Brussels Sprout Soup without the Sprouts

{Four posts in one day, must be a record!} Like most kids, I despised Brussels Sprouts. Now I love them, that burst of flavor, and even the mild bitterness. Bitter is a big gap in our diet, which is unfortunate, since bitter foods are important for our digestive systems. So I grew Brussels Sprouts from …

Winter Hot Box with Horse Manure

(Wow, three entries in one day!) I have lights specially fitted to the bed up front, so it can easily be converted to a cold frame. I’ve successfully grown lettuce in it in April. Now I was thinking of growing something there  from November to March, the coldest months. The hotbed, finally! ~ A, the …

Winter Beds and Goldenrod

All the seedlings were transplanted into the Winter beds – the beds that will be under the hoop house once we move it from its Summer position, after the tomatoes, peppers and basil are done. These are all under one layer of row cover now (Agribon, from Johnnie’s). A third bed is loaded with kale …

Gardener Heal Thyself: Calendula Poultice

I work with my hands a lot. Household chores, gardening and especially throwing pots are hard on the hands. I don’t use hand salves, lotions or creams. You put that stuff on and a minute later you need to wash something or pull a bush out of the ground. I’m also a little clumsy, only …

Hoop House Fall Garden / Overwintering Peppers and Herbs

My Fall Garden? I guess most of it looks like my Summer Garden, only inside the hoop house (where it was a balmy 85 F today, contrasting with the 56 F outside). eggplants in hoop house Yesterday I moved most of the (sweet and hot) pepper plants from the outside beds into pots and then …

Neighborhood Pumpkin Composting

On a cold, gray day Amie and I composed, copied and colored in our yearly let-us-compost-your-pumpkin fliers. Today, a wonderful day, sunny, blustery, just about nippy, Amie and I took a walk to deliver them. It was lovely to talk with the neighbors and hear their enthusiasm for the project. They usually leave their pumpkins …

Tool Shed (in Progress) and Hoop House Doors

Taking advantage of a beautiful Sunday morning some weeks ago, DH and I started building our garden tool shed. We both love this project because (1) it will collect my tools right next to my garden and (2) it makes room for a functional workshop for DH in our old and more “serious” shed – …