There’s lots of talk about growing food these days, yet many of us don’t stop to think about how soil fits into the mix. What is truly going on underground? Why is soil the most important component in how food grows and how food tastes? Soil is a living, breathing organism and provides the ultimate […]
Moving Indoors
Foliage peaked last weekend, and it was time to move the indoor plants into their winter quarters, a cold yet minimally heated room off the kitchen with windows to the south and east. Cleaning up the fall garden, planting fall garlic.
Exploring San Francisco
Exploring San Francisco, the edible schoolyard in Berkeley, chez panisse, Tartine, Tante Marie, green gulch farm, and golden gate park.
Sweet Leeks with Wild Salmon
Cooking with Leeks:
Caramelized them for a savory tart, sauteed and wrapped them with chard for enchiladas, but my favorite way to serve leeks is to soften in melted butter with a little sweet cream, and serve as a bed under a lightly glazed fillet of salmon. The recipe below is on page 174 of my book, The Complete Kitchen Garden.
Small Things. Big Impact.
start with good garden design, but once that is in place it is fun to fine tune with the extras that will give it style.
Farm to School Conference
I was struck through the heart with a dart at the 6th annual Farm to School Conference held in Burlington, Vermont on August 3-6th. I’d finally found my tribe: 800 educators, farmers, cooks, parents, school garden planners, politicians, advocates, artists, foodies – all dedicated to feeding children healthy food.
Sweet Hot Pepper Jelly
Bringing the canning kettles up from the basement is a sure sign that the harvest season has begun.
Heirlooms that offer two-in-one crops.
Salsify, Scorzonera, Celeriac and Daikon the benefits go both ways. Root crops offer more. Read about it in Organic Gardening Magazine. Earlier this spring, I returned after a lecture to a large collection of empty plastic garden pots on my front porch. There was no note, and judging by the plastic plant id tags that were left behind, the only clue I had was that this mystery gardener had been swept away at the nursery and […] I can grow my garden exactly the way want, which allows me to make a conscious choice to be more relaxed and engage at a slower pace. I’ll still get the job done, and the weeding will never stop. But I am happy to report that perfect is not the goal for this garden season and I like it that way. And I think the plants do, too. Waiting for the soil to warm and the season to get started, I’ve been looking at pictures of garden designs that I love. I am inspired by the timeless elements these gardens share: low borders around each bed, tidy paths, arbor and a distinctive entrance. All are a beautiful reminder that the ultimate goal is to appear effortless and inviting. Looking for Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled Cress, Purple Osaka and Horned Mustard, or maybe Persian Cress? Wild Garden Seeds grows certified organic seeds on a farm in the Pacific Northwest. Dedicated to open pollinated varieties and unusual, hard to find greens for the salad lover.
Beautiful Terra Cotta Pots
The Imperfect Garden
Always keep something beautiful in your mind
Seed Sources: The Best Culinary Choice
