Learning Garden Plant Sale!

Hi Friends,

Tatsoi, a delicious, firm, nutty, micro green and stir fry leaf.

We have a passel of plants for your purchase Tuesdasy through Thursdays, Noon to 3pm. Drop in to gather some strong starts for your garden basics, and find out about our planned expansion of existing beds and other summer projects. We'll be busy on pretty much every Wednesday afternoon starting May 8th with a new or continuing garden design project. Also, bring your garden questions; even if you stump me I enjoy taking a note and researching new garden knowledge. I look forward to visiting with you!
 
We put up $75 in revenue last week for some garden upgrades including a Kiwi trellis and new raised beds. We've sold out of sunflowers, and have just a few artichokes, cucumbers and tatsoi left- the tatsoi is a Asian Cabbage that graces stir fries as easily as green salad. Thick, tender and crisp all at once, with just the slightest nutty-broccoli flavor, tatsoi is quickly becoming a green to rival even the mighty Spinach!

Herbal Garden Salt $3.00
(made with sea salt and herbs from the learning garden!)
Artichoke $4.00
Cucumbers $3.00        
Kale $2.00                    
Kohlrabi $2.00  
Leeks $2-$4/pot        
Oregano $3.00            
Mint $3.00        
Culinary Sage $4.00
Strawberry $3.00 or 9/$20                           
Raspberry $3.00 or 5+/$10    
Tatsoi $2/$3            
Tomatoes $3.00            
Yarrow $2.00

Salt with garden herbs

Last night, OIKOS students used this recipe by Megan Myers to make herb salt with the fresh herbs from the Learning Garden -- we used rosemary, sage, and oregano.

Ingredients

• 1 cup coarse Kosher salt
• ½ cup fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. Process ingredients together until herbs are chopped, about 30 seconds.
3. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.
4. Let cool and package in airtight containers.

The salts will be available during the Learning Garden sale. Come by and get a 4oz. jar for $3 and support the garden. All proceeds go towards developing the garden as a hands-on learning space at SMU.The garden sale is happening this week 12-3pm on April 19, 20, & 21. There will also be a garden planting workshop from 1-2 on April 20.

The Learning Garden is continuously developing as an outdoor classroom that can be used across disciplines. Our former UNI101 students helped plant the veggies in the Fall of 2015 and prepared the garden for the next crop of students. We will planting, building and harvesting all summer with our new two session summer class on community and permaculture.

Heather Nicole created these labels for the jars.

OIKOS

"What to do with flavored salts? Use them on cuts of meat, sprinkle over fish, make your own potato chips, add to desserts for a savory burst, top popcorn, or simply use on roasted veggies. The possibilities really are endless!"

chopping herbs by hand

Learning Garden Workshop April 20, 1-2pm

How to Plant and Trellis Beans and Peas

Beans and peas are a great way to build fertile soils for gardening while sustaining a harvest. We will cover basics of effective microorganism inoculations, planting, transplanting, and spacing/thinning starts and the basic concepts of companion planting.

Hands-on Summer Class: Community, Permaculture, and Transition

395a Summer Session 1: May 17-June 23 (3 cr.)  Tuesday & Thursday 09:00-12:30
395b Summer Session 2: June 28-August 4 (3cr.)  Tuesday & Thursday 09:00-12:30
Session 1 is requisite for Session 2


This program is for those who are interested in developing ecological literacy. Whether designing broad-acre managed intensive grazing systems for dairy animals, a personal herb   patio, or green spaces for high density urban areas, all systems benefit when soils, nutrient cycles, plants, and animals, interact in a functional community. Learn key patterns for engaging successfully with natural systems while designing a proposal for implementation of an expanded Learning Garden at St. Martin's University.


Over the program We will be working with South Sound Veterans Partnership, composed of several veteran's service  groups in Olympia, WA., including GRuB Victory Gardens, the Veteran's Conservation Corps, Enterprise for Equity and others. We will be deeply connecting the proposed garden with their work.


Career applications include: Conservation Sciences and Policy, Agriculture, Farming and Ranching, Urban Designers, Forestry/Silvaculturists, GIS Technicians, Ecological Engineers and Designers, Green Architecture, Appropriate technology, Transportation Design Professionals,  Etc.

Garden Sale in April

Learning Garden Plant Sale

Come get your plants! The garden sale will be held in the Learning Garden, just outside of the cafeteria on April 19, 20 and 21 from 12-3pm.

Here is a list of items that will be for sale:

Broccoli $3.00          
Cucumbers $3.00        
Kale $2.00                    
Kohlrabi $2.50  

Leeks $2-$4/pot        
Oregano $3.00            
Peppermint $3.00        
Culinary Sage $4.00

Strawberry $3.00 or 9/$20                           
Raspberry $3.00 or 5/$10    

Tatsoi $2.50              
Tomatoes $3.00         
Sunflower $3.00          
Yarrow $2.00

Money from the sale will be used to fund improvements to the garden including new and repaired raised beds, soil and soil amendments, seating areas, and perennial plant purchases. We aim to create a true 'Outdoor Classroom' on our verdant, perched terrace. 

It's time to plant your garden!