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Robin Timm Mid-summer Prairie Walk
July 2007
Here it is, the end of July, 2007. Jayne and I have been keeping a sharp eye on the progress of our prairie. We are learning so much about our native plants, bugs and birds. This is our third summer for the prairie/savannah restoration. We are thrilled! Every walk brings us a new treat to observe and admire. Let me start from our spring walks. Early on we mowed a path through the grasses and emerging coneflower leaves. As we take Ted and Lady V for walks, we wanted a path to keep us away from any red-winged blackbird nests and to keep our knees dry as the grasses and flowers got taller. In spring the migrating birds thrilled us with their return. We always welcome the song of the red-winged blackbird in mid-March. Suddenly the winter stillness is filled with singing birds! AS we sipped our morning coffee, we welcomed our spring feeder friends the Goldfinch, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting and red-breasted Grosbeak. We have had these visitors before but their visits were fleeting. Jayne and I believe the prairie has become a better neighborhood for them, bringing in more native bugs and better shelter. Out in the savannah, our walks became filled with surprises. Our first blooming native was Golden Alexander. I had just seen this plant growing in our neighbor’s greenhouse (he does native restorations and has a greenhouse full of native seedlings and plants). I was delighted when I came across the Golden Alexander in its native habitat! Soon to follow the Golden Alexander was native yarrow. This delicate white yarrow has ferny leaves that emerge on individual stems, unlike the clusters of hybrid leaves. The umbel flowers are always buzzing with native bees and predatory flies. We noticed tufts of big and little bluestem and Indiangrass in among the weeds. Although we still have wild parsnip and thistle in the prairie we hope a fall burn will set back some of the weeds and open up the space for more of the wild forbs to fill in. We try to keep the weeds mowed in the part we aren’t burning. It’s a challenge and when we run out of time we look at the thistle blooms as finch and bee favorites. And now we play with the soft seeds wondering how we ever thought there could be control of these invaders. But we have hope as we look out today and see rolling fields of yellow coneflowers. The coneflowers have filled in huge areas of the prairie. They are in the dense, clay hillside, the sunny, south facing slope and shady savannah. They are fabulous! Black-eyed Susan are popping up here and there and some of the goldenrod are starting to bloom. Last week the whorled milkweed was in full bloom. This plant looks so delicate yet in one year we have seen a couple parent plants turn into a clustered family that is extending throughout the dry prairie hillside. And now the big bluestem grasses are shooting up their main seed stalk. Big bluestem covered the tall grass prairie. The seed heads can be as tall as a horse! Imagine riding through seas of golden grasses on horseback and in wagons! It has been an exciting year in the prairie and it is just beginning! Jayne and I are watching a number of different plants, waiting to see what blooming splendor they will bring to the late summer and fall walks. We will keep you posted. GINGERED CUCUMBERS INGREDIENTS 1 large cucumber 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 1 small sweet onion 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 clove garlic, finely chopped METHODS Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, scrape out seeds, and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Combine with the remaining ingredients and toss to combine flavors. Garnish with mint leaves before serving. TOMATOES WITH BASIL Using yellow, orange and red tomatoes along with green and red basil makes this a festive salad. And it is so easy! INGREDIENTS tomato slices olive oil basil balsamic vinegar METHODS Arrange tomato slices on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Chop basil leaves over tomato slices. Layer tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar and basil as desired. Refrigerate 3 hours or more. BIG SOUPWhen the garden is bursting with vegetables, it is time for big soup. Any or all of the veggies and herbs may enhance the flavor of this soup. It never comes out exactly the same. So, get yourself a big pot and make some big soup! INGREDIENTS 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp olive oil 1-2 large onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1-2 hot peppers (optional) 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped 1 small head of cabbage, chopped 1 tbsp fresh savory or thyme, chopped 2 medium carrots, sliced Freshly ground pepper 2 cups cooked kidney beans 1/2-1 lb string beans 4 cups water with 1 Tbsp vegetarian Worsteshire sauce and 1 Tbsp Tamari 1 large zucchini, chopped 2 cups broccoli or cauliflower florets 1 lb tomatoes, chopped 1-cup mushrooms, sliced 1/2-1 lb Swiss chard, leaves and stems, chopped 1/2-1 cup fresh basil, chopped METHODS Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant, add pepper(s) and mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes. Add cabbage, carrots, kidney beans, string beans, parsley, oregano, savory or thyme ground pepper and broth. Bring to a boil: reduce heat to low and cook about 15 minutes, just until veggies are heated through. Add broccoli, Swiss chard, tomatoes, mushrooms and basil and cook 5 more minutes, until chard is bright green. COMMENTS This soup freezes well. We enjoy our summer bounty in the middle of January, as we peruse the seed catalogs for next year’s big soup. If you freeze the soup, do not add pasta until you reheat it. Serves Many
Bulgur Stuffed Vegetables This is a delicious way to use up all those giant zucchini and eggplant
Use any or all of these vegetables for shells: Large summer squash or zucchini, halved Large Eggplant, halved Spaghetti squash, Acorn, Butternut, halved Reserve flesh. Pumpkin- 4 Bell peppers, tops and seeds removed For squash, eggplant and pumpkin, scoop out seeds and discard. Then scrape the flesh from the walls, leaving about 1/4 inch to hold shell. Stuffing: 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 2 cups bulgur and 1 cup water 1 large onion, chopped 1 large tomato, chopped 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped (optional) 1 cup mushrooms, chopped 1/4 cup water 1-1/2 tsp fresh Rosemary, chopped 1 tsp dried oregano 1-1/2 tsp Fresh basil, chopped In a saucepan, combine bulgur and water, bring to boil, then simmer until water is absorbed. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet, and garlic, onion and walnuts and sauté for 3 minutes. Add cooked bulgur, tomatoes, flesh from vegetables and water. Mix well and simmer for 3 minutes. Add herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Place shell in a baking dish with a small amount of water in the bottom. Spoon filling mixture into shell (there will be extra that can be added around the shell or kept aside in the skillet). Cover and bake in a 375° F oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes, until mixture is bubbly. Serve immediately. Serves 4 Leftovers can be chopped up and frozen for a quick supper.
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