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March 28, 1985 - Back in the GardenPage 18 The Suffolk Times March 28, 1985 Back in the Garden By PAUL STOUTENBURGH About this time of year we usually get out and poke around in the garden. It is a pretty sad looking place after a winter of abuse. Yet, if you can read the signs, one can change the disorder into a projected plan for the coming year. Perhaps I'll change my rows into longer ones rather than the short ones of last year. It will make it easier to weed. Then there are the strawberries -- they'll have to come out after picking this year. They have served us well but they are getting sparce and overgrown. Along with this casual survey I'm re- minded by the tall dead stalks lying on the ground of a hidden potential at their base, the Jerusalem artichokes. After a long winter of being trapped in the deep freeze, they'll taste good just eaten raw or cut up in a salad. So out comes the old shovel, a bit rusty from non -use. An old bucket, and into the garden I go to dig them out. Every gardener should have a corner for these morsels as they can be eaten any time after the first frost, whenever you can get a shovel in the ground. They are one plant that needs little at- tention. To add to our early spring delights, a good friend of mine gave us some parsnips he dug from his garden. They, too, like the artichokes lie all winter beneath the mulch and soil and are dug fresh to eat. How sweet they were, boiled first and then sliced and sauteed slightly in a little butter. Mmmmmmm. Other good friends passed along some of their delightful leeks that had win- tered over. The outside skin was peeled off leaving lush green and white stalks to be used in leek and potato soup, another of spring's rare treats. The nice part of this giving and tak- Focus on Nature ing is that we also pass to each other seeds and tubers so each can grow his own. This year my garden will have parsnips, which it never had before, while others will be planting artichokes and raspberries -- our contribution. Cedar Is a Natural This utilization of what the land of- fers brings me to another subject I've always wanted to get people to ap- preciate: the use of our native cedar for landscaping. It's all well -- and often preferred -- to use the exotics, but many of these require special treatment and care whereas the native red cedar seems to flourish without anything more than minimal care in transplanting. Proof of this use of native cedar was the digging of cedars by a nurseryman just this past week. East of Riverhead there is a large open lot on Route 25 that once was farmed. There, small cedars started to grow just as they do in any lot left alone. Actually, this process of wild trees and bushes taking over the land after it has been left fallow is called succes- sion, and one of the first trees to start this process is the cedar. The locust is another. They are both fast growing and require lots of sunlight. Which type takes over depends on which seeds are dropped by birds. If they are in a cedar area and the conditions are just right for sprouting, we'll have cedars. And if the locust seed is dropped at the correct time, a young locust will sprout up. North Road, Southold (between Youngs Ave. & Hortons La.) i ar: L� 'x John C. Ross — Chef /Owner ""W4 Rese-rvat ions: 765 -2111 14,olm 2 & 81i.m. Complete Table D'Hote Dinners will include a selection of appetizers, relishes, Cornell bread, fresh vegetables and creative made -from- scratch desserts. Navarin of Spring Lamb with Asparagus, Pearl Onions, Peas and Mushrooms. Steamed Shellfish Beurre Blanc — Alaskan King Crab, Shrimp, Scallops, Mussels and Clams. Medallions of Crisp Duck with Poached Apricots, Prunes and Currants. Boneless Fillet of Salmon with Mousseline Sauce. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh CEDAR TREES - -Cedar trees will grow just about anywhere. Used by man and wildlife in a variety of ways, cedars are something special to those who know their attributes. Later oak . trees will join the cedars or locusts, and when they take over with their height and shade, the cedars and locusts will disappear. It is much more complex than this, but basically this is how our climax oak forests are created. Red cedar wood has that special aroma that most of us associate with cedar chests and closets. Its ability to repel insects, especially moths, makes it well adapted for this purpose. I al- ways envied those who could afford a cedar closet. To me it would be worth it just to open the door once in a while to enjoy that wonderful wild aroma of cedar. Of course, cedar posts also have the ability to repel insects plus resist rot. Many a summer bungalow, house or barn has stood for years upon these red cedar posts. In the early days, cedar fences and ornamental railings and " if 85 East Main Street, Riverhead 727 -9824 OPEN: Monday - Saturday 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM (continued on next page) LUNCH AND DINNER MONDAY THURSDAY Sauerbraten Corned Beef w /dumplings and red red cabbage & Cabbage ginger snap 95 $4 $47 5 TUESDAY FRIDAY Broiled Flounder Fried Shrimp $495 $550 WEDNESDAY SATURDAY Creamed Chicken 1/2 a Baked Chicken w /rice $350 w /stuffing $425 All above served with potato, vegetable, and roll or bread. March 28, 1985 Focus... (continued from previous page) trellises were often made out of cedar limbs. Their arty shapes made them something of a specialty, and it took a special person to assemble these orna- mental rails and fences. They, like so many things, have passed and I'm not quite sure that even if we wanted to build one we'd find the skilled person or the wood to do it today. Years ago -- and still in a few places " today -- cedar trees were used as Christ- mas trees. I know many a farmer on the East End who has kept his eye on a particular- shaped cedar "up lot" in anticipation of a coming Christmas. My Dad used to tell me that the church he used to go to always had a big cedar tree at Christmastime. I myself have . The Suffolk Times often gathered the boughs of cedar trees for wreaths and decorations during this festive time. I'm told that the berries can be used for seasoning in cooking meats. Surely they have a special aroma that would go with cooking. They also say that the berries are used in the flavoring of gin -- and right there I'll stop. To all the uses of the red cedar tree we have to add one last and probably the most important one: its berries as a source of wild bird food. Cedar is found throughout our area and therefore is available to the wildlife during those. difficult times of winter. Even after the berries are gone, the tree still serves the wildlife as nesting sites. What more can you ask of a tree? C G Gree, J N7 ?42 rn - . -on page 19 Visa and MasterCard accepted. Reservations welcome. Fri. and Sat. 11:30 - 10 p.m. Sun. through Thurs. 11:30 - 9 p. m, Closed Mondays 1 mile east of the Traffic Circle, Rt. 25 Complete Luncheon Specials Daily from $5.95 W EDNESDA Y Veal Night Complete Veal Dinners from $10.95 SUNDAY Lobster Feast Complete Lobster Dinner $10.95 Other complete dinners available from $8.95 ot%.*W f All complete dinners include: Baked Clams or Steamers, Soup or Salad, Potato, Vegetable, Dessert and Coffee. s ,q Hellom • Southern Fried Chicken 4 Pieces TO GO ONLY $2.95 • rn bs Cocktails the Work Horse �s �o��� I e��r 407 MAIN ST., GREENPORT, N.Y. > �' 27 FRONT STREET, GREENPORT 477 -9824 L'UUUI�t GOING OUT FOR BUSINESS °d Hungry Man's Breakfast Special Until 11 A.M. ST CALL .� 3 eggs, homefries, toast, sausage or bacon............ $1,79 Reg. Breakfast Special for Winter Clothing Bale 25% � 3 2 eggs, toast, homefries, coffee &juice ............... Large Cheese Pizza Pie w/To $1.45 Flannel Shirts, Thermal Underwear, Wool Coat s pptng • • • • • • • • $3.00 and Winter Coats. With A Full Bar ain Table. Steak Dinner soup, veg., potato, dessert.......... . E Meatball Parmigiana Hero.. $2.99 E • • $2.25 _ • Flounder Sandwich $1.89 • Fish & Chips $2.49 • Sou • p 7K11TrCHEN OPEN 7 DAYS Not Lunch Specials ' ' - - MON. - FRI. • •_' FANTASY" KURANT BAR 1.0UNGE APPEARING Main Road, Southold Complete Dinner Specials APRIL 6th and 20th 765 -9844 $7e95 SMASH HIT -- Jocelyn and Dennis March 25th -31st Lobster Newburg reg. $ 1o.so will play your requests Saturdays 9 till ? April 1st -7th Stuffed Flounder reg, $ t I.so April 8th -14th Veal Parmesan reg. $lo.so DIRE Specials Include: Soup, Salad, Potato, Rolls & Butter, Coffee. CTLY GRE NPOROT NEWYORKD Soundview 477 -0666 Restaurant Weekly Luncheon Specials ...... ............................... ..................... ... ........:::::..........:...::.. . . Every Sunday Complete Dinner $10.50 FHamburger Deluxe .. $2.95 Includes: Appetizer or Soup, Salad, Entree, Dessert Crabmeat Salad Sandwich • ...... Tuesday - Saturday Dier $ 3.95 nn Fresh Broiled Flounder .......... $3.95 Luncheon Special $5.95 Specials Nightly Tuna Salad Sandwich............ $3.50 Dancing in the Gold Room Brian's Special Sizzle Burger.... $3.25 Saturday -Don Lee at the Piano Bar Lobsters $8.95 Make Your Easter Reservations All major credit cards accepted, closed Mondav OPEN 7 DAYS Lunch 12 - 2, Dinner 5 - 10, Sunday 4 - 10 - Late Night Menu on For Reservations 477 -0666 Fri. and Sat. till Midnight. Route 25, Main Rd., Greenport a 477 -2021 r 0 v CD 1u Cn C (D 69 0 0 n c 69 0 Cr 0 e