The Irish know a thing or two about potatoes. Like the old wisdom of planting potatoes on Good Friday. Whether doing so actually brings luck, I can't tell you. But it's usually our goal to start getting our potatoes in the ground by then. Will you be planting potatoes this year? Growing potatoes is easy... 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 →
I used to dream of owning several greenhouses. Large, beautiful caterpillar shaped vessels filled with flower and vegetable starts. Can you picture them? I still dream about them. But this just isn't in the cards for us quite yet. Dreams must yield to reality. A proper greenhouse is still very much in our plans, but... Continue Reading →
January in Iowa. Yes it's cold. Yes there is snow on the ground. Yes the wind is blowing so hard it feels like it will bite through your clothes and right into your soul. April can feel so far away this time of year, but January is an important month for us still. This is... Continue Reading →
The warm days of summer might very well be behind us for now, but there are still plenty of things that need to be done in the garden. And if you’re like me, this is good news! I love the fall months for their rich change in color, crisp evenings and moderately warm afternoons. But... 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 →