Sprout
Good Food Project Garden Newsletter
 January 2016 Sprout  
 
Warming up to Worms  
Red Wiggler Earthworms
Good Food Project's topic of the month has been worms, from a workshop held on January 15th to Pineville Youth Center's garden/nutrition class, we have been touting the real benefits of worm farming. Our facilitator for the workshop, master gardener, Johnnie Hart, helped us see what fascinating little creatures they are!  Red wigglers are a species of earthworms that are almost never found in soil; they live in the upper organic layers. Red wigglers are photosensitive, meaning they only work in the dark. Happy and healthy wigglers can eat about half of their weight in food each day. Soil, shredded leaves and coffee grinds provide the grit for their gizzards to help grind up their food. These "Cadillac of worms" are hermaphroditic (they have both male and female reproductive organs), therefore, they all secrete cocoons that contain eggs. Moist, recycled shredded cardboard and paper bags are used for the worms' bedding. They can turn your garbage of vegetable and fruit scraps, cooked rice, coffee filters, tea bags, and dried leaves into garden gold! This black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus is known as vermicomposting and is an excellent natural fertilizer for the garden, increasing yields. If you want to learn more about vermiculture or how to start your own worm bin contact the Good Food Project.
For information about partnering with the Good Food Project, or for other GFP program opportunities, contact the Good Food Project staff at 318.445.2773 or via email: fboudreaux@fbcenla.org, bkarzwagman@fbcenla.org, cbaker@fbcenla.org,  and on the web: www.goodfoodprojectcenla.org    
Recipe of the Month

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Shared by GFP Volunteer Tanya Ingraham

Immature Brussels sprouts buds in the Good Food Project demo garden

Did you know?

  • Brussels Sprouts are of the Gemmifera Group of cabbages that are grown for their edible buds
  • They are an excellent source of Vitamin C and K
  • Brussels sprouts are low in carbs, fats, and sodium
  • Brussels sprouts are high in potassium
  • They are a member of the Brassica family, also known as cruciferous vegetables
  • Don't overcook! When Brussels sprouts are overcooked, they release glucosinolate sinigrin which is an organic compound containing sulfur.That smell can turn many people off to the great benefits of Brussels sprouts; but it is the source of nutrients for this super food!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, cleaned and trimmed

2 Slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 Cup heavy cream

1/4 Cup bread crumbs

1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons butter, cut into tiny pieces

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook uncovered until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the Brussels sprouts are cold, drain well, and cut in halves or quarters, depending on size. Set aside.

3. Cook bacon over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until limp and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in the Brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper, then toss for about 1 minute to evenly distribute the seasonings. Arrange bacon and Brussels sprouts in the prepared baking dish. Pour cream evenly over the Brussels sprouts, then sprinkle breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese on top. Distribute pieces of butter over the bread crumbs.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and heated through, 20-25 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In January plant:

  • Beets
  • Broccoli (Seed)
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Chard, Swiss
  • Chinese Cabbage
  • Eggplant (Seed)
  • Kohlrabi
  • Lettuce
  • Mustard Greens
  • Onion, Leek (Sets)
  • Peas, English
  • Pepper, Hot (Seed)
  • Pepper, Bell (Seed)
  • Potatoes, Irish
  • Radishes
  • Shallots
  • Spinach
  • Tomatoes (Seed)
  • Turnips

                        

 

 

In February plant:

  • Beans, Snap, Bush,Pole
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Chard, Swiss
  • Chinese Cabbage
  • Corn, Sweet
  • Eggplant (Seed)
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mustard Greens
  • Onion, Leek (Sets)
  • Peas, English
  • Pepper, Hot (Seed)
  • Pepper, Bell (Seed)
  • Potatoes, Irish
  • Radishes
  • Shallots
  • Spinach
  • Tomatoes (Seed)
  • Turnips

  

 

 

 

      Viviana Martin, a Pineville Youth Center participant is proud of her bundle of freshly harvested carrots. (Carrots can be planted in the months of September, October, November, January and February)                 

Garden News

Good Food Project will be partnering with more Cenla organizations, schools and churches to add to our growing number of community gardens this spring. Among those waiting to be installed are Horseshoe Drive Elementary, four schools in LaSalle Parish: Jena Elementary and High School, Good Pine Middle School, and Olla Elementary, Fairview School and, the LSU Ag office in Oberlin representing Allen Parish, and in partnership with the Alexandria Farmer's Market and First United Methodist-Alexandria, a community garden on Jackson Street. We are looking forward to working with all these fine folks as we "grow together."

 

Site of the proposed community garden in partnership with the Alexandria Farmer's Market and First United Methodist Alexandria

For more information about how you can partner with Good Food Project, contact us at goodfoodproject@fbcenla.org or call 318-445-2773 

 

Workday Wednesday

You are invited to join us at the GFP demonstration garden on Workday Wednesdays. In the garden, you will experience learning to grow food in a sustainable, organic way, while getting an opportunity to meet new people, and to help those in need in the community. If you, your organization, or work place would like to be involved, please give us a call. We would love to hear from you!


Each Wednesday from 7:30-11:30 AM all adults and children are invited to come out for a fun day of learning and giving back  to the community. Let's grow together! Learn more.

If Wednesdays aren't good for you, call us to set up another volunteer day! 318-445-2773 

 

 

Alma Redwine  Elementary staffer, Linda Green harvests broccoli and radishes from the school garden

 

Garden Tip:

It's better to buy perennial herb transplants than to try to start them from seed because they take so much longer to germinate than annuals. Herbs thrive during the milder Louisiana winters, so try some rosemary, thyme, chives, oregano, or fennel in your winter garden.

Oberlin Elementary kindergartners loved getting to harvest in their school garden

 

Volunteer of the Month - Diane Tracy 

 Diane Tracy volunteering this winter in the GFP hoop house

Diane Tracy loves to garden, but her focus is children. Lucky for us, is that she can combine her personal and career passions as a volunteer with Good Food Project. As the Community Health Educator for Region VI with Amerihealth Caritas Louisiana, Diane has partnered with Good Food Project for the last few years. Her goal is to have a quarterly event that will benefit children as regards their health and well-being.

 She believes GFP to be an "awesome and much needed program" and has been an enthusiastic participant who loves to see how excited kids are about growing vegetables. Diane believes the children will "carry on what they are learning now, when they get older," and that "this will make a difference in their work and personal lives." 

Diane grew up in Central Louisiana and fondly remembers her grandpa's farm in Effie. "It was a big farm with cows, pigs, and chickens. He raised all sorts of vegetables like peas, watermelons, and greens." She recalls visits to the farm and her grandpa telling her to choose the melon she wanted to eat. You can hear the delight in her voice as she tells this story and how she watched her grandfather harvest the melon. Diane has seen that same reaction on the faces of the children at Pineville Youth Center when she is able to join GFP for the garden and nutrition classes held there once a week. Like us, Diane knows that what children learn about sustainable agriculture will stay with them for a lifetime. We appreciate Diane and her partnership and look forward to a long association.

GFP welcomes  individual and organizational volunteers at our community gardens and at the Good Food Project on Wednesday mornings in the demonstration garden, 3223 Baldwin Avenue - Food Bank of Central Louisiana 71301 - 318-445-2773

 

 

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