View Season 6 Episodes Now!

Episode 1 Seed Planting at the Steve's Ace Home & Garden Greenhouse

Episode 2 Raising Chickens in the City Limites and Yoga Exercises to prepare your body for gardening chores.

Episode 3 Planting the Main Garden

Episode 4 Planting an Herb Garden in an Old Swimming Pool

Episode 5 Strawberry Picking at Vesperman Farms, Lancaster, WI

Episode 6 at our Barrington Lake Garden. Progress Report.

Episode 7 The McConnell Flaxseed crop

Episode 8 Cooking with stuff we grew with Chef Patrick Hannford

Episode 9 Cooking Veggie Pizzas on an outdoor grill with Chef Jason Neuhaus

The Farmers' Market Episode!

The Gramp's Pickles Tour

View Season 5 Episodes Now!

Episode 1 Planting Seeds at the Greenhouse with Mike Horsfall

Episode 2 Inspecting our Sprouts, two weeks later at the Greenhouse

Episode 3 Steve's Ace Home & Garden to plant our individual and partner gardens

Episode 4 Planting the Main Garden at Barrington Lakes. We plant the crops that require more room to be productive.

Episode 5: Our main garden was too saturated by rain, so we moved this episode to Ace Home & Garden where our individual raised beds are located. Our guests are the Thompson family, experts at planting and growing garlic.

Episode 6: Field Trip to Jude Becker's Organic Livestock Farm in Dyersville, Iowa. This is an informative and entertaining look at this celebrated farmer who has been on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and whose pork is served to film technicians on George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch in Marin County California.

Episode 7 Weeding Olympics with Dee Gaul and Sara Carpenter.

Episode 8 Cooking with Fresh Herbs with Chef Keith Kettler.

Episode 9 Our Annual Country Fair at Steve's Ace Home and Garden

Episode 10 The Dubuque County Fair Episode and Tour of Livestock Exhibits

Episode 11 Wooded Wonderland Organic Blueberry Barm in Galena, Illinois

Episode 12 Dubuque Farmers' Market

Episode 13 Cooking in Megan's Kitchen!

Episode 14 The Sauerkraut King shows the kids how to make home made sauerkraut

Episode 9: Cooking Fresh Veggie Pizzas on a Barbecue Grill! This awsome chef makes a veggie pizza from scratch and fresh produce and herbs from our garden. Jason Neuhaus is a chef at Hy-Vee Asbury Plaza, and he specializes in healthy cuisine with spectacular flavors. Here's the best part: He cooks his pizzas on an outdoor barbecue grill! It's perfect, especially during the summer time when you don't want to heat up the kitchen. Episode 3 Planting the Main Garden at Barrington Lake We are planting our main garden at Barrington Lake in this episode. Look at all the help we had! We are trying some new things this year... raised beds, special organic food for our starter plants and seeds planted directly, and we are using a new layout called "square foot gardening" which is ideal for raised bed agriculture. Click here for the episode. Episode 5 Strawberry Picking in Lancaster, Wisconsin We didn't let the rain discourage us. We dressed appropriately and headed off to Lancaster, WI to see an interesting "pick-your-own" strawberry farm. Vesperman Farms, managed by Kyle Vesperman, has been in his family for more than a century, and it is a wonderful tradition for many families that visit annually in this pastoral community of Southwest Wisconsin.. Click here. Episode 6 Progress Report Six Weeks Into the Season We visit the main garden six week into the season, and we assess our crops. You might as well know now, this is the best season we've had in the six year history of our show. We all agreed.. Click here and watch the episode. Episode 4 Planting an Herb Garden in an Old Swimming Pool We recycle an old plastic swimming pool, turning it into an herb garden. We also plant our first blueberry bushes. Join Sara, Megan and the gang for this informative episode. Click here. Cooking what we grew with Chef Patrick Hanniford Chef Patrick Hanniford joins the crew at Megan's kitchen to cook some of the vegetables and herbs we grew so far this season into a marvelous original recipe. Click here. Here are the Castmembers for the New Season Here's the students who showed up with their parents on open cast call night at Steve's Ace Home and Garden Center. Don't forget our first planting day is Saturday morning, May 21st at the Barrington Lake Garden, 9 AM to 11:30 PM. Then on Wednesday, May 25th at Ace Home and Garden we will be planting our raised beds. Click on the above photos to download a printable enlargement. Click here to see Class Photo Album. Episodes 1, 2 and 3 are online ready for you to view In the pink box in the left column are links to episodes 1 and 2 of the Garden Organic. We can also be seen on Mediacom Channel 16 or if you have a Qual Com tuner, Channel 97-6. Above are chicks that will soon grow into full fledged chickens. We deal with all aspects of organic agriculture including livestock. Click here. Our Farmers' Market Episode! We visit Dubuque's Farmers' Market, the oldest such market in Iowa and among the oldest continuously running farmers' markets in America. It's Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwhich Day at Farmers' Market, and we buy everything we need and endeavor to make the best BLT in America. Click here. Episode 7 The O'Connell Organic Flaxseed Crop We visit the O'Connell Farm in Bangston, IA, and learn about this incredible superfood, flaxseed. Learn all about it in this exciting crop, the history of which goes back to biblical times. Click here. Tour of Gramp's Pickles, Scales Mound, Illinois The Garden Organic gang tours Gramp's Pickles of Scales Mound, Illinois and discovers how an idea born in the kitchen of a retired couple has turned into a great business with sales throughout the Midwest. Click here. Here's the Production Schedule for the 2011 Growing Year Wednesday, March 23 – 2:00 Steve's Ace Home & Garden for Seed Planting See Episode 1 Now! Wednesday, April 13- 2:00 Steve's Ace Baby Chicks, Seeds and Yoga Wednesday, May 11- 6:00 pm Steve's Ace Ace Cast Call Saturday, May 21 - 9:00 am Garden for Planting Wednesday, May 28- 9 AM Steve's Ace Home & Garden Planting our Family Garden Boxes. Saturday, June 4th – 9:00 am Garden Herbs Wednesday, June 22 – 9 AM Vesperman Strawberry Farms, Lancaster WI See the kids picking strawberries on this century old farm in Southwest Wisconsin. Click here for the episode. Wednesday, June 29 – 9 am We are meeting at the main garden, Barrington Lake. Click here to see the episode. Friday, July 1– 9 AM to 11:30 AM Flaxseed Farm. This is an important crop in the Tri-States that isn't corn or soybeans. Learn about the health benefits of Flaxseed and how it's cultivated. We meet at Asbury Hy-Vee parking lot and depart from there. Farm is not far from here. Click here for the episode! Wednesday, July 13 – 9 am Main Garden – Preparing a quiche Gardenside Wednesday, July 20 – 9 am POSTPONED We must postpone this episode due to the extreme heat that has plauged the Tri-State Area. We plan on visiting the Andrea Grace Garden in the near future. Details on our rendezvous or departure point will be posted shortly. Wednesday, July 27 – 9 am Garden - Weeding!!!!! and we prepare a Garden Pizza Saturday, July 30 – Kickapoo Country Fair Starts at 10am but we're leaving at 9 am Kickapoo County Fair LaFarge, WI, Home of Organic Valley Family of Farms http://www.organicvalley.coop/kickapoo Wednesday, August 3rd – 9 am Farm Tour - Dean Dickel and Organic Valley 's Farmer from Farmer's Market. We meet at Hy-Vee Locust Street Parking lot and depart for Dean's farm (in Wisconsin) from there. We will return by noon. Saturday, August 6th – 8 am Farmers Market Episode at Dubuque's famed Farmers' Market Click here to see the episode. Wednesday, August 10th- 8:30 AM to noon Grampa's Pickles Tour Meet in Scales Mound, Illinois. See the movie now. Saturday, August 20th – 9 am End of the Season Party Steve's Ace! Welcome to The Garden Organic Season 6... he sixth season of The Garden Organic is underway. Of course we welcome back our wonderful team of experts and educators including Megan Horstman , Sara (Selchert) Carpenter, Dee Gaul and yours truly, Gary Olsen. I have got to say, this season is starting off spectacularly. I also want you to meet Tiffany Malcom who is with the Iowa State University Extension Office and is the director of youth services. She's managing 4H Clubs in our area. She will be a great addition to the cast. What a great student cast! Many are new members and some of our old stalwarts coming back for more. Some of our really experienced cast members are helping us train the newest generation of television gardeners, and that's great. Before I continue with another word, I want to thank our executive producer, Wally Brown. Wally is a rock, and we appreciate all he does to support our enterprise. We couldn't do this without his love and support. Plus, he's our cast photographer! We are continuing and in fact expanding our raised bed gardening program which allows young farmers to have their own individual gardens which they can be responsible for. These can be individual or partner gardens. We will have gardens conveniently located at Ace Home & Garden on JFK Road in Dubuque, but we also will have raised beds installed at our main garden at Barrington Lake. We will also make use of our extra space at the Barrington Lake garden for larger crops that require more room to grow, like pumpkins and squash. We plan on selling our suprlus this year through our long-time sponsors, Hy-Vee and Ace Home & Garden. We have a lot of fun producing this television series and we couldn't do this without the cooperation and volunteer efforts of our parents. Thank you for all you do for us to ensure our kids are on time and properly attired for safety's sake. No flip flops but rather sensible shoes are in required, and thanks for reminding the kids of this before they embark on a shooting day. --Gary Olsen, Producer/Director of The Garden Orgaanic Season 5 Shows The kids are making kraut! Members of our cast use an antique "mandolin" kraut cutter hand made in the Amana Colonies. Our Garden Organic students were honored by a visit from a retired Dubuque Schools teacher and principal, Dennis Seaton, who has long been known as "The Sauerkraut King." See how we turn our crop of cabbage into the best sauerkraut in the land. Episode 14 We take our show into Megan Horstman's kitchen and invite Chef Patrick Handford, Northeast Iowa Community College, to prepare some dishes from our incredible bounty of produce from our garden. Click here for Episode 13. Nick Kringle on the microphone interviewing one of the farmers who sell produce at Dubuque's famed Farmers' Market. Click here for Episode 12. The Garden Organic Crew visits Wooded Wonderland in Galena for some blueberry picking at this all organic retreat that is truly a wonderland.Click here! Our cast at the Dubuque County Fair. We tour the livestock barns and the 4H Building! Click here for the episode. Season Highlights: It's our own Country Fair with produce judging with Brad Kruse and Dee Gaul. See who the winners are of our Gardening Competition. Click here for Episode 9. We had a wonderful time learning how to cook with Herbs with Keith Kettler. This outstanding chef showed the kids how to prepare green bean almondine, candied carrots and a classic vegetable and cracker dip with fresh dill and parsely. Click here. This is a still frame from Episode 6, filmed at the Becker Lane Organic Farm in Dyersville, IA. Jude Becker is the owner and operator, and he raises completely organic pork. He's extremely successful, and his pork is exported the world over. But he's one of a handful of organic pork raisers in the country, and he wishes there would be more. He's an evangelist of the organic livestock movement, and we got to spend an entire morning with him as he took us on an exclusive tour of his farm. Click here.

Season 4 Episodes Streaming Media Files (Plays instantly on a high speed network) Archival Files to Download and Save on Your Computer (Right click and choose Save Target As...) Episode 1 Planting Seeds Episode 1 Seeds Archival Episode 2 Sprouts Episode 2 Sprouts Archival Episode 3 Planting a Raised Garden with Sara Selchert Episode 3 Raised Garden Archival Episode 4 Our First Day in the Garden Episode 4 First Day in Garden Archival Episode 5 The Hoover Rain Garden Installation Episode 5 Hoover School's Rain Garden Archival Episode 6 Herb Gardening and Food Preparation with Fran Hedeman Episode 6 Herbs Archival Episode 7 Wooded Wonderland Galena Episode 7 Wooded Wonderland Archival Episode 8 Building Birdhouses at Mississippi Valley Woodworks Episode 8 Birdhouses Archival Episode 9 We harvest spinach, basil and onions to make Lasagna Rollups Episode 9 Lasagna Rollups Episode 10 Going Green at Home with Bev Wagner of the Dubuque Area Metropolitan Solid Waste Agency Episode 10 Going Green at Home Episode 11 Organic ways to control pests and blights in the garden with Ace Home & Garden's Gardening Expert Episode 11 Organic Pest and Blight Control Episode 13 Our Annual Cooking in the Kitchen Episode in which we take our fresh produce and cook it up at Hy-Vee on Asbury Episode 13 Cooking in the Kitchen Episode Episode 14 Our Annual Trip to Swiss Valley Nature Center. We go on a Nature Hike! Episode 14 Nature Hike at Swiss Valley Nature Center Episode 15 Field Trip to the Dubuque Arboretum and Botannical Gardens Episode 15 Arboretum Trip Episode 16 Award Presentations and Clip Show Episode 16 Awards and Clips

Okay, more recipes!

Harvest Dessert from Megan

1 egg (beaten)
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. apples (finely cut)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat egg and sugar together; add flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder.
Blend well and add apples, nuts and vanilla. Pour into buttered 8-inch pie plate and bake at 325 degrees. Serve topped with whipped topping or ice cream.

And here's a great beverage recipe from parent, Nikki Hill

Watermelonade serves 1 from Nikki Hill

All you need:

• 1 cup watermelon cubes
• 1 tablespoon frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate,  thawed, undiluted
• ½  cup ice

All you do is put all ingredients in blender and puree. Add more water, if desired.

Choose squash that are heavy for their size and have a hard, deep-colored rind free of blemishes or moldy spots. The hard skin of a winter squash protects the flesh and allows it to be stored longer than summer squash. It does not require refrigeration and can be kept in a cool, dark place for a month or more, depending on the variety. Once the seeds are removed, winter squash can be baked, steamed or simmered. They're a good source of iron, riboflavin and vitamins A (more than summer squash) and C.

1 Acorn squash
1 Tbsp Butter
2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
Raisins
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.

3 Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.

4 Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.

Serves 2 to 4, depending on how much squash you like to eat.

Carrot Soufflé from Nikki Hill

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 3/4 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup Grade B Maple
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Millet or BR Flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the carrots until very tender. Drain, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

3. While carrots are warm, use an electric mixer to beat with sugar, baking powder, and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix in the flour, eggs, and margarine. Transfer to a 2 quart baking dish.

4. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until top is golden brown. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar before serving.

SWISS CHARD WITH CHEESE from Migan's Mom

We prepared Swiss Chard with Cheese in Episode 8:

I used Parmesan cheese instead processed cheese. Also we didn't have  2 lbs. of Swiss Chard.

The Parmesan doesn't melt like processed so I added some  milk to thin it out. In other words I kind of experimented.

Next time I wouldn't use quite so much cheese.

After you clean the Swiss Chard and cook it you can save the water and use it in soups,etc. There are a lot  of vitamins, etc. in the water.

2 lb. swiss chard
2 tbsp. sunflower oil
2 tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/2 lb. diced pasteurized process cheese
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. sunflower oil

Cut stalks from washed chard leaves in 1" pieces. Place in bottom of large kettle, cover with boiling water (salted). Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add torn leaves and continue cooking for 5 more minutes. Drain in colander, pressing out liquid. (5 cups chard) Warm oil, blend in flour and salt. Add milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add cheese, stirring until cheese is melted and blended. Place chard into greased dish. Pour cheese over top and sprinkle with crumbs that have been coated with oil.  

In one of our episodes we talk about and actually prepare and eat kale. Kale to most people appears as a garnish or decoration on buffet tables. But we love to cook with it and even eat it raw. Here are two recipes:

Kale with Whole Wheat Pasta and Roasted Garlic
(which we served gardenside)

1 whole garlic head
1 pound kale
3 quarts water
1 (10 1/4-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
3 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Remove white papery skin from garlic head, and separate cloves. Peel cloves, and wrap in foil; bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside. Remove stems from kale, and wash leaves thoroughly. Pat leaves dry, and coarsely chop to equal 3 cups. Combine water and broth in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add kale; cook 5 minutes or until tender. Drain kale, reserving cooking liquid. Return cooking liquid to pan; bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until tender. Drain pasta, reserving 3 tablespoons cooking liquid. Combine pasta, reserved cooking liquid, kale, roasted garlic cloves, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl; toss well. Spoon pasta mixture onto individual plates, and sprinkle with cheese.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup and 1 tablespoon cheese)

CALORIES 230 (18% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.6g); IRON 2.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 140mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37.6g; SODIUM 214mg; PROTEIN 9.7g; FIBER 1.5g

Here's a recipe for Raw Kale Salad
(submitted by Nikki Hill, a parent of two of our student gardeners)

Ingredients:
2 bunches of Kale
1 cup Cranberries
½ cup Pine Nuts
4 T Lemon Juice
1 T Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste!

Mix all the ingredients - let set over night!

* You can also add cherry tomatoes!