The middle schoolers from the Xavier University Montessori Lab School have been coming out once each month this school year to spend a day learning and helping with a project. Today's theme was "Signs of Spring." We started off the day by dividing into three groups. Each was to search out as many signs of … Continue reading A New Generation of Foragers is Born
Garden
An herb garden renovation
When I moved into this house I was lucky to inherit an established herb garden from the previous two owners. As you may well know if you follow me, I live across the street from trained herbalist and local food celebrity Rita Heikenfeld. Through the years here she has helped me take ownership of my … Continue reading An herb garden renovation
Medicinal Elderberry Syrup
I shared my story previously about the elderberry bushes that planted themselves here in our yard, volunteers brought over most likely by birds from our neighbor Rita's garden. They have grown and spread so that now I have a nice little elderberry patch. This is one plant I will be happy to watch take over … Continue reading Medicinal Elderberry Syrup
Storing Sweet Potatoes
A few years ago I read about a method of growing potatoes in garbage cans. I've tried it a few times and found sweet potatoes do best in the cans. I never got much yield from the white potatoes I planted in cans, but I am always delighted by the sweet orange ones come fall! … Continue reading Storing Sweet Potatoes
Pinchings Tea
A new neighbor friend of mine is studying to be an herbalist. She sent me this message a few days ago: So while I was out picking in the garden, I collected the herbs for the tea. I didn't have any Tulsi but I do have loads of other basils. I picked mostly Thai basil … Continue reading Pinchings Tea
July’s Abundance
July is when I start to feel the shift from all input in the garden to a balance of input and output. It's not all weeding with no reward. I love the feeling of going out with my basket and coming back with good, fresh, tasty, often fragrant food. Let me show you some of … Continue reading July’s Abundance
Dinner from the Garden: Late June Addition
I got bronchitis a few weeks back and just can't seem to kick it completely. I'm really behind on my farm tasks but I try to find the energy to get out and harvest some of the bounty ripening in the garden every day. Here's a dish I made a few nights ago. I picked … Continue reading Dinner from the Garden: Late June Addition
My Little Elderberry Forest
Several years ago I had one elderberry bush pop up by the mailbox. It was most likely carried over the road from Rita's by a bird - stolen berries passed through its body and planted nearby through its droppings. Initially I didn't know what it was. A flower perhaps, I moved it up into one … Continue reading My Little Elderberry Forest
My Vegetable Garden in early June
Growing food brings such rewards. There's nothing like going out to the garden with my basket and collecting fresh items to prepare a meal. I love to pop out barefoot, early in the morning, when the ground is still wet with dew, and pick dill, kale or chard, maybe some green onion. Cleaned, chopped and … Continue reading My Vegetable Garden in early June
Beet Crostini
Here's another lunch idea straight from the garden! I picked about five small beets with greens. The greens I cleaned, de-veined and chopped roughly. I also chopped a bit of onion and a garlic clove. The beets, I scrubbed and set in boiling water for about ten minutes. When they came out, I ran them … Continue reading Beet Crostini
