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November 11, 2008
Argenziano School Garden Herb Tea (recipe)
At the Lincoln Park Clean Up on Saturday, November 8, Groundwork Somerville and the Argenziano After-School Garden Club served herb tea (recipe follows).
Argenziano School students, Molly, Zackary, and Xavier, helped brew the tea with herbs they harvested from the school garden. They used Catnip, Chocolate Mint, Spearmint, Lemon Balm, and Fennel. "These herbs are calming and helpful to our digestive systems," according to Aviva Asher, Groundwork Somerville School Gardens Coordinator. She also recommends Basil (which is used in Haiti and parts of Africa), Calendula, Anise Hyssop. Boiling water for the tea was provided by Sherman Cafe (257 Washington Street).
Recipe for Herb Tea (from the Groundwork Somerville School Garden Program)
Harvest herbs from the garden, picking the freshest new leaves. Wrap herbs in cheesecloth. Add herbs to just- boiled water and allow to steep for 5- 10 minutes. Add honey to taste or nothing at all!
Sun Tea alternative: Use a glass jar. Place herbs (loose or wrapped in cheesecloth) into cold water. Place in sun for several hours and allow the heat from the sun to infuse digestive and delicious qualities into water.
November 8, 2008
Community and Groups Clean Up Lincoln Park
Instead of shadows, on this grey November day, circles of leaves colored the ground under the trees at Lincoln Park. Neighborhood residents, Tom Walks and Marna Eckles joined Athletes in Action and the Community Service Club from Somerville High School as well as volunteers from Groundwork Somerville and the Somerville Dog Owners Group raking and sweeping up the fallen foliage. Check out all the photos from the Lincoln Park Clean Up on Flickr!
Aviva Asher, Groundwork Somerville School Gardens Coordinator helped members of the Agenziano After School Garden Club—Joytika, Aumol and Molly—brew tea from herbs they harvested from the school garden. Boiling water for the herb tea was provided by the Sherman Cafe (257 Washington Street).
Ward Two Alderman, Maryann Heuston, chatted with Somerville High School Athletes in Action during a break.
The Somerville Parks Department supported the community effort; Mark Ardolino brought work gloves, rakes, brooms, pick-up sticks and trash bags and took away the trash bags we filled in his truck.
Refreshments for volunteers were generously donated by local businesses.
- Bloc 11 Cafe (11 Bow Street) got us started with hot coffee
- Caesar's Pizza And Subs (401 Somerville Avenue) donated cheese pizzas
- City Slicker Cafe (588 Somerville Avenue) donated a variety of pizzas with different toppings. (Bacon, Pineapple and Blue Cheese was one of the favorites!)
- Shaw's Supermarket (275 Beacon Street) donated water, apple cider and raisins
The Somerville Dog Owners Group thanks everyone who helped out at our fourth annual Park Clean Up!
November 7, 2008
Help Clean Up Lincoln Park!
Tuesday night, President-elect Barack Obama issued a call for community service:
Let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.
That call will be answered Saturday by members of Groundwork Somerville (GWS) and the Argenziano After-School Garden Club, the Somerville Dog Owners Group, Somerville High School's Athletes in Action and the Somerville Youth Soccer League. We invite the community to join our volunteers in cleaning up Lincoln Park, Saturday, November 8 (Rain Date: Sunday, November 9) from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The GWS School Garden Program will be brewing herb tea from the Argenziano School Garden. Refreshments for volunteers have also been donated by Bloc 11 Cafe (11 Bow Street), Caesar's Pizza and Subs (401 Somerville Avenue), City Slicker Cafe (588 Somerville Avenue), and Shaw's Supermarket (275 Beacon Street).
Thanks to Ward Two Alderman Maryann Heuston for supporting the Lincoln Park Clean Up, and to the Somerville Department of Public Works, which will be providing gloves, tools, bags and trash pickup.
Good luck to the Somerville Highlanders boys soccer team against Woburn this evening, and to the Somerville football team in their game against Everett tomorrow!
Please make other arrangements for you canine companions; Dogs are not allowed at Lincoln Park.
November 5, 2008
Why Does som|dog Clean Up Parks Where Dogs Are Not Allowed?
Somerville dog owners enjoy public open space as much as our neighbors, but because most parks in Somerville are posted "No Dogs Allowed", we don't often get to meet our neighbors in our parks. Park Clean Ups give us an opportunity to meet our neighbors who share our love of public open space.
On Saturday, November 8 (Rain Date: Sunday, November 9) the Somerville Dog Owners Group is cleaning up Lincoln Park. Join us! We are partnering with the Argenziano After-School Garden Club, Somerville High School High School Athletes, and the Somerville Youth Soccer League. The Lincoln Park Clean Up is from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There will be refreshments for volunteers.
Our past park clean ups have been at Conway Park, the Community Path, and Foss Park.
The City of Somerville Election Department allows voters to bring our dogs with us to the polls: dogs must be on leash, remain close to their companions at all times and must not bother others.