It's important to set goals. When it comes to our market garden, I try to have a few clear objectives to work toward each season. We grow on 3 acres, partially for profit as well as for our own consumption. Every year, our desire is to get better at what we do. Better systems. Better... Continue Reading →
When I initially came across the property that would eventually be ours, it wasn't the house or the 12 acres of land that caught my attention. It was the old brick barn that boldly stood among the overgrown mulberry and ash trees. It's roof was pocked with holes, like an old cannon riddled ship after... Continue Reading →
Starting a market garden sounded like a good idea... Raspberries. Tomatoes. Broccoli. We would grow all the things and the people would rejoice! This may not be exactly what was on my mind when we first set out to grow produce for our community. But I can honestly say the picture I had in... Continue Reading →
They come in all sizes. They come in all shapes. It doesn't matter how grand or how small your gardening ambition might be. Adding raised beds might be one of the easiest things to consider to give a jump-start to your gardening experience. The benefits of raised beds There are many reasons to use... Continue Reading →
How to be more efficient and effective
Market Gardening has become the craze. Do a quick search on the subject and you'll probably find someone boasting about how you can make six figures growing vegetables in your front yard. We started down the path that eventually led us to market gardening long before we knew about pioneers like Jean Martin Fortier and... Continue Reading →
I wasn't always a fan of kale. As a matter of fact, I always associated the taste of kale with dirty feet. It wasn't until we started to grow our own that I really started to appreciate kale for what it is. Kale is a super food packed with so many nutrients like Vitamin K,... Continue Reading →
Well, spring arrived here in Iowa...and then it quickly slipped back into winter. The last couple days temps have plummeted back down to the high thirties. It was seventy-five last weekend, just to give you perspective. And while the rain is keeping us out of the fields, it is a necessary blessing. The radish, carrot... Continue Reading →
I've been thinking about ways we can extend our growing season. Why wait to plant in May when we can plant lettuce and other cold weather crops in March? And what about harvesting kale and Brussel sprouts in December or January? So I started building these cold frames that fit over the raised beds. They... Continue Reading →
So we're starting to figure some things out. When we first started this adventure last year, we only had a vague idea of what we wanted to do with our acreage. We had a vision, a dream, but the details of how that dream would evolve into reality were pretty soft and vague.... Continue Reading →