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Happy Solstice!

December 21, 2017 Weekly Updates

It’s the winter solstice today, with the longest shadows and the shortest day of the year. And although it’s only December, to me the solstice always means the beginning of the end of winter. Even though the weather is going to stay cold for much, much longer, today is the shortest and darkest that the days are going to get. It’s only getting sunnier from here on out, which means the growing season will be upon us before we know it! As the new year gets closer, we’re getting excited for the season ahead. 2018 will be our first season as an operating farm, which comes with a certain amount...

Working around cucumber beetles

May 10, 2017 Diseases, Pests, Tips & Tools

Remember those pesky little cucumber beetles I talked about a few times last year? Shown in the picture above (taken last year), they cause double damage by creating scar marks on crops in the cucurbit family like squash and cucumber and transmitting a disease called bacterial wilt that can kill the entire plant. They tend to get to work early, making their first appearance in the late spring even though they prey on heat-loving summer crops, which means that they can definitely do some damage to young cucumber and squash plants when they first get planted outside. As we near the first frost dates around our region and it gets to...

Winter’s work

January 26, 2017 Weekly Updates

While we have had a few series of bone-chilling days, for the most part this winter has been milder than mild. As I mentioned, I left both carrots and spinach in the ground. Normally, it’s to be expected that the greens of both these plants will die off over the winter. With the spinach, the goal is for it to remain dormant through the cold winter days and then re-grow its tasty leaves as temperatures begin to warm in the spring. However, with temperatures regularly hitting the 50s over the last month, instead of waiting for spring I was able to get a sizable harvest of fresh spinach just yesterday. This is...

Sweet potato greens

September 29, 2016 Garden techniques, In the Kitchen, Other recipes, Tips & Tools

In a small garden space, I always aim to grow as many crops as possible that allow me to plant the bed space more than once a season. However, there are certain veggies we love enough that it’s worth growing them even if they do take a while. Sweet potatoes are one of those crops that take up bed space for a long time, from mid-May until at least mid-September. The upside is that you usually get quite a hefty harvest of tubers at the end of this time. And, even better, sweet potato plants actually offer a second harvest option that many people don’t know about- the greens. All you...

Bacterial wilt

August 8, 2016 Diseases, Pests, Tips & Tools

Earlier this year, I talked a bit about cucumber beetles. You’ll find these little black-and-yellow striped or spotted bugs on plants in the cucurbit family like cucumbers and squash. While damage from the beetles to the leaves and fruit of these plants is in itself not that problematic, as the summer progresses these insects’ bites can transmit a season-ending disease for some cucurbits. If you’re a gardener, bacterial wilt is likely something you have seen before or may even be experiencing in your garden right now. This disease is transmitted from plant to plant when cucumber beetles bite and the bacteria can even overwinter in the beetles’ guts. Besides cucumber plants, bacterial wilt also...

Crazy days of summer

August 6, 2016 Canning, In the Kitchen, Weekly Updates

As every gardener knows, summer gets crazy! From mid-July through late August, it seems that everything is happening at once. The weeds are growing like mad and seem to reach the same size and intensity just days after the beds were cleared of them. At the same time that the summer harvest has ramped up to anxiety-provoking levels, the fall rounds of root crops and leafy greens need to be planted. And, to add to the craziness, all of that summer harvest has to be put to good use, either for immediate eating or through preserving for winter. It’s enough to make me wonder how women on homestead farms in...

Cabbage worms

July 18, 2016 Pests, Tips & Tools

Cabbage worms are one of the most common garden pests in this region and, in a bad year, can easily decimate crops in a short time if not kept under control. Cabbage worms target crops in the brassica family, also known as cole crops. These include kale, cabbage, broccoli, collards, arugula, and mustard greens, among others. You’ve probably noticed the white butterfly adult form of these pests flying around from spring through fall. The eggs these butterflies  lay on brassica plants will hatch into the small green, velvety-looking worms which can grow to a plump 2+ inches as they munch on the leaves of the plant. A sure sign that you...

Pickling Zucchini

July 15, 2016 Canning, In the Kitchen, Weekly Updates

Unexpectedly, Wednesday turned into a solid day of rain- perfect for the garden and also a perfect opportunity for me to get some preserving done! In the morning, before the rain set in, I was able do several hours of work in the garden itself- prepping a bed for the next planting of fall carrots, further trellising the tomatoes and peppers, and harvesting lots of beans and zucchini. Because I’m caring for my one-year-old son as well as for the garden, my days are largely structured around his nap schedule. While my son is exceptionally good at occupying himself, there are certain things that are just easier or much safer to do when he’s...

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