Hey Mimi...is there even a recipe for the Cavatini you all bring each year? LOL

In case anyone missed it...I posted the link to Baker's Acre's newer Columbus store.

Here it is:

Here is a link that might be useful: Baker's Acres Concret Jungle - Columbus Oh

Storygardener, thanks for the website. I won the gift certificate and will be going back to Columbus early next month to use it. I come down from Bowling Green and didn't have a chance to stop after I won it. I'm checking out the website to get an idea of what to pick up. After the swap, I am going to have to really hunt for spots in my garden to fill. This year has been a wonderful growing year and everything I already had came in thick and lush and looks fantastic.

I started planting my new plants last evening and put more in today. It was pretty warm so I didn't spend much time out there each time. I hope it isn't too hot for the new plants to take root.

Have a good week everyone. Margo

I would love to know the name of the giant hostas, & who brought them! They were huge! Thanks again to everyone for another great swap!

Margo - I am glad you'll find an easier way to get to Baker's. I have not been to the Columbus store. But, if it's anything like the Alexandria store you'll love it. Why I believe that one year they grew over 100 different kinds of coleus. Enjoy.

BTW folks - in an email, someone new to the swap asked me if many folks come back to the swap again. My reply was that quite alot do come back. So last night I checked out our roster for this year. Not counting kids - there were approximately 120 people. Aprox. 95 people had been at the swap previously. Nine people that attended Saturday's swap that were at the first swap in 2001. (our first swap had about 20 people) Fun! Between emails and folks thanking me at the end of the swap - some 10 newbies mentioned they are eager to come again next year. I have heard from 10 people/families that were sorry that they couldn't attend this year and said they are hoping to attend next year if they can. I guess statistics proves what I already felt in my heart - most people like our swap and what we are doing. I am feeling good about that.

Good gardening....Beverly

My sweet Murray reminded me that I neglected to say that the 10 people/families that couldn't come to the swap this year (but wanted to) were people that had come in the past.

Ok - nuff said.

Thanks everyone!

Sorry Beverly. Cavatini is a make it up as you go kind of thing. Lee tried his hand at it this year and added meatballs instead of ground meat. I can give you a basic list of ingredients that I usually use.

3 different shapes of pasta (rotini, penne, shells)
lots of spaghetti sauce
cans of crushed or diced tomatos
sliced mushrooms
sliced bell peppers (any color)
chunky onions
garlic
ground meat (beef, veal, sausage, whatever)
sliced black olives
grated parmesean
Shredded mozzerella, provlone (either, or, both)
any other fresh veggies that look good (zucchini, summer squash etc.)

I just saute all of the veggies and garlic, add them to the sauce and canned tomatoes and stir in as much parmesean as looks/tastes right. brown your meat and add that too.

Cook pasta. Mix it all together with hand fulls of mozzerella/provelone in the roaster cover the top with cheese and TA! DA! Cavatini.

Have fun with that!

~~Mimi

Mimi...I figured it was a 'throw together' kinda recipes. I liked the meatballs. They were good - something a little different. Thanks!

I should warn you the Concrete Jungle is very small -- it's a wonderful selection, but nothing like the... well... acres of Baker's Acres. Don't get me wrong, I love it and I'm so glad it's there (I used to live just a few blocks away) but if you go expecting the 40 kinds of thyme and 6 gazillion coleus' they have at the Alexandria nursery, you may be a tad disappointed.

I've been planting my new treasures this week and I just hafta say again -- thanks everybody for making the swap such fun!

O.K. I get the idea I might enjoy going to the Alexandria store a little more? Is the gift certificate good at either store? I will have to check it out. I don't mind which one I go to as my husband and I are making an outing of the day. I would love to get a hold of some of the newer varieties of coleus that I have seen locally.

I have just about finished planting all my goodies. I have some that just had to get in the ground so I did those first. It has been so hot, it was easier to tend to them in pots. It is going to be hot again tomorrow. We went from one extreme to the other.

Smitties - I got on email from a friend who said the Columbus store is closing at the end of June! Too bad.

Yes, the gift certificate is good at either store. For the true and wonderful Bakers Experience - go to Alexandria, for sure.

We don't have all our plants in yet. But, glad to have a lohg weekend to get it all done.

Good gardening!

Beverly

Just wanted to let everyone know that myself, Jeanne and Mary Dawn are not planning to do the fall swap this year. If anyone else is interested in taking it over, go for it. I'm happy to offer advice, and I'm sure Mimi and Bev would be as well.
Stephanie

smitties-- the alexandria store is a must then afterwards you can drive to Utica and go to Velvet Ice Cream at the old mill-- have a tour and treat.

diggerb

Hi everybody! I'd like to extend a huge thank you to Beverly and Mimi for hosting yet another incredible swap, mom and I had a great time (as usual!), enjoyed saying hi to everyone and picked up some wonderful plants. Oh, and had a fantastic meal as well!

A big thanks to Steph and Hostalavista for the side trades, I love the hostas, heuchera and sedum and will treasure them in my little garden. :)

I had a slightly different experience this year, after getting my fill of picks I spent a few rounds moving straggler pots into larger groups like I always do and ended up finding a plant I would have taken in the first round if I had found it earlier! Bonus! I brought 60, took home 10, and couldn't be happier.

Well, I would have been happier if I could have walked the next day, I spent most of the week incapacitated and on pain meds, went to the doctors yesterday and found out I injured my achilles tendon. At least it's not torn, I start physical therapy next Monday. It's always something, ain't it?

Like Steph said earlier, we aren't planning to do the swap this year, the cost for shelter rental was just too much for the smaller crowd that the fall swap brings in. I'd still be interested in going to a fall swap though, if anyone else wants to take up the task or knows of a less expensive venue, I know I'd be thrilled to attend and I'm sure mom would as well.

And if not, I'll look forward to seeing everyone again next spring!

Jeanne

Jeanne, just wanted to let you know the stonecrop/sedum that I brought you is called kamtschaticum, low height, 'baja altura' this may be the common name (?), needs 6 hours or more of sun and is a summer-fall bloomer.
Again thank you for all the work you did to bring me all the sedums. I have them in semi shade to get them rooted. Looks like I might have a couple different ones than you do so I will mark them this year either for the fall swap or next year, your name will be on them if you want them!
Thanks again, Linda

Hope that your heel heals soon Jeanne!
~~Mimi

Jeanne....oh my goodness! So sorry to hear of your foot injury. Thank goodness it's not torn. I wish you a quick recovery with minimal discomfort. As always, so good to see you and your mom.

Beverly

Beverly and Mimi, thanks for the kind thoughts. It's a good thing really, my ankle has bothered me off and on for years and I'm glad I finally broke down and started the process of dealing with it.

Linda, thanks for the name, I'll get it marked tomorrow. The sedums were no trouble at all, hope they do well for you. I'd love more sedums, we'll have to work something out when the next swap comes around.

Jeanne

Digger, thanks for the advice. My husband and I will be traveling to Alexandria on June 11 to redeem my certificate. I will have to see where the Old mill is and check it out. We plan to make a day of it and then stop at my son and daughter in laws to pick up their dogs to dog sit for them.

I am sorry to see the fall swap is off for now. I live to far away to take it on myself but hope someone might be able to. We enjoyed both the fall and spring swaps.

Margo