Food

Poison Apples?

Welcome back to my bi-weekly rant on the ever-popular and increasingly necessary Off the Grid site. I’d like to take a moment to thank Bill, Brian, Jeramy, Hanne, and the rest of the crew here [ … ]

Planting And Caring For Strawberries

Strawberries are a family favorite for many and can be easily grown and cared for. This year I planted my first patch since buying my home two years ago. Years ago I cared for strawberry [ … ]

Raspberries are a versatile, small fruit that can be used fresh, baked in pies and pastries, and canned for winter use as jams and preserves. These beautiful little gems can be grown at elevations as high as 7,000 feet, although it may be necessary to protect your canes from the rigors of winter if you live in a cold, blustery climate. [ … ]

Growing Your Own Popcorn

Popcorn has more than 100 strains that vary in flavor, tenderness, presence, color, shape, and hulls. Regardless of the color of the kernel, once popped, all corn is white – don’t let commercial cheese or colorings fool you. There are two strains of corn most often chosen for popping—mushroom and snowflake. Mushroom pops small and round and is preferred by companies that make caramel corn. Snowflake pops up large and fluffy. It is served at the movies and sold for home use. [ … ]

Growing Beautiful Melons

Melons have been enjoyed for more than 4,000 years. They originated in the hot valleys of southwest Asia, specifically in India and Iran. Early American settlers grew honeydew and casaba melons from seed brought with them from home as early as the 1600s. The first mention of melons in recorded history was found in John Ayto’s Dictionary of Word Origins in 1395. It suggests that the word was derived from the word Melos (the Greek Cyclades Islands, best known for… [ … ]

The Beet Family

Some of you probably looked at the title of today’s column and cringed a bit as you remembered those nasty beets you faced in school cafeterias or were served from a can. That’s also a shame. Beets got a bad reputation with many people because they’ve never had them prepared properly. We’ll get back to that point in a few moments. As part of my continuing series on vegetable families, I’d like to introduce you to the beet family. [ … ]

Organic Weed Control

There are many reasons for killing weeds organically besides just environmental concerns—asthma, allergies, children, and pets. Whatever your reason, chemical-free weed control is possible. We can provide you with several options for combating the weeds [ … ]

Beautiful and Edible Ground Covers

I have found that there are a couple reasons that one might like to plant a ground covering that is edible. The first is that you have a small yard or garden plot and want [ … ]

The Kitchen Herb Garden

Start building your herb beds with whatever bed style that you like best. Clear the bed of any weeds and debris that may have accumulated over the winter. With your hand cultivator – claw – [ … ]

Lettuce Has Cousins?

Folks who prefer scientific lingo put lettuce in the Asteraceae family. As I mentioned in my last column, this giant clan includes hundreds of flowers, numerous weeds, all of your popular lettuces, and a few [ … ]

Study Reviews The Culprits Behind Dying Bees

Since about 2006, farmers, scientists, beekeepers, and casual observers have noticed sudden declines in bee populations. Beekeepers were seeing at least 30 percent of their bee populations die or disappear each year. Scientists began calling [ ... ]
Five Secrets to a Productive Garden

If you’re considering a food garden as part of your long range emergency preparedness plans, the number one piece of advice you need embrace is: “Do your research.” The rules for successful gardening are very [ ... ]
Beautiful and Edible Ground Covers

I have found that there are a couple reasons that one might like to plant a ground covering that is edible. The first is that you have a small yard or garden plot and want [ ... ]
How To Make Your Own Essential Oils and Perfumes

Making essential oils is done by extracting the natural oils from herbs and/or flowers. These extractions can be made with oils or alcohol. Extracting Oils with Oil Oil attracts oil, bringing it out of the [ ... ]