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Latest reporting from the Community desk.

Person walking a paved path beside a lake at Nathan Benderson Park.

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Community

Sarasota OKs $3.79M Legacy Trail link near Lakewood Ranch

Sarasota County commissioners approved $3.79 million to extend the Legacy Trail 1.7 miles to Nathan Benderson Park near the UTC area, with a possible future connection into Manatee County that could benefit Lakewood Ranch trail users.

· 2 min read

Yellow Labrador Retriever in a brown guide dog harness on a wooden boardwalk.

Community

Lakewood Ranch man walks five miles daily with guide dog Grace

Lakewood Ranch resident Mark Thornsbrough lost most of his vision to detached retinas between 2021 and 2023 and fell into depression, but a guide dog named Grace from Palmetto nonprofit Dogs Inc. restored his independence — he now walks five to seven miles daily and has run a 5K.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers Market âVegU(cation)â tent, where people learn how to how to pick, and store pumpkins; and prepare a curry soup using produce grown in the local area and sold here in downtown Washington, D.C., on Friday October 21, 2016. USDA employees from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and vendors volunteer as vegetable educators, or âVegUcatorsâ conducting free 10-minute fruit and vegetable classes. Todayâs âVegUcatorsâ are USDA AMS Standardization Specialist David G. Horner, talking about pumpkins and âVegUâ Program Coordinator Sara Pellegrino, preparing and talking about the recipe. The featured (edible) pumpkins are the large orange and flat Cinderella pumpkin, the orange fluted and flat Fairytale pumpkin, the four-lobed crowned orange and beige Monkeyâs Butt pumpkin, the deep orange and rough surfaced Warty Red Thing pumpkin, the small (mainly decorative) Munchkin pumpkin, the orange and the white Sugar pumpkins, the large green-grey flat Jarrahdale pumpkin, and the orange round Peanut pumpkin with portions of the surface that resemble the color and texture of a peanut. During this season of the outdoor USDA Farmers Markets, 26 recipes will be taught at the VegU tent. Their scheduled demonstration dates are the peak harvest time to look for these foods. The goal is to increase fruits and vegetables in meals and help people understand what is in season. Guests can receive a free recipe card, and can start shopping for ingredients at the market. www.usda.gov www.usda.gov/farmersmarket peoplesgarden.usda.gov @USDA_AMS USDAFarmersMkt USDA Media by Lance Cheung. PUMPKIN CURRY SOUP Yields 8 cups Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 medium onion, ï¬nely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 lb. fresh sugar pumpkin 3 cups vegetable stock 1 tbsp. curry powder 1 tsp. chili powder Salt and pepper to taste 1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 2. Remove pumpkin stem and slice pumpkin in half using a sharp knife. Remove pumpkin seeds and stringy innards with a spoon. Discard or save seeds to roast later on. 3. Brush pumpkin halves with oil and place face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender. 4. Remove from oven and let cool. Separate pumpkin ï¬esh from skin. Purée the pumpkin ï¬esh in a blender or food processor. (Process to your preference of a smooth to chunky texture. See photo album for examples.) 5. In a pot, heat onion and garlic over medium heat. Add vegetable stock, puréed pumpkin, curry powder and chili powder. 6. Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Note: Each pound of sugar pumpkin should yield 1 cup of pumpkin purée. Adapted from © My Darling Vegan 2016 Recipe 25 of 26 October 2016 THIS WEEK VEGU IS ALL ABOUT PUMPKINS Three diï¬erent species in the Curburita genus are known as pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. moschata). Pumpkins are typically planted in early summer and harvested in fall. Pumpkins can be stored for several months after harvesting due to their thick outer skin. There are countless diï¬erent varieties of pumpkins grown in the United States ranging in size from 2 pounds to 100 pounds and in an array of colors including orange, yellow, green, and white. One of the most common pumpkin varieties used for cooking and baking is Sugar Pie (also known as pie pumpkins), which has thin skin and sweet ï¬esh making it ideal for eating. HOW TO PICK Look at size. Choose pumpkins that feel solid and heavy for their size. Check for blemishes. Pick pumpkins that are unblemished, have consistent color and have the stems attached. Feel for freshness. Press on the bottom of the pumpkin. If it is ï¬exible or has several soft spots it may indicate that it is not as fresh. HOW TO PREPARE To cook a fresh pumpkin, ï¬rst wash and dry the whole pumpkin. Remove the stem and slice the pumpkin in half using a sharp knife. Clean out the inside, removing the seeds and ï¬brous strings. Place the halves on a cookie sheet or tray and bake at 350º F for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size. Once cooled, peel oï¬ the skin using a knife and chop the pumpkin into cubes, or purée the ï¬esh in a blender or food processor. Use cooked pumpkin purée or cubes in pies, cakes, baked goods, soups, and stews. HOW TO STORE Pumpkins require cool and dry conditions for best storage. Optimal temperature is between 50-55º F and humidity of 50-70%. If stored properly, certain varieties of pumpkin can last up to two months. Tip: Store cooked, cubed or puréed pumpkin for up to one week in the refrigerator. Advice about freezing. Freezing pumpkin is a great option. To freeze, ï¬rst roast pumpkin in the oven (as outlined on the other side of this handout) and place cooked cubes or puréed pumpkin into freezer bags. To freeze raw cubes, ï¬rst peel the pumpkin skin and remove seeds and ï¬brous strings. Chop pumpkin into 1-inch cubes and store loosely in freezer bags. Frozen pumpkin can be stored for 9 months to 1 year. FUN FACTS â¢Pumpkins originated in Central America and are botanically a fruit. â¢At the ï¬rst Thanksgiving feast in 1621, the pilgrims did not serve pumpkin pie, rather, they served stewed pumpkin. â¢Pumpkins are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes squash, zucchini, watermelon, cucumbers and gourds. â¢Over 50,000 acres of pumpkins were harvested in the United States in 2014, producing 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins. â¢China and India are the worldâs top pumpkin producers; U.S. is ranked ï¬fth. â¢Illinois is the top pumpkin producing state in the U.S. followed by California, Ohio and Pennsylvania. â¢Pumpkin is an excellent source of beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. â¢99% of pumpkins grown in the U.S. are sold for decoration. GET A VEGUCATION EVERY FRIDAY BETWEEN 11:30 AM AND 1:00 PM, MAY TO OCTOBER, IN THE VEGU TENT AT THE USDA FARMERS MARKET. SHORT 10 MINUTE CLASSES ARE FREE. THE MARKET IS LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF INDEPENDENCE AVENUE AND 12TH STREET, SW, IN WASHINGTON, DC 20250.

Community

Music on Main, AI workshop top Lakewood Ranch events Aug. 27–Sept. 4

Lakewood Ranch residents can choose from cornhole, an AI workshop, live music at Remy's on Main, the Farmers' Market and more Aug. 27 through Sept. 4, with the Music on Main block party benefiting Save Our Seabirds as the week's marquee event.

Community

Manatee County approves $7.5M for free SCF tuition for local grads

The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners approved the Suncoast Prosper Scholarship Fund, a three-year, $7.5 million partnership with State College of Florida that will provide last-dollar tuition assistance to roughly 1,425 graduates of county schools, including Lakewood Ranch High School, starting in fall 2027.

Three women engaged in Pilates exercises on reformer machines in a bright, modern gym setting.

Community

Pilates and soccer pair up at Premier Sports Campus Sept. 5

JETSET Pilates Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota Paradise are hosting "Pilates on the Pitch" on Sept. 5 at Premier Sports Campus, offering a morning mat pilates workout on the soccer field plus a club game ticket for $45.

Two young men stand beside a cinema camera on a tripod near an indoor pool.

Community

Ringling grads bring debut horror film to Lakewood Ranch Cinema

Ringling College Film alumni Ethan Gathman and Jorge Rodriguez will screen their debut mystery horror film "Jit" at Lakewood Ranch Cinema on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. for $10, bringing the Florida-set feature home after its international festival run.

A smiling woman with curly dark hair seated in front of a dark wooden surface.

Community

Lakewood Ranch Women's Club hosts two authors at library Sept. 24

The Lakewood Ranch Women's Club hosts leadership coach Jaime Marco and USA Today bestselling author Simone Knego for a morning of conversation, Q&A and book signing at the Lakewood Ranch Library on Sept. 24, with $35 tickets available through Sept. 22.

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Community

Lakewood Ranch area home sales climb 11% in July

Manatee County single-family home sales rose 11.2% in July while inventory tightened to 4.1 months' supply, with luxury sales above $1 million climbing 14.9%, according to the latest RASM market report framing conditions for Lakewood Ranch buyers and sellers.

Community

Lakewood Ranch firm leads $41.9M Selby Gardens expansion

Willis A. Smith Construction, headquartered on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, is managing the $41.9 million Phase Two expansion of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, which entered vertical construction following a bond sale executed in July and announced Aug. 11.

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