Fort de Chartres Heritage Garden

Un journal d'un Jardin Potager du Pays des Illinois

Category: Uncategorized (Page 15 of 18)

Printemps 2012

19 April, 2012 / / 0 Comments

The transition from winter to spring has been very dramatic this season.

Spring Flowering Black Mustard

The very warm temperatures enabled an early start to our garden year, with the cool weather crops not quite confident in how to proceed. Late winter’s garden work began at a leisurely pace and with the coming of a warmer than average spring, the garden sprang into nonstop activity. We had a wonderful weekend in February, sunny but cool temperatures allowed much work to be accomplished. Beds were turned for the last time and six beds were planted. Blue Podded Snap, Snow, and Tom Thumb peas were soaked overnight and planted the next morning with spinach, Oakleaf and Speckled Trout lettuce. Other beds contain Flat Headed Dutch and Couer Boeuf Des Vertus cabbage companion planted with Long Red radishes, leeks and Early Wonder beets. Now that the temperatures have cooled, the frenetic pace has slowed a bit, with progress continuing in a more traditional manner. Soon new postings and photos of the jardin’s spring growth and progress will be posted.

Other news associated with the garden includes the Fort’s stone bread oven’s much needed repair this past March. This was a collaborative effort by Les Amis de Fort de Chartres, Save Illinois History, tribute donations  from Ken Brigman’s family and friends, and Les Coureurs de Bois du Fort de Chartres. Randy Warnecke, of Warnecke Building Restoration, did an excellent job and we look forward to many years of the oven’s continued use.

Bread Oven

We thank everyone for their cooperation and willingness to restore and protect the oven from future damage. On May 19, at 10 AM, a class will be held to demonstrate proper firing technique for the Fort’s 18th century reproduction bread oven. Please check the Evénements au Fort de Chartres page of this blog for Bread Oven class and sign up information.

Another project undertaken this spring was assistance to Waterloo’s Peterstown House Pioneer Garden project. The Fort de Chartres Jardin donated heirloom seeds and plans for their new community garden, to be created in conjunction with this summer’s Smithsonian Institute traveling display, The Way We Worked – Monroe County, IL. We wish our neighbors the best of luck recreating their heritage garden.

Jardin Potager Weekend, Février 2012

8 February, 2012 / / 0 Comments

JMA Primitive ToolsAs winter continues its journey, dreams of the upcoming garden season are quickly becoming reality.  Jardin seeds collected throughout the previous growing season are catalogued and set aside, ready for planting as the temperatures begin their steady rise.  New seed varieties to be tried in this year’s garden are ordered and are beginning to arrive in the post.  Winter has been mild and kind, and we anticipate finalizing garden plans and the work preparing and amending the raised beds.  By late February the beds will be turned and the early crops of peas, kale, lettuce, and spinach will be direct sown with beets, cabbage, leeks, radishes, and turnips to follow quickly behind if the temperatures remain constant.

On Saturday, February 25, 10 – 4 PM, come and visit our jardin potager at historic Fort de Chartres.  Join in our historic journey and watch us begin the annual work of gardening in the Illinois Country.  Volunteers as habitants, prepare kitchen garden beds with reproduction tools and plant heirloom seeds of vegetables, herbs, and flowers, all heirloom varieties that might have been grown in Upper Louisiana. We celebrate the approach of spring with the age old activities that bring the promise of future harvests of the spring, summer, and fall seasons.

Thank you once again to Silvertree Forge, Jas. Adams, Proprietor, for offering to replace the wooden handles of newly donated period garden hoes and pitch fork.  (Thank you, Shawna Kadlec, for the donation!)  Mr. Adams has been kind enough to create our most excellent reproduction primitive garden tools used in our heritage garden.  If interested in participating or for more information about period garden tools, please visit the Participer page of our garden blog.

Novembre

23 November, 2011 / / 1 Comment

Fall Sunset through the Ghostings

Wednesday, 23 November

50  Degrees F

Mist and Clouds, Slight Wind WNW

Time, like the cool wind and rains moving along the valley, marks the swift change from autumn to winter. The jardin has fallen into a slumber, with the final harvest of this past season’s bounty to take place this weekend. In honor of Martinmas and fall feasting celebrations, our humble contingent of la Milice de Ste. Genevieve will be in residence at Fort de Chartres, recreating the experiences of the colonists of the Illinois Country in the 18th century. The Martinmas (St. Martin’s Day) celebration originated in France in the 16th century and spread throughout Europe.

Fall Jardin Potager

Fall Jardin Potager

Traditionally this holiday marks the end of harvest time, accompanying winter preparations, and the final planting of winter wheat. Feasting and bonfires combine with hiring fairs, as workers look to the end of autumn and the natural beginning of winter. Work moves indoors as the winter sits on the doorstep.

Beginning on Friday afternoon, November 25th, a grouping of some four to six families from the Milice will be in residence at the Fort through the holiday weekend.  We will be enjoying a brief sojourn within the comfort and security of the Fort. The stone bake oven and a large hearth will be used throughout the weekend to provide meals and baked goods, while the inhabitants engage in a number of out-door activities including some informal shooting contests.

Turkey Roasting on Hearth

Milice and Schuetzen Target

Traditional regional and 18th century recipes will be prepared throughout our stay and I have posted a few on the Recettes page, with more to follow. The remaining bounty of leeks, lettuces, radishes, turnips, and winter squash in the garden are yet able to provide sustenance and decoration for our comfort throughout the weekend.  Regardless of the weather, one can glimpse life in 18th century Upper Louisiana. Visit with us as we celebrate the bounty and blessings of the past season.

D’Automne Heirloom Produce Saturday

11 October, 2011 / / 0 Comments

You are invited to the Fort de Chartres Jardin Potager and sample heirloom produce on Saturday, October 22,  10 AM-Noon. Some produce and recipes available.

Welcome to our Jardin Potager outside the walls of Fort de Chartres! Join us in our garden planted in the style of a French l’habitant kitchen garden. This type of jardin was generally tended by the women of the Illinois Country for family sustenance through the seasons.

Heirloom herbs, vegetables currently in season:
Beets, Eggplants, Leeks, Lettuce, Radishes, and Turnips

Please join us and and share in the fall’s bounty. Autumn Jardin produce recipes are listed on the Recettes page in the postings of October Heirloom Jardin Produce Saturday and Haute Louisiane en Automne recipes.

Fete at the Fort

7 October, 2011 / / 0 Comments

October 1, Saturday

64 degrees F

Sunny, Light Wind

Save Illinois History’s 2nd Annual Fete at Historic Fort de Chartres dawned under sunny skies on the strength of cool breezes. This annual fundraiser was a perfect opportunity for some of the Midwest’s top brewers to showcase their brews in a unique 18th Century environment, and they did not disappoint. A lively crowd of attendees savored the libations offered while enjoying the ambience of our French fort. 18th century reenactors that included natives, French Marines, British soldiers, Cannon crews, Fife and Drum Corps, and Dennis Stroughmatt et L’Esprit Créole entertained the crowds throughout the day. Our merry party was kept busy at the Fort’s stone bake oven throughout the event, offering samples of 18th century confections, breads, cakes, and tarts. Many visitors expressed interest in the technique of firing the bake oven and were enlightened by John Hancock and Nicholas Kuntz.

John and Nick offering samples.

They described the procedure by which the oven is prepared and readied for a day of baking. Antoinette Hancock, Renea Davis, and myself, shared our 18th century baked goods, many featuring among their ingredients beer, beer barm, or hops, all in keeping with the celebration of the day. Sugared comfits, honey cake, spiced honey beer cake, wigs, beer cornbread, a citron preserve tart, and variety of breads samples were offered. Please visit the recette page of this blog for recipes and photos of these offerings.

A nice respite taken among the day’s activities, were sunny moments stolen to

Leeks, lettuce, radishes and turnips.

join visitors strolling in our jardin potager behind the bake oven. It was nice to share and show the produce we are harvesting this fall. Vegetables still thriving include: beets, eggplants, leeks, lettuce, radishes, and turnips, winter squashes. We look forward to the remaining fall season ahead and the continued garden bounty.

Thank you to Renea Davis for the images of the Fete!

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2026 Fort de Chartres Heritage Garden

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑