Notes from the Learning Garden: More Than Flowers

This time of year more than any other I find myself most nights working on some craft or another (mostly knitting) getting ready for the holidays. Though I love the anticipation of color choices and design graphing, and the soothing motion of the knitting itself, my co-workers and family can attest to the fact that I always feel the need to share my project ideas and progress in great detail (and excited tones) as if the doing itself is not quite enough: as if the project will only come to life when shared with others.

This is why one of most wonderful things I can think of to do this time of year is to find a great group of people and spend an evening crafting together, which is exactly what we did at the felted flower workshop this past Thursday evening. There, the ideas, the progress, and the sharing all happened at once as each of the eight participants imagined and created a lovely flower from scraps of colorful wool fiber. And what amazing results! Even as I go back to my knitting basket to plug away at holiday gifts I am filled with inspiration from the creativity and warmth expressed in the workshop and I feel ready for the passing of another year and the promise of many new projects to come.

Happy holidays everyone!

Jericho

Organic Gardening Workshop

No synthetic chemicals on these 'maters!

Waltham Fields' presents:
Organic Gardening Workshop

Tuesdays, March 1st-22nd, 6-7:30pm

Workshop Fee: $100 members/$110 non-members.

Whether you have a community garden plot, a few raised beds, an extensive home garden, or are interested in starting a garden, this workshop is for you! Seasoned farmer Amanda Cather will lead the group in both discussion and hands-on activities pertaining to fertility, pest and disease management, variety selection, and seed starting/greenhouse management.

Workshop sessions will also feature guest speakers focusing on topics such as composting and container gardening, and will end with a field trip to see a fabulous example of a home gardening vision that has become a reality!

Image by Rebekah Carter (2010).

Register today!

Fee assistance available. To inquire email Jericho.

Stay Tuned

Left over radishes from fall

With frozen ground and blustery winds, mother nature has made her point: the cold, dark days of winter are upon us!

Quiet on the farm these days...

While most New England crops don't like this season too much, it is a critical period of reflection and planning for farmers and home gardeners alike. So even though the Learning Garden may look quite barren, much thought and energy is already going into its crop plan for the 2011 growing season!

Continue to check out our blog in 2011 for weekly posts featuring healthy recipes, garden plans, information on programs and workshops, and more.

Media (text and images) created and published by Rebekah Carter 2010.

Preserving the Flavors of Fall: Making Pear-Cranberry Jam with Bonnie Shershow

This past Tuesday evening, a group of locals enthusiastic about eating and preserving farm-fresh food gathered at Waltham Fields Community Farm to take part in our holiday jam workshop. Bonnie Shershow of Bonnie's Jams explained her process for making delicious jams using only fresh fruit, water, and much less sugar than many commercial jams on the market. With supplies on hand, Bonnie showed participants her step-by-step jam making process and sent them home with the fruits of their labor: a lovely jar of pear-cranberry jam! The following the recipe was used during our workshop. Make it at home for family and friends!

Bonnie's Jams
www.bonniesjams.com

Pear-Cranberry Jam
Makes approx. 12-13 8 oz. jars

The Ingredients:

• 5 lbs of pears (approx. 14 pears), peeled and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 6 cups of water
• 2 lbs of whole fresh cranberries
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (approx. 8 lemons)

How to Make it:
In a large pan, place cut pears and water over medium-high heat for 20 minutes. Add the cranberries and sugar; continue to cook for 30 minutes. Mash any pears that are still in chunks and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cook another 5 minutes. Fill clean jars and cap with new lids. The temperature of the jam should be 210 degrees F when placed in the jars.