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God's little green acres

While Clinton resident Bill Smith is most known for growing the Clinton United Methodist Church such that a new building was in order, he’s also spent much of his life growing produce and flowers in the various gardens he and his wife, Jan, have kept throughout the years. The bounty has offered sustenance not only to their three children but to the many friends they’ve made throughout the years.

While Jan harvests and cooks, Bill plants and tends the garden. Bill said he first started gardening in 1974 when he and his wife, Jan, moved to Harbor Beach. Gardening is in Smith’s blood. He said his dad was a big gardener and in addition to serving as a minister, he farmed land in Onsted.

In 1992, the Smiths moved to Clinton when Bill was assigned to Clinton United Methodist Church. He retired in 2005, and they now live on 10 acres. Bill spends as many as five hours a day tending to his lawn and gardens, which along with a large vegetable garden includes a formidable perennial garden.

He plants everything from strawberries to a wide variety of tomatoes to lettuce to grapes for eating and making wine. Much of it he grows from seed. Bill said he begins the process after Christmas of assessing what will go in his garden, evaluating what did or did not work the previous year. Once he’s mapped out what he’d like he orders his seeds by mail. He said cabbage, onion, lettuce and spinach can go in early, but typically he waits until the end of May to plant the bulk of his seedlings.

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Featured Recipe

Grilled Vegetable& Arugula Salad with Toasted Pecan Goat Cheese

Recipe by Evans Street Station
Featuring ingredients from
Prochaska Farms and
Boulevard Market

Ingredients
1 Yellow Squash - medium sized (Prochaska Farms)
1 Zucchini - medium sized (Prochaska Farms)
1 Roasted Red Pepper - skin & seeds removed, diced
(Prochaska Farms)
4 cups Arugula (Prochaska Farms)
½ cup Pecans (toasted and chopped small)
½ cup Goat Cheese (Boulevard Market)
As needed Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil Blend
To taste Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper

White Balsamic Dressing
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup White Balsamic Vinegar
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 Shallot (minced)
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
To taste Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper

For the Dressing:
In a mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic, shallot, and dijon.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly.
Allow to sit refrigerated for an hour before use.
Whisk to re-emulsify before use.

To Grill the Squash:
Slice the squash and zucchini cross-wise on a slight bias ¼ inch thick.
Toss in a light coating of oil and season with salt and pepper.
Cook on a preheated grill (on high) making sure to mark both sides and remove while still a little firm.

For the Pecan Goat Cheese:
With your hands form small discs with the goat cheese.
Press the chopped pecans into the discs to coat evenly.
Warm them in an oven just before serving.

To assemble:
Toss the arugula and red peppers in just enough dressing to fully coat and flavor. Arrange the squash and zucchini on a plate.
Top with arugula mix and add the goat cheese warm.

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