I seem to always have my mind on spring. It doesn't matter if it's in the middle of winter, or at the end of summer. The next spring planting is never far from my thoughts. I love every minute of the researching, planning and organizing that goes into our garden pre-work each year. Plotting out... Continue Reading →
5 Reasons Why Seeds Don’t Germinate (And What You Can Do About It)
You know that feeling when you plant all the things...but nothing comes up? Spring finally comes after a long winter, and you're anxious to get out to plant the garden. You're looking forward to fresh veggies, and you can almost taste them as you're putting seed in the ground. You plant. You water. You wait.... Continue Reading →
A Complete Guide to Growing Potatoes
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 →
6 Vegetables That We Always Start Indoors
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 →
DIY Hoop Frame For the Raised Beds
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 →
5 tools to invest in this spring
To do a job properly (and efficiently) you need to have the right tools. I've been accumulating several and making a list of others I want or need (or think I need), and thought I'd share some of them here on the blog. Many of these tools will be put to work in our market... Continue Reading →