Mint is a weed by any definition. Many gardeners even consider it invasive – the stuff will fill a space and beyond. Our patch resides in a bed alongside the house bordered by the sidewalk. For the most part, this contains the spread and last year oregano actually overtook some of the mint zone....
Read more →Every year I force bulbs into blooming to brighten the dull days of winter. Alex delights in the ‘dominance over nature’ implied by forcing but Lil and I just love watching things grow. This year, our bulbs became a science project for Lil. Lil chose several paper white narcissus and one amaryllis bulbs from...
Read more →This little hellebore from our deadly garden is blooming about four months ahead of time. Perhaps it has the religious holiday seasons mixed up, as hellebore typically blooms when Lent begins, not during Advent.
Read more →Who says a late autumn garden is dull and brown? Ours is hanging on to some color with rainbow swiss chard and greens, some of which self seeded when I neglected to pull the flowering mustard green plants. Austra the Australorp chicken regrew her jet-black feathers after molting and her comb is starting to...
Read more →l to r: pimento, Jimmy Nardello, pepperoncini, purple beauty Last year, sexy tomatoes stole my heart. 2011 is the year of pretty homegrown peppers. Added to 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordless Wednesday.
Read more →Every year I commit to growing something completely new to me. This year, that distinction went to sesame. I sprinkled seeds, liberated from Franklin Park Conservatory, in rich soil in mid May. They sprouted and grew to three feet tall. A string of pentagonal buds formed into sweet white flowers. Below the flowers, strings...
Read more →Mmmm…cornichons. Oh…gherkins. I like to say your names. I love how your vinegary taste and crunchy texture excite the palette, especially in between bites of rich charcuterie. The tiny cucumbers needed to make cornichons are difficult to find raw. To fulfill my homemade pickle desires, I did what any self-respecting homestead would do: grow...
Read more →I am a mad woman harvesting Parisian pickling cucumbers every morning and night. I want them at exactly 2-3 inches in length to make into cornichons. Too small and they aren’t worth processing. Much larger and the skin is bitter. But try as I might, little cukes camouflage themselves under umbrella green leaves. Seemingly...
Read more →I had the pleasure of volunteering with the Franklin Park Conservatory Women’s Board at a cooking class last night. Yes, I was on my feet for almost seven hours, and yes I spent a fair amount of it around a hot wood fire. But I was truly entertained by instructors Jim Budros, Rich Terapak,...
Read more →After a spring devoid of garden success (sparrows ate the peas, springs crops like radishes bolted too quickly, lettuces were slow to grow), I welcome summer. Warmer temperatures and less torrential rain will surely help our sustainable garden grow. Grapes, tomatoes, and peppers bend with fruit and hope for autumn harvest. Greens and herbs...
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