highstreetgarden

In the news: Orillia neighbourhood 'building community through food'

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 14:00:47 GMT

High Street Park Community Garden Collective offers glimpse of possibilities

There was a time when the community garden at High Street Park didn’t add up to a hill of beans.

No more.

Today, the south-end site is flourishing with an abundance of fresh produce, the bountiful spread the result of a collective effort involving nearby residents whose achievements here offer a taste of what could be elsewhere in Orillia.

Among those mining the earth for edible gems is Jacqueline Kerr, who had been experiencing food insecurity due to a pandemic-related job layoff.

“It had a real, tangible impact,” Kerr said of her involvement with the garden, where she’d planted lettuce, beans, kale, tomatoes and nasturtiums, a salad-ready flower with a peppery bite.

While Kerr has since moved from the neighbourhood and regained employment, she continues to work an allotment bed here.

“I can source fresh food that I know where it’s coming from, the kind of soil that it’s been grown in and how fresh it is when I get it,” she added.

Established in 2010 on city-owned land behind the Brian Orser Arena, the garden had fallen into disuse after close to a decade of operation, its future unsure.

“It was just a mess,” recalled Emily Wilson. “That’s not any one person’s fault — it was just a thing that happened because no one picked up the ball.”

Wilson became involved with the local community gardening movement several years ago, and was employed this summer as Orillia’s community garden co-ordinator.

It was the arrival of the pandemic — and with it, growing concern over food security — that prompted a new group of residents to band together and revive the once-thriving space.

Infrastructure for the garden was funded by the municipality, which last year installed six allotment beds where residents could reserve spaces to grow vegetables for their households.

The remainder of the garden is available for the public to drop in and share in the produce while helping participate in its growth.

“The real purpose of this community garden is building community through food,” Wilson said.

For Amanda Baye, who grew up in the neighbourhood and returned as an adult, the garden is a place to reconnect with her community.

“This has been a really great step for me to feel a little bit more grounded,” Baye added.

As the project evolved, it managed to overcome the inevitable hurdles that cropped up, including questions over potential liability issues should someone become injured at the site.

“As long as there (is) a staff person who (is) able to come around and make sure things (are) safe, it’s not a problem,” Wilson said.

Meanwhile, interest in the initiative continues to build, the momentum leading the city to install six additional allotment beds in preparation for planting next spring.

Coun. David Campbell sees the opportunity to expand the model to other areas of the city, pointing to underused parks as ideal candidates.

“There is huge potential,” Campbell said.

High Street Park is home to one of two city-supported community gardens, with the other located at Lakehead University.

-Original article written by Frank Matys and posted on Simcoe.com

Marinated Eggplant

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 16:46:15 GMT

This eggplant recipe will make you wish you planted more this year!

If you start your eggplant seedlings indoors in the spring, you can have beautiful end-of-summer eggplants in your garden. They might not be as big as ones in the grocery store, but they are definitely more flavourful, especially if you use this delicious marinated eggplant recipe, loved by our gardeners!

Ingredients

About 2 lb of Small Firm Eggplants (medium are fine just not really large ones)
1/2 cup or so of Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup of Water
Fresh Garlic, sliced
Fresh Parsley
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
About 2 cups of Either Light Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil
Salt

Preparation

Slice the eggplant lengthwise on a mandolin, brush both sides with a little oil and grill on a really hot grill pan until grill marks form but don’t overcook them.
In a shallow bowl, mix together the vinegar and water, dip each piece of eggplant in the vinegar mixture, then layer in a shallow pan (not metal) season with salt, add a few pieces of garlic, a little parsley and some hot pepper flakes, top with a small drizzle of oil and continue repeating this step until you’re out of eggplant.
Top the eggplant with oil (they need to be almost submerged in the oil) cover and pop in the fridge for about a day before serving.

This delicious recipe is taken from Laura In The Kitchen .

6 Tips for Bringing a Toddler to the Garden

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 20:46:20 GMT

Perhaps you want to join us at the garden but you don’t get a lot of free time without your kids, or you would like to teach your kids all there is to learn from tending a garden. Either way, here at High Street Garden we love when families (with kids of all ages) join us. I joined the Community Garden this year and thought I would share some tips that I have learned from bringing my almost 2 year old with me...

1. Bring their own tools.
We have a little trowel set that was from the dollar store ages ago that we bring with us. Toddlers are little sponges who want to do exactly what you are doing and be a part of everything, so rather than navigating a not quite coordinated (at best), two foot tall human trying to wield a shovel, we have found it is best to have something more manageable for them to participate with.

2. If you are able to, bring back-up.

There is a very tempting playground within view of the garden. Having a second family member or friend who is there primarily to keep your toddler in check will give you an extra 10 or 30 minutes at the garden when they just can't resist the charms of the playground anymore.

3. Have low expectations and be kind to yourself.

Following tip number 2, will the week that you bring your toddler solo to the garden be your most productive time? Heck no! Your fellow gardeners will completely understand. You will have to drop everything to chase a runaway toddler. You may have to take a break to nurse, reapply sunscreen, tend to a scraped knee, spend some time on the playground. Do what you can, don't take on a super ambitious job, communicate with your fellow gardeners about what you were able to accomplish and what you weren't. You can stay for as much or as little time as works for you.

4. Prepare for mess!

The activities that keep toddlers the most occupied at the garden are digging in the dirt, weeding, watering the plants and going for rides in the wheelbarrow. Dress them in clothes and footwear that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet - it will happen.

5. Bring snacks.

When all else fails, it might buy you a few more minutes to finish the task at hand.

6. Introduce them to the harvest!

When we first started coming to the garden in the spring the chives were in their glory. We showed our toddler that you can eat them and now, every week we pick chives to enjoy while we garden and for the wagon ride home.

The benefits of bringing your toddler to the garden most certainly outweigh the hassle of wrangling a child sized tornado. Showing our children the journey food takes before it is ready to nourish and be enjoyed gets them engaged and interested in trying new things. It promotes healthy and sustainable life choices in the long run while also showing that good things take time. So, whether you bring your child with you every time you visit the garden or just occasionally, you are welcome to join us on Sundays 9:00-11:00 and Tuesdays 5:00-7:00 all summer long!

10 Reasons You Should Garden

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 14:43:07 GMT

Everybody knows gardening is good for you. Here are our top 10 reasons why we think YOU should garden with us!

1. Delicious, nutritious food.

Home grown vegetables often have more nutrients than those that have travelled long and far to get to your grocery store. There really is nothing better than eating a salad from 100% freshly picked ingredients!

2. Safer food.

Because you grew it, you are likely not using chemicals or pesticides that are used on large commercial farms. If you are gardening in an urban area, it's not likely to be contaminated with animal waste or other harmful products. When you grow it, you know it!

3. Better health.

Gardening is one of the top 5 activities that seniors love to do in Simcoe County. Did you know you can burn 200-400 calories per hour with moderate gardening? Getting fresh air and working with plants also improves mental and emotional health.

4. Less food waste.

Did you know the average household throws out more than $600 of produce a year? If you are picking only what you need for the next day or two, you are less likely to create as much food waste compared to store-bought veggies, that are often purchased in bulk, and start to go bad as soon as you get it home from the store.

5. Less environmental impact.

Believe it or not, a garden in your backyard helps the planet. Growing food without pesticides and herbicides cuts down on air and water pollution, and less fossil fuel, as there is no need to depend on trucks, boats and planes travelling around the world to bring you imported foods.

6. Fight soil erosion.

Today’s farmers face the worst soil erosion in history — more than 3 billion tons of topsoil every year! Every crop grown in the backyard rather than on a commercial farm helps reduce this very real problem.

7. Save money!

Studies show that for every $1 you spend on seeds, gardening tools and time, you get back nearly $2 in fresh produce! If you are participating in a community garden that receives seed donations, and saves seeds throughout the year, you can get fresh, nutritious vegetables for little to no cost.

8. A sense of pride.

Planting seeds, nurturing them and watching them grow under your care gives you a feeling of accomplishment that’s hard to explain. It’s fun work that helps you nourish your family and maintain your health. Caring for plants is also a great way to teach kids about nature and give them a great sense of pride!

9. Benefit children’s development.

Numerous studies have shown that garden-based education improves academic performance and may lead to overall improvement on standardized achievement tests and improved positive attitudes toward learning. Also, teaching children to garden gives them immeasurable life skills of independence and sustainability while encouraging them to eat more vegetables as well.

10. Build relationships in the community.

Building a garden with a friend, family member or partner is a rewarding bonding experience. You'll work together on a project, whilst learning about each other every step of the way. This makes gardening a great tool for socializing and bonding with people.

This list is inspired by the post at Garden Weasel

Jules' Gotu Kola Sambola Kale Salad

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 14:43:07 GMT

A High Street Garden take on a traditional Sri Lankan fresh salad recipe.

This recipe makes a lot of salad, but it is so delicious that it never lasts more than a day in the fridge! This fresh kale and tomato recipe is perfect when you have tons of kale and want to make the most of it. Mix the salad together before adding the dressing, and then mix again, flavouring to taste. For an extra crunch, add crispy fried onions on top. For a balanced lunch, add your favourite protein, like a boiled egg, chickpeas or chicken!

For the salad:

1 large bunch of kale, minced
4 shallots (or green onions), minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 chili pepper or jalapeño, minced (optional, if you like it spicy!)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, raw
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted

For the dressing:

3 tsp lime juice
2 tsp sugar (seriously, don't skip the sugar!)
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp chili powder

Enjoy!!

About the High Street Community Garden

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 00:01:49 GMT

Learn about how the garden works, and how you can get involved!

About the garden

The High Street Community Garden was created to teach sustainable food practices and provide fresh fruits and vegetables for people living in the surrounding community in Orillia's south ward. Over the years, many dedicated volunteers have spent countless hours maintaining the garden and sharing its harvests.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, community members committed to putting more hours into the garden to give back to the community during these hard times. With generous funding from the City of Orillia, six new allotment plots were built in the spring of 2020.

The 2020 season has been a huge success. We are thankful for the dedicated volunteers that have spent many hot days, cold days, and rainy days working in the garden to produce this year's bountiful harvests.

How it works

The garden is divided into three areas: community gardening areas, allotment plots, and pick-your-own areas.

Community gardening areas are any areas at ground level, about 60% of the garden. These are areas that any community member can come and help plant, weed and harvest in throughout the entire season during dedicated gardening hours. The volunteer group makes decisions together about what should be planted in what areas. If you are interested in harvesting from these areas, we ask that you connect with the volunteers to learn what vegetables are ready to pick when, so that every veggie has the proper time to grow and ripen!

Allotment plots are the twelve (12) plots in wooden raised beds. These plots are privately maintained by a single family for the entire season. These plots are first-come, first-serve at the beginning of the season. We ask that community members do not disturb these areas, unless invited by the allotment plot family.

Pick-your-own areas are the raised cement bed and the raised painted bed at the front of the garden, closest to the path. These beds are shown in the image above. We encourage any passerby to pick anything that looks ripe, at any time! Right now the beds are filled with delicious kale, beans, strawberries and lettuce.

Who gets to eat the harvests?

Everybody!

Anyone walking by can pick what they like from the two pick-your-own beds closest to the path. The volunteers also keep the basket and cooler filled with other harvested goodies throughout the week.

Anyone that helps out during the weekly gardening hours will have opportunities to learn what is ready to pick and when, and can always take some food home at the end of the day!

If there is a large harvest of a single crop, like lettuce, we will also arrange for drop offs to The Sharing Place.

How can I get involved?

Become a volunteer!

In 2022, the gardeners meet every Wednesday from 5-7 pm. Gardeners are also invited to a Facebook group to share updates throughout the week. If you'd like to learn more, come visit us during gardening hours, or Contact Us here !

Amanda's Simple Salsa

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 23:59:10 GMT

This fresh salsa recipe is a great way to use your garden tomatoes!

3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
A few springs of cilantro, finely chopped
Juice from half a lime
(Add 1/2 jalapeño finely chopped for a bit of zing)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and spices to taste.

Add to greens and garbanzo beans to make a fresh salad, or as a topping to your favourite protein: tofu, burgers, shrimp, fish or chicken.

Enjoy!