Urban Harvest

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

Available For Trade:

Black Mission Figs (SK)

Bananas

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

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:

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:

Okra Seedlings - 2 available (AM)

Swiss Chard Tuna Salad

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

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:

home grown bananas (LW)
okra seelings (AM)

Seed Exchange Packets

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

Snap Pea Tart

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

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