Vegetable gardening nourishes the body but flower gardening feeds the soul. I haven't been online much the last two months due to the family crisis I mentioned in this post so our blog and social media have been quiet. Instead I have been spending a lot of time with my hands in our garden soil, surrounding myself with the simple beauty of my beloved perennial flower gardens. … [Read more...]
How to Start Garden Seeds Indoors
Since we live in a cold climate with a short growing season, starting some of our garden seeds indoors is a must if we want to maximize our harvest. Last week I shared about selecting garden seeds that grow well in cold climates so this week I’m going to share how to start seeds indoors. Most seed packs recommend you sow your seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. … [Read more...]
Garden Seed Selection Tips For Cold Climates
Selecting garden seeds was something I never used to give much thought to. I would pick out seed packs of vegetables and fruits I grew up eating or thought “it would be fun to grow this.” After several years of failed attempts at growing corn and melons in the cold climate of Montana, I realized that some produce just does not grow as well in our area. I started chatting with … [Read more...]
Greenwoman Magazine for the Hip and Eco-friendly Gardener
Recently I've been enjoying a wonderful read, Greenwoman Magazine: A Literary Garden. Since I'm a bookworm, I always have a stack of books and lists of online publications to read. I'm especially thrilled about Greenwoman Magazine because it is right up my alley "Daring and fun, Greenwoman is for the hip gardener who loves digging into the world of art and environmental thought … [Read more...]
How to Regrow Green Onions Year Round
Green onions are one of those things that always used to be on my grocery list. At 99 cents a bunch it may not sound like a lot of money but over a month it would add up to a few dollars. Being able to grow green onions year round in Montana helps us save money over time. Plus it is always fun to have a mini-garden indoors while it dumps snow outside in the winter! Growing … [Read more...]
Backyard Farming on an Acre Book Review
Angela England's new book, Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less) is an inspiring guide and must have for folks new to small scale backyard farming and homesteading. With 25 helpful and easy to read chapters, England outlines the basics from choosing land to gardening, animal care, preserving and even homestead crafting! England's knowledge, experience and … [Read more...]
5 Easy Tips on How to Salvage Wormy Fruit and Make Applesauce From Wormy Apples
In the last few years, I’ve become a free foraged fruit fanatic! Since we don’t have our own fruit trees, I’ve found others giving away some of theirs for free on Craigslist, Freecycle and putting the word out to friends and neighbors. I also began scouting the area around where we live and on the drive to town. So far this year we’ve foraged for free: -10 gallons of locally … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Garden Harvest Scramble
After harvesting a nice haul of produce from our gardens, we were all hungry and needing some lunch to refuel us for the afternoon’s projects. I couldn't resist sharing a picture of my little helper, a future gardener in the making!A friend recently gave us a dozen eggs from her chickens so I decided tomake us a tasty Garden Harvest Scramble. I get giddy with excitement when I … [Read more...]