Addison Community Garden. Photo: addisongreen.info

As the new Addison Community Garden gets ready for its September opening, the Addison Arbor Foundation is sponsoring the next event in its Arbor University series.

Dotty Woodson, Ed.D., of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, will present “Community Gardening and What to Plant in Your Fall Garden” on September 18, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., at the Addison Athletic Club. Woodson is an expert in community gardening and will give attendees tips on how it all works.

Space is limited, and reservations are required. To sign up, click here. 

Addison Community Garden. Photo: addisongreen.info

If you’re still wondering what’s going on in the southwest corner of the Addison Athletic Club grounds, a not-so-secret garden is on the verge of becoming reality.

The new Addison Community Garden is scheduled for a grand opening in September. Already, the irrigation system is in place, and raised beds dot the landscape.

Participation is open to Town of Addison residents. Charter memberships became available early in July, with volunteers pledging a $100 donation and 50 community service hours.

A limited number of plots are still available. To get involved, download the Adopt-a-Plot and Release of Claims forms and return them to the Addison Arbor Foundation.

Image: addisongreen.info

If you are interested in claiming space at the new Community Garden, you may need to act fast. As of July 26th, only 21 plots remained available as the Addison Arbor Foundation found plenty of interest in the project.

Here’s what you need to do to get going:

• Drop by the front desk at the Addison Athletic Club.
• Ask for a Community Garden plot agreement.
• Fill out the agreement.
• Attach a check for $100.
• Turn your agreement and the check in to the staff person at the front desk.

Don’t want to do all the work by yourself? You can share a plot with a friend or neighbor. Either way, you’ll want to act soon to get in on this opportunity while you still can!

For any questions, e-mail Neil Hewitt or call him at 972-896-1261.

Summer and fall are the seasons of abundance. Fruits and vegetables abound in backyard gardens, farmer’s markets and stores.

Sometimes, like when your own garden is peaking, and the farmer’s markets are replete with everything from avocados to zucchini, that abundance can be overwhelming. Then it’s time to preserve, freeze and can, so you can seize Mother Nature’s gifts while they are at their best. Don’t throw out that entire container of strawberries because a few molded. Savor and secure the ones that survived by freezing them, or turning them into a jam.

It’s the healthy, and greener, thing to do.

Save the taste of summer with simple canning and freezing methods (Photo: Oleg Kozlov/Dreamstime.com)

Here are a few ideas, assembled from many sources and countless hours in the kitchen, that will help you capture that summer spigot of fruit (we’ll deal with veggies next time) by properly canning, freezing or drying your favorite produce .

Freezing

Most berries can be stemmed and frozen whole or sliced on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Once they are frozen, transfer them to containers. Zipper-locking bags are nice because you can “suck” out the air and then seal them. Just zip the bag almost closed and insert a straw into the hole to suck out the air. Or just suck it out. Air in frozen food leads to ice crystals and diminished quality food. Freeze quickly so that bacteria do not have a chance to grow.

Blueberries can be frozen or turned into a freezer jam (Photo: Ron Chronister / Dreamstime.com)

Fruits that are frozen will be soft when thawed, but the nutrition and taste will be largely preserved for enjoyment after berry season. Use frozen fruit in smoothies, salads, and sauces. Freezing them individually allows you to grab a few from your freezer bag without having to use the whole batch. If you only use a partial sack of fruit, remember to suck out the air when you put it back in the freezer.

Some fruits, the hard berries like blueberries and cranberries, can be frozen on a cookie sheet without even washing. Wash them when you thaw them. You can just scoop out what you need and reseal the bag. Great convenience for adding to other dishes or muffins.

Another even simpler option for that extra fruit is to make “freezer jam”. Follow the directions found on the pectin box that you get at the grocery store. Pectin is used to make fruit gel into jams and jellies. Box directions will include “freezer jam” recipes so you can just freeze your jam in a glass or plastic container. No processing is necessary, but pay attention to shelf life. These jams must be refrigerated upon opening. Fill the jars or containers following instructions on jars or pectin boxes. You need some room for expansion and as little as possible for spoilage and crystal formation. Great taste, looks, and easy small batches make this a favorite type of preservation for the first timer.

Drying

Blend almost any fruit with a dab of your favorite sweetener (or not) and pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Slowly dry in your oven on the very lowest temperature. (For details see the Washington University extension service, which recommends drying fruit leathers at 140 degrees.) Or you can dry the fruit leather on a cookie sheet with a cheesecloth or screen cover at room temperature. Where you live will determine the best method. In arid areas, room temperature drying is fast enough that mold will not be a problem. If you are living in a humid area, you may be better off to put your leather in the oven to dry it. There are also commercially available dehydrators with heat sources and fans that work well. Children love fruit leathers, they make a light, wholesome snack..

Recipes for fruit leathers abound. University extension websites carry good advice on how to dry leathers. The safety issues are also addressed on some of these sites. You want to dry at a high enough temperature to retard bacterial growth but not bake the fruit.

This also is an effective way of avoiding the food dyes that are typically used in manufactured dried fruits; which some studies have found to exacerbate hyperactivity in kids. Other studies, with mice, suggest that food dyes are carcinogenic.

Canning

Fruits can particularly well because the heat keeps the flavor full- bodied by stopping enzyme action and killing bacteria that could cause spoilage. Whether or not you sweeten is a matter of preference. Sweeteners tend to retard food spoilage, so many people like to can in sugar syrups. (No self-respecting bacteria likes to live in a sugar syrup!)You can also can in honey, raw sugar or fruit-juice-based syrups. This will change the taste of the natural fruit, but can be quite pleasant. Apple juice and white grape juice are examples of natural syrups that can be used for canning fruits.

The Ball Blue Book is a good guide for home canners.

Fruits for canning should always be processed. They must be blanched to kill bacteria and also to stop enzyme action in the plant cells. Get a good simple book on canning how-tos. The Ball Blue Book of Preserving, put out by the company that makes canning jars, lids and seals, is a seminal, short guide, filled with the details you need to know. The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving covers even more ground.

Another option for learning the protocols is to find an experienced canner and shadow them through some actual canning. It is fun and the best way to learn.

Open kettle canning is also known as water-bath canning. It uses boiling water to process the jars of prepared food in syrup. Pressure canning requires an actual pressure canner and will ensure complete elimination of bacteria that can be dangerous. This method is a must for veggies, but fruits are commonly done by water bath.

You will need directions for using a pressure canner or an open-kettle canner for use in your climate and altitude. When canning, the amount of time and pressure involved is paramount. If you deviate from recommended safety guidelines you chance spoilage and bacterial contamination. Your county will have an extension agent’s office. Call them and ask about classes and information about canning before you tackle this option. They will be able to tell you about any altitude adjustments needed for your area.

Fruits can be turned into canned preserves or jellies even easier. You can sweeten or not as you prefer. Cook the fruit per your recipe and seal in jars or freezer containers for use later. Small batches are easy to manage and allow for less time spent in the kitchen. You can get tested and true recipes in the box of pectin from the grocery store. Pectin is the plant substance found in the cell walls of some fruits that allows jelly and jam to “set up”. Some fruits will gel without added pectin and some berries resist even added pectin. But the flavor and color are great even if you end up with syrup rather than jam. Try it on pancakes!

Once you become proficient in the techniques, experiment with mixed fruits. Develop your own family’s favorite blend. Try using apple juice or white grape juice instead of water to cook your fruit down. Add apple juice to those stubborn berries like elderberry to help them gel. Apples have a tremendous amount of pectin in them. It should help with gelling problems too.

You can can jams and jellies in an open kettle because of the high acid and sugar content in them. But be sure to follow the directions from your county extension agent for times. Altitude can be a real issue for successful canning.

Fruits also can be pickled, another form of canning that preserves using salts and high acid vinegars to deter bacterial growth and preserve nutrition. Canned apple rings and watermelon rind pickles are examples of this type. Recipes can be found in almost any cookbook and online.

Each of these processes have been used for centuries. Knowledge of what causes food to spoil has led to more information on safety in preserving food. Techniques for preservation are more consumer friendly than what your grandmothers had to deal with and can actually be fun and rewarding.

Check out these sources for more information:

• Back to Basics: Traditional Kitchen Wisdom: Techniques and Recipes for Living A Simpler, More Sustainable Life, Andrea Chesman, Editor, (2010) Quintet Publishing Limited, London
• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Preserving Food, Karen K. Brees, PhD., (2009) Penguin Group,Inc.
• Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1930-2000 Limited Edition), Meredith Books, Des Moines, IA
• The websites Simply Recipes and the Washington State University extension service also have helpful information

Image: addisongreen.info

Interested in staking out your own space at the new Community Garden? The Addison Arbor Foundation hosted  an organizational meeting July 15  at the Addison Athletic Club.

Topics on the agenda included:

• Overview of the remaining project plan.
• Review of the plot agreement.
• Answer questions on the garden.
• Review plot allocation process.
• Review wait list process.

If you couldn’t make it, you can still sign up for a plot by obtaining an agreement from the front desk at the Athletic Club, or by downloading one from the Arbor Foundation web site. Plot agreements became available starting July 16.

Even if you aren’t personally interested in tilling the soil, you can support the project by making a donation. Currently, materials costs are estimated at $55,000. The Arbor Foundation will provide some of those funds, but the group is seeking donations to make up the difference. While any donation is appreciated a gift of $250 or more will earn acknowledgment on the “giving tree” at the Addison Conference Centre.

To make a donation, please mail a check to Addison Arbor Foundation, PO Box 1649, Addison TX 75001. For any additional questions, contact Neil Hewitt at nhewitt11@aim.com or 972-896-1261.

There was plenty for an America in Bloom judge to like on a recent tour of Addison. Photo: addisongreen.info

Addison is one of four municipalities in the 15,001-25,000 population range competing in this year’s America in Bloom, joining Arroyo Grande, California; Junction City, Kansas; and Webster Groves, Missouri.

Why Addison, and why now?

“It seemed like a quality program that would give us an outsider’s perspective on how the Town rates on criteria ranging from landscape quality levels to environmental efforts,” Parks and Recreation Director Slade Strickland explains.

Between May and August, AIB judges spend two days in each participating town, evaluating projects and consulting with residents and volunteers. From those observations and interviews, they develop an extensive written evaluation, providing feedback on where towns excel and offering suggestions for further initiatives and improvements.

Photo: addisongreen.info

Through 2009, participants included more than 170 towns and cities from 38 states.

A judge visited Addison earlier this month and rated the Town’s efforts.

“They wanted to see all public landscape sites, parks, single and multi-family landscaping and private property landscaping,” Strickland said. “They judged the Town on eight criteria, which included Tidiness Effort, Environmental Effort, Community Involvement, Heritage, Urban Forestry, Landscaped Areas, Floral Display, Turf and Ground Cover Areas.”

Winners will be determined in both population and criteria categories and will be announced at the AIB Symposium and Awards, Sept. 30-Oct. 2 in St. Louis.

America in Bloom is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting nationwide beautification programs and personal and community involvement through the use of flowers, plants, trees, and other environmental and lifestyle enhancements. The organization provides educational programs, resources, and the challenge of a friendly competition between participating communities across the country.

Winners in 2009 included Echo, Oregon; Charles City, Iowa; River Falls, Wisconsin; Collierville, Tennessee; Lompoc Valley, California; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Photo: addisongreen.info

Image: EPA.gov

You can hear them rattle in the winter, and rumble in the summer. Whether they’re underfoot or overhead in the attic, these unseen monsters can really make a difference in your home’s heating and cooling bills.

Yes, we’re talking about your ducts or duct work, and we don’t mean to be personal when we say, you’d better have your ducts in order when it comes to saving on cooling costs.

Leaking ducts typically drain away 20 to 25 percent of the cool air your air conditioning unit is trying to pump throughout the house. If they’re not well sealed, tightly affixed to the AC unit and efficiently arranged, they can be the phantom culprits on your high energy bill.

“Ducts can be big energy wasters, especially when they run through areas that are not heated or cooled. That’s your attic or a crawl space; sometimes they’ll even run through a garage,” says Doug Anderson, a home energy expert with Energy Star.

A duct problem “can throw off the whole heating and cooling balance in your home.”

Cooling your attic via leaky ducts just doesn't make sense (Image: EPA)

So let’s take this step by step. If you suspect you’ve got leaks, you’ll want to get the right supplies in place, take a look behind the scenes of your home HVAC, and then seal up the weak spots, or hire a professional to do the job.

Step One

Get supplies. But don’t use duct tape. Despite its name, duct tape is ineffective, especially if it’s the cloth-back matte gray type. In a hot attic, this stuff just dries up and falls off. The shiny foil or metal tape is better, and works adequately well on flexible ducts. The best stuff to seal up air leaks on solid duct work and in some cases on flexible ducts, is mastic, a goo that you can get at the local hardware store.

You’ll also need a) a flashlight and b) an incense stick and c) plastic ties intended to strap flexible duct together.

Step Two

Inspect it. Peer into your attic, crawl space or the basement ceiling where your ductwork resides. Remember when the kid in Home Alone saw the mighty furnace huffing at him in the basement? This won’t be that scary. But it can help you find the answer to your horrifying electrical bills. According to Energy Star protocol, you should climb into the entrance to your attic, if that’s where the ducts are, but not go any (or much) farther than the threshold. Turn on the light or shine your flashlight around to get the lay of the land. Look for twisted, smashed or disengaged ductwork. Look for gaps and cracks.

Step Three

Get systematic (about finding the leaks). Anderson says that he can’t in good conscience recommend that homeowners crawl around in the attic and do their own repairs. Some folks just aren’t that handy and could make matters worse, and there’s the danger of stepping through the ceiling…. At the same time, we know that many of you will do your own work. So here are some tips: Don’t just crawl around empty handed. Use a burning incense stick to detect drafts. The thin smoke line will help you spot air flow. If you want to get more aggressive, get some theatrical smokes and put it near an air return or at the air blower. Then watch the ducts to see where this nontoxic smoke escapes. Be careful not to trip on electrical wiring or tangle with the fiberglass insulation.

Step Four

Fix it. (Or skip to Step Five.) Again, use mastic or metal tape to seal up cracks and gaps. For big gaps, use drywall netting and mastic. (If you don’t know what drywall netting is or where to get it, proceed to Step Five.) If you’ve got a length of ductwork that has been ripped or crushed, you may be able to replace that entire section. Measure the damaged segment carefully; you don’t want to come up short. Remember too that not all ductwork has the same circumference. Take the damaged piece to the hardware store to match it to a new section. Install the replacement section using mastic, metal tape and the plastic closure ties you will get when you buy the duct work. See Energy Star website for more details on fixing your own ducts.

Step Five

Hire someone. There are as many reasons to hire someone to make leak repairs as there probably are spider webs in the far corners of your duct system. Your attic may be vast, or difficult to navigate. If your ducts are in a crawl space, you could have mold (and there are solutions for mitigating mold at the same time you get the ducts fixed) that you shouldn’t touch. Some more really good reasons to hire professionals: You may have system problems that go beyond leaky ducts, such as a loss of coolant in the system. They can handle that on the spot. Many HVAC experts can also check your blower, AC condensation unit and so on, to make sure the entire system is working well. Anderson recommends yearly checkups for your AC and heating systems (one in the spring and one in the fall). These can help head off problems, and while the experts are there you can ask them to run a check for leaky ducts.

Climate and the daily weather forecast will dictate if you entertain al fresco or indoors this summer. Either way, warm weather gatherings lend themselves to being green.

To keep the garden party eco-friendly, and still eco-nomical, think about using durable, reusable goods made from low-impact or re-purposed materials, or if the occasion calls for disposables, make them bioplastic. You don’t have to forfeit the magic, see the twinkly solar lights we found!

So…before you stock up on plastic plates or throwaway table clothes, let’s take a look at what’s available in the greener patio party department. You might be pleasantly surprised that these finds will keep you outfitted for fetes from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and beyond. Get ready with those summer invitations!

Pier 1's selection of recycled glassware is doubly green

We started our hunt looking for tableware, and found this affordable, recycled glass collection at  Pier 1.  The collection includes goblets ($9), margarita glasses ($8), tumblers ($5) and pitchers ($9).

Spokeswoman Jennifer L. Engstrand says the Fort Worth-based store has made eco-friendly products a part of the mix for a long time. In addition to the recycled glassware, their offerings include recycled newspaper baskets, reusable bags, bio-degradable jute rugs and several rugs and accessories made of “rapidly renewable materials” such as rattan, seagrass and bamboo, she said.