The Great Loofah Experiment

Our garden friends in Texas gave us this:

We peeled it, and got this:

Since loofah has such a long growing season, and Minnesota doesn't, we've started them inside.  Assuming the seeds are planted at the right depth (We did carrots too deep one year.) we'll post pictures of progress.

Hoping by July to see this:

And if we pick them early (before they become scrubbing loofahs) we can make this:

2 tbsp. canola oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lb. loofah gourd, peeled and cut diagonally into 1 1⁄2"-long pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Sugar, to taste

Heat oil in a 14" flat-bottomed wok or nonstick skillet over high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until golden, 15–20 seconds. Add loofah and 1 tbsp. water; season with salt, white pepper, and sugar. Cook, stirring, until just tender, 30–60 seconds. Serve immediately. (from Saveur Magazine

Thankful

Here at the Giving Garden we are thankful for all our wonderful volunteers! During this year's growing season we harvested over 1,200 lbs. All of which went right back into the community. Some of it even went for a cruise! How is that possible....well, have you heard about the ELRC Mobile Food Pantry?  It is an innovative approach to hunger relief that brings food support into neighborhoods. To learn more, check out the Eagan and Lakeville Resource Center (ELRC) website.

Blue Cross volunteers and Eagan and Lakeville Resource Center (ELRC)  leadership celebrate the inaugural delivery of the ELRC Mobile Food Pantry. During the Minnesota growing season, some of the produce delivered to food shelf recipients in Dakota County comes from our very own Blue Cross giving garden.

Fruits of Our Labor

Oh my...I can't believe we have been away from the blogging world since August! The garden has definitely kept us on our toes this growing season.

Since we last shared an update, we have held two events. One was our fall clean up while the other was an Ice Cream social. Of course, after enjoying a few scoops of ice cream harvesting was in order!

We will be back soon to hopefully share some photos of our fall clean up event and our year end harvest total. Stay warm!!

First Pumpkin Harvest

We surely are on a role over here. Yesterday's delivery topped the scale at 76lbs! Even more impressive, take a look at that 32.5lb pumpkin =) Many thanks go out to the fabulous volunteers who stopped out for a little weeding therapy yesterday. The garden looks green and beautiful!

Growing and Growing

The heat and rain sure are paying off over here. We harvested over 25 lbs in the past few days!

8 pounds cucumbers

2 lbs kale

4 lb 12 oz carrots

12 lb 11 oz summer squash

7 oz swiss chard

2 oz spearmint

3.5 oz onion

and a few ounces of dill

Oh and did I mention we have a huge pumpkin growing in the garden?

Yummy!

Despite the heat wave this summer, the garden is off to a successful start. To date we have harvested and donated 47.10 lbs! Don't those raspberries look delicious?!

Celebrating our Volunteers

"Volunteers don't necessarily have the time; they just have the heart."

-Elizabeth Andrew

It was a perfect day for a celebration in the garden. We enjoyed fresh veggies, recognized our volunteers and enjoyed the company of our special guests.