Report on the club’s September meeting

On the 10th of September, members of our gardening club gathered in Camden Grange for an excellent meeting, complete with two informative classes:  a short discussion on how to winterize the home garden drip irrigation system, and then a great class taught by club members Marlene and Stephanie Routt, on how to make and decorate those awesome concrete planters and stepping stones.  After the class, Marlene sent three ecstatic club members home with handsomely painted planters - thank you to Marlene and Stephanie!

Marlene also brought some of her famous chocolate zucchini bread, and in response to many requests from club members with chocolate-smeared faces, here is Marlene's recipe:

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Marlene’s chocolate zucchini bread

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

combine dry ingredients:  3 cups flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.

combine wet ingredients:  1 cup canola oil, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, 3 cups grated zucchini, 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, zest from 1 orange (optional).

in a large bowl, combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients, and pour into prepared loaf pans. bake for 50 minutes. consume, by yourself if possible, otherwise call me.

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also also, please remember that our October meeting is both the last 2019 meeting, and our annual Harvest Dinner, scheduled for the 8th of October at 7 P.M. in Camden Grange.  We will dine on cooked meat (provided by the garden club, and depending on what I locate on the side of the road, and which should be mostly safe to eat), side dishes and desserts made from your garden's veggies and fruits, and assorted breads, drinks, and such.  I plan to remind those who have already signed up for Dinner contributions, and i'll ask any latecomers to let me know what they plan to bring.

if you are the recipient of one of our club's infamous Garden Gnomes, please bring the little guy along - they always have a Conclave while we dine and lie about our gardens.

also also also, if you want some of club member Pam Denton's free concrete sealer for your own concrete leaf creations, please remember to bring a glass container and tightly-fitting lid.

whew - night time temperatures are in the +40's F., and the cold, fluffy stuff will be falling from the sky soonish.  Remember to protect your precious, sensitive crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash (why!?), blackberries, and more - floating row cover, flannel sheets, even tarps and plastic film may give you another couple of ripening weeks.

jim