TIP OF THE WEEK

WEEK OF OCTOBER 11, 2010
Whew, I've missed a few weeks.  Maybe we should rename the page, TIP OF THE MONTH.  We apologize for not keeping this page more lively.  So to make up for the last few weeks we will try and provide a quick tip and next week, a tip that is more in depth.

So, in honor of October and the upcoming, scary Halloween traditions that run rampant across the land, here are several fun links so you can try your hand at artfully, craftily, and painstaikingly creating your own pumpkin for the colorful, fall October.


    
    Courtesy of Chicago Tribune
    
  1. WALT'S PUMPKIN CARVING SECRETS
  2. CREATING THE PERFECT PUMPKIN DECORATIONS
  3. PUMPKIN CARVING 101
  4. PUMPKIN STENCILS
A quick tip provided by BALL CANNING SUPPLIES - "Want your Jack-O-Lantern to last through Halloween? Swirl a solution of 4 tsp of Ball® Fruit-Fresh® Produce Protector with 1 qt water inside your medium-size hollowed pumpkin (replace cut lid) for 2 minutes. Discard solution & dry pumpkin upside down on a paper towel before carving. Just a little seasonal trick we learned and thought you might want to try!"

Finally, and what to do with allllll those seeds???  Well, DO NOT throw them out.  They are healthy and tasty and here is your final link to get you started on roasting and enjoying those seeds later on!
  1. FIVE WAYS TO USE YOUR PUMPKIN SEEDS
So hit your local farmer's market or road side stand and have a blast!!!!  Happy Carving!



WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Our farmer's market herbs we sell fresh clippings from.
 Do you have favorite herbs in your garden?  It's not too late to transplant them to suitable sized containers so you can bring them inside when frost threatens and enjoy them throughout most of the winter.  They may not look pristine when spring comes back around, but most herbs can make it through our Minnesota winters, indoors, with a little care, and preferably south facing windows, but any light will do. 

Terra-cotta pots work best, but part of the fun of indoor herbs is the time honored tradition of finding all the limitless treasures available at flea markets and garage sales.  We have our rosemary growing in a recycled canning pot. 

Terra-cot pots have several advantages. They "breathe" allowing air to reach plant roots.  Evaporating moisture from the pot surface cools the roots, much as if they were planted in the ground.  (But before planting in terra-cotta soak them in water so the dry terra-cotta doesn't wick water from the soil.) Also terra-cotta is affordable especially this time of year in Minnesota.  Our last trip to Menards we found them on sale!  Finally, they are available in many shapes and sizes and colors.

For those of you who need more detailed information (like myself) my favorite go to book is -- Herbs in Pots by Rob Proctor and David Macke.  Available through Amazon or your local bookstore, or your library should be able to obrtain it for you!  Quoting from their book:  "RULES?  Just for the record, we don't follow rules, and we don't write them.  Rules only apply under controlled circumstances----a garden doesn't qualify!"

So experiment, have fun, be creative, and don't be afraid to fail!!  If it works you can enjoy your favorite herbs all winter long and put them back out in the spring!  What do you have to loose?

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2010
It's the time of year we all look forward to, if you are an apple connoisseur.  According to Minnesota Grown members Dassel Hillside Farm, store your apples in the crisper of your refrigerator in the plastic bag they came in.  To keep the apples moist and happy, place a damp wash cloth or damp towel in the bag once a week.  Apples love cold and high humidity. 

Apples to look for in Minnesota orchards now are Chestnut Crab, Zestar, SweetTango, Honeycrisp, Sweet Sixteen, Mcintosh, and Cortland.  Apples are about two weeks early this year due to the unusually warm weather and early spring.  Please support your local orchards and enjoy that healthy, delicious, juicy bite of a Minnesota home grown apple!

A couple of links to assist you in finding an orchard near you:
Minnesota Apple
University of Minnesota - Apples

Honeycrisp Apple Salad
The Honeycrisp apple is a favorite here in Minnesota. Here is a creative take on a way to use your Honeycrisp apples this fall.
Ingredients:
· 3 Honeycrisp apples, chilled and cut into chunks or slices
· 1 cup green grapes, chilled and sliced in half
· 2/3 cup celery, sliced small
· 2/3 cup of chopped walnuts
· 1/2 cup of real mayo
· 4 Tbls. maple syrup
Directions
Combine apples, celery and grapes. Combine mayo and maple syrup. Fold into fruit mixture. Sprinkle with walnuts. Chill before serving.

(All of the above information was provided by Minnesota Grown.  The recipe is courtesy of minnesota-vistor.com.)
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