February! Time to start planning!

In just one short month Spring will arrive in St. Louis!! That means time to start planting!

Planning for the garden has already started and we are excited about the opportunity to start early.  Peas, lettuces, leeks, potatoes and carrots will all get an early start this year!

Interested in finding out how to grow these amazing vegetables?  Then come join us on March 20 at 1:00pm to usher in the first day of Spring and learn how to plant!  This will be the first of many classes that will be offered to members of our community during the growing season.

How to pickle okra

Okra in our garden has done well!  There has been more than we can give away!

One way I like okra best is pickled.  Just like how you would pickle cucumbers!

The recipe that I use is a secret; passed on to me from my dear friend from her grandmother's catalog.

To show you the basics, follow along with the photos and check out Ball's Blue Book for more elaborate instructions :

Make sure your okra is clean and washed and less tall than the jars you will be packing them in.

 Make sure your water bath is going strong

Pack your sterilized jars as full as possible

Pour your selected pickling mixture on top of the fully packed jars.  Seal with lids and rings and process in their bath.

Pray hot water does not splash out on your pets or children running through your kitchen during the 5 minutes it takes to seal them..

Wait 6 weeks, crack these jars open and enjoy!

Pickled okra from our own Community Garden will be available around Thanksgiving for purchase.

Need help canning? Let me know and I will be happy to help out!

The Garden is growing!

The Garden is starting to make leaps and bounds for growing season!

We could use your help!
During the week of June 19-26 I will be on the Adult Mission Trip to Rosebud, South Dakota! The garden will need to watered and tended too! If any of you have a few minutes to hope over to the OCGE and help that would be great!

The past month we were blessed with lots or rain, but now that the plants are starting to produce vegetables, an every-other-day visit will make sure what needs to be harvested can make it from the garden to the Food Center.

Please leave a comment or let us know what you will be available to help with! The dates are as follows and all times should be during the am hours!

Sunday June 20
Tuesday June 22
Thursday June 24
Saturday June 26

Contact Tracy Crews for more info! (314)909-0329

Rain, Rain Go Away!

Are we sure it's May? Because with all the rain and cold temperatures, I keep thinking it has been March!!

The OCGE Garden Planting has been rescheduled for this Saturday, May 22nd at 10:00am. Planting conditions should be great for planting seeds and seedlings! The soil will be moist and the weather hot!

Please join us during this very busy time of year to get your hands in the dirt, relax, and learn a lot about what it takes to grow a vegetable garden!

Make sure to bring your gloves and be ready to get dirty!

Planting Date and First Garden Class Set!!

Please join us on May 16, 2010 at 1:00pm to plant our new Gardens!
This will be a great activity for all of our friends and family to come out and get their hands dirty, learn about plants and complete a great weekend of the All Parish Conference!

On Saturday May 22, you can come back to the garden to attend our First Garden Class!!
Beginning at 10:00am, members of the Missions and Environmental Stewardship Committees will be on site to educate all participants on:

Plants vs. Weeds How to know what's what!
Keeping a garden weed free!
When to tell your garden is thirsty!

This date is an excellent opportunity for everyone wanting to come help, but just aren't sure they have a green thumb!

Feel free to RSVP to these events using the invitations on the side bar or just contact me:
Tracy Crews
giveitawhirl3@gmail.com

Welcome!

Welcome to the Outreach Community Garden of Emmanuel!!

The members of Emmanuel are so excited about our newest endeavor! For the past 30 years, Emmanuel's Food Center has helped to feed over 60 families a month through staples and other non-perishable items. Now our Missions and Environmental Stewardship Committees have teamed up to create The Outreach Community Garden of Emmanuel (OCGE) which will provide fresh produce to patrons of Emmanuel's Food Center to supplement and enrich the diet of our neighbors.

This community effort will reach to our eldest and youngest participants to make sure everyone of our neighbors can receive the proper nutrition our bodies need!

With many Thanks to Kuhn Construction and Webster-Rock Hill Ministries for what we were able to create today:



Three new raised vegetable beds that will hold a bounty of food!
Please look for our smiling faces and bookmark this page as we sign up more parishioners to help out with the OCGE!