The Why & How of Garden Soil Amendment

"If a healthy soil is full of death, it is also full of life: worms, fungi, microorganisms of all kinds ...  Given only the health of the soil, nothing that dies is dead for very long." -  Wendell Berry,  The Unsettling of America, 1977 In my opinion, there is nothing on Earth more underrated than …

Lime Meltaway Cookies

September is here and once again I find myself up to the ears in limes. My Bearss lime tree is so full of fruit that the limbs are practically touching the ground, ready to buckle. Which is a pretty good indication it is time to harvest! Over 300 limes was the product of this seasons harvest, with a few dozen still left …

The “Bad” Grass List

The dog days of summer are upon us. Presently, my lovely dog Willow is sleeping off the heat in some ornamental grass by the house. As a gardener, each season presents its own set of challenges. My biggest gardening woe during the summer season, surprisingly, isn't squash bugs, fire blight, or drought. It's actually grass. Summer is …

10 Minute Tomato Sauce

Does your life feel like a marathon some days? Mine sure does. That's why I arm myself with quick and easy recipes, such as this 10 Minute Tomato Sauce, so dinner doesn’t have to add to the stress. Let’s face it: Days can be so unpredictable. Yesterday, I had the best intentions of coming home and …

Berry Crisp with Oatmeal Cookie Crumbles

It's Friday night. I have a hankering for something sweet. I search the cabinets for some chocolate... nothing. I search the freezer for some ice cream... nothing. I decide to make cookies... no eggs. Oh bother! Why didn't I go grocery shopping today? Tired after a long week, I'm cozy in pajamas and there is no way …

Cabbage Worm Eradication

This, my friends, is a tale of a very hungry caterpillar that goes by the name of Pieris rapae or Cabbage Worm. Unlike the Children's classic by Eric Carl, this garden pest doesn't dine on watermelon and cupcakes but instead your beloved vegetable garden. He also doesn't turn into a beautiful butterfly at the end of the story …

5 Ways to Use Herbs in the Home

I love growing herbs! They are beautiful, fragrant, easy to grow, and have an abundance of uses. Any spare pot or empty planter around my yard is just an excuse for me to plant more. Some of my favorite herbs include lemon thyme, mint, and basil. My love for herbs extends inside my home as well. Herbs …

Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

Hello tomato season! The sun is shining, the bees are busy pollinating, and my tasty tomatoes are changing colors. I got a little overly ambitious with my tomato planting this year and have more tomatoes than I know what to do with. Fortunately, one of my all time favorite recipes calls for this tasty fruit - …

Ben’s Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

Whoever said "toddlers will eat when they are hungry" has never met my 3 year old son Benjamin. He has a drive for life that I admire, moving a million miles a minute to see and do everything before the day is done. Unfortunately, eating is not high on his list for daily activities. I am …

How-to Freeze Berries

We are a blueberry family. By that, I mean we can easily consume several pints of blueberries in a week. As such, blueberries are something I love to grow in my garden. This year I have 6 blueberry plants - three varieties: Jubilee, Jewel, and Legacy. Between the 6 plants, I produce around 30 pints during the growing season. As much …