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Garden to Table

                           

      Gardening does not simply allow one to be mentally old,

      because too many hopes and dreams are to be realized.

                            - Allan Armitage

 

The Earth gives us the opportunity to cultivate and enjoy its offerings. Trees, flowers, and gardens can all flourish under our care. What gardens offer in exchange is the ability to take the end result right to our table. For ideas and inspiration on what the garden to table experience can look like for you, check out the activities, books, and resources listed below.

Activities

Use your kitchen scraps--potato pieces, avocado pits, carrot tops--to grow a new garden! With a small container, water, and light, those scraps will sprout. Instead of "garden to table," this is "table to garden."

 

Limited on space and experience? Start small with a vegetable container garden. These tips and tricks will make it feel do-able.

 

We all know Michigan likes to keep us on our toes with its weather. This is when identifying what zone you live in and having a schedule when to plant seeds will help set you up for success. This Plant Hardiness Zone Map will let you know about frost dates. MSU Extension has vast resources on gardening: articles, classes, planning resources, and soil care. 

 

There has been a bumper crop of tomatoes. They are overtaking your kitchen. Now what? Canning! Stash those tomatoes for cold January pizza nights. Check out this USDA guide for getting started and this "Beginner's Guide to Canning" from a registered dietician for a breakdown of the process.

 

Oh, the patience required to wait to for plants to grow. While your plants take their time, cut to the chase and watch these time lapse videos of various plants growing. See how they take root under the soil and the plant's dramatic entrance above.

Books

Organic Gardening for Everyone is a been-there-done-that guide that shows how anyone with an interest in growing healthy vegetables, but without gardening experience, can take the leap and become a family gardener, just like author and Youtube star CaliKim did. She provides complete step by step information on growing the most popular edibles organically, and also gives sound advice on how to take on the challenges of balancing a hectic lifestyle with successful growing-and how to involve the whole family in the process. It is an uplifting and inspiring story packed with practical advice.

In The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook, you'll find the simple, straightforward resources and tools you need to identify common pests of edible gardens and manage them without the use of synthetic chemical pesticides.

Climate change and newly introduced insect pests are changing the world of gardening. Pests that once produced a single generation per year are now producing two or even three, and accidentally imported pest insects have no natural predators to keep them in check. These leaf-munching critters can cause significant damage in short order, reducing your yields and costing you time and money, especially if your garden is out of balance or your plants are stressed and vulnerable.

Whether you're a new or seasoned gardener, author and garden pro Susan Mulvihill shows you how to handle pest issues by growing healthier plants, properly identifying the culprit, and nurturing the overall ecosystem of the garden. With easy-to-use charts, you'll learn how to identify common vegetable garden pests based on both the damage they cause and their physical appearance.

DIY pest-control projects, coupled with up-to-date info on the best natural products, physical pest-control tricks, and tips for managing pests with the use of traps and barriers, all lead to a garden where beneficial insects and pollinators are preserved while pest populations are kept in check.

Garden to Table features 50+ recipes for sweet and savory recipes that transform fresh produce into delicious dishes--like whipped-cream cake with layers of berries; mini peach and cherry pies; pink-frosted strawberry cupcakes; sweet potato skins topped with melted cheese; tempura fried string beans with yummy dipping sauce.

In addition to essential cooking tips and kitchen safety knowhow, discover fun skills like using a vegetable peeler to "shave" veggies and tips for creating an indoor kitchen herb garden.

Whether you want to make the perfect after-school snack for yourself, a decadent dessert for a party with friends, or dinner for your family, this beautifully photographed collection of recipes will inspire you to cook your way through the seasons--and through each chapter, from the veggie garden and berry patch to the fruit orchard and citrus grove. With this garden-to-table adventure, become a pro at transforming beautiful fresh fruits and veggies into super-delicious baked treats and meals.

Mrs Noah's garden by Jackie Morris

"Mrs Noah touched the earth. It was warm on her fingertips. She looked all round the Ark. On the south side the slope was less steep. A few shrubs and bushes had clung on, despite the flood. Two yew trees stood, ancient and tall. Yes, thought Mrs Noah. Here." Mrs Noah, ever-resourceful, ever-surprising, won a host of admirers with Mrs Noah's Pockets (2016). Now, with the Ark safely grounded, she gives herself a new task, to make a garden in the bare earth. The famously deep pockets hold flower and plant seeds, and with her children's help she prepares the ground, plants and waters, until on a magical midsummer's morning, the garden is there in full bloom. For Mr Noah, who has watched her sewing in the evenings and thought, 'Ah, curtains at last', there is a special surprise. 

Fill your plate with fresh, self-sustained produce that comes straight from your garden. Step-by-step planting, care and harvesting tips give the beginning gardener a good basic understanding of the growing process. Over 30 delicious recipes made with basil, carrots, green beans, leaf lettuce, potatoes, and tomatoes, complete with step-by-step photos, bring your homegrown foods to the table to share with others. Incorporating unique flavors and easy-to-grow veggies, these simple recipes will have you asking for seconds!

Food is a fun way to celebrate diversity, and in her new kids' cookbook, best-selling author Deanna F. Cook leads young chefs on a tasty tour of global cultures and cuisines. Kids gain practical kitchen skills through preparing breakfasts, drinks, snacks, dinners, and desserts from around the world. Alongside recipes for foods such as Irish soda bread, ANZAC biscuits, ramen noodle soup, and mango lassi, step-by-step photography and profiles feature children from a wide range of backgrounds honoring their heritage and preparing dishes that reflect their unique food traditions. A pop-out food passport, world language flash cards, and flag stickers provide additional fun on their global food journey, while infographics encourage taste-test explorations of fruits, drinks, breads, vegetables, and ice creams from around the world. Kids will be inspired to expand their palates as they cook, discovering new flavors while developing pride and appreciation for the foods they've grown up with.

Library Resources

With your Canton Public Library card number, check out the database AtoZ World Food. AtoZ World Food offers over 6500 recipes, articles on regional and national food culture, and insightful knowledge on ingredients for over 174 countries worldwide. 

 

Crocheted Corn by Creativebug

Is there anything cuter than a crocheted ear of corn? Whip up this seasonal favorite taught by renowned yarn foodie, Twinkie Chan. The nubbly texture of the corn kernels is made from a combination of single, half-double, and half-triple stitches, and when finished, the corn will be 7 inches long. If you're hooked on making crocheted veggies, learn how to make other delicious (in)edibles in Twinkie's Eat Your Fruits and Veggies Crochet-Along! Use your CPL card to access this Creativebug course!

Program

Interested in creating your own edible sprouts? Check out this grab-and-go program offered in July!

 

 

Head back to 62 Days of Summer for more ways to participate in the summer program!