simple and you do not have to "attend" the table. It runs itself. Let me know and i'll explain the basics to you.

Thanks for your interest in this program and if you are available to help with our table that would be great. Next swap is this monday the 5th.

Have a great New Year!

Fresh Crop

2008-12-26T10:08:00.001-08:00

Picture of Adriana's harvest:
12/5/08

Winter Is Here

2008-12-17T08:51:00.000-08:00

All the rain we have been getting will certainly help our crops. Can't wait to see what everyone is growing. If you have a successful crop please send pictures I would love to post them for you.

Available For Trade:

2008-12-10T21:14:00.000-08:00

Tangerine's (FC)
Limes (GM)

As always, please email me if you are interested. You do not have to have anything to trade. We take I.O.U.'s and pink slips. :)

email:

chalkboardcoop@mac.com

Available For Trade:

2008-12-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

Fresh oranges and lemons (LB)

Orange Marmalade anyone? Makes a great Christmas present! :)

Farmers Market

2008-11-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

This is great news...Its not Wrigley but its really close. The East Village is a great neighborhood.

Link to full article.

Saturday, November 15 - CERTIFIED Farmer’s Market DEBUTS in East Village
Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting to be held Saturday, November 15, 2008

Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal, the Downtown Long Beach Associate (DLBA), and the Department of Development Services are proud to announce their partnership with Raw Inspiration to host a new weekly event – the East Village Certified Farmer’s Market.

The concept of the East Village farmers market is a cooperative effort between Councilmember Suja Lowenthal, city agencies, community based organizations, and East Village residents in an effort to improve the lives of members of the local community.

"Bringing a farmers market into the East Village will provide a healthy alternative for local residents and bring new life to this neighborhood," said Suja Lowenthal.

The new farmer’s market will be the cornerstone of the East Village’s thriving local-food scene and will be a destination for shoppers who seek out the finest in locally grown food. Shoppers will find a variety of high-quality, fresh, seasonal produce ranging from the familiar to the exotic.

"We’re excited to help bring a new element that will reinforce Downtown’s East Village as a destination and continue to build connections between this area and its surrounding neighborhoods," said Kraig Kojian, DLBA President and Chief Executive Officer.

Poised to become downtown Long Beach’s official ‘weekend city market’, the East Village Farmer’s Market of Downtown Long Beach is a year round certified farmer’s market that will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. located on 1^st Street between Elm and Linden Avenues (the street will be closed to through traffic). The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the market will be held on Sat., Nov. 15, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. Free parking is available at the lot on the northeast corner of Broadway at Elm Ave. courtesy of the Department of Development Services. Shoppers are advised to leave their pets at home as animals are not allowed in the farmer’s market. For more information, please call Jemie Sae Koo, Events Coordinator, Office of Councilmember Suja Lowenthal at (562) 570-6684. To participate as a vendor, please call Raw Inspirations at 818-591-8161.

###

Raw Inspiration's mission is to educate children and adults on the importance of a healthy diet, especially on the importance of eating fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Its objectives are to give schools the means to educate children in the cultivation and harvest of organic fruits and vegetables are always eager and willing to share their knowledge in the gardens into schools program.

The Downtown Long Beach Associates is a non-profit organization operating on behalf of the property owners and tenants of the Business Improvement District. It is dedicated to the management, marketing, security, maintenance, advocacy, and economic and community development of the assessment districts in cooperation with the City of Long Beach and the private sector.

For more information, please go to www.downtownlongbeach.org, www.rawinspiration.org or www.longbeach.gov/district2.

Long Beach 2030 Community Meeting

2008-10-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

We have attended quite a few of these meeting. I hope we can make it to this one.

Long Beach 2030 Community Meeting
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 6:30 p.m.
The Grand Event Center
4101 E. Willow Street, in the Monarch Room

Please join us on Tuesday the 28th for a community meeting to discuss Long Beach 2030, the General Plan update project. This is your opportunity to continue the discussion about the future of City as a whole and about how your neighborhood should evolve.

We will be discussing opportunity areas (the 15 percent of the City's land area where change is being targeted) and placetypes (the neighborhood development patterns that make up the entire City).

For the next few months, the LB2030 Team will be taking this project out to the community. If you represent a neighborhood group or organization and would like a presentation for your group, the LB2030 Team is ready to come to you. Please contact us to make arrangements. Feel free to forward this message. Our goal is to have people from all over the City at the meeting to discuss our collective future. Hope to see you there!

For a flyer with more information about the meeting, click: http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=20588

If you have any questions, please call Steve Gerhardt, Senior Planner at (562) 570-6288, Steve_Gerhardt@LongBeach.gov.

Fall Planting

2008-10-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

What to do in your garden now.

sew beets
carrots
chard and other greens
fava beans
onions
peas
turnips
broccoli
cabbage
cauliflower
lettuce

Food Exchange

2008-10-09T15:53:00.001-07:00

Thanks Candy for the California Native grape seeds. I was wondering what to plant along my fence. Now I know. She brought 2 exchange packets filled with seeds. I am going to use one packet but still have 1 up for grabs.

Tonightʻs Exchange

2008-10-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

Dont forget tonight is the Food Exchange. This week I will have lots of yellow and white iris for trade. I dug them up yesterday. Now is the perfect time to plant.

See you tonight.

Smart Gardening Workshop

2008-09-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

This Saturday in Long Beach the city is hosting a Smart Gardening Workshop. They are selling compost bins at a discounted rate.

Backyard compost bin - subsidized price is $40.00.
Worm compost bin - subsidized price is $65.00 plus 1/2 lb of free worms.
Additional 1/2 lb of worms is $10.00.

Come and join us for a morning of dirt and worms.

Co-op Swap

2008-09-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure who keep bringing the big bucket of limes but thanks, I love them.

Please introduce yourself next swap.

Co-op Swap

2008-09-08T08:06:00.001-07:00

Tonight 6:45. I'll have lots of seed packets for you to take, fill up and bring back.

Have a great day!

September 2008 Wrigley Farmer

2008-08-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

New article in the newsletter. For now I am going to feature a farmer each growing season. This month its my neighbor Rachael, thanks again Rach-

September 2008 Wrigley Newsletter

2008-08-27T12:02:00.001-07:00

Co-op Swap

2008-08-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

Next swap Sept 8th @ 6:45

Produce Request

2008-08-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

Looking for:

zucchini
cucumbers
avocados

Wrigley Farmer

2008-08-20T17:54:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Mia for growing those beautiful tomatoes. Keep up the good work!

Available For Trade:

2008-08-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

Bananas (LW)
Thai Basil (SK)

Gewurztraminer Poached Fruits

2008-08-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

A neighbor gave us a bunch of figs and I made this. Its a big recipe so be prepared to share or perhaps make it when you are expecting company. Its also very sweet so I would pour it over a very simple vanilla ice cream. It is truly delicious.

*I used triple the amount of figs because that is what I had in season. You can substitute any fruit for what is listed below

Gewurztraminer Poached Fruits

1-1/2 cups dry Gewurztraminer white wine
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tsp finely minced lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or substitute 1 tsp vanilla extract)
1 large crisp apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large firm pear, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
6 dried apricot halves, cut in half
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
3 whole dried dark figs cut into quarters
Vanilla ice cream

Instructions
In heavy medium, wide saucepan, combine wine, water, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean (scrape vanilla bean seeds from inside and add to pan - it's the tiny, tasty, black flecks you want). Bring to rolling boil over high heat. Boil 3 minutes.

Add apple, pear, apricots, cherries and figs and return to low boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until fresh fruit is just tender, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes.

If serving right away, heat mixture until warm and serve in large shallow soup bowls with small scoop of ice cream in center.

If making in advance, quickly cool mixture and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made 2 days in advance. Reheat before serving until just warm.)

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Credits
Recipe from: Author unknown

Press Telegram

2008-08-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

We are still getting comments on our article that ran in the Press Telegram.

Please read the article and the comments.

Thanks for all the nice words.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2008-08-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

I used this recipe last night. It was so quick and easy. I used Green Zebra Tomatoes from the garden. I also had a few okra from Adriana that I threw in. All were very very good.

Oven Fried Green Tomatoes

3 large green tomatoes

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (preferably Panko)

1 tsp celery salt

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

Turn on your broiler and place oven rack about 4 inchs away. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Slice tomatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices.
Whisk together flour, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, and spices. Pour into a flat, shallow dish. Whisk together egg and buttermilk in a small bowl.
Dip tomato slices in egg mixture and then dredge in cornmeal mixture. Lay tomato slices onto baking sheet and spray lightly with vegetable oil.
Bake for 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Flip and bake an additional 3-4 minutes, until browned.
Serve immediately with ranch dressing or salsa and sour cream.

Recipe from: http://bakingbites.com/2005/08/imbb-18-not-so-fried-green-tomatoes/

Thanks For Last Night

2008-08-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

Big mahalo to everyone for coming to the exchange last night. We were a great success. Not only do I now know what lemongrass is suppose to look like my tomato bowl has been refilled.

The seed bin had a big dent taken out of it. I hope to see all those fruits and veggies back on the co-op table next season.

There was great participation from all parts of our community. Hopefully our exchange will grow with each growing season.

Thanks again and happy growing.

Exchange Tonight 6:30

2008-08-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

I got wind that there was some confusion with the wording of our food exchange. We have changed food exchange to co-op. Hopefully there will be no more confusing our fresh grown produce with canned goods.

See you all tonight!

Urban Harvest

2008-07-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Please get in touch with Adriana to reserve your plot. The more people we have willing to dig the easier it will be for us to get the spot we want. And trust us when we say the land we have our eye on is totally bitchin'.

August 2008 Wrigley Newsletter

2008-07-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

Available For Trade:

2008-07-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

Black Mission Figs (SK)

Bananas

2008-07-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

I had fresh Wrigley bananas in my cereal this morning. Thanks to Lisa for growing them and thanks to Candy for dropping them off.

They are so good.

Tomato Basil Salad

2008-07-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Rachael for the cherry tomatoes.

Recipe:

all the ripe cherry tomatoes that you can harvest
tons of fresh basil from the garden, different varieties are welcome
handful of ciliegine mozzarella cheese, cut in 1/2
sprinkle of salt
1/4 cup good olive oil

mix and enjoy

Available For Trade:

2008-07-18T10:15:00.001-07:00

Super Chilies (AM)
Okra Seedlings (AM)
Thai Purple Basil (SK)
Lemon Thyme (RC)
Bananas (LW)
Sweet Basil (SK)
Rosemary (SK)
Cherry Tomatoes (RC)

Simply post a comment or email:

chalkboardcoop@mac.com to make the trade.

Thanks for participating!

Available For Trade:

2008-07-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

Okra Seedlings - 2 available (AM)

Swiss Chard Tuna Salad

2008-07-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

This recipe was sent to me by Adriana via Farmgirl Fare , I made it sunday. It is really nice. I used fresh dill and sandwich rolls that we picked up at the farmers market. It was lite and a perfect use of all the swiss chard we seem to be growing in Wrigley. I used the golden chard, to me that is the best to eat raw and the stems are tender and crisp.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (I like white balsamic)
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives (about 10 olives)
2 teaspoons brine from the olives (or more balsamic vinegar)
2 6-ounce cans tuna (oil or water packed), drained
3/4 cups chopped Swiss chard stems
2 to 3 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh parsley, preferably Italian flat leaf
1 cup (or more) chopped scallons
Salt & pepper to taste

Write up in the Press Telegram

2008-07-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

This article was published today in the Press Telegram, thanks a lot everybody.

Food swap is fresh start for Wrigley

Article Launched: 07/13/2008 10:13:31 PM PDT

A garden produce swap previously practiced on Wrigley residents' porches has moved to Veterans Park in Long Beach. The "Wrigley Neighborhood Food Exchange" preceded the July 7 Wrigley Association meeting and will continue the first Monday of every month.
In a scene reminiscent of an old trading post, Wrigley District residents recently swapped food from their gardens at Veterans Park.
The effort aimed at building community spirit, providing relief from high food prices and reducing waste took place before the July 7 Wrigley Association meeting and will continue the first Monday of every month at the park.
About 10 residents, who were informed about the gathering by newsletter and blog, showed up to share fruits, vegetables, herbs and seeds.
Some walked away with fresh oregano and green tomatoes, others chard and parsley.
Though the event was the first official "Wrigley Neighborhood Food Exchange," residents in the 2-square-mile neighborhood bounded by the Los Angeles River, Long Beach Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway and the San Diego (405) Freeway, had been informally sharing harvests of lemon, thyme, pineapple, sage and other edibles for awhile.
"We've done a lot of casual trading, mostly on my porch," said resident Sasha Kanno, who promoted the exchange online. "We just leave them or ride bicycles with the baskets, and we'll just cruise around the neighborhood and drop off and pick up stuff."
One of the attractions of swapping food is knowing from where it came - neighbors.
Sometimes the produce falls from trees on public property, but most of the items are overflow from residents' yards.
"It's mainly to see things not go to waste," said Gavin McKiernan, a member of the Wrigley Association board. "My daughter's growing tomatoes now in the back with my wife ... I love tomatoes, but there's no way we're going to go through them all."
Or, as Kanno put it, "When the produce is ready, you need to go for it" before it spoils.
Internet trading will continue between the monthly gatherings for that reason.
"People just e-mail, `I've got lemons,"' McKiernan said.
Bringing the event to the park was also intended to boost attendance at the Wrigley Association meetings. The group has 260 paying members, making it one of the largest of its kind in the city.
The atmosphere at the swap was described as casual and friendly, not a place for hard-nosed haggling.
"You bring what you got, and if somebody else has what you want, you work it out from there," McKiernan said.
When residents have little or no food to bring, they can take items home as long as they give back in the future.
"It doesn't have to be an even exchange," Kanno said. "You can go on the honor system, and basically I am not keeping score."
The next food exchange will take place at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at Veterans Park, 101 E. 28th St. The Wrigley Association meeting will follow at 7 p.m.
For information, visit chalkboardco-op.blogspot.com.
john.canalis@presstelegram.com

Available For Trade:

2008-07-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

home grown bananas (LW)
okra seelings (AM)

Seed Exchange Packets

2008-07-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

These seed packets are great. Thanks to Adriana and Erica for helping me with them.

Snap Pea Tart

2008-07-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

This recipe was sent to me by High Mowing Seeds. It looks yummy. There are tons of peas available at the market right now, I bet any would be good in this.

This tart goes together in no time and is delicious both hot and cold, especially served with a wedge of cornbread and a hearty salad of nuts and roasted vegetables. The ricotta really highlights the fresh flavor of the snap peas. If you don't have shallots on hand, chopped onions or scallions will work.

2 cups sugar snap peas, plus extra for garnish, if desired
1 clove garlic
1 1/4 cups Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
Pie crust

Preheat oven to 425F. Put snap peas and garlic in food processor or blender, and process until finely chopped. Add Ricotta, Parmesan cheese, shallots, salt, pepper and nutmeg, and process until just combined. Add eggs, and process until smooth. Pour mixture into crust. Bake 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F, and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until filling has puffed up and set and crust is golden brown. Garnish with steamed sugar snap peas, if desired.

Mahalo

2008-07-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to everyone who participated in the first "official" food swap. I think we were a huge success. Our table was rockin' and we had a great assortment of veggies up for grab.

Thanks to Adriana and her hod, Dave and Carol for the mint, Rachael for the chard, parsley and yummy tomatoes. Also thanks to Annie who brought a huge the bowl of golden tomatoes and a bunch of oregano that I have drying in my kitchen.

See you all again on August 4th.

July 2008 Wrigley Newsletter

2008-07-02T11:56:00.001-07:00

Available For Trade:

2008-06-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

Grape Tomatoes (RC)
Lemon Thyme (RC)
Sage (RC)
Pineapple Sage (RC)
Oregano (RC)

June 2008 Wrigley Newsletter

2008-06-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

Good Tomato Bad Tomato

2008-06-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Rachael for the first batch of fresh Tomato's. Looks like we don't have to worry about this.

Available For Trade:

2008-06-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Lemons (SM)
Rosemary (SM)
Golden Swiss Chard (SK)

Seeds: Available For Trade

2008-05-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

All seeds are certified organic, heirloom, or a hybrid. (AM)

A
Arugula Mediterranean, Rocket Salad, Roquette Certified Organic

B
Basil-Genovese Certified Organic
Basil-Sweet Certified Organic
Bean Pole (Snap)-Kentucky Wonder
Bean Pole-Romano
Bok Choy Tatsoi, Rosette
Bok Choy, White Stem
Broccoli Certified Organic

C
Cauliflower-Purple of Sicily Heirloom
Cantaloupe-Hearts of Gold Certified Organic
Carrots-Scarlet (Nantes type) Certified Organic
Celery-Tendercrisp Heirloom
Chives Certified Organic
Cilantro Certified Organic
Collards, Georgia Southern
Corn Sweet (Suse)-Argent (White)
Corn-Sugar Dots Hybrid
Cucumber-Armenian Burpless
Cucumber-Straight Eight Certified Organic

E
Edamame Green Soy Bean, Butterbean
Eggplant, Black Beauty Certified Organic

L
Lavender
Lettuce Looseleaf Heatwave
Lettuce-Paris Island Cos (Romaine)
Lettuce-Rocky Top Lettuce Salad Heirloom

M
Mustard Greens, Southern Giant Curled

O
Okra-Clemson Spineless Certified Organic
Onion-Flat of Italy Heirloom
Onion-Bianca di Maggio Heirloom
Onion-Evergreen Bunching Certified Organic
Oregano Certified Organic

P
Peppermint
Peppers-Anaheim Heirloom
Peppers-Serrano Tampequino Heirloom
Peppers-Bajio Heirloom

R
Radish-Cherry Belle Certified Organic
Radish-Icicle

S
Squash-Black Beauty Zucchini Certified Organic
Snow Peas
Spearmint
Spinach Early Prolific Hybrid
Summer Squash Sunny Delight Hybrid

T
Tomato-Beefsteak Certified Organic
Tomato-Brandywine Certified Organic
Tomato (Pole)-Cherokee Purple Certified Organic
Tomato-Green Zebra Certified Organic
Tomato (Bush)-Italian Roma Heirloom
Tomato (Pole)-San Marzano Certified Organic
Tomato (Bush)-Silvery Fir Tree Certified Organic
Tomato (Pole)-Speckled Roman Certified Organic
Tomato (Cherry)-Sun Gold
Tomato-Sweetie Certified Organic
Tomatillo Verde Heirloom

W
Watermelon-Moon & Stars Certified Organic

Let's Trade Seeds

2008-05-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce something new to trade.

Seeds! Its a great way to get those crops growing. You can trade your seeds or simply take what's available. Don't forget to grow enough to share in the exchange.

Bell Pepper (RC)
Eggplant
Basil
Purple Basil
Chives
Beets
Red Chard
Spinach
NM red chili (the good shit, not from Anaheim!)

Available For Trade:

2008-05-13T07:13:00.000-07:00

Golden Swiss Chard (SK)

May 2008 Wrigley Newsletter

2008-05-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

Available For Trade:

2008-04-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

Avocados (LW)

Nice Job

2008-04-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

Just a quick thanks to everyone. We made a lot of good trades today. We traded lemons for salad greens and I owed a bag of mustard greens from a trade a few weeks ago.

Sounds like everyone has gotten the taste of the co-op. I love hearing what everyone is growing. From the sound of it we will be trading watermelon for squash by the end of summer.

Nice job everyone, keep it up.

And as always, Happy Growing!

4.14.08

2008-04-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Available for trade:

Mustard Greens (SK)
Lemons (GM)
Sage (CM)
Limes (DC)

Grilled Artichoke

2008-04-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

Grilled Artichokes

Co-op produce used: fresh artichokes

Notes: Garnish with more chopped fresh dill.

6 artichokes (each 3 1/2 in. wide)
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Slice artichoke tops off crosswise to remove tips; discard. Pull small leaves from artichokes. With scissors, cut off and discard thorny tips from remaining outer leaves. With a knife, trim fibrous exterior from bottoms and stems.

2. Half-fill an 8- to 10-quart pan with water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add artichokes, cover, and simmer until bottoms pierce easily, about 20 minutes.

3. Drain artichokes and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut each one in half lengthwise and scrape out and discard fuzzy center.

4. In a large bowl, combine vinegar, 1/4 cup water, dill, soy, ginger, garlic, and oil. Spoon half of the vinegar sauce into a small bowl.

5. Roll artichokes in large bowl of sauce.

6. Lift artichokes from bowl, draining, then lay them, cut side down, on a barbecue grill over a solid bed of medium coals or a gas grill on medium (you can hold your hand at grill level only 4 to 5 seconds); close lid on gas grill.

7. As artichokes cook, baste every few minutes with sauce from large bowl. Grill until lightly browned on bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn artichokes over and spoon remaining basting sauce into them. Grill until leaf tips are lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes more.

8. Arrange artichokes on a platter. Break off leaves and cut up bottoms to dunk into the small bowl of sauce.

Available For Trade:

2008-03-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

Mixed Salad Greens (SK)
Mexican Limes (DC)
Lemons (GM)

Fresh Berry Cobbler

2008-03-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

Co-op produce used: Lemon Zest

Ingredients

1 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 cups fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal mix
1/3 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup milk
Preparation
1. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch in a small bowl. Combine berries, cornstarch mixture, and lemon rind in a large bowl until well blended; spoon berry mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish.

2. Combine flour, cornmeal mix, and remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in butter and milk until blended. Gently spread batter evenly over berry mixture.

3. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of topping comes out clean. Serve warm.

Many Thanks

2008-03-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take a minute and say thanks to everyone for your participation. The Food Exchange has been a total success.

We are looking forward to seeing what the upcoming growing months have in store. Hopefully all of you have thrown out some seeds or picked up some starter plants. Now is the perfect time to get your crop in the ground (or box).

If you have any suggestions for our "official swap" on May 11th let's hear it.

Again, thanks and it wouldn't be a Co-Op without you. It would just be a Chalkboard.

-Sasha

Available For Trade:

2008-03-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

Limes (DC)
Lemons (GM)
Sage (CM)

Available For Trade:

2008-03-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

Lemons (GM)
Mexican Limes (DC)
Flat Leaf Parsley (SK)
Curled Leaf Parsley (SK)
Sage (CM)

Available For Trade:

2008-03-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

Flat Leaf Parsley (SK)
Limes (AM)
Green Onion (SK)
Mexican Limes (DC)
Sage (CM)

Available For Trade:

2008-03-05T16:38:00.001-08:00

Limes (AM)

March 2008 Wrigley Newsletter

2008-03-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

3.3.08

2008-03-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

Available for trade:

Flat Leaf Parsley (SK)
Curled Leaf Parsley (SK)
Thai Basil- Purple Leaf (SK)
White Sage (CM)
Chives (SK)
Mixed Salad Greens (SK)
Avocados (SK)

2.29.08

2008-02-29T10:16:00.000-08:00

Happy leap year!

Available for trade:

Collard Greens (SK)
Lemons (GM)
Mexican Limes (DC)

2.21.08

2008-02-21T07:03:00.000-08:00

Available for trade:

Lemons (GM)
Limes (GM)

2.20.08

2008-02-20T17:18:00.000-08:00

Available for trade:

Thai Basil
Collard Greens
Mixed Salad Greens
Parsley (flat and curled)

WELCOME

2008-02-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

Aloha everyone! Welcome to the Wrigley Neighborhood Food Exchange. I like to call it the Co-Op. I have started this forum for us to have an easier time swapping the goods.

Please email me privately for your items to be posted. I will try and keep it as simple as possible to make the exchange. So far so good.

Our first 2 exchanges happened last weekend. I passed along herbs and received avocados and some nice little Mexican limes.

I will update this as often as I receive info from you guys. I don't want your hard earned picking going to waste.

Again, thanks for your participation and I can't wait to eat your food!