This upcoming Saturday July 9 we are in need of some extra volunteers. If you are in town this weekend consider spending your Saturday morning with us at the garden. We start working at 8am but if that is too early for you please join us later, even an hour of your time spent with us is helpful. We continue to have both Saturday workdays starting at 8am and Wednesday workdays from 4:30pm-6:00pm. We hope to see you out there to enjoy in growing our garden.

There have also been some changes in the upcoming garden schedule. The Youth and Family workdays have been changed to different days so that more people are able to participate. The new Youth workday will be Saturday July 16 and the second Youth workday / Family workday will be Saturday August 6.

The servant center is still in need for “kid-friendly” foods that are safe to prepare when their parents are not home this summer. Things like microwave pasta dishes, peanut butter, and pop-tarts are ideal.

What are your favorite recipes to use fresh seasonal veggies with? I love using fresh summer veggies from our garden and from the piedmont triad farmers market in my meals! Here is a recipe I like to use for red bell peppers. Email me some recipes you like to use with your fresh garden produce and I will post them here for everyone to share.

Black Bean and Mango Salad:

Ingredients:

• 1 15.8 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups mango, diced
• 1 cup sweet red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 seeded Jalapeno pepper, minced or hot sauce to taste

Combine all ingredients, including beans in bowl. Toss and serve.

Tomorrow, Wednesday June 15, the TWF program will have some info and tips on nutrition and healthy eating. There will also be a short skit and activity. Workdays will continue through the summer in the garden on Saturdays now starting at 8:00am to try and beat the heat. Wednesday afternoon workdays will start next Wednesday June 22 from 4:30-6:00pm. Feel free to come for just a portion of either the Wednesday or Saturday workdays. We know everyone is busy but even 30 minutes of time helps to grow our garden further. In July we have some exciting events planned in the garden! Saturday July 9 will be a special garden workday for the youth and Saturday July 30 will be a special workday for families with younger children. Of course everyone is welcome to attend these workdays as well but we hope they will be special days for the youth and families to come together to work the garden. Keep an eye out for sign up sheets at church to volunteer in the garden on these workdays. We need at least 4-5 volunteers on Saturday workdays and 2 on Wednesday workdays. We are encouraging commitment earlier in the week so we can have more productive workdays in the garden. So look at your calendar and make a point to pencil the garden ministry in at least once this summer.

There is so much happening with the garden this summer! We have many upcoming events in the month of June and we hope to see everyone there.

Thursday June 2 5:00pm-8:00pm: Guilford County Cooperative Extension Community Garden Tour

Saturday June 11 9:00am: Garden Blessing

Wednesday June 15 6:00pm: TWF program incorporating the garden and nutrition

We also have work sessions every Saturday morning starting at 9:00am and soon we will have weekday afternoon work sessions as well.

Our Garden Ministry began its third season a few weeks ago, on a morning with blue skies that reminded us that spring is almost here. We’ve expanded the garden this year, so we’ll be working an area approximately half an acre. That first morning, we got the ground ready, and even planted a few rows of spinach, cabbage and lettuce. Now we’re working on a fence to go up around the whole garden to keep the produce safe from deer and other critters. As in the past two years, everything we grow will be shared with volunteers, church members, and the Servant Center food pantry.

Work sessions will increase as the weather gets warmer, but for now, you can find us there most Saturday mornings at 9:00 – our garden is located at 4321 S. Elm-Eugene Street, and we’d love to have you join us.

We’re also looking for an intern to help us with the garden this summer. Click here for more information.