The time is right for starting seeds, drawing up garden plot plans, and making tree orders. Like any obsessed gardener, I lay awake at night imaging the beauty that will bloom in the spring and lavish us with fruitful production through the summer. Except I feel like I am cheating a lover. I am...
Read more →There is nothing I love more than planning gardens. There is such anticipation in the planning: what will grow, what new things do I want to try, what do I love to eat? I casually advise friends and family, occasionally drawing up a whole plan. Last year I attempted to inspire beginning growers with...
Read more →Local folks, are you interested in growing potatoes? Last year a small group of us ordered seed potatoes together to save on shipping. This year I offer to organize a group to do the same. If you want to participate, fill out the order form below. I will accept orders until Monday February 28...
Read more →On Monday I had the pleasure of interviewing Joan Dye Gussow, keynote speaker for this weekend’s Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association annual conference. A matriarch of the local food and organic movements, our discussion largely related to her most recent book, Growing, Older: A Chronicle of Death, Life, and Vegetables. Rachel Tayse Baillieul:...
Read more →Our backyard chickens are surviving well through this winter’s ice, snow, and feather-burning bulbs. They look plump and healthy and even brave cold feet to come clean up around the base of our bird feeder when there’s no active participation. But they aren’t laying well. We are collecting an average of two eggs a...
Read more →Some may find pictures in this post graphic. Sometimes you have one idea in mind and the day takes a totally different direction. Today was such a day. A fellow chicken-keeping family called around 10 in the morning and said this was the day they wanted to kill one of their hens. Speckles, a...
Read more →I have had leek and celery packets in my seed stash for two years now. By the time I’m starting all the other seeds I realize I am too late for those. This year, Kate shared a perpetual garden calendar that reminded me I can start leeks indoors now. By the way, I totally...
Read more →It has been one strange week here. On Sunday I was awash with disappointment as the chance to travel to California with Alex slipped from our hands. On Monday, I made no plans. Good thing, because the next three days were spent nursing an ill Lillian and surviving the ice storm. She tested positive...
Read more →This is our chic Australorp hen, creatively named Austra. I like to call her the queen of the chickens and generally regard her as a bit more intelligent than the rest of the flock. She is the definitely the most responsive to our family’s actions, coming and clucking gently when we call her. I...
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