life on garden time
January is the month for Aspirational Lives. New Year’s Resolutions, goals, big changes and all the jazz, commitments designed to inch us closer from how we are to how we want to be. I haven’t put up a “2013 Resolutions” post because, frankly, 2013 just pitched in of its own accord, and like most things [Continue Reading...]
Plants have sex and make babies. Oh sure, not in exactly the same way you or I do, but I understand it’s very satisfying if you are a plant. How’s your 7th Grade Biology? First of all, and I don’t want to shock you here, but flowers are a plant’s reproductive organs. Flowers are how [Continue Reading...]
“Last year I just planted and prayed, stuff worked or didn’t. Now I have seed catalogs and am so overwhelmed I don’t know what to order. Should I be picking stuff based on the shortest growing rate and that’s all? This is crazy!” -Reader Question Feeling Seed Catalog Crazy? Right now, like most gardeners, you [Continue Reading...]
“Is growing your own food worth it?” When I get asked that question, people are talking about cash-in-hand not harvest-in-hand. They aren’t saying, “Is it worth it to have the very freshest sugar snap peas?” or, “Is it worth it to see your child poke a bean seed in the ground?” because there is, clearly, [Continue Reading...]
We had a lovely couple over to dinner for the first time a few days ago and the lady of the pair kept to a gluten free diet (and has for like 17 years, so you know it’s not a passing thing). I know what you’re saying: “Hey, I know someone who is gluten free!” [Continue Reading...]
The following is adapted from a note I published on Facebook in February 2012. Since I’m still getting questions about Territorial Seed and Monsanto, I’m publishing it here to make it more widely available. It’s seed catalog time! The dripping seed lust of gardeners at this time of year, flipping through pages filled with new [Continue Reading...]
Dear Friends, Merry Christmas! Twenty-twelve is drawing to a close. The clock struck midnight not too long ago, and Homebrew Husband and I donned our Santa hats and crept down the stairs to place a decidedly modest stack of presents under the tree. This has been the most mellow holiday season on record at our house. My [Continue Reading...]
Something evil happened last week. I don’t need to tell you what it is. You know. You’ve seen the reports, and read the headlines and wept for strangers and clutched your children to your breast because of it. This thing, this tragedy, maybe it’s entered your heart and your head. It’s entered mine. I have [Continue Reading...]
Part 1 Sometimes I go to the grocery store and get mad and start ranting about vegetables. Homebrew Husband thinks I’m silly when I do this, and pokes me if people start looking at me funny. The thing is, the cost of vegetables at the market is often far out of proportion to the difficulty [Continue Reading...]
Was that post title a little overboard? Sorry about that…I’m a sucker for free, organic, high-quality seeds, and (be honest) most of you, my wonderful readers, are too. Part Two of our awesome giveaway week is here, and it rocks. (If you missed Part One of giveaway week, there is still time to go enter [Continue Reading...]
The season of giving is upon us! And friends, do I have some giving for you. This week I’m doing a couple of great giveaways just in time for you to show some holiday love to your favorite gardener. If you win and decide your favorite gardener is you and you’re keeping the loot, no [Continue Reading...]
The cuisine of Mexico is complex, diverse, by turns subtle and bold. And I am a total gringo with only a cursory, Rick Bayless cookbook-skimming understanding of Mexican cuisine. Which is my way of saying, I make no claim to authenticity here, but in my house, this taco formula works. My kids come back for more, my [Continue Reading...]
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