Courtesy of Clement Chukwu
Planning Director at the City of Pickerington Clement Chukwu first learned how to tend to a garden from his grandmother while he was growing up in Nigeria. Now living in Pickerington, Chukwu uses the skills his grandmother taught him to grow produce in the city’s community gardens.
“I’ve always been somebody who likes to explore different stuff, and gardening happens to be what she taught me and I love it,” he says.
Bell peppers, tomatoes, cabbage and corn are just some of Chukwu’s favorites to grow and eat. Chukwu rotates crops each year to preserve the nutrients in the soil; last year he grew beets and this year sweet potatoes.
“You need to make sure that the soil has enough nutrients, or basically, choose what type of vegetable or plant you want, find out what nutrients it needs, and make sure you provide different things,” he says.
The root vegetables he plants also control erosion and release nutrients into the soil for surrounding produce-bearing plants, such as cabbage and tomatoes.
For gardening newcomers, Chukwu emphasizes the importance of not overwatering your tomato plants and suggests surrounding the plant with mulch to soak up excess moisture.
While Chukwu loves cabbage, he says it can be hard to keep the bugs from eating through the leaves. Still, Chukwu doesn’t use harmful chemicals to keep the bugs away. Instead, he prefers growing organically to ensure everything he cultivates is not just safe to eat but delicious, too.
“I’m a big fan of growing what I eat. I want to grow vegetables and I love organic; I believe that something organic can be beneficial,” he says.
For Chukwu, gardening is an activity that helps him unwind and mitigate stressors.
“To me, it’s very relaxing when I want to run away from the chaos,” he says.
It also helps him connect with his community and bond with other gardeners.
“I just love (having) the ability to go out every year and see the different varieties of plants we have out there – wow,” he says.
Even though the community garden’s season is just beginning, Chukwu already has a head start.
“I start raising seedlings in my basement so that they start to grow and be ready for the garden,” he says. “Hopefully the weather will be kind enough.”
Join the fun this year with a plot in the community gardens
Returning gardeners who want to keep the plot that they used in the previous season can register starting Feb. 1. Returning gardeners who wish to choose a new plot may visit the Parks and Recreations Department during business hours from Feb. 12-16. New gardeners can register for a plot starting Feb. 19.
Visit www.ci.pickerington.oh.us/departments/parks-recreation/community-gardens for more information and to register online. You can also visit the Parks and Recreations Department and the community gardens during business hours at Reynoldsburg Baltimore Rd. NW.
Courtesy of Clement Chukwu
Fresh Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Roasted red bell pepper sauce is one of his children’s favorite dishes. It tastes even better coming from his very own garden, fresh and organic, just how he likes it. This delicious devil-red sauce can be used on top of pasta, as a dipping sauce, on a pizza and more.
Ingredients:
2 medium red bell peppers
1 Roma tomato cut in half and seeded
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 bulbs of roasted garlic (roast peeled bulbs in tin foil at 350 F for an hour or buy pre-roasted)
1 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar
1 tsp. of maple syrup or honey
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the bell peppers, along the natural lines, into four sections. Discard the seeds, stem and core. Place the tomato and peppers skin-side-up on the baking sheet. Brush the skins with olive oil and roast for 40 minutes, or until the skins on the peppers are charred.
Once out of the oven, put the tomato and peppers into a bowl. Cover the bowl and set it aside for a few minutes to give the skins time to soften.
Once the tomato and peppers have cooled, peel the skins off and pulse in a food processor, standard blender or immersion blender to break them into smaller pieces. Add both bulbs of roasted garlic.
Add red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and maple syrup to the mixture and pulse again. After all the ingredients have been broken down into smaller pieces, run the processor or blender continuously while drizzling in the tablespoons of olive oil.
Yields about two cups of sauce.
Recipe courtesy of Terrie Gura. www.comfortdujour.com. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
