THE GARDEN STORY

Retail Construction Services, Inc. is dedicated to giving back.

We give back not only to those in need within our community, but also the future generations of this wonderful community. What started out as a great idea has grown exponentially and became an amazing reality. Here at the RCS Giving Garden, school groups, master gardeners, corporate volunteers, and our own employees work together for the common good of teaching children the art of gardening and the importance of healthy eating. Click Here for Full Story.

LOCATION:
Retail Construction Services, Inc.
11343 39th Street N.
Lake Elmo, MN 55042

From HWY 36 - go south on Lake Elmo Ave, turn left onto 39th Street, garden is at corner of 39th and Laverne.
From HWY 5- going west from Stillwater take right onto Laverne (near Fury dealership) garden is on the right at corner of Laverne and 39th street.

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The RCS Giving Garden

The RCS Giving Garden

7/27/12

The Mystery of the Baby Cabbages!



 Today the garden unfolded some pretty exciting learning opportunities… not only for the students, but for us as well!

We have cabbage plants that we have already harvested the main cabbage head. Some of the students were very observant and notice what seemed like several ‘small’ cabbages starting to grow! Hmmm? How could this be? We thought you typically got one cabbage head per plant. So, we have turned to the expertise of the Washington County Master Gardeners. When we find out the answer, we will let everyone know!

Click to enlarge any photo

Rosemary Plant
We had two herbs, Rosemary and Basil, ready to harvest and bring to the food shelf today. The students had an opportunity to not only taste the herbs, but to gently run their hands on them and inhale… deeply…. The wonderful smell of the herbs! Based on the number of students I saw with their hands up to their nose, and inhaling --- deeply ---- and saying “Oh that smells soooooo good!” – the smelling part was a big hit!

Rosemary is a versatile, aromatic herb. It is used in a wide variety of dishes, including fruit salads, soups, vegetables, meats (especially lamb), fish, eggs, stuffing’s, dressings and even desserts. It is also used to scent cosmetics and perfumes, in insect repellents, and has medicinal uses. Fun fact about Rosemary: Ancient Greeks believed that Rosemary was a magical plant that could strengthen memory.

Sweet Basil Plant
Basil, the tomato's soul mate, basil offsets the acidity of any tomato-based food. It also goes will with peppers, zucchini, and beans, making it THE summer herb. Pesto sauce - made from pounded basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil - on fresh angel hair pasta is indeed heavenly. Add fresh leaves to a summer salad; cover tomato slices with fresh mozzarella and olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped fresh basil for a classic Caprese dish; basil is also widely used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Fun fact about Basil: Ancient Greeks and Romans thought basil would only grow if you screamed wild curses and shouted while sowing the seeds. Can you imagine the fun of watching someone screaming at seeds as they plant them?!!!

Thank you SPIN Students!
We were wondering...
How long did the herb smell stay on your hands?!

Click to start photo slideshow!