Magic Beans

Scarlet runner beans growing up sunflower stalks

Inside these brown, decaying looking bean pods is something quite magical.  And it is really fun to show our SOP kids the colorful surprise inside!




While exploring and tasting the garden, some of our students noticed the dried, brown pods hanging from their sunflower poles.  The kids were certain that what we were seeing was "dead peas".  Hmmm, I wondered, perhaps we should harvest and take a look inside...

I wish I could have recorded the 'oohs' and 'aaahs' that were exclaimed as we opened the bean pods.

Beautiful, brightly colored beans emerged from very "dead-looking" pods and truly enchanted the children. The bright pink, purple and navy blue colors were unexpected to find inside such a dull wrapper.

And with this kind of excitement generated by the harvesting of bean pods, we must truly proclaim them "Magic Beans".

Scarlet runner beans!

Beautiful Summer Produce

Summer in the garden has been glorious this year. We've had seemingly endless dry, warm days and the plants have responded with a bounty of produce. It's been a few years since we've had a summer this nice, and we are all enjoying this gift of fair weather.

lemon cucumbers

Every year it seems that one or two crops perform particularly well. This year that distinction goes to our cucumbers. Both the lemon cucumbers and the regular cucumbers have outdone themselves!  We keep harvesting them and they keep ripening more.

cucumbers climbing a trellis

The squash, tomatoes and tomatillos are doing beautifully as well.  We have several "Super Zucchini's"--those zucchini's that hid themselves amongst their foliage and grew into giants.  Too big to be good eating now, we are letting them grow just to see how big they get. When our overnight students come in September, they will be amazed at the giant zucchinis!

Tongue of Fire beans

Our Tongue of Fire shelling beans are looking extra colorful as well.  These beans are easy to spot with their bright pinkish red markings, and they've been climbing the sunflower stocks all summer long.  When the pods start to dry, the children will have a great time opening them up to discover brightly striped beans!

A mixed planting of shiso, lemon cucumbers, lettuce and cosmos

Cosmos add beauty and also help to draw beneficial insects

Fresh tomatoes always taste amazing!

Meanwhile, we have been busy planting out fall and winter crops.  While this summer's harvest has been delicious, we know that winter is right around the corner.

Cookin' up a Summer Garden Snack!

Soil to Snack Summer Campers 2013

We started our summer garden camps with Nature chefs--sweet first and second grade campers who loved to nibble in the garden.  Then we hosted fifth and sixth grade campers for a garden/cooking immersion week known as Dirt to Dinner. These campers learned many cooking skills while eating full garden meals.

Our third and last garden camp was with curious and hard-working third and fourth graders.  It was aptly called Soil to Snack. These third and fourth grade campers spent much of their week in the garden.  They loved to water both the veggies and each other!  And they sampled new foods while creating healthy, delicious snacks.  They especially loved lemon cucumbers, "Space Broccoli" (really called 'Romanesco') and fresh figs!

Some beautiful and cool looking 'Space Broccoli'!

Chef Jim teaching the campers how to make gnocchi

There are potatoes in this soil!!

Mixing things up

Check out these giant zucchinis!!

We hope to see you again next summer for some more delicious garden snacks!

What's growing in the garden?

Team Wave wearing stylish and edible pea hats!!

Everything is growing in our IslandWood garden--including the children!  Team Wave from Sheridan Elementary School in Tacoma, Washington, enjoyed sampling garden veggies, wearing garden veggies and planting garden veggies.  A fun, full morning in the garden.

This past Spring our SOP students have been helping us plant seeds in the greenhouse.  Those seeds have grown into beautiful vegetable starts, which have all now been transplanted out into the garden.  The garden is looking so lovely and growing so rapidly, we just had to share a few pictures.

Here is a look at all things green and growing:

Scarlet runner beans climbing up sunflower stalks

Beautiful and interesting purple kohlrabi 

Red and green lettuces which have been tasted by both children and a few slugs...

Fresh garden broccoli tastes amazing!

Beautiful pea blossoms with pea pods coming soon

The kale have outdone themselves with huge tasty leaves!

The students have discovered that a drop of honey lives at the base of each Jerusalem Sage blossom--yum!

Here's to fresh and delicious garden food!

January 4th, 2013

Turnips!

We are still able to harvest (outside):                           

• Leeks
• Kale, all varieties
• Swiss Chard
• Turnips
• Brussel Sprouts
• Sorrel
• Potatoes (only a few left in the ground!)
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Celery
• Sunchokes

    Frosty, Cool Chard

                                                         

                                                                   Happy New Year!!

Artichokes are tough!

It is now 2013, and things have been changing a lot in the garden. Many things are asleep to cope with the cold, low light, and overall wetter conditions of winter. There has been lots of frost this week, and that can be hard on some of our plants. However, some things are still going strong like kale, artichokes, leeks, celery, swiss chard, radishes, turnips, parsley, sorrel, and brussel sprouts.

Turnips, frosty and still going strong

Here is what is going on in the garden right now~

Frosty Lacinato Kale

 Kale is pretty strong and hardy, and can usually withstand hard frost as can some of its other Brassicae relatives such as brussel sprouts, broccoli, collards, and cabbage.

Remay!

We also have some new friends in our greenhouse......baby collard greens! These were planted from seed, and are now big enough to be in their own pots. When they are old enough, we will transplant them to the outdoor garden, and voila! Delicious greens~

December 4th, 2012

What are we still able to harvest outside in the garden this week?

Leeks, Kale, and Celery

• Leeks 
• Celery
• Kale
• Chard
• Artichokes
• Potatoes
• Brussel Sprouts
• Broccoli
• Sorrel
• Chives
• Herbs: rosemary, oregano, peppermint, lemon balm, thyme, sage, parsley
• Sunchokes
• Collards
• Turnips
• Parsnips

Fresh Sorrel in our Garden! After a fresh rain, the sorrel (Rumex acetosa) a perennial herb, looks so green, and happy. As always, it is delicious right out of the garden. Have you tried sorrel before?



 

November 21, 2012

As of today, we are still harvesting tomatoes in the greenhouse! However, we are at the end of our tomato season, and don't expect to harvest too much longer. Lots of chocolate cherries, sun golds, and Oregon stars. Here is a photo of our small, but beautiful harvest:

Tomatoes!

Are you growing anything in your home, school, or community? If so, drop us a line and let us know what's growing for you!

November 19, 2012

Well, today has been one of the wettest days to date this fall! The coming of winter is ever present, and the plants are feeling it too. Some crops are suited well for this time of year, and are still growing in the garden. These crops include:

Brussel Sprouts!!

• chard  
• kale
• sunchokes
• broccoli
• many herbs such as peppermint, lemon balm, rosemary, parsley and oregano
• sorrel
• turnips
• parsnips
• collards
• leeks
• comfrey
• carrots
• lettuce
• celery
• brussel sprouts (like it cool!)
• radishes

Baby Carrots!

Luckily, we have a fantastic greenhouse to keep some plants cozy and warm during the fall and winter. This allows us to keep growing certain crops that wouldn't make it outside in the cold, harsher environment. We also can utilize this warm environment to plant new seeds, and grow plant starts to create our plant nursery. Some things we are growing in the greenhouse now are:

• baby carrots
• tomatoes
• peppers
• stevia
• butterhead lettuce
• snow pea starts
• austrian pea cover crop
• pac choi greens