NCG Newsletter - Issue 12

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Permaculture Practices by Sarah Markley Just what is Permaculture?

Permaculture, an invented word meaning ‘permanent agriculture,’ is a difficult concept to describe because it is all encompassing. Permaculture is not just a way to plant and harvest food. It embraces all of life, down to the very small details.

In nature, a newborn animal looks to its mother to learn how to act. In this situation, the newborn has the best role model and it learns how to be successful. On Earth we are surrounded by great examples of how to live in harmony with each other and our surroundings if we would just take a close

Issue 12 December 2012

Helping others produce their own fruits and vegetables while learning how to live more sustainably in Southwest Michigan

look at natural ecology. Ecology deals with the relationships that organisms have with each other and their surroundings. The natural world is our best example of how to interact intelligently and create the best world possible for ourselves as well as future generations by mimicking successful ecosystems. Permaculture takes those perfect examples of ecosystems working together and translates those practices into our daily lives.

For some reason, the human race seems to believe, arrogantly, that we do not fit in with


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this ecology, and that we do not need to be in harmony with our surroundings or fellow human beings. This is a very sad fact. Everyday we go about our business with our blinders on, not viewing the big picture, but looking straight ahead disregarding the effects we have on our surroundings.

Today we seem to value profit and product over health and happiness. We are selfish and we cannot sustain the way we live forever. Permaculture is a solution.

To tackle all of the permaculture ideals at once would be overwhelming, but by taking these principles one at a time can make the transition more manageable and will lead to a more benevolent relationship between you and your surroundings.

Our world will not change overnight, but if we each commit to making small changes in our daily routines, these small changes will eventually make a very big difference.

Have a happy New Year 2013 and consider making a commitment to bettering your life and your surroundings through permaculture practices.

Look for more permaculture information in our upcoming issues, or read up on permaculture yourself!

Books to read:

Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual by Bill Mollison Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-‐Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway

"How can those who do not garden, who have no lot in the great fraternity of

those who watch the changing year as it

affects the earth and its growth, how can

they keep warm their hearts in winter?"

- Francis King


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“We will open the book. Its pages are

blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book

is called Opportunity and its first chapter is

New Year's Day.”

― Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Dear Gardeners:

It has been a privilege for me to serve as the director of Niles Community gardens for these past three years. We have all been part of a beautiful thing. I have very fond memories of tilling each garden for the first time and watching as gardeners took joy in planting, tending and harvesting their flowers and veggies. We develop community when we work and struggle for a common goal – against bugs, earth, weather and weeds, and sometimes each other. And what a worthy goal – growing food organically and sustainably and giving to those in need! We must continue to give this gift to future generations. For me the taste of homegrown veggies is worth the

struggle. And there is the peace and happiness of working in the soil – watching each seed sprout, the leaves form, the plants grow and then the harvest – I get great joy in the whole process and I hope that for all of you.

I will now be moving on but will remain involved is some small way with the gardens. I hope that all of you will stay engaged with the gardens and give generously of your time and money to support this worthy project.

Happy New Year and may God bless you all,

Mark Van Til

Letter from the Director


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For the applesauce: 3 large Gala apples (1.5 pounds) peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into chunks 1 T frozen apple juice Pinch of kosher salt 1 T sugar 1/4 t ground cinnamon 1/4 t fresh lemon juice In a 6-8 cup microwave-safe bowl, combine apples, juice, and salt to coat. Cover the dish with a plate. Microwave on high until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Using a potato masher, crush the apples to a coarse, chunky sauce. Mix in sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to taste.

For the latkes:

1 large egg 1 t kosher salt 1/2 t baking powder 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper 2 russet potatoes (1.5 pounds) peeled and diced 1.5 cups chopped onion (from 1 large), divided 1 T all purpose flour 1/4-cup (or more) vegetable oil Sour cream

Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and preheat to

325°. In a large bowl, whisk the egg, salt, baking powder, and pepper to blend. Drape a smooth (not textured) kitchen towel over a large sieve.

Place the potatoes and 1/2 cup of the onion in a processor. Blend in several 10-15 second intervals, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time, until the potatoes are finely ground and the batter is wet and thick but not completely smooth. Turn the batter out into the kitchen towel. Twist the towel very tightly around the batter and squeeze until the potatoes are very dry and about 3/4-cup liquid has been removed. Scrape the mixture into the bowl with the egg and seasonings. Add the flour and mix until the batter sticks together. Mix in the remaining onion. Lay a large piece of foil on a work surface. Drop 12 heaping tablespoons of batter into separate mounds on the foil using all the batter.

Add 1/4-cup oil to a large nonstick skillet. Heat over medium heat 3 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer 1 mound of batter to the skillet. Gently press to 2.5 – 3 inch diameter round. Cook until deep brown and crisp on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Turn latkes over. Cook until deep brown and crisp on the bottom. Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

Potato Latkes with Super-Quick Chunky Applesauce


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Find Niles Community Gardens on Facebook! Share with us!

If you have any stories, jokes, poems, recipes or anecdotes you would like to share in our monthly newsletter, please send them to Sarah Markley via email

at [email protected] or via U.S.P.S. at 2625 Holland St, South Bend, IN 46619

If you are not on our email mailing list and would like to receive our newsletter, please send your email address to Sarah Markley via email or

U.S.P.S. (address above).

Garden with us!

If you would like to volunteer in the gardens or on special projects, or if you haven’t gardened with us but would like to, please email Mark Van Til at

[email protected] or call at 269-‐815-‐5034.

Help Support us!

To make a monetary donation, please make checks payable to Niles Community Gardens and mail to:

Niles Community Gardens PO Box 304

Niles, MI 49120

NCG Newsletter - Issue 12

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