Fresh from Wellspring Charitable Gardens - August 27, 2026

Fresh Today… Summer Squash, Green Beans, Corn, Cucumbers, Garlic, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Peppers, Carrots, Chives, Basil & Rosemary

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

Armenian cucumbers are melons. These cucumbers can grow large and will sometimes have air pockets in the center, which is normal. They are very tolerant to the hot weather and grow well at this time of year. You don’t need to peel them but, if desired, cut out the seeds. Armenian cucumbers are not bitter like their traditional counterparts. They can grow up to 36 inches long but are most flavorful when they are about 15 inches. Enjoy them in this summer salad with our carrots and fresh herbs.

Thai Style Cucumber-Carrot Salad

1 lime

1 teaspoon sugar or honey

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup oil

4 cups shredded lettuce

1 large Armenian cucumber, chopped

2-3 carrots, shredded

3 green onions, sliced

1 medium avocado, peeled and cubed

½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

½ cup basil leaves, chopped

*  Finely grate zest from lime. Cut the lime crosswise in half; squeeze juice from limes. Place zest and juice in a large bowl and add sugar, red pepper, garlic, salt and black pepper, mix well then add the oil and combine. Add to the dressing the lettuce, cucumber, carrots, green onions and mix well. Add the avocado, cilantro and basil, stir gently to combine. Eat right away.

“Can you spare any clamshell containers?”

Do you have clamshell containers cluttering your pantry closet or crowding your kitchen cabinets? Our supply is sorely depleted, so Wendy thought you might have a surplus in your expansive stockpiles. You know, declutter and donate so you have more room for the essentials – KFC wet wipes, Wendy’s Frosty spoons, Chipotle napkins, Jack-in-the-Box straws, Popeye's plasticware, Panda Express soy sauce, Pizza Hut pepper and parmesan packets, Burger King cardboard crowns…. Decluttering and donating will elevate your mood and inspire you to tackle another troublesome task – organizing the "kitchen junk drawer" that resembles second-hand store shelf space. When you finish, grab that BK treasure and crown yourself King or Queen of Kitchen Storage!

Back to Basics…

Potatoes and peppers remind me of traditional “breakfast” potatoes. But they go together for a reason, they taste great. Serve these potatoes with eggs and sausage for a quick dinner or a grilled steak and salad.

Roasted Potatoes and Peppers with Rosemary

1-pound potatoes cut into approximately equal size pieces

1 cup coarsely chopped peppers, seeds removed

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

*  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place potatoes and peppers in a large bowl and top with the oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary; toss thoroughly.  Pour the seasoned potatoes out onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

Metaphors of Soil and Soul…

Cease Striving

Cindi J & Keith F Martin

Summer vegetables grow remarkably fast, seemingly overnight, but so do warm weather weeds and pests. There is no substitute for walking the rows regularly and carefully examining plant growth to know the state of the garden. At a distance we see verdant rows bursting with ripe vegetables and assume all is well, but kneeling and looking closely at the plants and their surroundings can reveal how “imposter weeds” and aggressive pests have found their way into the shaded beds of squash, carrots, beans, cucumbers, and chard. Only by kneeling and searching do we discover what the lush foliage is hiding – damaged produce and wasted effort.

What about the state of our souls? Are we overseeing the ordered rows of our lives from a distance but not taking time to “kneel down” and look beneath the surface of our praiseworthy effort and produce? Insight comes from having sacred “down time” to spend in quiet contemplation and reflection. I remember the first time I took part in a silent retreat. It was then, in the silence and my stillness, that I first realized I had used my service and activity to hide emotional pain and mask silent suffering. Looking within and listening, I came face to face with ugly thoughts and wretched emotions revealing a mental landscape overgrown by weeds of wasted effort and littered with pest damaged produce. The insight was painful, yet vital to my growth, and I am eternally grateful that God used the silence not only to expose my unnatural bent toward “work-a-holism” and “ministry-a-holism” but also to reveal His Nature.

In those quiet moments, the LORD impressed on me that He is the great “I AM” not the great “I Do.” God’s doing comes naturally from His Being. We humans, though, too often believe and behave as if our doing determines our being and produces our worth. Psalm 46:10 provides a needed reminder: “Cease striving and know that I am God.” We are most fulfilled and satisfied when our nature and identity are not built upon the shifting sands of what we do but upon The Rock and who we are - precious and beloved children of the eternal and almighty “I AM” who created us in His Image.