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With tomatoes and cucumbers ripening, fall cabbage in the ground and pumpkins on the vine, the height of summer is close at hand. Be sure to pick beans and cukes frequently to keep plants productive--if critters are harassing your tomatoes, pick them just before full ripeness and let them finish ripening inside by a window.
If you haven't harvested your garlic yet, now would be the time.
Let your garlic dry and cure in a warmish, dry place until the roots are brittle and any dirt on the garlic is dusty and easy to remove with a light touch. Then you can snip the roots, and, if the stalks are soft-necked and dry, braid up your harvest for a stylish storage life. Hard-necked varieties will do well if you cut off the stalk about two inches from the head. They can be strung together, or just stored in a mesh bag (like what oranges come in) and hung from a rafter or stored in your kitchen.
Hop on your bike for a beautiful ride along the Lansing River Trail and through area neighborhoods to explore some incredible community gardens where folks are growing their own food. Meet gardeners and have blast along the way. More on the bike tour and Thursday's bus tour are available here. These tours show the partnership of The Garden Project (a program of the Greater Lansing Food Bank) with many local residents to support growing healthy food and cultivating connections.
Bicycle Tour Tuesday, July 27th 5:30 pm Starts at Letts Community Garden (Click for map) Enjoy a beautiful ride along the River Trail and through neighborhoods to explore several community gardens!
What better way to while a summer eve than to cast for our fishy forbearers from a shady dock...
These happy anglers were enjoying the stretch of the Grand River just downstream from the Moores Park damn. What's your favorite Lansing area fishing spot? Downriver from the fish ladder? Out at Round Lake?
Thanks to Johnny D.'s Let's Go Eat segments from Life in Lansing, it's easy to peep what's popping on the local restaurant scene. Get in depth with the real creative forces in cuisine around the Lansing area. You can go way beyond scanning a to-go menu--find out what really makes some of the area's most unique purveyors of prepared food keep the crowds coming back for more. Johnny highlights independent restaurants fighting the good fight for a worthwhile bite out on the town.
Noise's own 2 for $20 is also a great source when you're looking to try something new (click on the Food tab above). This week features The Draft House
Continue reading "Virtual Restaurant Tours: Scope before you spend" »
WhenWed, July 14, 6:00pm – 7:30pm
WhereSouthside Community Center (map)
For more info or to register, contact rita@southlansing.org
Instead of buying your baby food, get more nutrition for your dollar by making your own.
These easy foods just need to be mashed and perhaps mixed with water or each other to taste.
Either peel first and immerse in boiling water until tender, or boil first and slip off peels afterwards. Then mash with fork or for a finer consistency use a ricer or food processor. Refrigerate leftovers.
Raw stalks of kale are great for teething or as an amusement. Blanch kale (cook briefly in boiling water to soften and retain nutrients) and put through food processor. Reserve some plain mush for the baby, then season the remainder with lemon juice and olice oil for the adults. Various nuts or parmesan improve seasoning along with freshly ground black pepper.
Remember to introduce foods gradually to babies, and hold off on complex recipes or ingredients not recommended for their age.
Check out more on making our own baby food, including recipes and techniques.
