(scroll down for a tasty local recipe)

It’s time for the 4^th Annual Parade of Community Gardens and it leads straight to our back yard. This year the parade visits Burnsville’s IOC Community Garden on August 22, from 10am-2pm.

IOC Community Garden is hosting live music, small farm animals  and multi-cultural food demonstrations all at their new garden on Woodhill Road.

International Community Church founded the garden in April with the goal of crossing cultural and socioeconomic fences. The garden has 56 plots and is tended by community gardeners from cultures around the world.Their mission statement:

To strengthen community relations through creating and sustaining an organic garden, thus promoting stewardship, beautification and personal belonging.

They’re hoping to expand their plots in the coming years. So get out there next week, enjoy the garden and consider gardening with your community.

If you are interested in starting a community garden at your place of worship consider coming to IOC garden’s  “Start a Community Garden” workshop on Monday August 17.  More about the event can be found on Valley Natural Food’s community News and Event’s page.

You can also visit other Twin Cities gardens on The 4th Annual Parade of Community Gardens at www.gardeningmatters.org

Local Zucchini is ready to be harvested! If your garden is over-flowing try the recipe below:

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

This recipe was shared with us by Valley Natural Foods’ member owner Veda Kanitz. Veda is a Rosemount High school teacher, local gardener and member of the Lakeville Friends of the Environment.

• ½ C. Margarine                                    
• ½ C. oil
• 1 ¾ C. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ C. sour cream or buttermilk
• ¼ C. cocoa                                             
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder                         
• ½ tsp. salt                                             
• ½ tsp. cinnamon                                 
• ½ tsp. cloves
• 2 ½ C. flour
• 2 C. grated zucchini

1. Beat the following ingredients well: margarine, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream/buttermilk.
2. Add cocoa and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl mix flour, soda, powder and spices.
4. Mix flour mixture into wet ingredients.
5. Fold zucchini (low speed mixer works well).
6. Grease 9 x 13 pan or 2 loaf pans. 
7. Pour batter into pans and top with ¾ C chocolate chips and ¾ C nuts.
8. Bake at 350 for 40-45 min.  Freezes well. 

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 13th, 2009 at 10:49 am and is filed under Healthy Updates Newsletter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.