Beacon News- August 2020

By
Jack
Zoller
beaconsports
@live.com
Page 8A THE BEACON August 2020
By
Melanie
Alexander
Summer has definitely
By
arrived! I have Maxine enjoyed so
many of the more Klump temperate
days in the final days of spring
working in my Community flower beds
Correspondent
and reading on the porch.
However, the time has
maxineklump.thebeacon@yahoo.com
come for farmers’ markets
to open with local fruits and
vegetables piled high. Here
are some suggestions for
dishes that make use of those
tasty treats.
This recipe for coleslaw
was shared many years ago
by a colleague, Deb Horton. I
especially enjoy it for summer
cookouts when burgers are
on the menu because the
ingredients pair so well with
beef. The dish reminds me of
a salad one might order in a
steak house.
White & Blue Slaw Salad
12 slices bacon
6 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup coleslaw dressing
½ cup blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Cook bacon until evenly
brown. Crumble and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the
bacon, cabbage, and dressing.
Mix well. Sprinkle with
cherry tomatoes and blue
cheese. Refrigerate and serve
chilled. (6-8 servings).
This recipe for summer
vegetables began as a recipe
to utilize an over-abundance
of zucchini and tomatoes
812-292-6334
preservationrho@gmail.com
www.preservationrho.wixsite.com/rld-glass-art
in our garden. Over time,
I’ve added or substituted
other fresh vegetables such
as green beans, kernels of
fresh corn, and I’ve even
added sliced and parboiled
sliced new potatoes. It’s
good anytime, but especially
alongside grilled meats or
fish. Note: If you use dried
basil, the appropriate amount
is generally 1 tablespoon.)
Summertime Vegetable
Gratin
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped red
onion
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini, cut into
By
John Hawley
& Colleen
Perfect
Purdue
Extension
hawley4@purdue.edu
Gardening Tips for a
Plentiful Harvest
We’re in the heat of summer
now. If you’re like most gardeners,
you’ve probably run across
a few problems such as pests
or disease. In today’s article, I
will share some simple summer
gardening tips to help you work
toward a plentiful harvest.
Proper Watering Techniques
While watering overhead with
hoses or sprayers may be the
easiest method, it can also cause
problems. Splashing water over
leaves and other plant parts act
as vectors for disease pathogens
to spread. Soaked plant
parts also provide prime real
estate for disease development.
Watering at the base of plants or
using drip and soaker hoses can
¼ -inch thick rounds
1 red or yellow bell pepper,
cut into 1-inch squares
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup fresh basil leaves,
finely chopped
½ cup + 2 tablespoons grated
Parmesan cheese
1-pound fresh tomatoes (any
color), cored and thickly
sliced
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a large skillet, heat 2
tablespoons oil over medium
heat. Add onion and garlic
and cook for about 7 minutes,
stirring occasionally, until
onion is tender. Add squash
help to slow disease spread and
improve plant health.
Overhead watering is also
less efficient. Other methods,
like the drip and soaker hoses
mentioned above, generally
use less water and help to reduce
evaporation and runoff.
Consider installing rain barrels
or other innovative tools.
Prune When Needed
To manage fast-growing
plants like tomatoes, pruning
may be a wise idea. Gardeners
should prune to improve
yields, remove damaged or
diseased plant parts, and improve
air-flow. However, do
not over-prune. Many plants
will manage well without
much pruning, and the less
you are tugging and pulling at
plants, the better!
Removing and pruning
suckers on tomato plants
can be helpful. Suckers are
the new growth that develop
in the “armpit” of the tomato
plants. They are easy
to remove with a firm pinch.
Usually, suckers should be
removed up to the first or
second flower cluster to help
improve yields. Removal can
vary based on the variety of
and bell pepper; sprinkle with
½ teaspoon salt and cook for
another 7-8 minutes until
squash is tender. Stir mixture
occasionally while cooking.
Stir in basil and 2 tablespoons
Parmesan cheese.
Spoon mixture into 11x17”
baking dish. Top with sliced
tomatoes and sprinkle with
additional ¼ teaspoon salt.
Scatter panko crumbs and
remaining ½ cup cheese over
top. Drizzle with the additional
tablespoon of olive oil. Bake
for twenty minutes or until
topping has browned and
vegetables are hot. Serve hot
or at room temperature.
tomato you are growing. For
assistance with this, give me
a call or visit with one of our
local Master Gardeners.
Mulch, Fertilizers, and
Pesticides… Oh, My!
Mulching your garden provides
several benefits. A two
to three-inch layer of mulch
will help preserve water and
prevent plants from quickly
drying out. Other benefits
include weed suppression,
moderated soil temperatures,
and aesthetics.
Fertilizers can be critical for
a plentiful harvest. Start with
a soil test to determine your
needs. Tests are offered free
to Dearborn County residents
courtesy of my partners at the
Soil and Water Conservation
District. Once you know the
needs of your soil, you can
make decisions concerning
fertilizer. Vegetable gardens
are fertilized no more than
every four to six weeks.
Pesticides, which include
both herbicides and insecticides,
should be used as part
of an integrated pest management
strategy.
Look for my next article in
the Sept. issue of The Beacon!
Dr. Allison Shartzer Has Joined
Drs. Burns, Rath, and
McSoley are excited
to announce that Dr.
Shartzer has joined their
general dentistry practice
in Harrison, OH. They
are a family-owned and
operated dental office
that has been proudly
serving the community
since 1975.
Dr. Shartzer was born
and raised in White Oak.
She graduated from
St. Ursula Academy in
Cincinnati, Ohio and
Bellarmine University
in Louisville, Kentucky.
She completed her
dental education at The
Ohio State University in 2010 and has found her niche
serving the community. Her true passion in dentistry
is providing customized treatment to each patient by
combining art, science, and compassion.
Our Practice!
New patients
are now being
accepted at
the office of
Drs. Burns,
Rath, McSoley,
and Shartzer!
Call
513-367-0113.
Our office is
located at
1149 Stone Drive
Harrison, OH
45030.
We look forward
to seeing you!
Harrison, Ohio
thefamilydentistrygroup.com
Twenty-six Years of Bringing our Community and Businesses Together.