Fresh from Wellspring Charitable Gardens - September 25, 2025

Fresh Today… Sweet Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, Assorted Tomatoes, Spotted-Leaf Mini Head Lettuce, Cucumbers, Summer Squash, Green Beans, Radishes, Green Onions, Basil, Parsley, Plums, Pomegranates & Flowers

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno and ChatGPT

I might have just put myself out of business, but I’m a curious person and I have wanted to see what AI could do with our list of produce. As we patiently wait for the weather to cool down and fall vegetables to fill our basket, I was ready for some new ideas to use what we have available.  These are the recipes that came up with a simple request; some are expected, like a garden salad or relish. I do like the new ideas of a plum salsa and lettuce wraps. Feel free to add in some extra protein options to turn these dishes into a main course.

Lettuce Wraps

with Crunchy Veggie Filling

Lettuce, leaves separated

1 cucumber

3 sweet peppers

2 green onions, chopped

2 radishes

Classic Herb Vinaigrette

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar (red wine,

      white wine, or apple cider)

3–4 tablespoons minced fresh herbs

     (parsley, basil, chives, dill, or a mix) 

1–2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional) 

1/2 teaspoon honey or agave (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

* Use lettuce leaves as wraps. Fill with a mix of chopped cucumbers, peppers, radishes, and green onions. Top with herb dressing or a spoonful of hummus or plain yogurt if available. For a protein, add chopped grilled chicken, chick peas, or your favorite bean or nut.

What to do with all those fresh cucumbers?

For an answer, we turned to Elise Bauer, founder of Simply Recipes, and discovered a cool and tasty treat to beat the late summer heat. We share with you her flavorful and refreshing Cold Cucumber Soup recipe found at her website simplyrecipes.com.

2 large cucumbers, peeled,     

     seeded, roughly chopped   

2 Tbsp chopped onion            

2 Tbsp fresh dill                        

2 Tbsp sour cream

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

½ cup buttermilk

½ tsp salt and pinch black pepper

* Place all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy.  Chill well and serve with a drizzle of high-quality olive oil and fresh sprig of dill. Now it’s time for you to chill and enjoy those refreshing cucumbers!

Metaphors of Soil & Soul…

Battling Stink Bugs

Cindi J & Keith F Martin

The marmorated stink bug returns regularly to feast on the garden’s ripe tomatoes. Years ago, I asked Anna Hazen, a market garden expert and founding member of WCG, how to eradicate this armored enemy. “Squish them when you see them,” she advised off-handedly. I cringed, “Hand-to-hand combat! Can’t we just spray something on them?” thinking chemical warfare at a safe distance seemed a less more sanitary maneuver. “Takes out the good with the bad,” she replied complacently. I cringed again, so she grudgingly suggested, “OK then, just vacuum them up.” “What? Weaponize my hand vac?” I shuddered and walked off in defeat.

Organic pesticides - Spinosad and diatomaceous earth – would kill these pests outright, and garlic or mint spray would temporarily repel them, but there would be collateral damage to beneficial bugs. The most effective deterrent to this marbled menace takes a precision “hands on” tactic. Once we see them, we immediately apply pressure, taking the pest between the thumb and forefinger to dispatch it decisively. If we recoil or retreat in disgust, the stinkers rapidly overtake the garden and destroy its produce. 

We can glean wisdom for daily living from handling a bug infestation.  There will be times when we notice a stink here or suspect a bug there but are reluctant to get our hands dirty dealing with the pest.  Hoping for a simple and sanitary solution, we seek out an expert’s advice but shudder at their proposed remedy. Taking a problem directly in hand is messy and will certainly cause a nasty stink, so we reject the sage advice and ignore the bug. We dismiss a feeling that we might have offended a friend since we don’t want to admit that our shortcomings hurt others. We avoid discussing the palpable distance we feel in our marriage because we don’t want to hear that our spouse is disappointed or disillusioned with the relationship. We overlook our child’s obsession with social media or compulsive browsing of the internet, fearing we may need to confront noxious attitudes or disturbing behavior.

This shriveled tomato from the garden shows the ruin caused by the marmorated stink bug. Ignored, the armored menace sucks out its sweet life and leaves behind a rotting hull. It is a graphic reminder that vigilance, diligence, and decisive engagement - in both the garden and our lives – remain the most effective deterrents to ruinous pests. May we muster courage to do battle with the stink bugs, not succumb to them in cowardice or overlook them in fear.

                  “We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed,

                   but of those who believe and are saved.”  Hebrews 10:30