06-17-11 Honor Thy Father’s Day
In this issue:
- June in the Garden
- Pesticide-laden Apples in the News
- Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes
- Gardenerd Product of the Month: BBQ Apron
1. June in the Garden
Father’s Day is Sunday, June 19 this year. While many people may have memories of their father growing food in the garden, my father was always building something in the garage. Over the years we’ve shared ideas over a spinning table saw together building a storage unit that cleverly disguised the cat box, or cutting the pieces for the Solar Food Dryer I built last year. Father’s Day is a chance to reflect and be thankful for those moments of connection with the dads in our lives. So let me take this time to tip my protective eyewear in honor of Dad.
As kids, we always marveled at how Dad could eat corn off the cob, leaving the finished cob with perfectly square sides. We’ll be celebrating Father’s Day with sweet corn grown in our test garden this year. We’ll also be bringing plenty of zucchini and patty pan squash. We harvested our garlic and the shallots will be coming out soon. We also dug out a few new potatoes – it’s just too hard to wait for the plants to die back. Meanwhile, we’ve sprouted some melons and beneficial flowers to replace the things that are coming out.
Summer begins on Tuesday, and I’ve heard from gardeners around the country who are already experiencing the heat. I wish you all a wonderful summer season and of course…
Happy Gardening,
Christy
2. Pesticide-laden Apples in the News
Here’s one more reason to grow (and buy) organic: Environmental Working Group recently announced that data collected from the USDA showed pesticides on 98% of the apples tested by the USDA. Of course the apple industry was quick to respond by saying that most of the levels detected were well below acceptable levels.
Still, if you don’t want to take any chances, plant a few apple trees this year in your garden. To find varieties suitable for your climate, visit Cloudnet.com for listings by state.
In winter, you can order bare-root apple trees from Peaceful Valley Farms to save money and have a great selection.
And don’t take my word for it, read the article in the LA Times about apples and pesticides for yourself, and download the Pesticide Action Network’s app to know What’s On My Food.
3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes
Yes, you too can make restaurant quality bread in just 5 minutes a day. It’s not a Ginsu knife commercial, it’s Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois’s book
Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day
Don’t believe us? Check out the latest Gardenerd Blog to see how we did it
Look Ma – Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes!
4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – Gardenerd BBQ Apron
Dad’s day wouldn’t be the same without some barbecuing, and Gardenerd will help him stay sauce-free as he’s working his magic at the grill. The Gardenerd BBQ Apron is available in 3 colors and as always, let’s you know what’s growin’ on..
Stay tuned for more tips and tidbits from Gardenerd.com. Happy summer gardening!
