Tag Archives: volunteering

The Value of a Garden

Posted on August 17, 2014 by AnnieRie

Sometimes when it is hot and humid, and it seems the weeds are winning, I question my sanity in expanding my garden. But then, I get to enjoy the fruits of my labor and it makes it all worthwhile.

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Like when the heirloom tomato plants start producing. And when I get my first white eggplants.

This week I met a major milestone. Four ounces shy of 100 pounds of tomatoes harvested.

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Yellow plums are one of the latest mass producers. But, I have harvested 36 pounds of heirloom tomatoes. All told, if I were buying tomatoes at markets and organic food stores, I would have spent way more than the investment in this garden plot.

Yes, my labor counts for something. But I rationalize it as a substitute for paying for a gym membership. Weeding, watering, weeding, harvesting, weeding (did I mention weeding?), all contribute to feeling like I just came home from a workout. Particularly after crawling around on the ground wrestling with crab grass.

Today I put up another four pints of sauce for the freezer. Tomorrow roasting the 90 yellow plums still on the counter.

Add to that, the work I am doing to get ready for my Conservancy event next Saturday. Things like making herb butters. And, preserving mint.

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Ice cube trays. One of my favorite techniques to put away the right sized portions to use in future recipes.

The garden was definitely worth the time and effort. Now, I would just like it to slow down a bit.

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My Out of Control Garden

Posted on August 11, 2014 by AnnieRie

To go along with the out of control kitchen. I should have known. Doubling the size of my garden, and doubling the amount of sunlight daily would result in a quadrupling of the amount of tomatoes we harvest.

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The ten pounds of tomatoes harvested yesterday. To join that ten pounds from Friday. All told, more than 76 pounds of tomatoes so far this year.

The zucchinis are still producing. So are the cucumbers.

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And I really should have entered that big one in the fair. At 1 3/4 pounds I think it would have gotten second place. The winner, I believe, was 1.9 pounds.

We have tomatoes for at least two meals a day. The oven roasting, oven drying, tomato sauce, salad making, gifts, etc. are hardly making a dent in it. I had more plants last year with less than half this harvest.

Note to self. Do NOT plant this many tomatoes next year.

I have been busy. Pickling. Canning. Cooking. I even slow cooked a dozen onions to make caramelized onions to freeze.

Since I am doing the event at the Howard County Conservancy next week, I am creating a page to use as my “handout”, for participants to use for referral after coming to the event.

The page, which you can see above the posts, will include recipes and technique posts. The focus of my blog posts for the next ten days will be the advice I am providing relative to the “Putting Food Away” event.

After all, when your garden goes nuts, you need to find something to do with all this food.

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A Very Productive Day

Posted on July 29, 2014 by AnnieRie

At least in the gardening world that is the center of my days.

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Bright and early today I was out for my last week as food bank coordinator. Getting all the wheelbarrows ready for collecting the harvest. Additionally we were clearing out beds to ready for fall planting. Add to that the collection of vegetables for the lucky winner of the Wine in the Garden auction. They got a basket full of fresh vegetables again.

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We had a large group there today. Probably ten of us. Maybe even a dozen. We harvested all the beets, carrots, cabbage and leeks. Then pulled the plants from the beds and readied them for planting. Weeded quite a bit too.

Our donation today was 110 pounds. I think this entire month we had at least 100 pounds of vegetables each week to take to the Howard County Food Bank. Today’s volunteer driver met some of the people waiting for the food bank to open, who expressed their thanks for what we donate.

We heard that our vegetables are greatly appreciated, as they are fresh and pesticide free.

Hats off to our volunteers today. We put in two to three hours of work each today. The gardens are flourishing in this lovely weather.

After my time in the food bank plots, I headed off to bring home my last leeks and a boatload of tomatoes.

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This is part of it. My “audition” tray for my county fair decisions. Which cherry tomatoes do I choose? Will I get enough medium tomatoes to enter? What are my best plum tomatoes?

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And, hooray, I got my first ripe heirlooms today. Two each of two different varieties. With a half dozen more close to ripening on the vines. Friday I have to decide which ones to enter.

Now, off to process those other tomatoes. The ones not pretty enough to enter.

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Yes, there are that many tomatoes sitting in my kitchen today. That’s not all, though.

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A basket of goodies for my neighbor, who lets us borrow assorted items, like his ten foot ladder.

Just another Tuesday in west county.

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Tidbit Tuesday

Posted on July 15, 2014 by AnnieRie

Where I run off in all directions and have no single thing to say in a post.

There were 75 pounds of vegetables collected today for the food bank. A lighter day for squash, and the tomatoes aren’t ready yet.

I was up at the Conservancy gardens this morning, “basking” in the 70something degree temperatures with about the same amount of humidity. I hadn’t been there since Saturday, which was fairy house building day.

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This is what 118 people look like before they headed off into the woods.

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Creativity, a great time, and lots of pictures for this year’s album.

Now, on to the next events, and the continuous harvest of my garden.

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The bulk of the five dozen little tomatoes I harvested. Fifty supersweet 100s and 10 sungold. Mixed with olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, chopped onion and banana pepper, and a touch of sugar. Roasted at 250 degrees for a couple of hours. Destined to be frozen and used as one of my recipes in my presentation next month on preserving food.

Then, there were the onions.

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I had to harvest a number of them today, as they were getting mushy at the top. We had 1.5 inches of rain in the rain gauge at the garden (in a 36 hour period). It is driving us nuts, splitting tomatoes and washing away my mounded soil over the onions, leeks and shallots.

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Some of those onions, along with new red potatoes and bacon from England Acres, roasted along with the tomatoes. There will be a very nice salad made from this.

As for zucchini, I did make that lemon blueberry zucchini bread. Thanks to the Lean Green Bean.

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I did substitute, as usual. Used all AP flour. Upped the sugar to about 4/10ths of a cup. It tastes wonderful.

There is more shredded zucchini sitting in the fridge so that tomorrow I can make zucchini fritters and freeze them. Another project for that preserving food program scheduled in late August.

I have been a busy bee today. Time to head off and watch the All Star Game.

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Sunday Night Tidbits

Posted on June 8, 2014 by AnnieRie

Us and Them. No, the answer is WE.

At our planning meeting for Howard County Conservancy events for 2015, we discussed the addition of the Belmont site to the Conservancy venues. Trying to remember to say “WE” instead of “US or “THEM”.

It has been interesting to observe the expansion of what my favorite non-profit organization manages and offers.

Like this event Tuesday night at Belmont.

JUN 10 – Tuesday 6pm Saving the Places We Love: Belmont, Howard County and Beyond: Come out for an evening with Ned Tillman, award winning local author of The Chesapeake Watershed. Ned will lead a 40 minute walk around the estate followed by a presentation on his latest book: Saving the Places we Love: Paths to Environmental Stewardship. Walk begins at 6 pm at The Carriage House followed by the presentation and book signing. Rain or Shine! FREE.

If you have never been to Belmont, it really is a treasure and worth a visit.

That brings me to a request of fellow countians. Please consider joining our cadre of volunteers. We now have so many cool opportunities to make a difference in a child’s or a family’s or a fellow adult countian’s life.

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I just feel as if I drop all cares from my shoulders when I drive up that driveway and enter that quiet lovely farmland.

I like leading field trips. I like heading up events. Heck, this summer I am leading geocaching, and an ESOL hike, and a food preservation class.

I don’t think they collectively fall into the same box, so to speak.

Anyway, if you can’t make Ned’s event Tuesday, you could join us on a history geocaching scavenger hunt on Saturday. I have all sorts of surprises in store for the participants.

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Saturday 10 am at our Mt Pleasant site.

Pre-register if you want to be guaranteed one of the loaner GPS units.

#hocoblogs

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Weather Or Not

Posted on May 7, 2014 by AnnieRie

As in extreme weather. The conference.

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It may have started out sunny, but we did have a serious little storm with some lightning and thunder, so we brought the conference in from the rain.

I volunteer for field trips. This one, for ninth graders from four local schools, was the second year the Conservancy hosted all sorts of stations and presentations about extreme weather.

Want to know about power lines, and why you should be really careful around them? Let BG&E demonstrate what happens when live wires come in contact with ladders, poles, and gloves.

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Oh, and they roasted a hot dog for the students. I missed that picture. At that point, we were checking the clouds rolling in and using the resources around us, including the Office of Emergency Management’s Command Unit.

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I am always impressed by the thoroughness and the complexity of events hosted by the Conservancy. From Ava Marie’s opening remarks to the presentations all over the grounds, and the learning activities, and the displays, this was another chance to engage the community and have a fun day as well.

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It was a pretty full house, and most of the students seemed to be intrigued and interested in what they were learning.

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If only Mother Nature had cooperated and didn’t make us cancel the last session, as thunder roared and cloud to ground lightning was seen in the western sky. Oh, and getting back to the buses while it poured rain. Just what we are used to seeing around here. Wait a few minutes and the weather will change.

I love my volunteer “job”. We are never too old to stop learning, and sharing knowledge is even more rewarding. Congrats to Ann Strozyk and all the volunteers today, for putting on this conference for over 100 students.

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Busy Season at the Conservancy

Posted on April 23, 2014 by AnnieRie

Just about everyone who reads my blog knows I spend way too much time (just kidding) at my volunteer “job” at the Howard County Conservancy. April and May are two of the busiest months. But, they are chock full of fun things to do, and in a location that just takes away all the stress in my life the minute I enter the driveway.

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How can you resist the lure of this view?

Here is the upcoming calendar.
APR 26- Saturday 8am-1pm Earth Day: Make a Difference!

Start with a bird walk. Grab some gardening tools and pitch in and plant trees. Or, clean out some invasive species. Buy some native plants at the plant sale.

APR 28- Monday 9-12am Home School Day

This field trip is one of my favorites. Home school families will come to the Conservancy. A handful of us will be manning stations to teach them. And, they have some large group activities as well. Always a great interactive day with people who are passionate about teaching their children.

MAY 4 – Sunday 3- 6 pm Belmont Preview Event

The Conservancy is officially kicking off their management of the Belmont Mansion site. With an open house. If you have never been to Belmont you should check out this event.

MAY 10- Saturday 10am Mothers’ Day Special- Tea, Scones & Gardens

This year I am making scones for this Mother’s Day party. The local garden clubs who maintain the various gardens on the property will be on hand to show off the spring finery, and there will be tea and scones.

MAY 29- Thursday 5-8pm 8th Annual Wine in the Garden

The annual major fund raiser for the Conservancy. And, a wonderful night in the honors garden. With silent auction. Many caterers providing small bites (enough altogether to make a light fancy feast). Numerous wines, some local. This year the event is after Memorial Day, so an easier night to attend without interfering with holiday plans.

Check out the upcoming events page. Come join us, for one or more of them, or just come visit. Spring is busting out all over.

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Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Chickens …

Posted on April 6, 2014 by AnnieRie

… in a fun tour of coop-to-coop.

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April 12th. 10 am to 2 pm. A number of Howard County chicken owners are opening their coops for the chance to meet the “girls” and see what fun chickens are. Sponsored as a free program from the Howard County Conservancy. Visit the upcoming event page to learn all about this program.

You can get a description of the tour and some information on the coops. Visit as many as you like.

I saw this great program a few years back in a blog about living in Sonoma County. Suggested the program to our friends on the committee at the Conservancy. This is the inaugural event.

There are eleven sites on the tour. Come out with us. Bring your friends. I really think this is a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.

Updated: Because one of the links isn’t working right for everyone. Visit the Conservancy page to see about the event and get a corrected copy.

#hocoblogs

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Diggin’ The Garden

Posted on April 5, 2014 by AnnieRie

At long last, a day to get outside and start working on the gardening. But, that wind chill made it a bit hard to get lots done.

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I spent most of today out at the Community Gardens. The Food Bank plot team was preparing the double plot for spring plantings. I have started cilantro from seed, in my garage window, and will be donating some of those plants for the herb site there.

I was there today to assist in the row cover sale and orders.

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We were over in the restored Montjoy barn today. Trying to stay out of the wind. Cutting and folding row cover and selling hoops for low rows. We are going to put in one row so that is next week’s project, if we get the ground dry enough to till. I would like to start some spring plants there.

Monday I am off to Sharp’s to return the unused thin version of the row cover, and the last of the hoops. Sharp’s Waterford Farm on Jennings Chapel Road is a great supporter of local businesses and garden clubs all over the area. They open for business on April 22nd this year.

And, yes, spring is officially here. That would be evident as it was opening day at the Woodstock Snowball Stand. A little cold for snowballs, but such a welcome sight.

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So, Howard Countians. Get out there! Plant a few herbs. Take a ride and get a snowball. Spring is definitely here.

#hocoblogs

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Four Years In

Posted on March 31, 2014 by AnnieRie

Time flies when you are having fun.

As in being retired.

I have to admit though, this winter tested that “fun” thing.

Four years ago tomorrow, April 1st was my last day at work. I never intended to work again. I was positive that there was enough to do.

There certainly is quite a bit to do around here. Like volunteer. And, learn new things. Like gardening, leading hikes, the environment and so much more.

Robinson Nature Center needs lots of volunteers. So does the Howard County Conservancy, where I hang out. Master gardeners. Master naturalists.

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School volunteers. Park volunteers. Greenway clean up teams.

For me, my spring and fall are busy with leading field trips. Spring, summer and fall I have my garden. Usually in the winter there is still a lot to do, but this winter was tough with all the snow and the cold.

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All in all, Howard County is a great place to retire, if you want to keep your mind and body active.

Here’s to retirement, the third trimester of my life.

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