Summer camps have begun and that means that our camp gardens are starting to feed legions of young girls and women.   They are plucking fresh salad fixings just steps from where they will eat them for lunch and dinner.  Sun tea is always on-hand, made from fresh garden herbs and wild collected herbs.   I highly recommend the lemon-balm/ mountain mint tea! 

 Peas and garlic are also ready to be enjoyed in our area.  Here’s a recipe we like using both:

Fresh Pea Hummus
2 cups shelled fresh peas

1-2 garlic cloves
¼ cup tahini
½ tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
Cilantro, black pepper and cumin powder to taste

Boil peas until tender, about 7 min. Drain and cool.  Combine with chopped garlic, tahini, lemon juice and spices and puree.   Serve with toasted pita pieces or use as dip with fresh veggies. 

 Meanwhile, we are preparing for fall harvests too.  We dug up beds to start fall crops such as broccoli and cabbage for our participants and prepared the pumpkin patch for Marlinton Middle school.  The school principal wants us to grow enough pumpkins for each child to have one next school year.