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Posts for January, 2009
Wisconsin's green season has arrived
Welcome home.
If you're a fan of farmers markets, you have a weekly farm produce subscription, you frequent pick-your-own farms, or you tend a backyard vegetable garden, we've designed this page for you.
We hope you'll turn here for news, ideas and stories about the growing eat-local movement. We also hope you'll meet others here who share a passion for fresh food produced close to home. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Chicken alert
If you've ever thought about keeping chickens to farm your own fresh eggs in the city, you won't want to miss this chick flick.
The price is right: It's free.
And the flick, "Mad City Chickens," is guaranteed to entertain, if not make you want to find a chicken to hug. »Read Full Blog Post(8)
Baker breaks ground on Earth Day eve
A gardener's internal clock began ticking Tuesday night, as Dave Boucher prepped a vacant city lot beside his north side bakery for a new community garden on the eve of Earth Day.
The groundbreaking beside Amaranth Bakery and Cafe, 3329 W. Lisbon, was intended to be a community moment -- an official launch of the Walnut Hill neighborhood's fourth community garden, which Boucher is anxious to see planted.
But Mother Nature wasn't helping, as temperatures hovered near 40 degrees and a stiff breeze whipped against Boucher's windbreaker. Neighbors stayed home. So Boucher and John Swingen, a 19-year-old freshman in the urban studies program at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, worked alone, pushing hulking old railroad ties into place to support truckloads of new soil that are to arrive next week for raised vegetable beds. »Read Full Blog Post
Maple syrup producers strike gold
Wisconsin's maple syrup producers are doing the happy dance, thanks to ideal spring weather conditions that coaxed a bumper crop of sweet sap from the trees.
"It's been fantastic," Gretchen Grape, executive director of the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association, said this week. "Everybody we have talked to has just about doubled production."
Many producers, realizing early in the season that it was going to be good, tapped more maple trees than in past years. A large number of novices also tapped trees on their property for the first time, Grape said. »Read Full Blog Post
Michelle Obama digs in
You've probably heard Michelle Obama dug up part of the White House lawn to plant a vegetable garden this spring.
The First Family is joining an estimated 43 million Americans households this year in growing their own fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs -- an increase of 19% in the nation's vegetable gardening ranks, according to the National Gardening Association (NGA).
With the economy in a tailspin, 54% of gardeners in a recent NGA survey said they were gardening to save money on food bills. »Read Full Blog Post(3)
Fit in dirt
We launched this fun new blog on Earth Day to nourish your connection with local food.
But we forgot to tell you how to Dig In! to that veggie and herb garden without hurting your back.
So hold that shovel. Let's talk body mechanics for gardeners, and how you can use your body weight as leverage when digging. »Read Full Blog Post
Yes We Can toast to Earth Day
A national network of chefs committed to sourcing and using local ingredients celebrated Earth Day by sending a letter to President and Mrs. Obama, commending their dedication to sustainable food issues, and encouraging them to use the White House kitchen as an example for the rest of the nation.
The Chefs Collaborative also launched a "Yes We Can Cocktail," which will be served starting Wednesday night at member restaurants throughout the country, celebrating their commitment to the Earth and sustainably produced ingredients.
As a special gift to our loyal Dig In! readers, here's the cocktail recipe. Whip one up after you break ground in your own backyard for a veggie garden. »Read Full Blog Post
Milwaukee's Mr. Earth
Will Allen is itching to turn the soil at his family's 20-acre farm in Oak Creek.
"It's a special kind of smell when you turn the soil over in the spring," said the founder of Growing Power, a north side Milwaukee urban farm. "It's like a rebirth. And I haven't experienced it yet this year."
Instead, Allen is spending Earth Day in San Jose, Calif., at the ninth annual Food and Society Gathering sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Wallace Center at Winrock International. »Read Full Blog Post
Start clucking or tweeting
You can tweet, or you can cluck.
We know you have an opinion. Should backyard chickens be allowed in Milwaukee and surrounding suburbs?
Madison said "yes" to backyard chickens five years ago for the purpose of providing fresh eggs to urbanites. A number of other cities across the country have legalized them, too. All chicken-friendly cities require a permit. The Shorewood Village Board is discussing the issue. Milwaukee's clucking has yet to begin, at least officially. »Read Full Blog Post(5)
South Milwaukee farmers market could be in jeopardy
South Milwaukee may not have a farmers market this summer, according to a story in SouthMIlwaukeeNow, our sister newspaper.
Fred Bauer, organizer of the South Milwaukee Green Market, told the paper his health will keep him from managing the market, and he's struggling to find someone to take on the responsibility.
Anyone interested in taking leadership of the South Milwaukee Green Market should call Bauer at (262) 835-4386. (1)
Rhubarb love
I've been watching my rhubarb push its way out of the ground -- its tender, curled-up leaves cautiously unfurling toward the sun.
I'm rooting for the rhubarb in the same way I'm rooting for all of us to finally push past winter, and feel the warmth of the growing season.
My relationship with rhubarb has grown, too. As a kid, I couldn't imagine anyone would want to eat that sour, stringy plant that my mom plucked from the ground with an "oomph." Rhubarb back then was too weird to be good. »Read Full Blog Post
Dousman is green, too
Here's one more farmers market to add to your summer shopping list.
Dousman Farmers' Market, in the Dousman Ottawa Lions Community Center parking lot (235 N. Main St. in Dousman) opens May 6 and runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Wednesday through Oct. 21.
The market -- like other area farmers markets -- changes with the season. Its cache will start with fresh asparagus and perennial plants and evolve into carrots and strawberries, then pumpkins and gourds. »Read Full Blog Post
Move grass. Grow food
It's a sign. It's a mantra. It's a local Victory Garden movement, seeking more members.
If you live in Shorewood, Bay View, Riverwest or Wauwatosa, you may have noticed a homemade sign in a neighbor's front yard that proclaims: "Move Grass. Grow Food." The signs are sprouting in ground that used to hug grass, but that soon will nurture food as part of the local Victory Garden Initiative to promote sustainability.
"From the moment I started this movement, I envisioned people putting signs up to mark their gardens and spread the word -- truly grassroots and powerful," said Gretchen Mead, leader of the local group. »Read Full Blog Post(3)
Name that veggie
We published this photo in last Wednesday's Food section with a story about farmers markets. And a reader asked: What the heck is that bumpy, green vegetable on the right, which resembles a cucumber?
You may spot other unfamiliar vegetables at farmers markets this summer, some you've never seen before and others you've never bought because you didn't know what to do with them.
Now the mystery can be solved. Just pose your question, along with a photo of the mystery veggie, at our Farmers Market Finds forum to the right on this page. We -- or other Dig In! blog readers -- will give you the answer...and perhaps even a recipe to try it.
The green bumpy vegetable, shown at the Fondy Farmers Market, is a bitter melon, noted Young Kim, executive director of the Fondy Farmers Market and Fondy Food Center. It's popular in China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa and the Carribean.
Another vacant city lot may become a community garden
Two vacant, city-owned lots on Milwaukee's north side may blossom with hot peppers and juicy tomatoes this summer if a resolution before a Common Council committee Tuesday morning moves forward.
The Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee at 9 a.m. will consider a resolution authorizing the sale of two lots -- totalling 5,600 square feet at 2125 and 2133 N. 17th St. -- to Walnut Way Corp. The resident-led community development organization plans to turn the lots into a community garden, which neighborhood residents would tend and harvest..
Walnut Way already has turned several debris-filled vacant lots into productive community gardens and orchards. The group is on the forefront of promoting healthy lifestyles through community gardening, and by challenging fast food restaurants. Walnut Way currently has four community gardens.
The committee meets 9 a.m. in Room 301-B at City Hall. The resolution would require Common Council approval for the sale to go through. Each lot would be sold "as is" for $1, with a deed restriction requiring Common Council approval before it could be sold for development purposes. (1)
Get your garden on. Check out "Growing Seasons"
If you've been meaning to check out the "Growing Seasons" exhibit at the Waukesha County Museum, and also are getting into vegetable gardening mode, here's a two-fer opportunity.
Gardening expert Melinda Myers will give a "How to Plant a Vegetable Garden" lecture Sunday 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum, 101 W. Main St.. in Waukesha. She'll also do a book signing and question-and-answer session. The lecture is to include tips on selecting fruit and vegetable varieties suited to Wisconsin's growing conditions; ideas for creating a kitchen garden and planting containers filled with edible plants; and mixing fruits and vegetables into more traditional plantings. Attendees will also pick up tips about design, planting and care for popular vegetables. Plus, Myers will feature new veggie varieties with ornamental appeal.
While you're at the museum, visit the "Growing Seasons" exhibit, which runs through June 28. The exhibit depicts a farm family's relationship with the seasons at the turn of the 20th-century in northern Illinois. It's based on an award-winning, non-fiction children's book by Elsie Lee Splear about her childhood remembrances, with paintings by Ken Stark. The exhibit includes objects the Lee family used at the time. The museum also is telling the story of changes in agricultural life in turn-of-the-century Waukesha County.
Tickets to the Myers workshop may be purchased in advance through the museum, or at the door, for $10 ($5 for members). The cost includes admission to the museum. (1)
A locavore gala
Even in this economy, fund-raising galas for community causes go on.
Tickets for the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center's Spring Gala on Friday are sold out. But we can live vicariously through the menu, which celebrates locally grown and organic foods. Fifteen area farms provided ingredients to reduce food miles from farm to gala table.
Caterer Shully's Cuisine & Events of Thiensville pulled together a "Nature's Treasures" menu for the $200-a-plate event: »Read Full Blog Post(3)
"The Flavor of Wisconsin"
Check out Food Editor Nancy Stohs' column in Wednesday's paper, and take a few steps back in time to better appreciate the evolution of Wisconsin's food culture.
Stohs writes about the newly revised culinary history, "The Flavor of Wisconsin," by Terese Allen and Harva Hachten, which chronicles Wisconsin foodways from Native Americans to the present.
The book, Stohs writes, provokes "pride in a state that continues to set a high bar for fresh, local food."
You'll find recipes for lutefisk, fry bread, egg rolls, matzo balls, tamales and much more. "The Flavor of Wisconsin" includes information about such local food traditions as fish boils, morel hunting, maple tree tapping and the brandy Old-Fashioned cocktail.
Gardeners for good
Make a difference in the community this summer by growing or collecting fresh produce to help curb hunger.
If you need inspiration, check out Laurel Walker's column in Wednesday's paper about an impressive group of friends from Waukesha County's Lake Country who wanted to tackle hunger in an organized way, and realized the rewards of giving.
The Waukesha County Nutrition Coalition and UW-Extension are seeking community volunteers to collect fresh produce from Waukesha County farmers market vendors willing to donate leftovers. The produce will be divided among organizations that help people, including halfway houses, shelters, meal sites and food pantries. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Storm window magic: Nurturing spinach
Within the next few weeks, while others are still dreaming of tender spinach from their own gardens, Annie Wegner LeFort of Bay View will reach through the window of a wooden contraption in her backyard.
And voila! She will pick her own garden spinach, fresh from the cold frame, to toss into her first homegrown salad of the season. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Don't cluck, don't tell
This story will either encourage you, or make you mad -- depending on how you feel about chickens roosting in urban backyards.
In Wednesday's New York Times, Peter Applebome writes about backyard chickens living under the radar in New Haven, Conn. While the fowl are illegal under New Haven's zoning code, dozens of backyard hens are generally tolerated. The city's informal enforcement program mostly looks the other way. "Call it 'don't cluck, don't tell,' " Applebome writes.
Last week's showing of the humorous "Mad City Chickens" film during the Outpost Natural Foods Film Fest drew a flock of about 300 movie-goers to Lakefront Brewery. It's a documentary about Madison's evolution into a chicken-friendly community. (Check out the film trailer below, and you'll see what we mean when we say it's funny. But keep reading. This blog post isn't finished.) »Read Full Blog Post(3)
Let the gardening begin
The weekend weather forecast calls for perfect gardening weather -- sunshine and warmth to finally start drying the soggy ground. Time to clear any debris left in the garden from last year, and to pull the season's first weeds.
If you'd like to plant a vegetable garden with a larger goal in mind, consider joining the local Victory Garden Initiative. You may have seen a few of the group's homemade signs already in Shorewood, Bay View, Riverwest and Wauwatosa: "Move Grass. Grow Food." The signs are sprouting in ground that soon will nurture food as part of the Victory Garden Initiative to promote sustainability.
You can paint your own Victory Garden sign Saturday between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. during the Green Living Fest at the Mitchell Park Domes. "We will be sign painting all day," said organizer Gretchen Mead. "People are welcome to take signs home to put in their own Victory Gardens that will read: 'This is a grassroots movement. Move grass. Grow food." »Read Full Blog Post
Opening Day at West Allis Farmers Market
The newly remodeled West Allis Farmers Market is making its season debut on a bright, sunny day with weather that could not be more perfect for perusing plants and early edibles.
Check it out if you're looking for a good excuse to get outside, and are anxious to tap the growing season. You have until 6 p.m., when the market closes.
The West Allis Farmers Market, which has been around since 1920, is now open Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The market keeps afternoon hours because several vendors also will sell at other area markets on Saturday mornings, once the season is in full swing. (West Allis Farmers Market also is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 6 p.m., at 1559 S. 65th St., at National Ave.) »Read Full Blog Post
Tomato and herb plants aplenty
You know it's springtime at a Wisconsin farmers market when you can't find a single fresh vegetable to put on the dinner table.
Spring is about planting -- not so much about eating. And opening day at the newly remodeled West Allis Farmers Market on Saturday provided plenty of heirloom tomato and herb seedlings which, given a few months of TLC in the garden, will produce bountiful meals.
Got pancakes? Save on syrup.
If you're a maple syrup purist, you won't drizzle anything but the real thing over your morning pancakes.
But have you checked the price of pure maple syrup lately at the store? You may want to do some comparison shopping, and buy direct from a maple syrup producer at a farmers market.
We caught up with Tom Ollhoff, a fourth-generation maple syrup producer from Wausau, at the West Allis Farmers Market on Saturday. He drove three hours to sell his pure maple syrup from County Line Sugar Bush in fancy glass bottles shaped like violins, maple leaves and log cabins, along with traditional jugs. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Chat at noon with a gardening expert
If you're wondering when you can plant tomato seedlings, whether a certain herb or vegetable will be happy in the shade, or anything else about growing your own food, here's your chance to get your gardening questions answered.
Sharon Morrisey, UW-Extension consumer horticulture agent, will answer gardening questions in her monthly chat at JSOnline Tuesday at noon. She covers all aspects of gardening, not just food. Submit your questions now, and Morrisey will begin answering them at noon, during the live chat.
We'll offer more opportunities for you to ask gardening questions as the growing season progresses. So stay tuned to Dig In!
Menu set for four-course RSA dinner
The menu's set for the next RSA dinner -- that's restaurant-supported agriculture.
Braise RSA, an arm of chef David Swanson's Braise businesses, connects restaurants with state farmers in an effort to get more local ingredients on area menus.
The four-course dinner on May 12 will be at Le Reve Patisserie & Cafe, 7610 Harwood Ave., Wauwatosa, with each course prepared by a chef from an area restaurant. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Will Allen and Growing Power in the national spotlight again
A $400,000 grant announced Wednesday by one of the nation's largest charitable organizations will help a Milwaukee urban farm promote workforce development through the green movement, including jobs in intensive agriculture, renewable energy and environmental education.
Growing Power, led by founder and CEO Will Allen, plans to expand its efforts in Milwaukee and Chicago, where it has a projects office. It also will extend outreach operations to partners in Detroit through the grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, aimed at training workers in vulnerable urban populations. The project has been dubbed "Growing Capacity for the Green Economy."
Allen also won a national award Wednesday that puts him in the company of Michael Pollan, bestselling author of "Omnivore's Dilemma." »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Wisconsin cuts the mustard with a horseradish kick
The Brewers are hot, and so is this mustard.
An Eau Claire company, considered the world's largest grower and processor of horseradish, recently brought home two gold medals from the 2009 Napa Valley World-Wide Mustard Festival and Competition in California.
Horseradish stars in one of Silver Spring Foods Inc.'s gold medal winners, Deli Style Deli Horseradish Mustard, judged best in the deli/brown mustard category. So if you're planning to tailgate this weekend at Miller Park, this mustard is a good bet to fuel your own parking lot sausage races. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
One man's chicken poop is another man's fertilizer
Marketplace, a public radio business news show, Thursday morning aired a fascinating piece about backyard chickens in Philadelphia, which like Milwaukee, has a "chicken underground" of folks who quietly keep egg-laying hens, despite the fact they are illegal.
One line from the Marketplace report pretty much sums up the debate: "One man's chicken poop is another man's fertilizer."
The urban chicken front in the Milwaukee area has been relatively quiet since last month's showing of Mad City Chickens, documenting Madison's transformation into a chicken-friendly city. The discussion is expected to pick up soon in Shorewood, where a 9-year-old girl earlier this year asked the village board if she could keep chickens. A committee of the Shorewood village board is tentatively scheduled to resume its chicken deliberations May 18. If the committee decides to draft a proposed chicken ordinance, public hearings would be held before any vote or formal action. »Read Full Blog Post(3)
Danny Gokey sugar cookies at Grebe's Bakery
The race is on for local businesses to put Danny Gokey's "American Idol" face all over town, as the Milwaukee singer returns for Danny Gokey Day on Friday.
Grebe's Bakery, 5132 W. Lincoln Ave., is selling white buttercream iced sugar cookies with an air-brushed image of Danny Gokey's face for 99 cents. The cookies also will be available at Sentry stores and Speedway. Grebe's Bakery, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., already has some Gokey cookies available in its store. To place an order, call the bakery at (414) 543-7001.
Grebe's offered similar cookies during the presidential election.
On tap: American Craft Beer Week
Have you ever wondered what motivates craft brewers -- the folks who run microbreweries in cities across America?
Next week is American Craft Beer Week. It's a good time to hoist a brew from your favorite local microbrewery, or even from your neighbor, if he or she makes their own beer.
Greg Koch of Stone Brewing Co., in Escondido, Calif., and a few other craft brewers across the country, put together this You Tube video to explain what's in it for them when they make beer:
Local mustard man weighs in on Obama's ketchup-free burger
Conservative commentators are poking fun at President Barack Obama for his choice of mustard when he and Vice President Joe Biden made a stop at a burger joint last week in Virginia.
Obama reportedly asked for "spicy mustard" or" Dijon mustard" -- no ketchup. Right-wing talk show host Laura Ingraham later demanded to know: "What kind of man orders a cheeseburger without ketchup, but Dijon mustard?" She wasn't alone in her condiment condemnation. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Road trip to Sassy Cow Creamery
How often do you get to visit the farm where your milk comes from, meet the cows, and sample dairy products, fresh from the source?
Save the date: May 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and plan to drive about 90 minutes west of Milwaukee.
Sassy Cow Creamery, a family-owned farmstead milk bottling business near Columbus, is celebrating its first anniversary with a free, public event May 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Do Lay's Potato Chips count as "local food"?
It was only a matter of time before corporate food giants branded the "local foods" movement as a marketing tool. Remember when organic foods came from small farms?
Now, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division is positioning Lay's Potato Chips as "local," and shining a spotlight on potato farmers in California, Florida, Maine, Michigan and Texas who grow potatoes used for its chips.
Sustainable food advocates are pushing back, including the group Sustainable Table, which advocates local sustainable food, educates consumers on food-related issues and aims to build community through food. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
A new farmers market for South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee will have a farmers market, afterall.
South Milwaukee NOW, our sister paper, reports that city officials are forming a committee to start a new market somewhere in downtown South Milwaukee.
Recently, organizers of the city's only farmers market, the South Milwaukee Green Market held at Divine Mercy Parish, announced that market might not continue this year, according to the NOW story by reporter Isral DeBruin. »Read Full Blog Post
A morel that's THIS BIG!
Have you loved a morel today? (Keep reading, because we're about to show you one of the biggest morels we've ever seen.)
There's still time to love a morel before the season for these rich, earthy treasures expires. It should be a good foraging weekend in southeastern Wisconsin, with plenty of rain creating mushrooms, and hopefully some warm weather to help them grow. You also will likely find morels at the West Allis Farmers Market, and other farmers markets that have opened for the season. (Check out our interactive map on this page to see whether your favorite market is open, and to find out the market's hours.) Bring plenty of cash if you want to buy morels; you likely will pay at least $20 a pound.
Here's some inspiration from today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Locavore Lay's Potato Chips in Beloit?
Pepsico and Frito-Lay caused a stir earleir this week by branding their Lay's Potato Chips part of the "local foods" movement that promotes food traveling shorter distances from farm to plate -- or from farm to chip bowl, in this case.
Some foodies argue that giant food companies marketing their products as locally produced isn't what the locavore movement is about, even if the companies can point to local potato growers near the plants that make the chips The locavore movement tends to showcase small businesses and farms, much like the original food producers for the organic movement.
Nearly all potato chips sold by Frito-Lay in Wisconsin are produced at a plant in Beloit, according to Richard Pavelski, president of Heartland Farms, Inc., in Hancock. And those chips are made from potatoes grown byHeartland Farms, a family-owned farm. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Growing inspiration for a Saturday
We perused the Dig In! calendar (you can, too, on the right column of this page), and found plenty of local food activities to keep you busy and inspired this weekend.
Here's what's on tap for Saturday:
Rituals of Spring: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 16, at Old World Wisconsin, S103-W37890 Hwy. 67, Eagle. »Read Full Blog Post
They come from all over to Growing Power
I happened to drive past Growing Power this morning, and couldn't help but notice cars with license plates from all over -- including Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Texas -- lining the street in front of the greenhouses that are the heart of the urban farm at 5500 W. Silver Spring Dr.
Founder and CEO Will Allen, a former professional basketball player turned urban farmer, is hosting a workshop this weekend at Growing Power on how to grow community food systems from the ground up. The workshop drew about 200 people from as far away as Boston, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Arizona and Texas.
They were crowded into a white tent mid-Saturday morning, learning about large-scale composting and vermicomposting (using worms to enrich soil). They also were learning about beekeeping, anaerobic digestion (turning food scraps into energy), closed-loop systems to strengthen small farming operations, and aquaponics, (raising tilapia and perch in systems that incorporate plants). »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Backyard chickens defeated in Shorewood
Shorewood — Chickens will not be allowed to roost in backyards here, a committee of the Village Board decided Monday night after residents passionately pleaded both for and against egg-laying hens in the densely populated North Shore community.
"At the end of the day," said Trustee Jeff Hanewall, "we have residents who very much don't want chickens next door. And I do not want to pit neighbors against each other. There are a lot of social issues- .. .. .- You also have to have it highly regulated to keep it safe."
A majority of the board's Judiciary, Personnel & Licensing Committee decided to end the chicken discussion, which started last December when 9-year-old Carenna Weinhardt wrote a letter to village officials, citing several reasons why chickens should be allowed in Shorewood, including that it could be beneficial for residents to produce their own eggs during hard times. »Read Full Blog Post(5)
Backyard chickens on CNN
Think Shorewood was crazy for even considering allowing backyard chickens?
A man in Atlanta who builds chicken coops for urban backyards is doing a booming business, according to this clip from CNN, which also includes an interview with a man known as "The Chicken Whisperer."
A peek inside a local farm's first CSA box
If you bought a share in a local produce farm this year, and are eagerly anticipating the first weekly box of goodies, here's a peek at one farm's spring debut.
If you didn't purchase a share, you may wish you had. And it's not too late.
Tim Huth, of LotFotl (Living off the Fat of the Land) Community Farm, sent an e-mail Monday to the 110 members who so far have bought shares in his farm near East Troy, telling them about the first Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes, which they will pick up this week at pre-arranged locations.
"While the spring has come on slow and choppily, we've managed a pretty good first share of the year," Muth wrote.
In addition to offering a peek at this week's share (keep reading), Huth gave members a preview of next week's share: "Next week, expect to find spinach, arugula, asparagus, lettuce, and maybe, just maybe radishes appearing with some assortment of what's available in this week's share."
Here's what Huth told his members to expect in their first CSA boxes this week:
Asparagus: "Expect lots this spring."
Baby bok choy »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Feathers ruffled in Provo, Utah, but chickens are coming to town
Cities across the country are grappling with whether to allow egg-laying hens in backyards, as more residents take up the banner of self-reliance and seek to produce their own food.
A committee of the Shorewood Village Board earlier this week scratched an effort by a group of residents to seek legalization of hens for egg-laying purposes. The decision to end chicken discussions in committee -- rather than taking the issue to the full board -- came down to keeping the peace among neighbors in a densely populated community, according to board members.
Provo, Utah debated egg-laying hens this week, too. That city's mayor had vetoed an ordinance the city council passed, allowing chickens. Then on Tuesday, the Provo City Council passed, by a 6-1 vote, a revised ordinance that dealt with most of the mayor's objections, according to the Urban Chickens blog, which covers the urban chicken scene across the country (and links to our blog posting about the Shorewood decision earlier this week). (1)
Remember the root beer college fund?
Last Memorial Day, we brought you the story of two enterprising Milwaukee girls and their dad, who were raising money for college tuition by making their own vanilla root beer.
One year later, Haley, 11, and Anabelle, 6, are still making root beer with their dad, Dave Jurena, chef and co-owner of The Soup Market (two locations in Milwaukee, one in Hales Corners).
Since they started making the soft drink, and selling it for $2 a bottle ($25 for a case of 24), the family has sold 184 cases, or 8,525 bottles. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Burgers and Brew on tap this weekend
Several Madison-area chefs are going crazy with burger creations for a Saturday fund-raiser in Middleton that pairs local beer with local burgers -- burgers made with locally produced meats, vegetables and cheeses.
Tickets are nearly sold out for Burgers and Brew: The Taste is Local, so act quickly if you're interested. Cost is $25, and you get three mini-meals, including a burger and a short pour of beer from three vendors of your choice.
The event, which benefits REAP Food Group, is slated for 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Capital Brewery Bier Garten, 7734 Terrace Ave., in Middleton. »Read Full Blog Post
Meet The Hungry Gardener
We're adding a new voice to the Dig In! blog to answer your food gardening questions.
Meet Nicole Jain Capizzi, who teaches small-scale urban food production through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee County Cooperative Extension.
Nicole joins the Dig In! team as a volunteer contributor. She will be known as "The Hungry Gardener" and she will answer readers' questions about growing fruits and vegetables on the blog roughly twice a week throughout the growing season. (Look for the first posting at 5 p.m. Tuesday.) »Read Full Blog Post
"Fresh" celebrates Growing Power on film
Milwaukee's internationally-known urban farmer, Will Allen, has a starring role in a documentary film, screening this week in Washington, D.C., New York City, and at Harvard University.
The documentary, "Fresh," is about people across the country who are reinventing America's food system by focusing on sustainable practices. It begins with the statement: "Cheap food is an illusion."
Allen, CEO and founder of Growing Power at 5500 W. Silver Spring Drive, is among those spotlighted in the film, which had its first East Coast showing Tuesday at The Avalon theatre in Washington, D.C. The second showing is Wednesday at the Cantor Film Center in New York City, followed by a showing Thursday at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
The Hungry Gardener tackles weeds
Q: How can I keep the weeds out of my vegetable beds?
A: Weeding early and often is the key to keeping annual weeds under control in vegetable beds. One method commonly used by organic farmers is called "stale bedding," where beds will be tilled and prepared, but not planted. This tricks the first "crop" of annual weed seeds to germinate, so they can be killed easily with a cultivation tool. This can be done once or twice before planting, if the timing and weather allows.
Home gardeners can use the same method by either "stale bedding" before planting, or just by regularly uprooting small weeds in the open soil around vegetable plants with a hoe or cultivation tool. The added bonus is that these tools also break up the crust that forms on your soil after a hard rain, to maintain good oxygen and water exchange for your soil and plants. Remember, these fast-growing summer annual weeds, such as pig weed or lamb's quarters, will soon be 4 feet tall. So save yourself some time and strain by weeding early and often with your favorite tool.
Ask The Hungry Gardener a question about food gardening by sending an email to Nicole Capizzi, The Hungry Gardener, at email@example.com. She will pick one or two questions to answer for each blog posting at Dig In!, typically on Tuesdays and Fridays. (2)
Extreme cupcake: Ham
A baker's dozen contestants faced off this week in an Iron Cupcake competition at The Irish Pub in Milwaukee's trendy Third Ward.
The flavor theme was spicy -- any spice one could find at The Spice House, which sponsored this month's Iron Cupcake.
So far, the cupcake contest has not posed a meat theme challenge. (Next month's flavor challenge is booze.) »Read Full Blog Post
Garlic mustard: Invasive, but tasty
Some people actually celebrate garlic mustard -- once they have removed the invasive plant from yards, parks and nature centers. The pesky invader even has inspired culinary competitions.
During "Garlic Mustard Day" at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center -- Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to noon -- volunteers will eradicate garlic mustard from the 185-acre stretch of untouched land along the shore of Lake Michigan because it threatens other native plants and trees. (If you want to volunteer to help pull the stuff, be sure to wear pants and close-toed shoes, and bring gloves if you want them. Volunteers ages 10 and up -- 10 to 13 with adult -- are welcome.)
One Schlitz staff member is planning to prepare garlic mustard pesto with crackers to share with volunteers, though the amount will be limited. Volunteers also will be given garlic mustard recipes to go. »Read Full Blog Post(4)
Get down and dirty this weekend
No excuses. If your hands aren't dirty, you haven't been paying attention.
Gardening and plant-buying opportunities abound this weekend, according to the Dig In! events calendar (righthand column of this page), Locavores have an event all their own that offers a bonus road trip to the Madison area. (Tickets may be scarce, so have a plan B if you decide to go.)
As of 1 p.m. Friday, the only tickets available for Burgers and Brew: The Taste is Local in Middleton were first-come-first-served at the event, beginning 4 p.m., Saturday at Capital Brewery Bier Garten, 7734 Terrace Ave., in Middleton. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
The Hungry Gardener talks compost and garlic
Q: How do we mix our vegetable/fruit peels, etc. (that we saved all
winter, ground up in the food processor and froze) into our vegetable
garden? Do we mix it with manure or layer it? How deep do we dig it
in? We live in a senior citizen apartment, and 10 of us each have a small
garden plot. We cannot have a compost pile; therefore we would like to
use our thawed "compost." -- Marie in Brown Deer
A: Dear Marie,
Sounds like a creative alternative to having a compost pile. I'm sure you can put those peelings to good use in your gardens. »Read Full Blog Post
Obamas' date night was back to the land
Whether or not you think it was appropriate for Barack and Michelle Obama to jet to New York on the taxpayer dime for a Saturday "date night," the first couple's choice of a locavore restaurant is commendable.
Before catching a play about black America in the early 1900s, the Obamas had dinner at Blue Hill, a West Village restaurant that features food grown by chef-owner Dan Barber on his organic farm, and from a number of other farms within a 250-mile radius of the restaurant. Barber earlier this month was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People for his work, which the magazine said encompasses "ethics, passion and transformation." Everything Barber does "is authentic and truthful," the Time profile said. "There is no pretense."
Blue Hill's Web site has a fascinating interactive map that takes you where menu ingredients are produced. You can meet Matt Hallorar, part-time nurse and full-time farmer, or learn the foraging philosophies of mushrooom man Leo Mondragon by clicking on the towns on the map where they live and work. There also is a farmer's blog. Most restaurant Web sites include a menu and directions. This one tells the stories of where its food comes from, and the people who produce it. »Read Full Blog Post(3)
Chef takes cooking to farms, fields and forests
Milwaukee Chef David Swanson is getting some national press for his traveling cooking school, Braise on the Go, which takes students to farms, fields and forests -- where ever food grows -- to help them reconnect with the source of great meals.
In addition to teaching cooking classes on the go, Swanson also helps restaurants source local ingredients, and has a limited home delivery service of foods he gathers from local farmers. (1)
Gin, brandy and vodka to join beer and wine in Wisconson's tasting realm?
Gin, vodka and brandy soon may be flowing into sample-size glasses at Wisconsin distilleries for customers to taste, the same way wineries and breweries offer tastings for people who visit their facilities.
My colleague, Tom Daykin, has an interesting story in today's paper about a provision in the proposed state budget that would help generate tourist traffic for Wisconsin craft distillers, including Great Lakes Distillery in Milwaukee, which began selling vodka in 2006, Yahara Bay Distillers in Madison and 45th Parallel Spriits in New Richmond.
Distillers for years have been trying to get the same provision that state wineries and breweries have to provide samples, and make sales, to people who visit their facilities, Daykin's article notes. The Wisconsin Wine and Spirit Institute, a lobbying group for wine and liquor wholesalers, successfully blocked previoius attempts. The current provision is expected to pass. »Read Full Blog Post
Wimpy broccoli? Hungry Gardener to the rescue
Q: What would cause broccoli to have a good stalk, good leaves, and just one floret about the size of a nickel? This describes all my broccoli last year. -- Alan
A: Dear Alan,
That sounds more like a cultural problem than a pest or disease. Broccoli is fairly sensitive to temperature. Exposure to excessive sun and heat early in the spring can lead to lots of leaf development and late initiation of flowering. On the other hand, very young plants exposed to near freezing temperatures may not form heads at all, a condition called blindness. This is a good reminder that it pays to plant out at the right time. Broccoli plants can be planted out in the garden around May 1, after they have been "hardened off". This means gradually adjusting them to the wind, direct sun, and cooler temperatures during the day and bringing them back inside at night. This is usually done at the nursery before plants are ready for sale, but it's a good idea to ask when you buy your plants. »Read Full Blog Post
Win $50 with your food garden photos
We know you've been working hard, digging in the garden to plant your favorite herbs and vegetables.
The hardest part is waiting for those veggies to mature so you can eat them.
While you wait, show us what you've got. Or, show us how much fun you're having tending your vegetable garden. We'll enter your name in a random Dig In! drawing for $50 at the end of June. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Dwarf fruit trees and herbs are part of sweeping Villa Terrace landscape
If you're looking for grand inspiration to tuck edibles into your landscape, check out the opening of the Renaissance Garden at the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum on Sunday.
The museum at 2220 N. Terrace Ave. will offer free admission all day. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
You can't miss the dramatic water staircase that flows down the hill toward Lake Michigan, past three terraces of flowering crabapple trees to a Vasca -- a fish pond that in 16th century Tuscan landsapes was used to keep the day's catch fresh. »Read Full Blog Post
Check out these cool photos and enter to win $50
Dig In! readers have posted several cool photos in "Your Photos Gallery," which makes them eligible for a random drawing for $50 at the end of June.
There's still plenty of time for you to snap a photo of your young plants in the ground, or in containers anywhere they happen to be, and send it to us. It's an easy way to win $50, and we think you'll agree that it's fun to check out what other gardeners are growing, and how creative they are at tucking food-producing plants in unexpected places. We know some people have moved grass to grow food this year.
Courtney Melville tucked strawberry plants in her small backyard vegetable garden in Wauwatosa, and the photo she posted is a certain sign that juicy strawberries are coming soon. »Read Full Blog Post
14 Carrot Gold Awards
Here's an award announcement we can all applaud.
The 14 Carrot Gold Award recognizes individuals and organizations that promote consumption of fruits and vegetables, which can help reduce chronic health risks and obesity.
This year's winners, recently announced by the state Department of Health Services, include the SHARE Wisconsin program, which offers a Mobile Market to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to underserved communities in the Milwaukee area. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Germantown farmers market in transition
A committee of the Germantown Village Board Wednesday recommended to the full board that it stop providing staff support for the community's farmers market, according to a story in our sister newspaper, Germantown NOW.
The farmers market last year moved from the Village Hall parking lot to The Livery, W17303 Rockfield Road, a private business. (1)
Anxious to plant tomatoes? The Hungry Gardener weighs in
Q: I finally got some tomato plants from the nursery, is it ok to plant them now? What is the best way to plant them?
A: Although the weather is still getting into the 40s at night, your tomato plants should be able to handle a few nights at those temperatures if they have been properly hardened off (adjusted to outdoor conditions) before leaving the greenhouse. It's a good idea to get the plants in as soon as possible now, since there is only so much time for them to flower and mature fruit before the fall frosts begin. When you plant the tomatoes, you can give them the best conditions by planting them very deeply into fertile and well draining soil. Pinch off the existing flowers to encourage the plants to first put more energy into root and shoot development. Tomatoes have a neat ability to make roots along their stem at any node that is buried, so you can actually snap off the lower branches and bury the plant up to at least half of its height. Those additional roots that develop will help the plant access water from deep in the soil so it's more tolerant of dry weather. Now hope for sun and warmer temperatures!
Tomato plants: Say "Cheese!"
Maybe you've heard of the Iowa Corn Cam, a time-lapse camera posted in a cornfield that takes pictures every 15 minutes so you can actually watch the corn grow in Iowa.
Now you can watch your own vegetables grow with a time-lapse, weather-resistant camera developed for home gardeners. It's called the GardenWatchCam, and it's available for $139.95 at Amazon.com.
You can choose from seven time interval settings to determine how frequently the camera snaps photos -- from one minute to 24 hours, or choose your own time interval. Photos are stored as JPEG images on the 2GB USB flash drive (included) for easy playback on the computer as a movie file. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Have a food gardening question?
Do the leaves on your rhubarb have spots? Are you worried about what all this cold weather is doing to the tender, food-producing plants in your garden?
Ask The Hungry Gardener your food gardening questions by sending an email to Nicole Capizzi at firstname.lastname@example.com. She will pick one or two questions to answer for each blog posting at Dig In!, typically on Tuesdays and Fridays. »Read Full Blog Post
Return of Mad City Chickens
If you missed the showing of the feature-length documentary "Mad City Chickens" during the third annual Outpost Film Festival, here's another chance to see it for free, and meet the filmmakers.
The film will be shown 6 p.m. Tuesday at North Shore Library, 6800 N. Port Washington Rd., in Glendale.
Both filmmakers will attend the screening of the entertaining documentary about how Madison became a chicken-friendly city, and home of backyard, egg-laying hens.
Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call (414) 351-3461. (1)
Here's the scoop on chocolate-covered bacon
This just in from the Wisconsin State Fair: Chocolate-covered bacon is joining cream puffs, cotton candy and fried cheese curds in the food line-up at this year's fair, Aug. 6-16.
Last year, we reported in a Food section story that Famous Dave's came up with the idea of sprinkling chocolate-covered bacon with sea salt to sell at the Minnesota State Fair, featuring Nueske's thick-cut bacon from Wisconsin and premium dark chocolate.
Famous Dave's dubbed it Pig Lickers and slapped a trademark on the name before the inspiration could strike anyone else. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
The Hungry Gardener stalks zombie beetles
Q: Yikes, zombie beetles! What is that big, shiny, reddish-brown beetle I dug up while I was working the soil in my garden bed?
A: It sounds like Phyllophaga species, or the May or June Beetle. They're right on time, starting to emerge from deep in the soil where they overwinter as fat, creamy white larvae with dark heads. Underground, the larvae feed on the roots of corn, potatoes, grasses or vegetable transplants, but neither larvae nor adults are important pests in our area. The more you can increase your garden's biodiversity, the better control you'll get from native predators like birds, bats and parasitic wasps.
June Beetles can be confused with Japanese Beetles, which are metallic blue-green, overwinter as dirty-white larvae with brown heads, and begin emerging mid-summer. These larvae can do a fair amount of damage in turf roots and the adults can quickly skeletonize plant leaves. Japanese Beetle populations can be kept under control by shaking beetles from plants in the early morning (these 747's are slowest in the morning) onto a cloth or bucket and drowning in soapy water. Milky disease spores or parasitic nematodes applied to soil can also help control larvae populations. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Chocolate+Bacon=Mo's Bacon Bar at Whole Foods
Why wait until the Wisconsin State Fair to taste chocolate-covered bacon?
Vosges Haut-Chocolat makes a Mo's Bacon Bar, and it's available now at Whole Foods Market in Milwaukee for $6.99. Go to the Vosges Web site, and you also will find Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix
I recently stopped by the Vosges Haut–Chocolat Boutique on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, and the chocolate lover's paradise was offering samples of Mo's Bacon Bar. Of course I had to try it. Who wouldn't? »Read Full Blog Post
Obamas set the nation's table
Foodies are all atwitter about whatever President Barack Obama eats for dinner.
And they're still speculating about what Barack and Michelle Obama had for dinner a week ago at the farm-to-table restaurant Blue Hill during their New York City "date night." (The restaurant staff isn't talking.)
Could there be international implications? At least one blogger who claims an international following thinks so. Michelle Obama's new White House kitchen garden -- and her efforts to promote healthy eating -- have put her in the same league as Prince Charles, "who was the world's most high-profile advocate of sustainable agricultural practices and healthy eating... until the First Lady moved into the White House," writes Eddie Gehman Kohan, editor of the "Obama Foodorama" blog, which covers U.S. food policy and Barack Obama's every move involving food. (1)
Hungry Gardener is back online
We've had technical issues with readers attempting to send food gardening questions to The Hungry Gardener, Nicole Capizzi.
If you tried to email a question to The Hungry Gardener, and it bounced back to you, please try again.
Ask The Hungry Gardener a question by sending it to email@example.com. She will pick one or two questions to answer for each blog posting at Dig In!, typically on Tuesdays and Fridays.
The Hungry Gardener is ready for the weekend
Q: I am trying to grow a couple of herbs for the first time in my yard, in pots. My Italian parsley and marjoram are quite yellow. Am I overwatering? Also - what, exactly, is marjoram used for?»Read Full Blog Post
Take that, garden ants!
Q: I'm hoping you may be able to help my husband and me solve a problem. We have an issue with ants, particularly red ants, in our gardens. He treated the lawn for ants and that cut down on anthills (we had a massive one last summer that they just kept moving every time we'd treat it). We also have two small daughters and I am big on not using poisons if we can avoid them. Any tips on how to treat red ants in our vegetable garden - and/or how to distinguish if these biting little buggers are fire ants? They seem to be getting worse. Before I call in the big guns, I'd like to try an organic or less poisonous solution. Thank you! -- Kristine
A: It is hard to know exactly what kind of ant you may have, but it is unlikely they are Fire Ants. Those are mostly found in the southern United States, in areas where the ground does not freeze in winter. There are many anecdotal treatments for controlling ants without toxic chemicals, here are some options: boiling water, citrus oil, hot pepper dust, diatomaceous earth, a 50/50 borax-sugar mixture enclosed in an ant bait station. These would be applied on or near the ant hill.
Remember that the ants are unlikely to do any damage to your garden plants, although they often accompany aphids and may signal a need to control that pest. If they are biting or otherwise causing trouble with the humans, though, that may be cause for concern. »Read Full Blog Post
Local strawberries fresh from the patch
We spotted some of the first local strawberries of the season Wednesday at the Westown Farmers Market in downtown Milwaukee at Zeidler Union Square.
Lyn Norris of West Allis (pictured at left with vendor La Xiong) said she scoped out several vendors with local strawberries at the market, and picked this vendor on 3rd St., just off Michigan St. Norris paid $4 for one quart of strawberries -- the going rate at about four booths at the Wednesday market.
"I love strawberries on cereal and shortcake," Norris said. »Read Full Blog Post
High-profile vegetables growing near City Hall
The next time you walk between City Hall and the Zeidler Municipal Building, you may notice two large raised beds surrounded by deer fencing.
The fencing is to keep the rabbits away from the vegetables.
That's right: Vegetables are growing beside City Hall, just off Market St. -- Milwaukee's own version of the White House kitchen garden planted this spring by Michelle Obama and Washington, D.C. area schoolchildren on the White House lawn. »Read Full Blog Post(3)
Buffalo Water Brewing gets bison kudos
An all-malt lager beer brewed at Buffalo Water Brewing Co. in Milwaukee is the toast of a bison conference in Oshkosh, capitalizing on its name association with the magnificent beasts that once roamed the Great Plains.
Buffalo Water's Bison Blonde lager was to be served during a tailgate luncheon Thursday at Glacier Ridge Animal Farm as part of the National Bison Association's 2009 Summer Conference, hosted by the Wisconsin Bison Producers Association. The conference runs through Sunday.
Bison hot dogs, bison burgers and bison brats were to join Bison Blonde lager on the tailgate menu. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Holy kale and broccoli!
Q: Help! I just noticed that my broccoli and kale plants have some big jagged holes in the middle of the leaves and on the edges. What's eating my plants?
Enjoy the sunshine at a farmers market
It's a glorious day to check out a farmers market, and the season's fresh bounty.
South Shore Farmers Market opens today in the Bay View neighborhood.
West Allis Farmers Market is in full swing. Pick up some salad greens and a few other fresh ingredients for a Father's Day barbecue.
Check out our Farmers Market interactive map to find a market near you.
Did you cruise a farmers market today?
If you spent part of your Saturday at a farmers market, we'd like to hear about your great finds. Tell us what you spotted that either surprised you, or made you believe you had arrived at the best farmers market around.
You can post a comment on our Farmers Market Forum.
We stopped by the South Shore Farmers Market in the Bay View neighborhood Saturday morning, and it was a tasty experience, with plenty of evidence the growing season is well underway. Saturday was opening day for this market, which attracts an eclectic crowd, including dogs on leashes. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Check out this spiral herb garden
Bette Vangen of Wauwatosa posted this cool photo at the Dig In! blog of her spiral herb garden inspired by an herb garden she saw in Hawaii.
If you have an herb or vegetable garden, and want a chance to win a random drawing for $50 at the end of June, share a photo .
Ode to strawberries
Dig In! is going to the strawberries. Check it out: We're wearing our love for the sweet, juicy berries on our logo.
If you haven't had your first taste of local strawberries, it's time to get thee to the patch to pick some. Check out our interactive map of area pick-your-own farms. Today may be too hot, but you could plan for an early morning excursion yet this week. Area farms opened late last week or over the weekend, and prime picking is expected within the next few days.The weather forecast calls for possible scattered showers on Wednesday, and sunny skies through the end of the week.
This weekend also is the Cedarburg Strawberry Festival, showcasing everything from strawberry schaum torte to strawberry bratwurst. Festival hours in downtown Cedarburg are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday.
Stay tuned for more on the strawberry bratwursts.
Cukes vs. Roundup: The Hungry Gardener says no to weed spray
Q: I have some extra cucumber and squash starts that won't fit in my garden but need to be planted right away. My husband has used Roundup to kill the weeds in areas where we just have flowers, but that seems to be the only space left. I can't seem to get a definitive opinion on whether it is safe to plant the cukes and squash there. Is it safe to plant them in my flower bed, where my husband used Roundup about two weeks ago? What do you think? Sandy in Portland, OR
A: The safety of Roundup could be debated for years to come, and you can find convincing arguments on either side. The active ingredient, glyphosate, is rated by the EPA as having relatively low toxicity and has a short active period in the soil before it is bound to soil particles or broken down by microorganisms. Or course, the product is meant to kill any plants it contacts, so accidentally killing your crops is one obvious potential problem. The manufacturers suggest waiting 30 days after application before planting any edible crops from seed or transplant to avoid that. One the other side of the argument, there are studies linking glyphosate to certain cancers, miscarriage, attention disorders, skin irritation, and more. Applied incorrectly, it is toxic to aquatic animals. If the question is whether your cucumber and squash plants will be harmful to you because of the previous Roundup application, my non-scientist interpretation is no. But to me, the more important question is whether you need to be using Roundup at all. For most yards and gardens, mulching or hand weeding should provide plenty of weed control. If your vegetable and ornamental plants are getting plenty of sunlight and water and have healthy, fertile soil, they should be able to thrive even with a few weedy neighbors.
Q: How do I know if my vegetable plants need to be watered? »Read Full Blog Post
Veggie flap in Shorewood
Extra! Extra! Shorewood is being taken over by front yard vegetable gardens.
Well, not exactly. But a few residents who moved grass to make way for vegetable gardens in their front yards are attracting some controversy from neighbors who say they prefer vegetables stay in the backyard.
The flap has gone to a committee of the Village Board, which is forming a subcommittee to figure out what -- if anything -- to do.
Check out the story by Mary Buckley in our sister newspaper, North Shore Now. And weigh in on the issue at the online forum while you're at it. (1)
East Side Green Market opens Saturday
The East Side Green Market opens this weekend.
The Saturday market, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., June 27 through Oct. 10, is located in the Beans & Barley parking lot, 1901 E. North Ave. It features produce grown in the Milwaukee area, local artists, designers and craftspeople, as well as sustainable living and growing demonstrations, and local entertainment.
The entertainment schedule is as follows:
6/27: KGMB Master Compost Demonstration / KPOW
7/11: ADAM HELT-BALDWIN / Habitat for Humanity / Milwaukee Riverkeeper
8/1: THE SQUEEZETTES / Focus on Energy
8/8: WOLFGANG SCHAEFER / AIDS Walk Sign-Up
8/22: ETHAN KELLER / Wisconsin Green Building Alliance
9/5: Real Food Wisconsin
9/12: ONE DRUM / Tomato Romp (Market open until 3)
9/26: COLLECTIONS OF COLONIES OF BEES / Milwaukee Riverkeeper
10/3: SCARRING PARTY / KGMB Master Compost Demonstration
10/10: BJ SEIDEL of Decibully
Hungry Gardener: What's red, black and fat all over?
Q: I'm growing potatoes for the first time this year, and I have just started to notice some fat red and black bugs all over some leaves that have lots of holes in them. What are they and what should I do?
A: Behold the Colorado Potato Beetle! They have just started to emerge in full force in our area. The adult is a large, round beetle that is yellow with black stripes, and the larvae are sort of humpbacked red and black critters that are usually found in groups on a plant. The larvae do the most damage, as they eat like ravenous teenagers. Some leaf damage won't harm healthy plants, but without control, these pests can quickly defoliate a plant so that it can't effectively photosynthesize and grow. The old-fashioned control is to handpick the adults, larvae and eggs, checking the plants at least once a week. The eggs are orange cylinders that are laid in rows on the undersides of the leaves, and can be easily scraped off the leaf and squished. This is a great job for any young gardeners you know, and heck, you could even pay them a penny or nickel per bug to keep them moving along. Mulching around potato plants not only encourages more tubers to form, it also provides habitat for several natural predator beetle species. Ladybugs and lacewings also enjoy dining on these juicy larvae, so providing other flowering plants nearby helps encourage their populations. Some herbs, like catnip, tansy, or sage, planted nearby may act as moderate repellants. There are several organic biological pesticide controls that are effective IF the problem is really out of control and you have A LOT of potato plants: products with the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis or the fungal agent Beauveria bassiana are available from mail order companies that carry organic farm products
Ask The Hungry Gardener a question by sending it to firstname.lastname@example.com. She will pick one or two questions to answer for each blog posting at Dig In!, typically on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Is Fechter's strawberry field forever?
It's been five years since the strawberry farm known as Fechter's Highway 60 U-Pick-Em had its swan song season, and one of the state's largest berry patches closed for good.
If you drive by the Washington County farm near the Town of Jackson today, you won't find anything remotely resembling the 30 acres of strawberries that pickers came from as far away as Chicago to pluck each June for 30 years.
But you'll find a sign of the times on the side of the road: »Read Full Blog Post
Cranberry blossoms have a festival this weekend, too
If you prefer your red berries tart, and you're up for a road trip this weekend, Wisconsin Rapids is hosting a Cranberry Blossom Festival featuring cranberry blossom tours, cranberry treats, live music, parades and an art show.
Fresh cranberries won't make their appearance in the bogs until early fall, but the delicate pink blossoms that come out in late June and early July are uniquely beautiful. Early settlers thought the cranberry blossom resembled the head of a crane, hence the name, "crane berry," which was shortened to cranberry.
Small, green fruit will develop behind the flower, growing and changing from green to white to dark red through the months of August and September. The Wisconsin Rapids area is among the largest cranberry producing regions of the world.R
s Area is the largest inland-producing cranberry region in the world. We produce nearly 30% of the world's cranberries n Rapids Area is the largest inland-producing cranberry region in the world. We produce arly 30% of the world's cranberries and are home to several processing, juicing and value-added manufacturing facilities
Strawberry jammin'
If you haven't picked your own strawberries yet, a sunny Sunday morning with a cool breeze wafting the sweet smell through the patch is calling your name.
No excuses. Go now. And take the kids.
We found the picking easy, and the berries bodacious, at Barthel Fruit Farm in Mequon on Saturday morning. The patch was jammed, and it was an international crowd with Russian, Hmong, Spanish and French conversations overheard. Many pickers were multi-generation families. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Garden of Eatin'
Only two days left to submit a photo of your edible garden to our Dig In! photo gallery for a chance to win $50 in a monthly drawing.
Take a minute to browse the gallery , whether or not you plan to post a photo. Readers are digging into their food gardens in a big way.
Ken Brown, of Brookfield Presbyterian Church, just posted a photo of a garden project called "Garden of Eatin." The church plans to donate garden produce to the Waukesha Food Pantry.
Beet bonanza
Q: I planted beets from seed, and now they are all about 12 inches tall but really close together. Should I remove some plants to give them more space?
A. Yes, definitely thin your beets now so they have enough room to produce nice sized roots. I like to use my fingers as a measurement. So if I say "thin to two fingers apart," you can make a peace sign with your hand, bring your two straight fingers together, and then make enough space between beet plants that you can lay those fingers down in between. As long as your plants have been getting plenty of sun, water and fertility, they should not have suffered much from this crowding so far, and will be ready to take off with the extra space. The bonus is waiting until the plants are 10-12" so that the baby roots and tops that you thin will make a delicious and very nutritious addition to tonight's salad.
Ask The Hungry Gardener a question by sending it to email@example.com. She will pick one or two questions to answer for each blog posting at Dig In!, typically on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Watch worm poo harvest
Corn may be knee-high by the Fourth of July, but what about the worm poo in one of Discovery World's newest exhibits?
Worm poo, otherwise known as worm castings to enrich soil, will be harvested Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the City of Freshwater exhibit at Discovery World, the museum announced Tuesday. The exhibit illustrates how plants, fish and worms are grown at Growing Power, the last operating farm in Milwaukee, at 5500 W. Silver Spring Drive.
Growing Power founder and CEO Will Allen and his team plan to spend about 90 minutes harvesting the worm castings, which have developed over the last several weeks in the vermiculture/vermicomposting portion of the City of Freshwater exhibit. The castings will become rich, organic fertilizer for the Growing Power exhibit. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Seen any good scapes lately?
I've got a few garlic scapes in my garden -- those long, curlicue shoots that rise from garlic bulbs -- but wanted to get some more to make a quantity of garlic-scape pesto.
I had no luck at the West Allis farmers market on a weekday. Has anyone seen them at other farmers markets?
Garlic scapes, if you're unfamilar with them, are cut off to encourage growth of the garlic head. They have a mild garlic flavor and can be cut up sauteed or prepared in other ways. Leave 'em whole, and they also make a nice addition to a bouquet from the garden.
If the garlic scapes are left in place, they'll eventually straighten out, flower and produce seeds. (1)
Deadline is today to enter 4th of July Pie Bake Off
If you think you are the king or queen of pie baking, here's your chance to prove it.
Wednesday is the deadline for entering the sixth annual 4th of July Pie Bake Off in New Berlin.
The event is scheduled for Saturday at Malone Park, 16400 W. Al Stigler Parkway (163rd and National avenues) in New Berlin. Check-in is 5:30 p.m. Pie judging begins at 6 p.m. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Will Allen profiled in New York Times Magazine
Milwaukee urban farmer Will Allen has been grabbing national headlines for months.
Now he has captured prime real estate in this Sunday's New York Times Magazine. The profile of the 2008 MacArthur Foundation "genius award" winner describes him as a man of Bunyonesque proportions. He's pictured holding a giant handful of worms, which play a major role in enriching the soil used to grow food for Growing Power, based at 5500 W. Silver Spring Drive.
Allen, a former professional basketball player, certainly has a giant reach in the good-foods movement. He travels internationally to speak and conduct workshops on sustainable urban agriculture. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Gardeners: Don't get too comfrey
Question from the Hungry Gardener: What edibles are you growing in your garden this year? Share your comments and questions about your favorite or not-so-favorite plants!
A: Please post your comments below, or send them to the Hungry Gardener: email@example.com.
Q: I have a few big patches of comfrey growing in my yard. Is there anything I can do with it, rather than just pulling it out? »Read Full Blog Post
Outstanding in his field
Will Allen has shattered the stereotype of the farmer who works quietly and unnoticed in his field.
The CEO and founder of Growing Power is harvesting more national awards than he has time to accept, as his high profile has put him in great demand for workshops that train others to intensively grow food in urban spaces. Workshop participants travel to the urban farm at 5500 W. Silver Spring Dr. from all over the country, and the world, to learn from Allen.
One such workshop will keep Allen from accepting his latest national award, just announced by Gov. Jim Doyle. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Herbs were a revelation for The Hungry Gardener
Nicole Jain Capizzi knows a few things about growing food.
She has a ¼-acre urban farm in Wauwatosa, Honey Hill Gardens, from which she sells CSA (community supported agriculture) subscriptions, and she teaches organic growing methods through the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension for Milwaukee County.
As The Hungry Gardener, Nicole answers reader questions about growing food at Dig In! You can e-mail your questions to her at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers here on Tuesdays and Fridays. »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener: To prune or not to prune
Q: We have a community garden where I work and I have a question about fertilizing. Our garden area was grass up until this spring. Do we need to fertilize our plants or is there enough nutrients in the soil to nourish the plants? What would you suggest we use as a fertilizer? We would like to stay chemical free if possible. Thank you! -- Rose
A: Rose, congratulations on creating a community garden space. A site that had grass growing previously is often a good choice, assuming you can kill off the grass, because you're likely to have fewer established weeds to fight with and you are adding some good organic matter to the soil as the grass roots decompose. Vegetable plants, however, need more fertility than a lawn or "wild" area, so you will want to add either compost or fertilizer or both to have healthy plants. You can buy quality bagged compost and even organic fertilizers from many garden centers in the area. I would suggest using compost plus an organic fertilizer recommended for vegetables, rather than a synthetic one, because the nutrients from both are slowly released through biological activity. Another option is to make your own organic fertilizer by buying some basic ingredients at a local feed store, like Horn Brothers in Muskego. A great recipe adapted from Steve Solomon's book, Gardening When It Counts, is to thoroughly mix together: 3-4 parts bloodmeal and/or seedmeal, ½ part agricultural lime, ½ part dolomite lime, and 1 part rock phosphate or bonemeal. This approach will both give you the more immediate fertility your plants need while also building up organic matter and microbial activity in the soil. Work about 4-6 quarts per 100 square feet of the homemade organic fertilizer and ½ inch of compost into your beds before planting, and sprinkle up to the same amount around growing plants once or twice in the season. Good luck!
Q: What is the proper technique for pruning tomato plants to promote growth of the fruit? Is a bushy tomato plant or taller plant better? Thank you -- Mark. »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener: Imposters among the raspberry bushes?
Q: I've got a patch of raspberry bushes and have been picking berries for about a week. From a distance it looks like it's a healthy, hardy patch, but it appears that some kind of imposter weed has sprung up amid the legitimate raspberry bushes. What should I do with these imposters?
A: There are generally two types of red raspberries: everbearing and fall bearing. It sounds like what you have in your yard are everbearing, which have two stages of growth each season. Everbearing raspberries produce fruit on one-year-old canes each season and make new canes in preparation for the next year. So at this time of year, when you see new "imposter" canes growing that look just like the rest of your raspberries but with no sign of flowers, those are the primocanes developing in order to produce fruit next year. Fall raspberries do all this growth in one season, fruiting mostly all at once on canes that have grown since early spring. The tricky part is that everbearing raspberries need special pruning in order to keep the next year's fruiting canes but free up more space and energy by getting rid of the current year's flowering canes. In a nutshell, leave the "imposter" canes all year, and at the end of the season cut down just the ones that had fruit and flowers. If you want to fiddle with nature, there is also a neat trick you can try to get your everbearing plants to fruit mostly at once in fall too. Cut down all the canes in February or March, well before they begin leafing out, and the plants will then spend all season creating one set of canes that will fruit all at once in the fall.
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers here on Tuesdays and Fridays. (1)
Good-bye strawberries
The local strawberry season has ended.
Strawberry fields are plucked clean. Those who picked enough to freeze, or to make jam, have completed their tasks. This year's strawberry season lasted longer than usual, thanks to a mix of hot and cool days that helped ripen, and then keep the berries. But all good things must come to an end.
Now, delicate raspberries and blueberries take center stage. Check out our interactive map of pick-your-own farms, and start planning a road trip. Also watch in the next day or two for the Dig In! logo to change with the season. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
A road trip for blueberry lovers
If you love blueberries, and you're itching to take a road trip up north, mark your calendar:
The 2009 Blueberry Festival at Moon Lake Park in Iron River opens next Thursday, and runs through the weekend.This festival kicks off Thursday with a Blueberry Music Festival (open mike night). Festival highlights include the coronation of a blueberry queen and princess, fresh blueberries and blueberry pies for sale, a blueberry pancake breakfast, and blueberry pie eating contests both Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26.
Of course, there's a parade, too -- that's on Sunday. The festival concludes on Sunday with a pie social at the Rebekah Lodge, and a Porch Concert Series at White Winter Winery. The winery will be offering blueberry mead, blueberry spritz, blueberry jerky, blueberry brats, and chocolate-covered blueberries. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
What, no cow tipping at Sassy Cow Olympics?
If you'd like to impress your kids with your farming prowess, there's still time to sign up for the 1st Annual Sassy Cow Farm Olympics from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday at the Sassy Cow Creamery near Sun Prairie.
The family competition, which requires advance registration, will be followed by an icream social with $1.50 sundaes featuring farm-fresh ice cream made at the Sassy Cow Creamery.
Cow tipping may not be part of this competition (wink, wink), but there are several other events to test your skills: »Read Full Blog Post
Food, Inc., opens Friday at the Downer
The latest documentary indicting agribusiness promises "you'll never look at dinner the same way again." It opens Friday at the Downer. Check out our review in Friday's Weekend Cue.
Check out the red berries tumbling from the trowel on the Dig In! logo.
Yes, the local strawberry season has ended, and we have tucked the strawberry logo away for another year. But the good news is that raspberry season is in full swing. So, we're enthusiastically proclaiming: Raspberries!
Lots of people have raspberries in their own backyards. If you're one of them, you may already have a favorite recipe. If you don't have your own raspberries, check out our interactive map of pick-your-own farms to find one that offers raspberries. Nothing beats a perfectly ripe raspberry, still warm from the sun. »Read Full Blog Post
Fish farming at Port Washington Fish Day
There's a movement afloat to raise fish in cities, close to consumers who eat them, because fisheries in global waters are deteriorating through over-harvesting.
What better place to promote the concept of locally-grown fish than the Port Washington Fish Day on Saturday? Afterall, it's billed as the world's largest one-day fish fry.
The Urban Aquaculture Center of Milwaukee and a new group called Port Washington Aquaponics will display a perch fish tank at 233 E. Pier near the Port Washington marina during Fish Day festivities on Saturday to demonstrate how eco-friendly fish can be raised with an aquaponics system. »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener vs. garden pests
Q: I am hopeful that you can direct me or perhaps even help me out. We live in New Berlin and I can't keep many flowers due to the chipmunks, squirrels, etc. -- Kimberly
A: Kimberly, chipmunks, squirrels and other rodents are definitely major pests of flower and food gardeners in more urban areas. I have to admit, I haven't found any fool-proof methods for keeping them out of the planters and gardens, but here are some suggestions you can try:
1. Plant your garden anyway, but try a variety of flowers and vegetables and plant plenty of extras. Sometimes the "sharing" approach is the best way to coexist with these urban pests, and you will discover over time which plants they are most attracted to, so you can plant these away from your garden as a "trap crop." »Read Full Blog Post
Is every edible plant entirely edible?
Q: Is it safe to say that just about every typical edible plant is entirely edible (eg leaves, pods, roots?) except the solanaceae family? Thanks -- Celia
A: I would not make an absolute statement about this question, just because there are always exceptions and I wouldn't recommend eating a plant or part of a plant unless you are certain it is safe to eat.
As a biologist friend pointed out, one good distinction is between domesticated and wild plants. With most domesticated plants that are accepted as safe to eat, this usually applies to all parts of that plant. Broccoli and it's relatives in the brassica family are good examples, where we eat a variety of plant parts from this family, depending on the breeding of the crop: broccoli and Brussels sprouts- buds; kale and collards- leaves, kohlrabi- stems; mustard- seeds. A notable exception is rhubarb, which has delicious edible stems, but the leaves and roots contain a much higher concentration of oxalic acid which makes those parts toxic to humans. As for wild plants, even scientists hardly keep up with their endless adaptations, so it would be difficult to make a generalization about the edibility of most uncultivated plants.
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers here on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Iowans to Michael Jackson sculpted in butter: Beat it
I was looking forward to seeing Michael Jackson sculpted in butter at the Iowa State Fair. I waited in line one year to behold the golden butter sculpture of the Last Supper. And I was willing to go the distance again to see a likeness of the late King of Pop.
No such luck.
The Iowa State Fair, which has boasted a "Butter Cow" since the early 1900s, has decided not to cast Michael Jackson in butter at this year's fair, which runs Aug. 13 through Aug. 23. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
A taste of Sassy Cow Creamery
Columbus -- The clouds loomed large and dark above us, but we were willing to go the distance from the creamery to the table on Saturday.
A gift from a friend prompted a family road trip to Sassy Cow Creamery, about two hours west of Milwaukee. We could hardly wait to get out of the car. After all, this family-owned creamery makes ice cream with milk from its own dairy herds. It doesn't get any fresher than that.
We drove to the creamery specifically for a dessert class offered by Chef David Swanson of Braise on the Go traveling culinary school. The class, designed to reconnect us with our food, began with a creamery tour led by James Baerwolf, who with his brother Rob owns the creamery and the cows that supply the creamery's milk. Each brother has his own herd; they started the creamery about a year ago. »Read Full Blog Post
Cheese Lady carves historic moonwalk from cheese
The Cheese Lady, whose Fourth of July marriage to a U.S. naval commander turned Manitowoc into a bastian for pirates, has moved on to her next conquest -- a life-size astronaut carved in cheese at a supermarket in St. Mary's, Ohio, according to a story in the Ohio newspaper, The Evening Leader.
Sarah Kaufmann on Friday carved an 85-inch tall, approximately 2,000-pound astronaut at a Kroger supermarket as a trubute to the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's moonwalk. She used three 640-pound blocks of mild Wisconsin cheddar, so the astronaut would be "gold like Moonshine," according to the article.
Kaufmann, who grew up in Manitowoc and now lives in San Diego, started her cheese carving career while working to promote the dairy industry in Wisconsin. She said in an interview with the Journal Sentinel this month that she has always enjoyed drawing, and carving cheese came naturally.
To see some of Kaufmann's other cheese sculptures, check out her Web site.
Wisconsin's Tour de France is tasty Tour de Farms
Sure, the Tour de France is exciting to watch on TV.
But wouldn't you rather hop on your own bike and tour Wisconsin's scenic countryside? Here's an added incentive: good eats along the way.
If you can handle a 35-mile leisurely bike ride on a Sunday, the Tour de Farms on Sept. 20 promises great scenery in Sheboygan and Ozaukee counties, a chance to tour three farms that produce sustainable food, and three meals -- all for $70. »Read Full Blog Post
Check out Alice's Garden
If you'd like to see a thriving example of community gardening, here's your chance.
Alice's Garden "Family Garden Night" is Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The free event at Alice's Garden, N. 20th St. and Garfield St., begins with a demonstration of herb butters and information on edible flowers. Yoga in the Garden is from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Children's activities are from 6 to 7:30 p.m. »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener: Tomatoes and wild parsnips
Q: The leaves on my tomato plants are all curled inward tightly and the plants seem to have stopped growing. The plants do have fruit on them and the leaves aren't discolored or dropping off. I also just put down some straw mulch around all the plants; could this be related? Thanks. -- Eric
A: The curled leaves on your tomato plants sound like a physiological disorder called Leaf Curl or Leaf Roll that happens sometimes during cool or rainy weather. Since we have been having some cooler than normal temperatures lately, but no rain, it's hard to say for sure if that is what's happening with your plants. If it is Leaf Curl, you would see no other damage to the plants or the fruit and they will outgrow their curled leaves as the weather warms up. If you saw this in some but not all plants, it could also be a sign of root disturbance by burrowing rodents.
It's also possible that the problem is related to your mulch, however, if there might have been any herbicides, like 2,4-D present in the straw when it was cut. If that is the case, you would see more distorted leaves and fruit, with twisting, curling, or thickening leaves and catfaced or perpetually green fruit. If the damage is not too severe, the plants should grow out of it. You can help by watering more frequently for a while or even applying a balanced organic fertilizer like Espoma's Tomato-Tone. »Read Full Blog Post
Milwaukee's Will Allen gets kudos from Oprah Winfrey
If a movie were made about Will Allen, who would play the Milwaukee urban farmer who is receiving so much national attention these days, he barely has time anymore to get his hands dirty in a vegetable field?
James Earl Jones has a commanding presence, though he's a few inches shorter than Allen, founder and CEO of Growing Power, and a former professional basketball player.
Allen, who is in great demand around the country to spread his message about the good foods movement, can now add Oprah Winfrey to his list of admirers. Allen is spotlighted in the August edition of Oprah's magazine, "O" the Oprah Magazine. (He also was profiled July 5 in The New York Times Magazine") »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Garden of Eatin' is $50 richer
You still have 10 days to post a photo of your edible garden at Dig In's "homegrown fruits and veggies" reader photo gallery to be eligible for the July random drawing of $50.
Dig In! readers submitted 25 veggie garden photos in June for the monthly contest, which aims to connect readers with the food being grown in area gardens.
Brookfield Presbyterian Church, 1485 N. Brookfield Road, won the June drawing for a photo (at left) that church elder Ken Brown submitted of the church's "Garden of Eatin.'" The church is raising vegetables to benefit the Waukesha Food Pantry. »Read Full Blog Post
Dairyland to be carved into 1,000-pound mammoth cheddar
Here's your chance to witness cheese artistry in action.
Wisconsin native Sarah Kaufmann, aka "The Cheese Lady," returns to Wisconsin later this week to carve America's Dairyland into a 1,000-pound mammoth cheddar.
Kaufmann plans to carve farm scenes, cheesemakers and cows into the massive hunk of cheese at Sam's Club on the corner of Route 42/31 and Green Bay Road in Kenosha, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday. »Read Full Blog Post
South Milwaukee debuts new farmers market Thursday evening
South Milwaukee will debut a new farmers market Thursday evening at the corner of 11th and Milwaukee Avenues, with 20 vendors selling everything from vegetables to goat milk soap.
The South Milwaukee Downtown Market, which will be open from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays at least through Aug. 27, coincides with the weekly "Evening on the Avenue" celebration by the South Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce.
Organizers picked Thursday because the abundance of Saturday farmers market in the metro area made competition for vendors stiff, said Ald. Erik Brooks, part of the South Milwaukee Downtown Market volunteer committee. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Writing contest targets food lovers
Inspired by the talents of Michael Pollan, REAP Food Group has announced a writing contest as part of the 2009 Food for Thought Festival, an annual Madison event that celebrates local food and sustainable food systems. Pollan, acclaimed author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and other books on sustainable food, will give the keynote address at this year's festival on Sept. 26.
With support from Madison Magazine, the contest is soliciting entries through Sept. 4 in three categories: Poetry (500 words or less), Memoir (800 words or less) and Short, Short Fiction (1,200 words or less).
Winners in each category will be announced and invited to read at the festival. Each will receive $100 and have their piece published in Madison Magazine. Entrants must be at least 18 and submit a $12 registration fee that will support REAP's programs. More details and the entry form are available at www.reapfoodgroup.org. »Read Full Blog Post
Fondy Farmers Market offers $250 prize in greens contest
Fondy Farmers Market is celebrating its most beloved, best-selling vegetable on Saturday with a live cooking contest offering a $250 top prize and $150 second prize.
The 2nd Annual Greens Throw-Down begins at 7 a.m. at the market, 2200 W. Fond du Lac Ave., when contestants can register and begin purchasing greens from farmers. Contestants can choose from more than 20 varieties of greens sold at the market, many of which are difficult to find in a typical supermarket.
All cooking will take place at the market, with each competing team assigned to a market stall equipped with portable stoves and water coolers. Judging begins promptly at noon. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
SOS to Hungry Gardener: Save my cucumber plants
Q: My cucumber plants have started to look bad, and the fruit has stopped developing. There are small brown spots on the leaves, that seem to dry out and crack from the inside. Now the plants have these dry brown areas and yellowing on many of the leaves and on the stems. It seems like this started after we had a rain. Can I save my plants and still get any cucumbers? Thanks, Sharon
It's a beautiful day to shop a farmers market
Good morning.
I'm heading to the Brookfield Farmers Market to pick up some farm-fresh eggs, pastry for breakfast, and zucchini for a chocolate chip zucchini bread recipe I'm testing this weekend for the paper.
Picture-perfect summer mornings like this one are not to be wasted. If you don't have a favorite farmers market, check out our interactive map of area farmers markets. Be sure to take the kids along, and give them each a couple dollars to spend on something you can incorporate into tonight's farm-fresh dinner. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Farmers market bonanza
Saturday was a gorgeous day to be perusing the stalls at area farmers markets for farm-fresh vegetables and other goodies.
Zucchini, cucumbers, green beans and sweet corn are abundant now. (Check out this mountain of green beans we found at the Brookfield Farmers Market.)
If you shopped a farmers market this weekend, and found a bargain or a fabulous vegetable, fruit or other edible you'd like to tell others about, post your comment at our farmers market reader forum. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Do women's voices make tomatoes grow faster?
Ladies, it's time to start sereneding your tomato plants.
A good friend in Iowa -- a garden writer who blogs as the Planting Queen -- dug up an interesting article from a British newspaper that makes a case for women talking or singing to their tomato plants. Sorry, guys. Tomatoes really don't want to hear you sing. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
The Hungry Gardener: How to keep basil growing all summer
Q: How should I harvest my basil to keep it growing all summer?
A: Basil is a wonderful long season herb that just keeps on producing tender and delicious leaves for months if you harvest it right. The trick is to keep the plant from flowering, so it continues to put energy in to producing new leaves. Once basil is flowering, the leaves become tough and astringent, and are not at their peak of flavor for eating. Pinching out the new growth tips every week or so, beginning when the plants are just five or six inches tall, encourages a well-branched plant that will produce lots of leafy growth. Use your finger nails or clippers to cut off the first pair of leaves at the end of a branch, down to the next "node" (the point where the next branching stem or leaf growth begins). This will give you the new, tender stem and leaves to eat and will encourage new branching at the node. In a week or so, you'll see two new stems forming from the point you cut down to, which will then produce two new pairs of delicious, tender leaves. Once these leaves are at least two inches long, you can do the same thing to encourage more branching, and so on. When your harvest is in full swing, the best way to preserve basil is as pesto, blended up with garlic, olive oil, roasted nuts, and Parmesan cheese. You can freeze your extra pesto in ice cube trays and then store the pesto cubes in the freezer for a delightful winter treat.
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers here on Tuesdays and Fridays
The Hungry Gardener on harvesting potatoes
Q: How do I know when my potatoes are ready to harvest?
A: Potatoes can be harvested anytime, and it's just about the most fun treasure hunt! If you want to dig up some spuds while the plants are still green and growing, these are called "new" potatoes. Using a spade or fork, loosen the soil around the plant you want to dig up, about 12 inches from the stem in all directions to avoid spearing a tuber. When the soil is loosened, you can pull the whole potato plant. They have a thin skin that's easily bruised or cut, though, so be careful handling them. New potatoes should be stored more like fresh produce, in a paper or plastic bag in the fridge and used soon, because they are susceptible to wilting. If you want full-sized potatoes for storage, wait until the plants have turned yellow and completely dried and died back. Then dig the potatoes anytime, and store the best unblemished beauties in a cool and dry place.
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers Tuesdays and Fridays.
Seeking people who make freezer jams, jellies for upcoming story
If you -- or someone you know in the Milwaukee area -- make freezer jam or jelly with fresh, local berries, we're interested in hearing from you for an upcoming story in the Food section.
Conversations overheard in the strawberry patch last month made us wonder how many people are preserving the berry harvest this year to enjoy on toast or in jam-inspired recipes. Freezer jams and jellies are less time-consuming and involved than those that are canned.
Freezer jam and jelly makers: Please drop me an e-mail ASAP at email@example.com for your chance at 15 minutes of fame in the Food section. We're especially looking for people inclined to make jam or jelly in the next week, so we can take photos. »Read Full Blog Post
Tomato and potato blight found in Wisconsin
Q: I've heard that the disease Late Blight has been found in Wisconsin this year. What is it and how do I know if I have it?
A: Late Blight is a disease that affects crops in the Solanum family (tomatoes and potatoes especially) and is caused by a rapidly spreading fungus-like organism called Phytopthora infestans. Even the name sounds bad, doesn't it? Late Blight is the disease that devastated the potato crop causing the Irish Potato Famine, so it is a very serious threat to all large scale plantings of these crops. While home gardeners don't want their plants to harbor this disease, the real economic risk of a rapid spread of Late Blight is for commercial growers. Signs include water-soaked spots on the leaves and stems that enlarge quickly, turning brown or black. When conditions are cool and wet, as they have been in Southern Wisconsin lately, the affected leaves may also show a ring or surface of white mold on the undersides. Tubers also become infected, first showing brown to purple discoloration, then brown dry or wet rotting areas that spread. Cooperative Extension agencies around the state are tracking the potential spread of the disease this year, so they can keep commercial growers informed and on alert for signs. If home gardeners see signs of the disease in their own plants, they should notify their local Extension agent, who can be found by visiting www.uwex.edu or calling 414-256-4600. Basic preventive measures are the same as for other diseases of solanum crops: keep the leaves dry when watering and avoid touching the plants when leaves are wet from dew or rainfall. There are a few organic fungicides available, but basic prevention and removal of infected plants are the most practical steps for the home gardener.
Dinner in a field
The local foods movement intersects with tourism with "dinner on the farm" events.
Here's a link to a story about one recently held in Elkhorn:
A counterpoint to Omnivore's Dilemma
Many scathing books have been written about industrial farming, in support of small organic farms that produce food locally.
Here's an interesting article by a Missouri farmer, chastising the "agri-intellectuals" of the food world.
He's correct that newspapers shouldn't go back to setting type by hand. (He makes this analogy because farmers are going back to the way things were done 30 years ago when they farm small-scale and don't use pesticides and fertilizers that have helped boost production.)
What do you think? (4)
Tomato-killing disease found in Wisconsin
A highly contagious fungus that has devastated tomatoes in nearly every state in the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic has been found at a northern Rock County vegetable farm and in three home gardens in Dane County, according to state officials.
The commercial vegetable farm was forced to destroy hundreds of tomato plants this week in an effort to stem the spread of the late blight fungus, said Adrian Barta, a plant and disease specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
The farm, which Barta declined to identify for confidentiality reasons, sells its produce at the Dane County Farmers Market and has a large number of urban members in the Madison area who pay for weekly boxes of produce through a Community Supported Agriculture arrangement. »Read Full Blog Post(6)
Farmers market rain sales
You wake up on a Saturday morning, and it's pouring rain. The sky is dark, and lightning fills the sky.
What are the chances your favorite farmers market has battened down the hatches, and will be there waiting for you when you set out to buy fresh vegetables and bakery goods once the rain stops?
If the market isn't canceled by organizers, you may find a gaggle of hardy farmers and vendors offering rain sales to unload their pickings. But then you have to weigh whether you want to take advantage of their misfortune at the hands of Mother Nature. (Make no mistake, they're happy it rained. But they also need to sell whatever they picked for market.) »Read Full Blog Post(2)
The Hungry Gardener on ailing string bean and potato plants
Q: My string bean plants were doing beautifully, but the leaves are starting to develop brown spots. This occurred in past years as well and gradually it destroys the foliage and the plant does not die, but is not productive. I grow the plants in containers on my terrace which is south facing. What should I be doing to protect the String bean plants? -- Genie
A: Genie, the most common disease of beans that causes brown blotches on the leaves and water soaked then browning spots on pods is bacterial blight. This is a seedborne disease that can persist in the soil or infected plant debris. It develops most rapidly in warm and humid conditions. Unfortunately, there isn't too much you can do to stop the disease once it has developed, but you may be able to help slow it's development so that your plants can continue to develop mature beans. Be sure that your plants are in an area with good air flow and allow the soil to dry out at least an inch or two down between thorough waterings. Also, avoid touching your plants when they are wet, since this helps to spread the disease organisms further. Finally, for your next planting of beans, be sure to buy disease-free seed from a well-know seed company, plant your beans in a different area or a container with new soil that has not grown beans for at least 3 years, and remove old plants from the garden as soon as they are done producing. Good luck!
Q: My early Yukon Gold potato plants have mostly died back and I have been harvesting potatoes for about three weeks. The first ones I dug had really nice smooth skins, but now I'm finding some that have rough brownish patches in some places. What is this and is there anything I can do about it? »Read Full Blog Post
NPR visits Shorewood's controversial front yard veggies
It's been a summer of discontent in Shorewood for those who want to grow their own food.
A committee of village trustees earlier this summer decided not to entertain the idea of allowing residents to keep backyard chickens for the purpose of obtaining fresh eggs.
A subcommittee of the village board also has took on the issue of whether residents should be allowed to grow vegetables in their front yards, and on the land between the sidewalk and the street, if their backyards are too small or lack sun.
National Public Radio did a segment on the latter issue Monday morning. (2)
Insight and help for late blighted tomatoes
A late blight fungus that has devastated tomatoes in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states has arrived in Wisconsin, likely carried by the wind. The state's potato growers are worried because the fungus could make the leap to potatoes.
The Sunday New York Times had an interesting op-ed piece that explains why this year is different from other years for growing tomatoes. (For one thing, more people are growing tomatoes in home gardens, and infected plants sold through garden centers are blamed for the initial spread of the fungus.) Sporadic outbreaks of the late blight fungus are not uncommon. But this year's blight is widespread, and it caught growers off guard.
If you think your tomatoes may have the fungus, contact your local University of Wisconsin Extension agent. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Enjoy a pig, meet backyard chickens, and Tour de Farms
The Dig In! calendar is loaded with fun events to help you connect with locally produced food.
An event at an Oak Creek produce farm this Saturday challenges four chefs to use an entire pig to create a meal. It's organized by David Swanson and his Braise on the Go Traveling Culinary School.
If you're looking for an excuse for a road trip to Madison on Saturday, the Mad City Chicken Coop Tour promises to be an adventure. The tour features backyard chickens and the coops they call home. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
SOS to The Hungry Gardener: My raspberry plants aren't producing
Q: We have a large 3-year-old raspberry plant that is growing and spreading like crazy. There are hundreds of buds, but no raspberries. The brown buds seem to dry up. The plant is in an open area with lots of sun. We water every few days when there is no rain. HELP! -- Larry in Fox Point
Q: I have a lot of trouble growing raspberries in my yard and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. The plants get large with nice leafy canes and lots of flowers and then something goes wrong. The flowers start to die, the cane tips curl and there are no berries produced. I've planted in different parts of the yard, since I thought maybe there was a disease of some kind. Am I not watering enough or is there something wrong with the soil? Thanks for any help -- Cathy
A: Larry and Cathy, have you two met? You seem to have very similar problems with your raspberry plants, so I'll try to address both in one answer. »Read Full Blog Post
South Milwaukee Downtown Market extends run
Thanks to support from shoppers and vendors, the new South Milwaukee Downtown Market has been extended five weeks beyond its original run, organizers announced Wednesday night.
"Shoppers and vendors have spoken loud and clear -- they love the market and want to see it extended into the fall," said South Milwaukee Downtown Market Chairman Bob Pfeiffer. "The market has truly exceeded our expectations. Just four weeks after we launched, we're already one of the area's largest, and we continue to grow."
The Thursday farmers market launched July 23 with one goal: to raise awareness and visibility for South Milwaukee's downtown area. »Read Full Blog Post
Farmers market vendors seek fair weather shoppers
A Door County cherry grower and several local food producers hope a sunny Saturday weather forecast will draw large crowds to Milwaukee area farmers markets to help make up for last weekend's rain losses.
Outdoor farmers markets carry risks that supermarkets don't. If rain keeps weekend shoppers away, vendors selling highly perishable fresh flowers and salad greens have to eat the lost sales, unless they have cold storage to keep things fresh, or they have other sales outlets.
Most farmers markets are open rain or shine, but last Saturday's thunderstorms closed at least one area market. Shoppers who ventured to the South Shore Farmers Market in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood an hour after it opened found an empty park. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
The Hungry Gardener on pest-free and productive basil
Q: Each year I have a problem with insects gnawing the leaves of my basil. Would planting it in pots help? How can I keep them away? Thank you for your reply. --Lynette in Oshkosh
A: Thankfully, there are not too many pests that cause major problems on basil plants. It's hard to say what might be gnawing on your leaves without more information, but I will assume the leaves have larger holes, rather than a speckled or pinpricked appearance. Here's a list of some possible culprits:
Slugs: leave behind large holes or chewed leaf edges and a telltale trail of slime. Remove garden debris that slugs hide under during the day, and hand pick at night when they are most active. »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener knows what's eating your tomatoes
Q: I've been patiently waiting for my tomatoes to ripen, and just as they're turning color, some horrible creature has eaten half the fruit and left the rest to rot. What cruel animal is doing this and how do I stop it from eating all my hard earned tomatoes?
A: The meadow vole, aka the Bane of my Existence, is a frustratingly well-adapted little vegetarian rodent that loves gardens and farms. They burrow shallowly through loose soil and grassy areas and build nests in protected areas or slightly underground. They much prefer your garden vegetables to any cheese or peanut butter bait, and nibble just enough to encourage rotting as the produce ripens.
Voles can be discouraged by keeping weeds and ground covers cut short in and around the garden, so there are fewer places for them to hide from predators and to safely nest. Keeping fruits, such as tomatoes, off the ground and tied up on trellises keeps voles from getting to your most prized beauties. Trapping year 'round can help keep populations down, since it is virtually impossible to kill or outsmart enough of the pests just at the moment they begin eating your bounty. »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener diagnoses a tomato problem
Q: I harvested some of my best-looking ripe tomatoes yesterday and noticed that some of them have a black moldy spot at the bottom of the fruit. What is that caused by and what should I do?
A: The telltale soft, dark spot on the bottom (or the end of the fruit where the flower blossom was attached) is caused by blossom end rot.
This isn't a disease but is caused by a calcium deficiency in the plant. There may be enough calcium in the soil, but big fluctuations in soil moisture make the calcium unavailable to the plant. The occasional heavy rains and long dry periods in our summer climate sometimes make the problem unavoidable, but usually only some fruit is affected.
The spot may be cut out and undamaged parts of the fruit can be eaten. You can help to prevent the problem, by watering your plants regularly and thoroughly (about an inch per week), and letting the soil dry somewhat between watering. Remember that tomatoes are prone to many bacterial and fungal diseases, so water the base of the plants, keeping the leaves dry, and avoid brushing against the leaves and branches when they are wet after a rain.
Harvest feast at Wellspring
A gourmet meal made by local chefs and incorporating organic, home-grown garden produce is set for Sept. 26 at Wellspring, a not-for-profit educational organization near Newburg that offers programs in wellness education, ecology, gardening, the arts and personal growth.
The annual Taste of Wellspring benefit raises money for Wellspring's Garden Scholarship Fund, used to train young adults in organic gardening and small-scale farming. Wellspring's own garden will provide vegetables for the menu.
The event will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Wellspring, 20 miles north of Milwaukee in the Milwaukee River valley. Dinner will be served under a large tent, with live music and opportunities for guests to walk the land, visit the gardens and take a river trail hike. »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener tackles zucchini ailment
Q: The leaves on my zucchini plant are mostly all covered with this white dusty stuff, and the fruit seems to have stopped maturing. I was getting a steady supply of zucchini, but this white stuff started to appear about two weeks ago and has just continued to cover more and more of the leaves. What's going on?
A: Powdery Mildew is a very common problem on many plants in the cucurbit family (squash, melons, cucumbers), as well as many other fruit, vegetable, and ornamental plants. It often affects plants later in the growing season when they are naturally beginning to decline anyway. When you first see the signs of the fungus as small powdery white spots, you can remove affected parts of the plants, being careful not to aid in its spread by avoiding brushing up against wet plants and disinfecting pruning tools between cuts. The fungus spreads best in humid conditions, which also occur when soil is too consistently moist, plants are spaced too close together or receive too much shade. There are several organic control options, which may help to prevent the disease before it is present, but can only help to slow the progress once your plants are affected. Compost tea or baking soda (1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon dish soap, 1 quart warm water) both provide some control, and are not harmful to you or the beneficial creatures in your garden. The same advice I've mentioned before for preventing the spread of bacterial and fungal problems on solanums (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes) and beans applies again here: keep the leaves dry when watering and avoid touching the plants when leaves are wet from dew or rainfall
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers Tuesdays and Fridays.
Win a vacation with a Wisconsin potato recipe
Potatoes are an all-American comfort food.
And what could be more comforting than winning a Minocqua-area weekend getaway through a potato recipe contest sponsored by Wisconsin Trails magazine?
Entries are being accepted through Sept. 21 in four categories: salad, soup, side dish/appetizer and casserole. All recipes must be original and use Wisconsin potatoes, including round red or white, russet, yellow-flesh, fingerlings, blue and purple. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Author Michael Pollan coming to Madison
Michael Pollan, author of "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto," will give a free public talk Sept. 24 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Kohl Center while in Madison for the Food for Thought Festival.
The 7 p.m. talk is sponsored by UW-Madison's Center for the Humanities as part of its public lecture series, Humanities Without Boundaries. No tickets are needed to attend, and the doors open at 6 p.m. »Read Full Blog Post
Grill green beans fresh from the garden
Your garden runneth over.
If you're new to cooking the bounty of your garden on the grill, you may not realize you can grill green beans. »Read Full Blog Post
Feast on a hilltop in Green County
Here's a great excuse for a road trip: a "dining at the source" event on the picturesque grounds of the New Glarus Brewery, featuring Green County products at their freshest, expertly prepared and elegantly presented by two local chefs. The September 12 "Bounty of Green County -- Feast on the Hilltop" event from 6 to 8 p.m. allow guests to meet the makers -- cheesemakers, bakers, growers, candy makers, brewers, farmers, and sausage makers. They will be available to answer questions from guests. »Read Full Blog Post
Here's a great excuse for a road trip: a "dining at the source" event on the picturesque grounds of the New Glarus Brewery, featuring Green County products at their freshest, expertly prepared and elegantly presented by two local chefs.
The September 12 "Bounty of Green County -- Feast on the Hilltop" event from 6 to 8 p.m. allow guests to meet the makers -- cheesemakers, bakers, growers, candy makers, brewers, farmers, and sausage makers. They will be available to answer questions from guests. »Read Full Blog Post
Hungry Gardener tackles Swiss chard leaf pest
Q: I'm growing Swiss chard for the first time, and some of the leaves have greenish brown blotchy patches that look sort of like blisters. It seems like the plant is growing well anyway, but I just wondered what this is and if I can do anything to prevent it?
A: Sounds like the elusive leafminer. The adult is a tiny black and yellow fly that lays white cylinder-shaped eggs on the underside of leaves. When the eggs hatch, the larvae tunnel between the layers of the leaf, actually mining a tunnel. If you look closely, you can often find that greenish-yellow larvae inside one of these tunnels. An ingenious method of travel, because the larvae are protected from both predators and pesticide sprays while they develop inside the leaf. The leafminer needn't be a problem pest, since it doesn't affect the plants' growth much unless there is so much larvae damage that the leaves can't photosynthesize. The best way to control the pest is to cover plants with polyester floating row cover to keep the flies from laying the eggs in the first place. The next best thing is to regularly remove leaves (which you'll do anyway as you harvest) and scrape off any white eggs you see on the underside of growing leaves. Leafminers love plants in the chenopodiaceae family (spinach, beets, chard) but can also affect other crops.
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers Tuesdays and Fridays.
Weekend shopping for Eat Local Challenge
When you make out your weekend grocery shopping list, don't forget to plan for two big events that may influence next week's meals.
School starts next week. And so does the East Local Challenge, which runs from Tuesday through Sept. 12. The third annual Milwaukee Eat Local Challenge does what the name implies: It challenges area residents to focus on eating more locally produced foods, and to support local businesses.
Get the kids involved this weekend in planning for school lunches and evening meals. Take them on a field trip to find locally produced ingredients. Shop a farmers market or area food markets that feature local foods. You'll find food at its freshest because it doesn't travel great distances to the table. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Eat Local Challenge begins with writing contest
Today is the first day of the Eat Local Challenge.
And here's your chance to wax poetic about the joys of eating locally produced food. Your poetry, memoir or short fiction piece may even be published, and win you some money.
A contest sponsored by Madison Magazine accepts entries through Friday in the categories of Poetry (500 words or less), Memoir (800 words or less), and Short, Short Fiction (1,200 words or less). Winners in each category will be invited to read at the 2009 Food for Thought Festival, an annual Madison festival that celebrates local and sustainable food systems on Sept. 26. »Read Full Blog Post
Post your funny veggie photos here
Do you have a curly cucumber, or an eggplant that resembles your Uncle Fred? Maybe your squash grew ears and a nose.
We'd like to see your funny garden vegetables, your ugly garden vegetables, your amazingly unique garden vegetables. You can post photos of them at the Dig In! blog's reader photo gallery.
At the end of September, we'll pick our favorite funny vegetable photo and award it $50. Be sure to check the photo gallery often to see the latest reader photos. If we get enough entries, we'll do another contest in October. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
When are pumpkins ready to pick?
Q: I'm growing pumpkins and winter squash for the first time this year, there are a lot to harvest. When are pumpkin and winter squash ready to be picked? How do you harvest them? What do I do with them once they are picked (besides eat them)? Some of the leaves look like they have powdery mildew on them and is this ok this late in the growing season? They seem to be still producing more flowers and thus more squash! Thanks for your help! -- Karen of Menomonee Falls
A: It sounds like you've had a very successful first year with pumpkins and squash. Congratulations! Pumpkins and other kinds of hard winter squash are ready to harvest when the skins are hard, and the stems are hard and shriveled with a grayish color to them. They should be picked before we get a hard freeze.
To harvest, cut the vine with pruners several inches from the fruit, leaving a short stem intact. After harvesting, the skins need to harden and dry further so they can help keep out pests and decay during winter storage. This is called curing. After picking the fruits, leave them outside in the sun for about 10 days. If the weather is rainy and cool during this time, you can put them in a warm area indoors that stays around 75 or 80 degrees instead. Acorn squash are the exception and do not benefit from curing. Store the fruits in a dry place with good air circulation and temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees to help them last as long as possible. The powdery mildew is very common at the end of the season and shouldn't affect the quality of your mature fruits. The new flowers probably won't have time to fully mature, but also won't affect the harvest. Enjoy!
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers Tuesdays and Fridays.
Hot new apple debuts in Door County
Wisconsin's apple season has arrived with a crisp, new twist.
A much-anticipated new apple variety called the SweeTango is making its Wisconsin debut this week exclusively at Wood Orchard Market in Door County's Egg Harbor.
You''ll have to get there soon if you want to try the trendy apple. Wood Orchard Market expects to sell out of its limited supply within 10 days to two weeks, said orchard owner Steve Wood. »Read Full Blog Post(6)
Inside the White House vegetable garden
Harvesting garden vegetables
You've spent the summer watering, weeding and envisioning the meals you'll make with the gorgeous tomatoes, beets and eggplants growing in your garden.
Now it's time to reap the rewards of all that hard work. Your garden is loaded. But how do you know for sure when it's time to pluck tomatoes from the vine, or to dig up your radishes and carrots?
Melinda Myers' gardening podcast this week is all about harvesting homegrown fruits and vegetables. Check it out, and learn the role that a ping-pong table played in the harvest of Meyers' childhood garden.
Sweet corn memories
Summer has flown by with too little sweet corn on my table.
As I was shucking a dozen ears of bicolor corn last night, fresh from the Westown Farmers Market at Zeidler Park, I thought about all the times growing up when my siblings and I would compete with our dad to see who could mow through the most ears of corn in one meal
Sweet corn was a whole meal in the summers of my youth, cooked to perfection in a pot of boiling water, and drenchd with butter. My farmer dad always won the corn-eating contest. We didn't care because it was fun to watch him finish off six to eight ears of corn, and still have room for dessert. My own kids are content with one ear of corn. There are no corn eating contests at my family's dinner table. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Eat Local Challenge specials
In conjunction with the Eat Local Challenge that's continuing through Sept. 12, the international tapas restaurant La Merenda has a number of specials that feature local produce and other Wisconsin products.
Those specials are: porcini-rubbed Wisconsin grass-fed rib eye; Weston orchards pear and mascarpone ravioli with sage brown butter; roasted beet ravioli with lemon-Parmesan cream sauce; calabacitas con crema; Springdale Farm chicken curry; Pinn-Oak lamb shank with Roth Kase Gran Queso mashed potatoes; and roasted summer vegetable risotto.
La Merenda is at 125 E. National Ave. The number is (414) 389-0125.
Check out this gigantic carrot!
Dig In! is in the market for photos of bizarre looking vegetables from your garden -- be they funny, unusually massive and/or deformed.
We'll pick our favorite extraordinary veggie photo posted at the Homegrown fruits and veggies gallery between now and the end of September, and award $50 to the person who submitted it. »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener on better soil for next year's garden
Q: Do you recommend soil testing? If so, when should I do it and what can the results tell me?
A: Fall is a great time to take some steps toward improving your soil for next year and into the future. Doing a soil test every few years gives you a baseline to measure improvements, and can sometimes indicate certain nutrients or minerals your soil is very deficient or excessive in. A basic test is approximately $15, with additional fees for extra tests. While the test results can be a little overwhelming, I recommend looking at a few key items:
1. Soil pH: 6.0-7.0 is optimum. Lower with compost, peat, cottonseed meal, sulfur; Raise with compost, lime »Read Full Blog Post
Giant pumpkins as flotation devices?
Most people carve pumpkins as Halloween decorations. Some carve them to get seeds for roasting, or pumpkin flesh for pie. »Read Full Blog Post
Skateboarding tomatoes
When your garden is in a shady spot, or a neighbor's new garage casts shadows across your tomatoes, you have to be creative.
That's the upshot of an entertaining article in the Washington Post Home section by Carol Guensburg, a former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staffer and Journal food editor who now lives in Arlington, Va.
Her tomato plants rode a skateboard to chase the sun last summer. This summer, she bought a three-wheeled coaster for her driveway-cruising tomato plant, a Brandywine.
The American diet and the health care debate
Michael Pollan makes a compelling case for including the American diet in the debate over health care in an op-ed piece in today's New York Times.
"We're spending $147 billion to treat obesity, $116 billion to treat diabetes, and hundreds of billions more to treat cardiovascular disease and the many types of cancer that have been linked to the so-called Western diet," Pollan writes. "One recent study estimated that 30 percent of the increase in health care spending over the past 20 years could be attributed to the soaring rate of obesity, a condition that now accounts for nearly a tenth of all spending on health care."
Pollan refers to the American way of eating as the "elephant in the room" in the debate over health care. »Read Full Blog Post
Another Big 10 college town considers backyard chickens
Madison has been a chicken-friendly college town for years, even inspiring an entertaining documentary, Mad City Chickens.
Now Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, is considering allowing hens in backyards for the purpose of providing eggs. College towns tend to be more liberal. Will chickens fly in Iowa City? Stay tuned to Dig In.
Things have quieted down in the Milwaukee area since springtime, when Shorewood voted down backyard chickens, and Milwaukee area residents flocked to see a local screening of Mad City Chickens.
If you haven't seen the Mad City Chickens documentary, you can catch an outdoor showing Sept. 19 in Madison at the Willy Street Co-op, 1221 Williamson St. The free showing of the 81-minute film will start at 8:30 p.m., following an 8 p.m. introduction by the filmmaker./p> (1)
Garden recycling event signals fall
If the weather isn't an obvious indicator, here's an event that signals gardening season is coming to an end.
Boerner Botanical Gardens and Shady Lane Greenhouses have organized a first annual garden recycling event for gardeners to recycle any color and size of hanging basket, polystyrene cell packs and trays, and pots with the recycling numbers 2, 5 and 6 (the number in the triangle, usually located at the bottom of the pot).
Recycling hours at Shady Lane Greenhouses, W172N7388 Shady Lane in Menomonee Falls, will be Sept. 18, 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at Boerner Botanical Gardens, 9400 Boerner Drive Hales Corners, on Sept. 24, 25 and 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. »Read Full Blog Post
Twisted tomatoes? Crazy carrots?
The weekend weather forecast is perfect for grabbing a camera and heading outside to photograph the oddball fruits and vegetables growing in your yard. Your incentive is the chance to win $50, and to share the humor of your garden.
The reader photo gallery at Dig In! is ripe with photos of thriving gardens.
But nature has a way of throwing us a few laughs, too. We'd love to see your twisted tomatoes and crazy carrots; your wacky watermelon or peculiar pears. It's easy to submit photos to the gallery. At the end of September, we'll pick our favorite photo from the gallery and award $50 to the person who submitted it.
Chris Grohmann of Mequon posted this fascinating photo with the caption: "Oh, No... Mr. Pear!" Mother Nature must have had lots of fun, shaping this pear.
Plenty of chances to enjoy local food
We just updated the Dig In! Calendar , and it's filled with opportunities to enjoy locally produced foods. (The calendar is located in the righthand column of the Dig In! blog's home page, so check back often for regular updates.)
A Local Food Festival on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Fondy Farmers Market, 2200 W. Fond du Lac Ave., sounds especially promising.
It's a chance to celebrate local food with chef demonstrations, tastings of local produce, kids' activities, music, dancing and more. The festival coincides with the Eat Local Challenge, which encourages residents to mindfully seek out and increase their purchasing and eating of local food
To see a full schedule of the Local Food Festival's events, check out www.fondymarket.org. Click on the News/Events tabat the top, then click on the event listing 2009 Eat Local Celebration.
Tosa launching new farmers market
Wauwatosa may have its own farmers market next spring.
In the meantime, a group of residents is planning a one-day test run for the Tosa Farmers Market on Sept. 26 to whip up interest and support.
Organizers hope the one-day kick-off will "get Wauwatosa excited about having a farmers market," and "get farmers excited about coming to Wauwatosa," according to the market's Web site . »Read Full Blog Post
The Hungry Gardener digs into soil improvement
Q: What can I do this fall to help improve my soil for next year?
A: Plenty! Fall is a great time to do soil improvement tasks. A great basic plan for building soil fertility and health every year includes adding at least a ¼ inch layer of high-quality COMPOST to your garden in fall, planting cool season COVER in August or September, and ROTATING your crops each season to move plant families around and leave some areas fallow (not planted) to allow them to rest and regenerate.
Compost: »Read Full Blog Post
Roots Restaurant features fall harvest menus
Roots Restaurant is celebrating the fall harvest with three weeks of special menus.
The restaurant at 1818 N Hubbard St. -- which specializes in foods grown locally -- begins the harvest celebration with a menu showcasing locally foraged wild mushrooms. Diners can choose the full tasting menu for $45, or sample dishes a la carte, either vegetarian or meat.
The "From the Forest Floor" menu, available Sept. 21 to 26, includes: »Read Full Blog Post(1)
The Hungry Gardener: Time to plant fall greens
Q: I would like to try planting lettuce and other greens for this fall. Do you have any advice on when and how to do this?
A: Fall greens are a wonderful treat to harvest when the rest of the garden is winding down. For my Fall Greens CSA share at Honey Hill Gardens (shameless plug: for which there are still a few spots available www.honeyhillgardens.com), I plant salad greens from the middle of August through September.
A covered structure, like a hoophouse, cold frame, high or low tunnel will protect your plants from drying winds and the coldest nights. Greenhouse poly covering (available from Carlin Horticultural Supplies www.carlinsales.com) is specially treated to resist UV rays and tears and will last much longer than standard plastic sheeting. The simplest low tunnels can be made with metal hoops and poly sheeting draped over your beds and secured with heavy rocks on the sides. »Read Full Blog Post
Send us photos of your presidential, heart-shaped potatoes
Did you catch President Barack Obama's heart-shaped potato moment Monday night on "The Late Show" with David Letterman?
(Maybe you have a heart-shaped potato of your own in your garden. If you do, post a photo at the Dig In! blog's reader gallery, which is showcasing Funny Veggie photos this month. You could win $50 at the end of September if we pick your photo as the funniest.)
Now, back to the president. »Read Full Blog Post
Dormitory sprouts roof-top edibles
Check out what grew on a dormitory roof at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee over the summer.
The "edible green roof" project at Sandburg Hall produced 62 pounds of bronze head lettuce in June, enough for the dorm chef to use for three weeks of dorm meals, said Mai M. Phillips, the university's program coordinator for Conservation and Environmental Science.
After the lettuce was harvested, various herbs were planted in consultation with the chef. "He has been harvesting basil, rosemary, jalapenos and he is even going to harvest the sunflower seeds and package them," said Phillips. (1)
Bill Clinton's hero: Milwaukee urban farmer Will Allen
A global action group founded by former President Bill Clinton has committed to helping a non-profit Milwaukee urban farm raise $1.9 million to build a model for a local food system in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
In announcing the commitment to Growing Power, 5500 W. Silver Spring Drive, the former president praised founder and CEO Will Allen, who last year won a $500,000 "genius" grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
"This guy's my hero. He does urban gardens in America," Clinton said. »Read Full Blog Post(2)
The Hungry Gardener on replacing grass with veggies
Q: I would like to start a garden in my yard next spring. The area is all grass right now, is there anything I can do this fall to help kill off the grass and get the area ready?
A: Fall is a really good time to begin preparing a new area for next year's garden by using a method called sheet mulching. You can let the cold and wet weather of winter kill any existing grass for you and be building up some organic matter in the area at the same time. First mow the area as low as possible. If you don't have a good mower and the footprint is fairly small, you can also use a sharp spade or flat bottomed shovel to chop down any vegetation taller than a few inches. Next, spread about 4 inches of manure, chopped yard waste/food scraps, or compost. Cover the area with overlapping layers of soaking wet cardboard or newspaper. To finish, cover the area with at least 6 inches of a weed-free mulch like straw or woodchips. The mulch needs to stay moist but not soggy, so water thoroughly only if the weather is dry. In spring, you can remove any undecomposed stuff from the top mulch or paper layer and add it to your compost pile. When the soil is dry enough that clumps break apart easily, work the rest of the mulch into the soil with a fork, spade or rototiller. If you still see pieces of undecomposed mulch material in the soil, wait a week or two before planting, and keep the area moist and aerated to help the matter break down completely.
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. She typically posts answers on Tuesdays (1)
Frank Lloyd Wright describes his Taliesin foodscape
Frank Lloyd Wright wrote extensively about the foodscape he envisioned for his beloved Taliesin home near Spring Green on a farm where his mother's family settled in southwestern Wisconsin. Here's how he described it in "An Autobiography: Book Two":
"This hill on which Taliesin now stands as 'brow' was one of my favorite places when I was a boy, for pasque flowers grew there in March sun while snow still streaked the hill sides... I still feel myself as much a part of it as the trees and birds and bees, and red barns, or as the animals are, for that matter. So, when family-life in Oak Park in that spring of 1909, conspired against the freedom to which I had come to feel every soul entitled and I had no choice would I keep my self-respect, but go out, a voluntary exile...
"I wished to be part of my beloved southern Wisconsin and not put my small part of it out of countenance. Architecture, after all, I have learned, or before all, I should say, is no less a weaving and a fabric than the trees... It was still a very young faith that undertook to build it. But it was the same faith that plants twigs for orchards, vineslips for vineyards, and small whips that become beneficial shade trees. And it did plant them, too, all about! »Read Full Blog Post(1)
The Cheese Lady returns to Dairyland
What would a cheese festival be without a cheese carver?
Wisconsin native Sarah Kaufmann, aka "The Cheese Lady," will carve a cheese-eating badger along with historical dairyland memorabilia during the 12th annual Shullsburg Cheesefest Saturday at the Shullsburg Creamery in southwestern Wisconsin from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. »Read Full Blog Post
Wisconsin honey to be Unwrapped on Food Network
Wisconsin honey will be "Unwrapped" tonight on the Food Network.
Wisconsin Natural Acres Honey of Chilton takes center stage at 8 p.m. as the Food Network show, "Unwrapped," explores foods made with honey.
First up, visit the Wisconsin Natural Acres bee farm and learn how the bees' wings help turn nectar into honey. Then, discover why those skinny little Glory Bee honeysticks taste like strawberry and sour cherry, and why Duchess Honey Buns uses dry honey to make cinnamon rolls. The show also will reveal the secret to adding honey to Malt-O-Meal's Honey & Oat Blenders cereal (it's a spray), and what kind of honey adds the right flavor to an old-time Annabelle's "Big Hunk" candy bar.
The Hungry Gardener: Lawn gardens, post harvest
Q: I've loved the idea of transforming my grassy yard into a huge veggie patch! I tried that with half my yard this year and my problem is when veggie picking is done, and the area is just dirt, the weeds come in like mad. I can't very well have a whole backyard of weeds, or dirt for that matter. So what can I do with the area to keep weeds out when the veggies are pulled - - that won't create an eyesore for my neighbors? (We have no fences on my block). Signed, mygreendoor
A: Dear mygreendoor,
I'm so glad to hear you are taking back that lawn to make more veggie gardens. You're right, it is important to take care of the garden space after the crops are done, both to keep your yard looking good and to keep improving the garden soil. I would recommend first spreading about ¼" of compost on the area and digging it in a little with a garden fork or shovel. Then rake the area fairly level again and scatter seeds for a cover crop. After spreading the seeds evenly at the correct planting rate, go over once more with a flat rake to lightly cover them with soil. If planting your cover crop between June and August, try buckwheat or oats; between August and October, try winter rye; or anytime in the year, try crimson clover. Any of these can be mowed to keep at a manageable height, but are easiest to turn back into the soil to benefit your crops before they flower or reach their full height. Buckwheat and oats will die at the first frost and create a nice mulch, but they won't be green and attractive into winter as the crimson clover or winter rye will. For more information on benefits and local sources for cover crops, see my Sept. 16 blog post.
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at email@example.com. She typically posts answers on Tuesdays
The Hungry Gardener on cold-weather greens
Q: I sprinkled some lettuce in a pot a month ago, and now it looks like the leaves are big enough to eat. How should I harvest it, and will it grow back again?
A: Many leafy greens can be harvested in a "cut-and-come-again" fashion, which means that after their leaves are removed, the plants will re-grow new ones. When the leaves are at least 6 inches tall, you can use scissors or a small knife to harvest them. Notice where the new growth begins at the base of the plant, and be sure to cut above this growth tip so the plant can regenerate. Giving the plants a nice clean haircut helps them grow back evenly, so you can cut them quickly again the next time. Here's a list of cool-season greens that work well in a salad mix, and re-grow up to 4 times after cutting: lettuce, arugula, mizuna, mustard, Swiss chard, kale, dandelion, pac choi. In September and October, plant growth begins to slow as the daylight hours get shorter and nights cooler, so seeds sown outdoors now may germinate but not reach a big enough size to harvest before snow hits. An alternative is to sow some seeds in a container you can bring inside and keep in a bright window. They will still grow slowly at this time of year, but you can ensure warmer temperatures and the most light possible to enjoy micro salads into December.
To ask The Hungry Gardener a food gardening question, send her an e-mail at email@example.com. She typically posts answers on Tuesdays
Growing Spaces project to build local food connections
A community-based project involving an intensive, year-round rooftop garden and greenhouse to teach urban sustainable agriculture in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood has received two grants to help it move forward.
The "Growing Spaces" Project received a $141,000 grant from the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, as well as $30,000 from the Helen Bader Foundation, to build an urban, agricultural training space and green garage. The grants will support a partnership between Growing Power, Inc., Bradley Tech Construction Academy, Inc., and the Lynde & Harry Bradley Technology & Trade School to provide educational opportunities for future green-collar workers and a community-based training site for urban sustainable agriculture.
Growing Power staff will provide training for Bradley Tech students in year-round sustainable food production and will provide training opportunities for community members once the green garage is complete. The food produced by students will stay in the local area and be shared among neighbors and food pantries in the Riverwest community. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
The Hungry Gardener on the end of the growing season
Q: After we had a very cold night a few weeks ago, I went outside to find some of the plants in my vegetable garden looking completely dead and sort of translucent. The basil, squash, and tomatoes look terrible, but the Brussels sprouts and cilantro still seem fine. Is there anything I can do to help the ones that froze? What should I do now in my garden before winter hits?
A: The end of the growing season is officially here, since most areas of the county have had at least one hard freeze by now. If you're new to gardening, it's always a bit of a shock to discover a dark and droopy version of what was once a basil or zucchini plant. Although you might have delayed the inevitable freezing of tender vegetable plants for a little while by covering them during the coldest nights, it is easier to just accept nature's hint and prepare for winter. In late September, begin watching for a hard freeze advisory and plan to make one final collection of any remaining fruits or foliage from tender plants just before the evening temperatures dip below freezing. Once the tender plant tissues have been damaged from the freeze, they are not likely to recover or continue growing much. You can pull and move the plants to a compost pile, or just chop into small pieces with a sharp spade to decompose right into the soil over winter. October is a good time to take advantage of the occasional sunny days to finish up a few fall jobs:
· Disconnect all hoses from water spigots and let them drain, so you don't damage your hose or water lines with expanding ice. »Read Full Blog Post
Commuters missing Kopp's billboard
Daily temptation has been removed for northbound commuters on Interstate 43 near Capitol Drive.
A Kopp's Frozen Custard billboard that had advertised the "flavor of the day" at the nearby Glendale stand since 1996 came down earlier this week, and was replaced by a promotion for Concordia University, as both a cost-cutting measure and a sign of the times.
Kopp's still has a Web site www.kopps.com and social media to alert its customers to the daily frozen custard flavor forecast. The stand has 12,813 fans on Facebook, and posts the daily flavor on Twitter (@koppscustard). Kopp's cut its phone book advertising a couple of years ago, when the company decided not enough customers were looking to the Yellow Pages for dining advice. »Read Full Blog Post(4)
The Hungry Gardener says goodbye
Editor's note: With this post, Nicole Capizzi says goodbye to the Dig In! blog. She's moving "home" to Seattle, where she will continue farming in the city. We wish Nicole all the best in her next adventure, and are grateful for her sage food gardening advice throughout the past growing season. She has been a pleasure to work with, and we will miss her. Nicole's blog posts are archived at Dig In! We hope to find another Hungry Gardener by next spring to continue helping readers with their food gardening questions. Feel free to drop Nicole a note before she leaves Milwaukee to wish her well at email@example.com.
Nicole: After six years of living in the Midwest (3 ½ in Milwaukee), it's time for me to go home. Milwaukee is an amazing place to be involved with the local food and farm movement, and I'll miss my work and community here terribly. But I've always been in love with my state of Washington, and knew I'd return there for good someday. In Seattle, my husband Kyle will continue working in the world of biofuels and I'll be farming in the city. Thanks to all those Dig In! readers out there, silent allies in changing our food system. Thanks to The Journal Sentinel and Milwaukee County Cooperative Extension for giving me a chance to share some information and love of vegetables with the hungry food gardeners of Milwaukee. Until next time Milwaukee, long live local foods and small farms.
The Cheese Lady carves Bucky
Cheese carving is a spectator sport, at least when Sarah Kaufmann, aka "The Cheese Lady," returns to her home state of Wisconsin to take on a mammoth cheddar.
Kaufmann, who grew up in Manitowoc and now travels the country, sculpting cheese, returns to Wisconsin this weekend to carve Bucky Badger and other popular state icons from a mammoth Wisconsin cheeddar at a Hy-Vee store grand opening in Madison (3801 E. Washington Ave.,) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Kaufmann will carve the icons from a cheddar weighing 1,000 pounds. Shoppers will be invited to watch and to sample the cheese. (1)
Check out this "grub party" for a cause
If you've got easy access to food that is "healthy, green, fair and affordable," consider yourself fortunate.
And then consider attending a "Grub Party" this Friday at Wisconsin State Fair Park to discuss ways to help others who do not.
Grub parties are an emerging effort nationwide to raise awareness of the fact that millions of Americans in urban and rural communities have limited access to nutritious food. »Read Full Blog Post
Cows gain all-star status at Sassy Cow Creamery
Most cows that produce the milk we drink blend into the collective herd that is the nation's milk supplier.
But Columbus-based Sassy Cow Creamery has given star status to individual cows within its herd, creating baseball-style collector cards that come attached to every gallon of milk.
The cards, which can be detached, have a picture of a cow, her name and a few details about her personality, according to a story in Monday's Beaver Dam Daily Citizen. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
White House buzz
Forget the economy and health care reform.
The real buzz at the White House is created by honey bees, according to an article in Wednesday's New York Times about the 65,000 honey bees that made their home on the grounds this year to help pollinate the White House's new vegetable garden, and to produce honey for the first family's table.
More buzz has been created by the White House garden. Four celebrity chefs will compete on an "Iron Chefs America" episode scheduled to air Jan. 3 on the Food Network. The secret ingredient involves the White House vegetable garden, according to another article in Wednesday's New York Times.
Chocolate Potato Cherry Cream Torte? Only in Wisconsin
A chocolate cake loaded with mashed potatoes to make it moist has grabbed the top prize in a recipe contest sponsored by Wisconsin's potato growers.
Marilyn Blankschien, of Clintonville, creator of the winning Chocolate Potato Cherry Cream Torte, will receive a $150 gift card to Econo Foods, courtesy of the the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers' Association Holiday Celebrations recipe contest, the association announced this week.
"Desserts are my favorite thing to make," Blankschien said in a prepared statement. "Using potatoes in this recipe makes it a moister cake. And it's a healthier dessert because there's no shortening or oil." »Read Full Blog Post
New indoor winter farmers market debuts Saturday
If you're going through withdrawal because your favorite farmers market closed for the season, we've got good news that will chase your blues away.
A new indoor Saturday morning winter farmers market -- the Milwaukee County Winter Farmers' Market --debuts tomorrow in the lobby of the Tommy Thompson Youth Center at State Fair Park (Gate 5 at 640 S. 84th St).
Some 20 local vendors will offer everything from farm-fresh eggs and apples to farmstead cheese and yogurt from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through April 24. Parking is ample and free. »Read Full Blog Post
Winter farmers market makes summerlike debut
Only in Wisconsin would a record high temperature be recorded on the same day a new winter farmers market opened for the season.
A high of 71 degrees was recorded at Mitchell International Airport on Saturday, breaking Milwaukee's record of 70 degrees for this date in 1945, according to meteorologist Scott Steele, of WTMJ-TV (Channel 4).
The StormTeam 4Cast called for increasing clouds and breezy, warm temperatures on Sunday, with a high near 65. A few showers or sprinkles may develop Sunday night. »Read Full Blog Post(3)
Mark your calendar for next year's cheese fest
This may be the most-sought-after ticket in Wisconsin's cheese world next year.
The second annual Wisconsin Original Cheese Festival is set for Nov. 5 and 6, 2010 at Monona Terrace in Madison, according to executive director Jeanne Carpenter.
The festival's debut over the weekend sold out a limited number of 660 tickets in less than three weeks. Tickets for the 2010 festival won't go on sale until mid-August or September. But it's not too early to save the date for next year. »Read Full Blog Post
New winter farmers market going al fresco Saturday
After the new Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market debuted indoors last Saturday on a record warm day, organizers decided to move the market outside this Saturday so shoppers can enjoy continued mild weather.
With temperatures forecast to hit 52 degrees with cloudy skies Saturday, the winter market will move into the parking lot just west of the Tommy Thompson Youth Center at State Fair Park (Gate 5, 640 S. 84th St.) from 8 a.m. to noon.
"All the better to enjoy our fleeting fall," said market manager Deb Deacon. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Most popular game on Facebook? Virtual farming
Farmers markets aren't the only places to find farmers selling produce.
Maybe you've noticed your friends buying tractors, growing food, and selling what they produce through a hugely popular online game on Facebook called Farmville. The game is free, but if you want to plant your crops faster, you have to pay real money to buy a virtual tractor.
According to a story on NPR's Weekend Edition aired Saturday, 63.8 million people are "farming" on Facebook each month. It's the most popular Facebook game, NPR reports. »Read Full Blog Post
Mount Horeb Mustard Museum moves to Middleton
Moving trucks pulled up early Monday morning to the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum to haul 5,200 jars of mustard, 1,500 mustard pots, and hundreds of other mustard memorabilia from downtown Mount Horeb to the museum's new home in Middleton.
"It's been havoc and chaos, and havoc and chaos," said Barry Levenson, curator and CMO (chief mustard officer) for what will now be known as the National Mustard Museum. The museum is to re-open Friday at its new location near Madison, 7477 Hubbard Ave. in Middleton.
The mustard museum has been a Mount Horeb fixture and foodie destination since Levenson created it in 1992. "That's a long time," Levenson said Monday. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
No dinner plans Wednesday? Check out this event
If you value food and beer produced close to home, here's a five-course dinner invitation to whet your appetite.
Reservations are still available for a Wednesday night "Autumn's Elegant Beer Pairing Dinner" at the InterContinental Milwaukee, 139 East Kilbourn Ave., pairing local beer and local foods. The event begins 6 p.m., with appetizers.
Enjoy a five-course menu created and prepared by Chef Robert Ash of Kil@wat, exclusively for this event. (Note: Not every ingredient is locally produced.) Each course is paired with a local brew from Lakefront Brewery.
Cost is $45 per person, and the event is limited to the first 45 people.
And now that we've got your attention, here's the menu:
Appetizer: Cru of Labelle Farms Duck and Growing Power Chicken Livers: elegant farmer apple salad, bagel crisp, growing power petite watercress. Paired with Lakefront New Grist (gluten-free beer)
Salad: Grilled Maine Lobster Salad: Russian fingerling potatoes, chickory, Nueske's pork belly croute, haricot verte, roasted piquillo vinaigrette. Paired with Organic ESB (extra special bitter)
Entree: Strauss Bone-in Veal Schnitzel: herb spaetzle, brussel sprout leaves, caramelized Meyer lemon, pommery mustard cream sauce. Paired with Riverwest Stein
Cheese: Red Dragon Mustard Seed Cheese: bavarian pretzel dust, Door County cherry conserve. Paired with Local Acre Lager
Dessert: Spiced Pumpkin Cremeux: gingerbread, pretzel, brandied caramel, candied orange-ginger gelato. Paired with Holiday Spice Lager
To reserve a spot, contact Gregory Banach at (414) 291-4779 or email email@example.com
Meet a master cheesemaker and check out a new cheese book
A new book about Wisconsin's top cheesemakers will take center stage Saturday at Larry's Market, 8737 N. Deerwood Dr., with a book discussion, signing and cheese tasting featuring the authors and one of the cheesemakers profiled in the book.
Thanksgiving countdown for food shoppers
Today is one of the busiest food shopping days fo the year, for the biggest food holiday of the year.
Expect long lines at supermarkets, specialty food stores and where those who produce food locally gather to sell direct to consumers.
If you're looking for the cheapest turkey and Thanksgiving staples, you'll no doubt find them at a supermarket. If you want a gourmet chutney, Wisconsin's best cheeses or a selection of fresh produce from all over the world, you'll find those items at specialty food stores. And if you want food with a story behind it that you can share at the Thanksviging dinner table, you'll find plenty of stories -- and fresh vegetables, eggs, meat, cheeses, salsas -- at area farmers markets. »Read Full Blog Post
Large, edible Thanksgiving objects rule area farmers markets
Edmund Schultz of Lannon hoisted a 50-pound bag of white Wisconsin potatoes over his left shoulder at the West Allis Farmers Market Saturday afternoon, and hauled it home to store in his basement for winter eating.
At the Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market earlier in the day, Hattie Purtell of Milwaukee spotted a 22-pound, deep orange Boston Marrow squash that "spoke" to her. The fine-grained, sweet flesh squash had been grown at Pinehold Gardens in Oak Creek with heirloom seeds the farmer said date back to 1831, and Native Americans in New York state. Purtell had to have it to decorate her home.
Countless shoppers at the Fondy Farmers Market left the outdoor market toting plastic bags filled with bushels of collard greens and mustard greens. Some of the greens were destined for Thanksgiving dinner, while others would be blanched and frozen for later. This market closed for the season on Saturday. »Read Full Blog Post
Brussels sprouts: They're what's for Thanksgiving dinner
Donna Chappie of West Allis was shopping for Thanksgiving dinner ingredients last Saturday morning at the Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market at State Fair Park.
She stopped in front of a basket brimming with brussels sprouts at the JenEhr Family Farm table. And she frowned. She did not look like a happy camper.
"All the years I've made Thanksgiving dinner, and it came up this year that my family likes brussels sprouts," Chappie told farmer Kay Jensen. "They brought it up, and I had no idea. We usually have that green bean casserole everyone likes." »Read Full Blog Post(2)
Settling in for winter with 50 pounds of potatoes
Edmund Schultz of Lannon turned a few heads at the West Allis Farmers Market last Saturday when he hoisted a 50-pound sack of white Wisconsin potatoes over one shoulder, and hauled it to his van.
How often do you see someone buy that many potatoes?
"Put them in the basement in a cool spot, and these potatoes will last you until March," Schultz said of his $10 purchase, which he makes every year at the same time. »Read Full Blog Post
Wisconsin 15-year-old cheddar grabs international fame
A smooth and tangy 15-year-old cheddar unveiled by a Mineral Point cheesemaker last week is grabbing international attention. And it's selling faster than cheese mongers can cut it -- even at $50 per pound in a bitter economy.
The 1,200-pound stash of what's believed to be the oldest cheddar on the U.S. market is selling so quickly for holiday gift-giving and entertaining that it may be gone by the weekend, one week after its release, said cheese maker Tony Hook, who co-owns Hook's Cheese Co. with his wife and fellow cheese maker, Julie Hook.
Demand for the 15-year-old cheddar has been overwhelming, Tony Hook said Tuesday. »Read Full Blog Post
Vintage cheddar: Gone. Sold out. Finis.
The single malt scotch of cheddar is gone. Sold out. Finis. At least for another three months.
The hottest "toy" for gift-giving in the Milwaukee area this Christmas turns out to be cheese -- a 15-year-old Wisconsin cheddar that sold out Wednesday just a few days after its release at $50 per pound.
"It's like the new toy that everyone wants for Christmas," said Steve Ehlers, co-owner of Larry's Market in Brown Deer, the only store in the Milwaukee area selling the smooth, tangy cheddar. "Two-thirds of the orders we got were for gift-giving. It's the gift for the foodie that you don't know what else to buy for." »Read Full Blog Post
Cheers to a beer made entirely with Wisconsin ingredients
Lakefront Brewery today will release what may be the first beer since Prohibition made entirely with Wisconsin ingredients.
Local Acre, brewed with organic malt, makes its official debut from 7 to 10 p.m., Thursday at The Sugar Maple bar, 441 E. Lincoln Ave., in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood.
"I am very proud of this new lager. It's the first step to creating a taste that is uniquely Wisconsin," Lakefront Brewery President Russ Klisch said in a prepared statement. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Who moved my sliver of $50-a-pound cheddar?
I confess.
I was lured by the cachet of a humble Wisconsin cheddar that sat quietly in a cooler for 15 years until its award-winning maker cut into it last week, declared it rare perfection, and began selling it for an astonishing $50 a pound.
I had to have some. So I bought a $10 sliver of the mellow, tangy vintage. »Read Full Blog Post(30)
We challenge you: Give 'a pound of vintage cheddar'
We recently reported a Wisconsin cheesemaker had unveiled a vintage cheddar that's 15 years old -- perhaps the oldest cheddar on the U.S. market. Some liken it to the single malt scotch of cheddar.
Readers raced to Larry's Market in Brown Deer to shell out $50 a pound for the uniquely smooth and tangy cheese -- an accomplishment for cheesemakers Tony and Julie Hook of Hook Cheese Co., in Mineral Point.
This blogger was among those anxious to try it. But my story took a twist. And readers reacted with both chuckles and outrage to a Dig In! blog posting about a well-intentioned husband misappropriating $50-a-pound cheddar for grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. »Read Full Blog Post(6)
Winter farmers market offers gift of local flavor
If you'd like to buy the foodie in your life some "local flavor" this Christmas, you'll find it in abundance Saturday morning at the Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market.
And you can pick up a ready-to-fill gift box for $4 at the market, complete with eco-friendly packing material.
The winter farmers market in the lobby of the Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center at State Fair Park (640 S. 84th St., Gate 5) runs from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through April 24. Parking is always free, regardless of other events at State Fair Park. (There is no market Dec. 26 and Jan 2, by the way.) »Read Full Blog Post
Psssst. We found more vintage cheddar. It's in Beverly Hills
Where else would some of the last nibbles of Wisconsin's heralded vintage cheddar stash be, but in tony Beverly Hills, selling for $75 a pound.
That almost makes the $50 a pound that Milwaukee area cheese lovers paid for the 15-year-old cheddar seem like a bargain before it sold out here.
"During Christmas, anything goes in Beverly Hills," said cheese buyer Tony Princiotta, of the Cheese Store Beverly Hills on Beverly Drive. "This cheese is intense, like cheddar on crack. It's the best cheddar out there." »Read Full Blog Post
Christmas shopping for local flavor
If this is your weekend to get serious about Christmas shopping, you can start early Saturday at the Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market.
And you can pick up a ready-to-fill gift box at the market for $4, complete with eco-friendly packing material.
The winter farmers market in the lobby of the Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center at State Fair Park (640 S. 84th St., Gate 5) runs from 8 a.m. to noon this Saturday and future Saturdays through April 24. Parking is always free, regardless of other events at State Fair Park. (There is no market Dec. 26 and Jan 2, by the way.) »Read Full Blog Post
Growing Power wins grant to help feed MPS students
A $150,000 grant from Chase announced Wednesday aims to help Growing Power funnel fresh vegetables into Milwaukee Public Schools, and expand a regional urban farming training program.
The grant recognizes that inaccessibility of healthy and affordable food is a major challenge for families struggling with unemployment and poverty, according to a press release.
"There are many worthy causes in need of support, but few as compelling as ensuring that families and children have healthy food on their tables," Jim Popp, Wisconsin market president for Chase, said in the prepared statement. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Farmers market flap over traffic concerns in Menomonee Falls
Our sister paper, MenomoneeFallsNOW, posted an interesting story the other day about a farmers market at a Menomonee Falls Middle School that is so successful, it creates traffic problems for the school.
It sounds like they're working to resolve the issue so that all parties win, and safety is addressed.
The market in the parking lot of North Middle School, held from summer through early fall, is a big attraction to the downtown area, according to the story by reporter K.L. Klein. Vendors booked all 45 spaces for the Wednesday market, and more were on a waiting list. The Sunday market had 22 vendors, twice as many as last year
Last-minute local food gifts at winter farmers market
Malls will be jammed this weekend with frenzied shoppers who may not know about one of the best, low-stress places to find gifts for foodies.
Before heading to the mall Saturday morning, check out the Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market in the Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center lobby at State Fair Park (Gate 5, 640 S. 84th St.) between 8 a.m. and noon. »Read Full Blog Post
First stop local shopping for foodies
Christmas is less than a week away.
You still have to pick up a few last-minute gifts for the foodies on your list. And then there's Christmas dinner to think about. So much to do, so little time.
Wouldn't it be nice to support a local food producer while you're checking off your list? Where can you go where the parking is free and plentiful, and so are the food samples?
Here's the answer. Grab your coat and fly like the wind.
Cheesehead generosity
It's the giving season. And you've probably been bombarded with requests to give to this charity or that charity.
If you love Wisconsin cheese, and you're fortunate enough to be able to put food on your table every night, here's a chance to help put food on someone else's table at a critical time, when food pantries and meal programs are hard-pressed to feed those thrown out of jobs and homes by a downtrodden economy.
We're not suggesting you donate a pound of cheddar.
We're suggesting you give $50 -- the cash equivalent to a pound of Wisconsin's most celebrated cheddar -- to a meal program or food pantry that feeds those who are down on their luck.
No winter farmers market at State Fair Park this weekend
The Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market is taking a holiday break this weekend.
The market returns Jan. 9 -- next Saturday -- in the lobby of the Tommy Thompson Youth Center at State Fair Park (Gate G, 640 S. 84th St). It runs from 8 a.m. to noon.