Name the Kitty Winner!

We have a winner! Ms. Payton Flynn named our new kitten Daisy, and came away with the $25 Gift Certificate from Snoozy's Kids. There were so many wonderful entries, and we put them all inside o a hat and drew out the Payton's winning entry. Congratulations to Payton, and to Daisy for finally having a name!

Cinco de Mayo & Soup

Next Wednesday, May 5, we're having a Fiesta at the Garden Shop & Local Market. Come sample sassy treats, have fun with flowers, and learn how to put together a Fiesta in minutes.

Lunch is provided by Karen Rankin from Gourmet to Go. Enjoy:

Grilled Chicken with Black Bean & Corn Salad,

Arugula and Grilled Vegetable Salsa, &

'Faux-garitas'

Call 870-7542 for a reservation. $10 class fee, includes lunch.

Today, we received a new shipment of vegetable soup! If you're hooked on this, now's the time to come in and stock up. It's a great dinner option for a chilly night (like tonight), or a rainy evening, like the ones promised later this week.

Local Strawberrie, Watercress & Springtime

Even though the calendar has been telling us it's spring, it's not until we get the first local strawberries that we truly believe it. Well, they're here. And they're incredible!

Besides that, we have fresh English peas, watercress, local farm eggs, Silver Queen corn from Florida, and yummy tomatoes.

In the nursery, fresh veggies, herb plants and oodles of flowers are everywhere you turn. Come see us and stock up for the weekend.

Garlic Salsa & Evelyn's Roasted Green Bean Recipe

Today in the Market, we're sampling Cherith Valley's Garlic Salsa. Holy smokes, is it ever wonderful! Not too spicy, but full of incredible garlicky (sp?) flavor. Stop by and have a taste.

Our customer Evelyn Stutts brought us her recipe this morning for Roasted Green Beans and Cashews. It sounded so good we asked her to share:

Roasted Green Beans and Cashews

2 lbs. green beans, trimmed and halved

3/4 C. Salted cashews (3 ozs) - chopped

1/2 C shallots, sliced

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

• Toss the green beans with cashews, shallots, olive oil. 2 t. each salt & pepper.
• Spread evenly in a large 4-sided sheet pan.
• Roast, stirring occasionally until the green beans are tender and nuts are golden brown, between 20-25 minutes. When beans are tender, season with additional salt & pepper.

Farm Market Everyday

Every day, our selection of fresh produce gets better and better. Today, we found fresh English Peas, Baby Carrots, Florida White Corn (yippee!!!) , Red and White Creamer Potatoes, Jones Valley Arugula and gorgeous Gerbera Daisies.

If you've never cooked fresh English Peas, you're missing one of spring's ultimate treats! When they're close to done, add a little fresh Kentucky Colonel mint. Season the peas with butter, salt a little pepper. YUMMMMMM.

Find farm-fresh goodies @ Oak Street Local Market today!

Come by the market today and find delicious thin asparagus, sweet strawberries, fresh beets and yummy 8-ball squash. Steam the asparagus for 3 minutes and 15 seconds in the micro. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The asparagus is still a little crisp, tender, and incredibly tasty!

Wright Dairy's Wanda cheese is fabulous grated on top of fresh pasta, with a dash of olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Talk about an easy dinner! Add a salad of fresh spring lettuces from local grower Michael Dean, with some arugula from Jones Valley Urban Farm and you are good to go. Maybe a glass of light white wine......yum.

Desperately Seeking A Name Contest

We've been adopted by another sweet young kitty. She's quite the purr machine and loves to sleep in boxes, baskets and the big white chair in the greenhouse. We've had her checked out by Doc Weber and ended her days of potential procreation. Now, the only thing missing is a name!

So, we're having a Name the Kitty Contest. Put your head together with your kids, and bring by your suggestion. In 2 weeks, we'll pick the winner. The lucky winner receives a $25 gift certificate to Snoozy's Kids!!!

Oak Street Local Market opens Wednesday morning. Come see us! Yum...

Oak Street Local Market opens its doors for the new season Wednesday morning at 9 am. We've had a facelift, added yummy essentials for healthy, delicious meals, and offer colorful cut flowers, herbs, and veggie plants to make everyday life wonderful.

Come see us. Have a taste or two. Enjoy! We always have ideas on how to fix and serve our veggies, and would love to know your favorites too. This is the year of eating well with your neighborhood local market.

In the next week or so, we'll set up a way to share recipes. Stay tuned for info on this culinary adventure!

Don't Miss the Boxwood Clinic Tomorrow (Saturday) At Oak Street Garden Shop

Boxwoods are the hot topic in tomorrow's get-together with Dave Bradford here at Oak Street Garden Shop. Dubbed 'Dr. Boxwood', Dave knows this classic shrub inside and out. He will be with us from 10 am - 2 pm to answer your questions, diagnose problems, and offer general advice on care and maintenance. Please come by and see him. Don't hesitate to bring clippings from the shrubs you may be concerned about and let him take a peek at what is going on in your yard.

The nursery in incredibly beautiful right now, with every kind of blooming plant imaginable. Even if you're not digging this weekend, stop by for a stroll through this garden paradise. And remember, the Market opens on Wednesday!