Garlic Braid Raffle

 Dear Garden Lovers,

Each year we sell raffle tickets to win one of these three gorgeous garlic braids. All proceeds go to support our garden (to buy peat moss/wire/string/potting soil/planting materials/lumber etc.).

The garlic was grown here on P.I. by us organically and was expertly strung into professional braids by Mike G. They are beautiful as they are tasty. You just hang it in your kitchen and snip each head of garlic off the braid as you need it, and the braid will last all winter.

Tickets to win a braid of giant, organic garlic will go on sale at the Fall Fair on Sept. 7th.  at $2 a ticket, or three tickets for $5. 

There will be three draws for one garlic braid each time.

You may also get a Great Garlic Raffler coming door to door with tickets, so sit back and wait,  and don't count your cloves until they're smashed!

 Three draws for one braid each time. Consider the odds. And aren't they radiant (see photo)..... Zoom in on the botanical photo, bottom right, to see some exquisite garlicy beauty. :>)

Click on photo to enlarge it.

Veggie News in early August

Find out about our Fall Fair here. It's the tiniest but it's the BEST! :>)

DIGS veggie news from this past July:

Sorry for not much blogging in July. But here's what's planted in each bed at the moment as of August 3rd:

click on map to enlarge it

And now for the diggy veggie specific news....

First the bad news:

HEADLINE - Destructo Rocky Racoon and his Relatives Strike Again:

 Raccoons broke through the TOP of the bird netting over the raspberry cage, and, as usual, lumpishly crashed through the fruiting canes. Depressing for the humans, but extremely fun for the drooly racoons. Notice they only go for the caged raspberries. They don't touch the blueberries (also caged) nor do they eat many of the ever-bearing raspberries, which are open and easy to reach. Strange.

We await the annual feeling of raccoon DOOM when they eat all the grapes and apples just on the very day they were ripe. Yikes.

Also this week a bird (likely) nipped off the growing tip of the newly planted clematis. (what?!) We'd replanted a new one after losing the climbing clematis to frost this past winter.

Also, 45% of the more aristocratic garlic suffered Fusarium Wilt  and had to be destroyed. Usually we have a modest sized crop, but this year not so much.

And now for the good news:

We are harvesting lots of blueberries, kale, chard, rhubarb, green beans and broccoli right now. Come on down on Saturday mornings at 10am and be part of the tasty harvesting!!

The many many heads of lettuce had to be harvested during that 32 degree heat wave, but in a week or two, there will be more lettuce to make salads with. Right now garden workers can pick outer, larger leaves from the bigger lettuces by the gate and on the table.

The early potatoes this year were glorious, creamy dreamy and thin skinned. What a pleasure. We are also harvesting New Zealand Spinach (not everyone's fave, but prolific) and the zucchini are starting to come in (grated with onion for pancakes is a great use for them now!).

And in curious news:

The parsnips were successful, but now seem to be bolting in the heat! Will they work? Will the transplanted ones be hydra-headed?

Also, I'm curious if it's too early to start fall spinach, so have twelve tiny spinach seedling in my air-conditioned house right now. Wish me luck!

The specially cared-for DIGS carrots are terrific, try reaching under the Reemay to try one. Are you curious to taste what a real organic carrot is like?

Come on down and visit the garden. It's looking so very LUSH!

Harvesting on Saturday mornings is a togetherness activity! See you there!

Best, Jen

Fall Fair on Sept. 7th, 2024

DIGS Tenth Annual Fall Fair 2024!

Saturday, September 7th at Beacon House on P. I. with a dance in the evening!

Submit your competition entries at Beacon House on:

Friday, September 6th: from 6pm - 8pm 

OR

Saturday, September 7th : from 8am - 9:00 am (Baking entries only Saturday morning)

How the day will go: September 7th, Saturday

9 am to 12:30 Beacon House CLOSED for judging

12:30 pm OPEN to 3 pm with Hot Dogs, Chips, Drinks available

View exhibits

Garlic Braid Raffle (Tickets only)

Kids Races

Cock-a-Doodle Poo contest

Coconut Shie

Kids Face Painting

Egg tosses – 1) kids 2) adult

Adult Tug of War

Pick up your competition entries and ribbons from 3pm to 4pm

7pm to 9 pm DANCE AT BEACON HOUSE  Entry is FREE!!

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GENERAL RULES FOR ALL ENTRIES

1. NO LATE ENTRIES will be accepted. See times on previous page.

2. Adults…one dollar PER entry. NO entry fee for children, even if entered in an adult category. Enter as many items as you wish.

3. Two age categories for children and teens:

Primary 7 years and under

Junior 8 to 14 years

Children and teens may enter in their age category OR they may choose to challenge the adults in their categories

4. Entries must be MADE or GROWN or BAKED by the entrant within the last 12 months.

5. There are 5 categories and several classes within each larger category (see below).

Ribbons for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places will be awarded for each class within a category.

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CATEGORIES (please read instructions carefully)

VISUAL ARTS

1. Painting

2. Sketch in black and white mounted on a black mat (no frame or glass) (black mat supplied if required)

3. Photograph mounted on a black mat (no frame or glass)

4. Natural Beach Art

5. Carving/Sculpture/Wood Working

6. Card Making using photographs

HORTICULTURE

“BEST” means best representation of species

1. Biggest Squash

2. Best Root Vegetable

3. Biggest Zucchini by Weight

4. Biggest Onion by weight (roots removed, tops folded over with elastic)

5. Largest Garlic Bulb by weight (roots removed, top trimmed to 1”)

6. Biggest Tomato by weight

7. Best Potted Herbs

8. Flower arrangement of any variety

9. Single Bloom

10. Best Apple

11. Best Tomato

BAKING/PRESERVES

Special Category: Judge's Challenge Recipe* Soft Pretzels! See below for recipe details for this special entry in the baking section.

1. Pie, any variety, topped (crust, crumble etc.)

2. Muffins (4 of one variety)

3. Yeast Breads or Buns…white, brown, whole grain, sourdough

4. Coffee cake or Loaf cake

5. Cookies, six of uniform size, same variety

6. Cake, any layer cake with icing or frosting

7. Fruit Crisp

8. Judge’s Challenge: entrants bake the judge’s recipe

9. Homemade Candy, Fudge, Peanut Brittle

10. Kombucha (fermented tea in clear glass container)

NOTE: The following must be in containers with standard 2 part lids, hot water sealed and labelled with the date.

11. Jam, Jelly, Marmalade

12. Pickles, Chutney, Relishes, Salsa

13. Fruit preserves

HOME ARTS AND CRAFTS

1. Knitted or Crocheted item

2. Ceramics, pottery

3. Sewn item

4. Felting

5. Spinning

6. Weaving

7. Dyeing

8. Needle Work

9. Quilting

10. Rug Hooking

11. Card making – crafted or drawn

CHILDREN– Primary (7 and under) Junior (8 to 14)

1. Visual Arts (painting, sketch- mounted on black mat, beach art, photograph – mounted on black mat)

2. Best dressed or decorated veggie or fruit

3. Baking (for Juniors only 8 to 14)

4. Fabric or Wool craft

5. Ceramics – pottery or woodworking

6. Lego structure

7. Play dough structure

8. Biggest Maple Leaf

9. Script Handwriting (not printing)

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*Judge’s Challenge Recipe

SOFT PRETZELS - Four 4" pretzels

Recipe must be followed exactly. No substitutions.

First prize will be a $25.00 Thrifty’s Gift Certificate

Ingredients:

1 and ½ cups (360ml) warm water

2 and ¼ tsp (8g) instant or active dry yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled

3 and ¾ cups – 4 cups all-purpose flour (469-500g)

2 tbsp coarse salt for sprinkling on tops

baking soda bath: ½ cup baking soda 9 cups water

Directions:

In large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk yeast into warm water. Allow sit for 1 min. Then whisk in the salt, sugar and melted butter. Slowly add 3 cups of flour into bowl, 1 cup at a time.

Mix with wooden spoon or dough hook attached to stand mixer, until thick. Add 3/4 cup more flour until no longer sticky. If still sticky add 1/4 cup more flour or as needed. Poke dough with finger; if bounces back it is ready to knead.

Continue to knead the dough in the mixer with dough hook and beat for additional 5 full minutes. Or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in 1 tsp of flour at a time if the dough gets too sticky while kneading.

Shape the kneaded dough into a ball. Cover lightly with a towel and allow to rest for 10 mins.  Meanwhile boil 9 cups water and Baking Soda.

Preheat oven 400°F. (205°C)

Cut dough into 1/3 cup sections (about 75g each). Roll each section into a 20-22 inch rope. Form a circle with the dough by bringing the two ends together at the top of the circle. Twist the ends together. Bring the twisted ends back down towards yourself and press them down to form a pretzel shape.

Drop 1-2 pretzels into the boiling water & baking soda. Remove after 20-30 seconds using a slotted spoon. Remove as much excess water, place pretzel onto baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment paper, sprinkle with coarse salt. If using parchment paper it is recommended to lightly spray with a nonstick spray. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 F. (204 C.) until golden brown.

Submit for Contest: 4 Pretzels x 4 inches in size

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Reminder: PLEASE PICK UP YOUR ENTRIES AFTERWARD, between 3 to 4 pm and see you there!!

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