Gardening in upstate New York
I had just harvested some kohlrabi from the garden. My husband picked one up and asked "What is this? It looks like it's from outer space!" Yes, Kohlrabi/Brassica oleracea is a little odd looking. And a little bit like a space craft. It's an excellent easy vegetable to grow though, and extremely nutritious, has antioxidants, … Continue reading Try this Strange Looking Vegetable Next time You See It
Spring is finally coming to the far north of New York. My green house is starting to burst with seedlings. But not just things I grow from new seeds. Also vegetables I can"regrow" using the root ends - like scallions, lettuces, celery and beets. Also since late winter, I've been getting ready for potato season, … Continue reading The Magic of Sprouting Used Vegetables
I usually plant as many heirloom vegetables in my garden as I can. First because they taste better. But secondly, because I can save their seeds for next year. The Difference between Heirloom and Hybrid plants Heirloom plants will reliably pass on their traits to the next generation of seeds. More in a moment about … Continue reading How to save Heirloom Vegetable seeds
My typical mid-summer morning – laundry first. Bed sheets washed and hung on the line so they absorb that sunshine, fresh air smell. Since it’s late July, the wild blueberries are ripening. We live in a pine forest, so really acid soil. Blueberries love acid, poor quality soil. They grow so thick in some place … Continue reading Summer Gardens & a Perfect Summer Morning
I love salad, but I really wanted my greens to be crisp and snap like a salad in a restaurant. Here's the way I developed that works for me. First wash the greens well in cold water. Yes, even if the container says pre-washed. It's not so much about making sure the greens are clean … Continue reading How to Keep Greens Fresh & Crisp
As summer ends, autumn is the time to clean up around the homestead. Cutting back dead ferns, shrubs and grasses are just part of the chores. The garden gets put to bed for the winter. I pull out the dead plants and put them in the compost pile; remove the tomato cages and posts to … Continue reading How to Deal with Yellow Jackets
One of my memories is of my grandmother, whose sight was not the best anymore, scooping up a fork-full of horseradish, instead of mashed potatoes, with her roast beef. Popped the whole thing into her mouth. After a couple coughs, she said, "Well that will clear out the sinuses!". I love horseradish. My mom used … Continue reading Using and Growing Horseradish
Okay, so we had our first snowfall - a light dusting but enough to let us know that fall is giving way soon to winter. So as usual I am now rushing around to get things in the yard & house, making things ready for winter, like: Birds baths cleaned, bowls inside (since they are … Continue reading Autumn clean up around the house
We've had a koi pond for almost 20 years. It was a "present" from my husband for my birthday. I wanted a pond, and he got busy with the backhoe....and we ended up with nearly a 5000 gallon hole in the ground. A bit larger than he intended. I love hearing the water run over … Continue reading Keeping Koi in the Northeast
I have a cactus grown from a small piece my sister gave me. She got a piece from her father-in-law, so we are keeping it going in the family. It's taken years for the plant to get large. Every spring I put it outside - it just loves rain and summer sun. This year it … Continue reading My Blooming Cactus