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03/25/2024 09:11 AMA few weeks ago, I was invited to a Pea Planting party to celebrate the beginning of gardening season. I envisioned myself on a sunny day joyfully using a hoe to plant row after row of snap peas and radishes in raised beds, and then planting basil and cherry tomatoes in little trays to propagate until they were ready to go into the soil.
And it was all that.
Except for the sunny part.
It was chilly and pouring rain.
It was more like playing in the mud with a purpose. And it was still a lot of fun. The event was hosted by the Amistad House and friends and neighbors of the Rosette Neighborhood Village at the Catholic Worker Community Garden, 211 Rosette Street. The community garden where we planted the peas and other produce is adjacent to the small village erected with the help of those who were so generous at a brunch to raise funds for construction of small houses for people who were without homes.
Colleen Shaddox, my friend who helped organize the pea planting along with Sean Gargamelli-McCreight of the Benincasa Community farm in North Guilford, says the community garden has been maintained by people in the neighborhood, including Amistad Catholic Worker House, for decades.
“Neighbors have always been invited to come by and pick whatever is ready for harvest,” she says. “The garden is one way that Amistad House contributes to food security in the immediate community.” This is a particularly good thing in this neighborhood, The Hill, in the southwestern New Haven, because poverty levels are high, and it’s a great way for neighbors to help neighbors put fresh produce on their table.
If all goes well, God willing, please let the sun shine on our pea patch, the peas and radishes should be ready for harvest in May, with the rest ready in late summer.
The pea planting was a way to plant hope for our neighbors. We are also working on additional support for housing. Our next brunch to help raise funds is Saturday, April 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 2819 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. Proceeds will benefit Rosette Neighborhood Village and the Amistad Catholic Worker. Find out more about that here: www.eventbrite.com/e/hope-housing-for-our-neighbors-tickets-851257442927.
As for those snap peas, when they pop up, whether in our gardens or our local markets, here’s a recipe we all might want to try from Justine Doiron.
justinesnacks.com/lemon-honey-snap-pea-toast/
Lemon Honey Snap Pea Toast
From Justine Doiron
justinesnacks.com/lemon-honey-snap-pea-toast/
Ingredients
Directions
1. In a large bowl, zest in a teaspoon of lemon zest. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon, grate in the garlic cloves, add the honey, vinegar, a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Whisk to combine.
2. On a sharp diagonal, slice the snap peas into thin pieces. Add these directly to the bowl. Roughly tear up the basil and the mint, this will activate their aroma and flavor. Add this to the bowl as well. Give a few big tosses to mix everything. Either grate or crumble in the cheese. Sprinkle the salad with the flaky salt and do a few more big mixes.
3. Drizzle the two toasts with a high-quality, peppery extra-virgin olive oil. Pile the salads on top (it will be quite tall!) and drizzle with more olive oil. Finish with a few cracks of black pepper if desired, and eat with a fork-and-knife.