 We’ve got some big news! Our Pathfinder Produce market is
EXPANDING its hours for summer, running from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Village
Commons on Thursday afternoons. We look forward to seeing you this
Thursday, May 14 so that you may try the freshest fruits and veggies
around. Great produce, longer hours, a courteous and friendly staff …
what a winning combination!
Our other
timely news is that Pathfinder Village will once again be a check-in point
for people who are participating in Bike to Work Day, which is set for
Wednesday, May 20 for Otsego County. If you choose to walk or
bike past Pathfinder Village that morning, please stop by the Kennedy Willis
Center for a quick water break. (We recommend wearing appropriate
safety gear, and visible clothing so drivers may see you sooner).
Bike to Work Day is a growing movement and part
of Bike to Work Week, which is sponsored by the National Cycling
Association. Our local affiliate is the Otsego Regional Cycling
Association … more info is at http://occainfo.org/calendar/bike-to-work-day-2015/.
 And finally, a gentle reminder to register
today for the Splash Path 5K and Fun Walk on June 13! Click here
for more information, and learn more about the fun we have planned here at
Pathfinder on our Facebook
Event Page.
****
This
Mother’s Day weekend was glorious – we had lots of sun so that we could work
outdoors on Saturday, and it rained on Sunday to give all our gardens a
lovely soak. I was thrilled to be working in my garden beds and
mowing.
My
three raised beds are planted mostly in salad greens … the lettuce (Black
Seeded Simpson) is really doing well. The spinach is working its way up
through the soil, and the kale (yum and oh so healthy), is slowly making its
presence known. It’s at this early growth stages when you can really
see why it is a member of the same family, Brassica
oleracea, as cauliflower and broccoli … the young plants look
nearly identical.
I
was delighted to also see progress with my small pea patch and my beans,
which are gaining some height. This year was my first to plant
eggplant, and as I’m not at all certain what the young plants look like, I’m
a little hesitant to start weeding that section, for fear of pulling out the
plants along with the noxious little intruders.
As
I was weeding and mowing, I was marveling at how quickly both the wild
strawberries and dandelions seemed to pop up. In as much as I don’t use
lawn chemicals, I may try using some of the dandelion greens in a salad
soon. After all, one man’s weed is another’s delight.
To
celebrate this season of greens, here are several salad recipes to try and
enjoy – one uses Romaine, one features field greens, and the last showcases
dandelion greens, which are commonly not part of our diets, but are part of
our agricultural past. (This
link explains how to harvest dandelions, their taste characteristics, and
their nutritional value). Enjoy!
Until
next time, go biking, play outside, and savor those salads!
Lori
|
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
The Salad Days of Summer
