 Bring Your Garden to the Table
From tiny patio herb gardens to larger community plots, this site is part of a movement, a movement back to growing and making our own fresh, delicious, healthy food. Our mission is to share gardening tips and recipes with others who share our passion for sustainable agriculture, even in the smallest urban settings. We will also feature travel ideas, classes, workshops and other great ways to learn about gardening from the experts, and will publicize ways to support organic farms and farmers markets, and the restaurants and hotels that use local produce. The content is updated weekly so check back often -- and if there's anything you'd like to see or ideas you'd like to submit, please send them to
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Written by Scottie Jones
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Friday, 23 July 2010 16:43 |
 Leaping Lamb Farm is a 60-acre working sheep farm in the Coast Range of Oregon that started as a self-sustaining homestead back in 1895 when the timber was old growth and town was a two day ride. We (my husband Greg Jones and I) bought the farm seven years ago and are only the third owners. We try to be as self-sustaining as possible in terms of the vegetables and fruits we put up for the winter, but at least now the town is only a 30-minute drive.
Neither of us was raised on a farm, so we came into the agricultural aspect of pasture management, lamb husbandry and predator control with little formal training. We have learned by the seat of our pants, through classes from our local extension services, via books on farming, and through the kindness of neighbors who took pity on us. We realized, after several years of producing lamb (and turkeys) for market, that we were not commercially viable at our small level of production and began contemplating other sources of on-farm income.
I had always wanted to share our farm with others because I felt it was truly an enchanted place. Granted, these days I look at the farm and see things that need to be fixed and beds that need to be weeded, but I also remember what I saw when we first arrived. I was also familiar with the concept of 'farm stay' from having lived and traveled in Europe and felt that offering a glimpse into the lifestyle of a small farm had value to our largely urban population, now generations removed from the land. (Click "read more" for rest of article.)
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Written by Linda Hayes
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Wednesday, 14 July 2010 00:30 |
At nearly 8,000 feet, Aspen's growing season is short, short, short. So when the farmer's markets kick in mid-June, fresh food-lovers flock to the stands. Last week, one of my favorite purveyors, Borden Farms, showed up with a few varieties of picture-perfect summer squash and zucchini that Guy Borden and his crew hauled up from Delta (farm country on Colorado's Western Slope). Bought some.
Next thing I know, one of my favorite restaurants, six89 in nearby Carbondale, sends out a message on Twitter (my, how word-of-mouth has come a long way!) about the Grilled Borden Farms Squash & Zucchini Bisque they've just added to their menu. Naturally, I had to get the recipe. Cook some up from a crop near you.
 Grilled Borden Farms Squash & Zucchini Bisque
by six89 Chef de Cuisine Bryce Orblom
Serves 6
1T vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, medium dice
1T garlic, minced
2 yellow squash
2 green zucchini
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup Arborio rice
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 T lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish: roasted tomatoes, fresh herbs, croutons
In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until they are soft and fragrant. Add the cumin, rice and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
In the meantime, slice the squash and zucchini lengthwise, 1-inch thick. Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper, and grill on high heat, turning once until both sides are lightly charred but not cooked completely through. Let cool enough to handle and cut into 1-inch dice.
Add the grilled squash and zucchini to the soup. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and, working in small batches, puree. Once pureed, add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
To Serve: In hot bowls, add finely chopped roasted tomatoes. Ladle the hot soup over the tomatoes and garnish with croutons and fresh herbs of your choice. |
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Written by Ann Shepphird
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Tuesday, 13 July 2010 23:06 |
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The first thing you notice about the new herb gardens at the Spa at La Costa is how beautifully manicured they are – so manicured, in fact, you wonder if they aren’t just for show. But, no, the mint is used in the Spa Café’s mojito (and, yes, you’ve gotta love a spa with a mojito on the menu) and the parsley and lemon thyme are used in the Warm Mediterranean Vegetables with Goat Cheese that Executive Chef Hans Wiegand has created for their new spa menu. The dish is also great for gardeners (or farmers market shoppers) who’ve got a surplus of zucchini, squash, eggplant, bell pepper, shallots and Roma tomatoes – or those looking to make a low-calorie dish filled with healthy vegetables.
 Warm Mediterranean Vegetables with Goat Cheese
1 zucchini diced ½ inch
1 yellow squash diced ½ inch
1 small Italian eggplant diced ½ inch
1 red bell pepper diced ½ inch
2 pc shallots small diced
8 pc vine-ripened Roma tomatoes diced ½ inch
15 lg basil leaves chopped
Salt, pepper, chili flakes to taste
1 tblsp chopped garlic
4 slices goat cheese
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
1.5 oz olive oil
1 tbls chopped parsley
1 tbls chopped lemon thyme
In a saucepan sauté the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes add all other vegetables and seasonings. Cook till vegetables are done for about 15 minutes. Check seasoning. Ladle the vegetables into a baking dish or individual baking dishes, sprinkle the Panko breadcrumbs on top and the goat cheese on top and bake until golden brown. |
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Written by Kathy A. McDonald
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Friday, 02 July 2010 17:29 |
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 Edged by desert and sea, the herb and vegetable garden at Las Ventanas al Paraiso is meticulously tended, as are all the xeriscaped grounds at the picture-perfect resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Fabrice Guisset (right), the resort’s classically trained executive chef, makes the most of the Baja peninsula’s produce and exquisite seafood, the on-site kitchen garden, as well as the talents and traditional recipes of his Mexican-born staff. Always within reach of the French chef and his culinary team: a tiered display of herb bunches in water. Among the Provencal herbs at hand: sage, leaf parsley, oregano, rosemary and cilantro.
 The garden at Las Ventanas is set apart in a sunny corner. Once a parking area, small carefully cultivated plots now yield celery, oregano, Epazote leaves, chilies (Serrano and Jalapeño), lemongrass, chayote as well as mint. Guisset plants the mint close to the chilies—infusing the herb with an unexpected kick. An artisan-laid arroyo-weathered stone path separates the parcels. Plants are well labeled—in fact, there is a handy guide to all the native plantings found throughout the scenic property from the giant Prickly Pear cactus (nopal gigante) to the Tequila, New Mexican and Desert Agave species.
Local produce here includes avocados (used in Las Ventanas chunky guacamole), basil (from nearby Miraflores) and ruby red Roma tomatoes. Almost all of the fresh fish served is line-caught and brought in daily by local fisherman. You can often see fishing boats just offshore in the Sea of Cortez. Rainbow-hued red snapper, Wahoo, and striped sea bass are abundant and versatile—the grilled sea bass tacos are unforgettably delicious. (Click "read more" for the rest of the article -- and Guisset's recipe for guacamole.)
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