I am going to post my old greenfolks garden notes reprinted from the Riverwest Currents.....

GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) January 2009
In November I wrote about the importance of our elected officials supporting the growing food independence movement. I have since learned of a wonderful grass roots movement that is focusing on encouraging just this by asking our future president to put a food garden on the White House lawn. Late this past summer the Who (White House Organic) farm bus stopped in riverwest as they traveled around the country with a mission to spread the word about encouraging our future president to grow food on our national lawn. Currently our tax dollars currently pay for 13 workers to care for the White House lawn and gardens and no food is grown on it. We also pay for the food served at the White House! The gardens proposed could grow produce for the White House and guests, as well as provide extra for local food pantries. What an amazing way to spend money wisely as you inspire and lead by example! It turns out a garden like this wouldn't be the first. Eleanor Roosevelt started one in the 1940's to encourage people to support the war effort. It has been noted that not only was up to 40% of our produce grown in home gardens for a time, but also the activity was a moral booster. Gardening feels good and allows people to actively contribute and care for themselves in troubled times. Urban Gardening is good for the health of out plant because it doesn't create green house gases, shipping food does. Eat the View, another great organization pushing the White House garden, says "On average food travels 1,500 miles from field to fork in the US" and "One half of the greenhouse gas emissions we create come from food and Agriculture." Eat the View also has an inspiring video/photo montage (I have never cried at a picture of a tomato before.) Check out these websites; eattheview.org & thewhofarm.org. Sign their petitions, spread the word and then get ready to be a role model yourself and plant a garden of next spring! Contact the greenfolks at greenfolksgarden@gmail.com or call 372-3824.

GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Nov 2008
A new president, financial crises and gardening, what do they have in common? Our need to look to the future both with optimism and realism. The financial crises has reminded us how our interconnectedness can lead to vulnerability and sudden changes. The future is unknowable. What is knowable is that we will all need to eat and sustain ourselves. Leadership needs to help us prepare not just for the present but different possible futures. In some ways our cities have become islands of humanity dependent on a complex agricultural and shipping systems which are totally dependent on cheap oil. This dependency means we are at the mercy of oil availability and prices.
Cuba, a real island, in an interesting example of what can happen. In 1989 Cuba started experiencing a food shortage caused by the combination of trade embargo's and the collapse of the Soviet block. With a sudden reduction in access to both oil for distribution and refrigeration as well as a shortage of imported food there was a real crises. One of the ways that the Cuban people got important nutrients was threw urban gardens. Many of these gardens were organized by the government. Fresh nutritious produce is expensive to ship and refrigerate but can be grown and harvested in small urban plots rather efficiently. Currently 5% of Cuban urban food needs are met by urban gardens and it is predicted that it may go up to 20% in the future. (for info on this I went to cityfarmer.org)
Obviously the U.S. is a very different country than Cuba in many ways and we are not currently facing a food crises but we can learn form Cuba's experience. Urban gardens are an important way we can support our oil independence and food security. We could have campaigns, such as the victory gardens of WWI & II. Instead of victory gardens, I suggest we name them "Independence Gardens" The urban gardening movement is already well underway but political leadership from the national to the local level will help to inspire, priorities and organize these efforts. Gardening is part of reclaiming our power and individual responsibility for caring for ourselves. I am hopeful that the new leaders and representatives that are elected this Nov. 4th will recognize the wonderful importance of urban gardens and farms and join in supporting the movement. And of course if you aren't gardening yet you can join in the movement too! Plan a garden in your yard next year or join the a community garden for more information try www.milwaukeeurbangardens.org, contact the greenfolks at greenfolksgarden@gmail.com or call 372-3824 .


GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Aug 2008
The Green Folks Garden currently has only one milkweed plant growing but it is well watched and cared for as milkweed is the host plant for monarchs butterflies. My family has a nice stand of milkweed next to our house from which my son picked some leaves that had the tiny butterfly eggs on them. We have been enjoying watching the caterpillars grow and change into chrysalises. As a woman who has given birth to two children I have a new respect for monarchs. Watching the caterpillar (or larva stage) change into a chrysalis is like watching a creature give birth with its whole body. First after fattening up from about the size of a grain of sand to a fat two inches caterpillar in about 11 days they got nice an sleepy and hung upside down for half a day or so. Then they started to move again, wiggly and writhing until their skin burst open and there was the bright green chrysalis, smaller than I had imagined but beautiful. At first there is a shadow image of the caterpillar still in the shape of the chrysalis but as that fades two perfect bracelets of tiny gold dots appear, one tightly spaced and the other widely spaced. Seeing these gold leaf decorations on the egg like forms does make one wonder if there is some great hand out there that designed and painted them. If you don't already have milk weed in your life I highly recommend planting some. You can plant them from seeds of plants already in the neighborhood or they can be ordered for free from this website: http://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds.htm If you don't have a yard, come by the GFG and check out our milk weed to see if it has any butterflies growing on it!


GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) July 2008

"In memory of Walter Kmet, a proud riverwest resident since 1962 whose passion for gardening brought him much joy. His hope would be that this garden also bring you joy." These are the words on a memorial stone that has been added to the greenfolks garden. In Walter's honor his son Ken Kmet, of KWK Electric, donated a generous contribution for purchasing the plots last year. Already Walter's hope and spirt have come true for me and my family as the joy the garden has brought us is immeasurable. I am sure I speak for many in the community when I say Thank you Walter and Ken.

And now on to more serious matters, I am going to admit here in this public forum that I break the law and trespass on other peoples property.....to weed. And worse yet, bad mother that I am, I have taught my son to do this also. Our enemy is garlic mustard and when we are walking across riverwest we and we see a yard with just a plant or two we run up and yank them out with or without permission. Once established garlic mustard is established it is almost impossible to get rid of without extreme effort. Weed seeds do not understand boundaries. Even if my neighbor doesn't care about their weeds, I may care about their seeds as they blow and drop into my yard. Sometimes we ring doorbells of yards that look cared for and have told a number of people who were glad to know what a nasty, invasive weed they had. More than one new gardener had been letting it grow as they didn't know what it was and thought it's green leaves were attractive or that it might be a nice perennial. However we don't always take the time to ring bells,and for this we apologize. We are obsessed and despise the future we imagine of garlic mustard around every bush and tree and beside all the houses except for the few homes where gardeners spray poisons or are fanatical weeders. Three years ago at the Green Folks Garden we had a number of garlic mustard plants show up near the back of our plot. I walked around our neighbors fence and sure enough there were quite a few plants. The neighboring plot is owned by an absentee land lord who had been supportive of the garden so I felt very comfortable stepping among the forgotten day-lilies and pulling the dreaded pest of a plant. I got to it before they went to seed and have been very diligent weeding up any stragglers for the last few years and this year I only found two plants in our whole plot, and none in the neighbors. That experience started my illicit weeding habit. Garlic mustard is spreading through Riverwest and Milwaukee, and there may come a day when we look back fondly on weedy yards of dandelions, plantains, violets and creeping charley but until then it would be great to have more people join the fight, If you don't have a yard and think weeding up such a fun foe might be something you enjoy the river trails are full of it and a battle is currently being waged by many volunteers and nature lovers. If you have kids get them involved as fighting this weed is a great way to channel their natural destructive urges! Every child I have ever taught to recognize this plant has continued weeding it with glee.
Although garlic mustard is fun to hate I also have come to have an odd affinity for it since I heard someone call humans the the mammalian weed. Garlic mustard and people have a lot in common. Like us, garlic mustard spreads wherever it can and takes over, ruthlessly pushing out almost all other species. So I will hate it and I will forgive it as I hope others will forgive me, for being an invasive weeding neighbor. for more info. feel free to contact me or join the Urban Ecology Centers "burdock brigade", there is also plenty of information on line.
As of print there is still room in our July kids activities in the garden: yogakids and story time. contact me Sarahworks@wi.rr.com or call 975-2521

GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) June 2008
With gas prices rising the cost of shipping a lemon is starting to be seen at the store. A lemon is really pricey if you are looking at an organic one. But I have a solution, (at least for the spring and summer.) Lemon Sorrel, one of the two herbs I have already enjoyed from my garden this year. Lemon Sorrel is a perennial, so it comes back every year, and grows extremely well and care free in my somewhat shady home garden. It may not be exactly like a lemon but it sure is close and definitely satisfies my need for tang. If you use it as a garnish on hot food it does sometimes turn a rather unattractive army green color, but the taste is worth it. The other perennial herb I have used already this year is Anise Hyssop. What I have been using is some of the volunteer seedling I have been weeding up, however the main plant that I have left is growing quickly and I think in just a week or two I will be pinching from it also for its sweet licorice flavor. The flavor works wonderfully with basil so soon I am will be running over to Kellners Green House to get a few plants to go with it, (along with an egg plant and a few tomatoes, some cucumbers... oh thank you last frost date May 15th! ) I purchased the Lemon sorrel from Kellners also but ordered the Anise Hyssops from Fedco seeds, if you ask me in the fall I will have seeds of my own to offer, but I have never saved them as they reseed themselves so willingly.
Next month I plan on ranting about Garlic Mustard, the invasive weed that is the most fun to hate, but now is the time to be weeding it out so if you don't know what it looks like check out http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/invasives/fact/garlic.htm or go the urban ecology center or ask a friend if they know what it looks like because it is marching our neighborhoods and none of us want it in our yards! (I am also willing to meet and show anyone who is interested!)
If you are looking for summer activities for kids the Green Folks Garden is offering two great series: Yoga kids in the garden will be offered July 1st for 6 tuesdays in a row from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Children's storytelling in the garden is being offered Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. June 18th threw July 23rd. If you want to be part of our yoga support group in the garden, a more informal gathering, we are planning on having it on wednesday mornings once things have really warmed up (mid June?) For any info on any of the above or to sign up for the children's activities contact 975-2521 or email Sarahworks@wi.rr.com

GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) May 2008
Earth Day clean up and work day In the garden was amazing! We had 21 volunteers show up. Our strawberry patch had crept and then walked and finally run over the paths until it was more than double in size so some radical gardening was in order. A lot of Strawberry plants were dug up and transplanted in a new patch but there are still a bunch in pots and flats in the back of the garden so if you want any come help yourself! All of our paths were edged, news papers were laid down and covered with wood chips from a generous piles the city had delivered on friday morning (just in time!) My son Andre had a great time helping and as he was shaking dirt from clumps of sod, he collected a hand full of chicory roots which he presented to me proudly. He had over heard a conversation that some of the other gardeners were having about how you could make a coffee substitute with them. Maybe we will save some dandelion roots as we garden the rest of to roasting with them. I will report back later in the season on how we like it! However I know I like dandelion wine and since I didn't make any last year I am definitely looking forward to making some this spring.
Most of the dandelion wine recipes I found seemed fussy or called for special wine yeast or other ingredients that I don't normally have around the house. So I adapted my own and found that wine is easy to make, (if you aren't very picky) However I I do rely on a lot of sugar. In my experience Milwaukee wants to be a forest, and sugar and yeast want to be wine. I am including my loose recipe so you can see how easy it can be. If you interested in doing it "right" there are tons of recipes online. I use around 6 cups of sugar, a colander of washed dandelion buds and flowers, juice from a lemon or orange or two, and a gallon of water. After you boil it all together for a while strain out the dandelions threw a piece of clean cotton cloth then put a teaspoon of yeast in it and let it ferment for 3 to 5 days. (In an enamel or non metal pot) Stirring is recommended but I often forget. Then put it in old wine bottles loosely corked (so the bottles don't explode) for at least a few weeks. Later on in the year you can siphon it into new bottles to leave the sediment behind. I have yet to do this, I just have wine with a little muck in the bottom of the bottle. The best part of making dandelion wine is having a reason to sit around a park for a hour of so just picking flowers, so have fun with it. If you don't like to drink it it makes a nice cooking wine.

GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Feb 2008
We are still enjoying food from the garden. My mother brought me a beautiful blue hubard sqaush that she had grown. It was not in a very cool place in our kitchen so this week a spot on it was starting to go bad and I had to bake it up quickly. It made a wonderful sweet soft moosh. I had been planning on freezing it in portions, to use in muffins, but before I got around to it I used it up. I put it in our morning hot cereal, in pancakes, heated it with apple chunks to serve with bratwerst, and added it to baked veggies and chicken. I never loved winter squash as child but now I love it!!!
In past years I have written in January and Febuary about looking at seed catalogs and day dreaming about spring, gardens and yards. Midwinter is a wonderful time to dream, but now I beleive we must dream beyond our own yards and plots to our neighborhood and city. As gas prices go up so will the cost of bringing fresh food into our city and our need to be more sustainable. I am already planning what Milwaukee and riverwest will look like in 10 years. We will make our city beautiful, people friendly, green and yummy. Our parks will be full of edible landscapes ranging from maple, apple and paw paw trees. There will be berry patches next to play grounds for children to pick as their june afternoon snacks. I also dream of neighborhood veggie farms where neighbors garden together splitting the harvest into shares. In my dream neighbors also encouraging each other to plant more fruit trees and garden their own yards. We are very lucky this year, the perfect event to share dreams and learn more about how to make them realities is happening in Milwaukee at the end of the month (see.... Urban ag...Pollinating Our Future......) The more of us go the closer we will be to making our dreams and plans real and our future healthy. Greenfolks Grarden meetings this month: Thursday the 7th and Monday the 18th (601 E Wright) @ 7:30 For more information call 975-2521 or email greenfolksgarden@gmail.com


GREEN FOLKS GARDEN NOTES (from riverwest Currents) Jan 2008

feed those kido’s their veggies in 2008!

It is mid december as I write this and for dinner last week we had greens from our garden that I picked two weeks ago. First that would be thanks to a warm fall, second to hearty kale and collards and third but not least thanks to green bags. If you don't know about them they are worth checking out. I got mine in the produce section of the Out Post Co-op. I don't remember the technical side of how they work, but they just look like green plastic bags. Your food stays fresh in them at least twice as long as with out them. Once I discovered them I stopped worrying about finishing all my produce before I left for vacation. I just made sure it was all in the green bags. Some of it wasn’t as good as truly fresh but still at least edible, which is nice to have when you arrive home after traveling with a family and don’t feel like running strait to the store.
So on the note of fresh produce, I am going to get a bit preachy here. Please forgive me.
My kids eat their veggies and I don’t think they are special. It’s nice to have a second one to test things out on. Both my babies loved plain yogurt, cooked broccoli and carrots as well as greens from the garden (as long as they are not too bitter) and I think anyone else's could too. What do I consider to be the main reasons? #1 start right and start early and simple. I see no reason to give a baby sweet yogurt when they love plain yogurt. This doesn’t mean babies and children shouldn't get treats, it just means you shouldn’t use a standard set by modern day convenience foods as a way of deciding what a baby thinks a treat is. For my babies fruits, yogurt and cheeses have all been considered great treats. #2 If they don’t like it at first let them try it again, and again and again. Some studies have shown that babies should be exposed to a food between 15 to 20 times before you decide to say they don’t like it. I think this amy be true for every one. When I was 18 I had cilantro for the first time and hated it. Within a year I loved it. Many times a baby seems to be becoming a "picky eater" but really it is just their way of testing their new found independence. If they don’t seem to like it try again later, but don’t just keep adding sugar to help them or your just be adding sugar from now on. #3 So you missed out on starting out “right” with your baby, there are still things you can do with older children. Think fresh. Fresh produce is not only better for you, it taste better. Both Andre and I hate old broccoli but love it when it is fresh. I bet this is why broccoli has such a bad rap as a veggie, too many people have had it old and over cooked. #4 Of course my favorite is grow your own fruits and veggies and/or let them help you cook them. My son loves to eat fresh salad strait from the garden or greens he helped pick sautéed with olive oil and garlic and served with little balsamic vinegar. #5 variety, Its good for everyone and keeps foods special.
I have my 8 year old eat at least a little bit of everything I cook, even if he says he doesn’t like it. But of course there are exceptions. Last month he got the flu after eating a huge bowl of cooked carrots. Needless to say, he doesn’t like cooked carrots any more. I would consider it cruel to make him eat them. Now I just leave a few raw for him. I also have always snuck veggies into our food. You can do amazing things by grating and pureeing veggies. I have put zucchini and pumpkin in our oatmeal, carrots in our chili and kale in pasta sauce! So join the “green folks’ and feed those kido’s their veggies in 2008!