Farmer Nathan and I love browsing seed catalogs in the winter, dreaming of our summer garden, and possibly getting carried away with our seed orders. (We can’t be the only ones! 😉 ) We’re always excited to try new varieties, colors, and flavors…but some cultivars aren’t happy to meet us and our good and steamy […]
What to look for in seed catalogs – Southern Seed Guide (pt. 1) Read More »
When it comes to growing in the garden, winter always seems to sneak upon us! The refreshing air of October quickly turns into the nippy air of December, and many crops do not like this change. There is nothing like fresh salads, radishes, and kale during the cool fall and winter months. But how can
How to make low tunnels for cheap! Read More »
It’s that time of year again. Fall is in the air..well just a hint of it down here in the South. But all things pumpkin and apple are being celebrated, which means it’s squash season too. The past two years we began growing some of our own winter squash and pumpkins for eating and eco-friendly
How to harvest winter squash for maximum storage life Read More »
Carrots. The base of nearly every soup recipe. Delicious raw with dip or slowly roasted in a glaze. What’s not to love about this versatile and delicious vegetable? Too bad carrot germination isn’t as easy as pie! Over the last few years of trying to grow more carrots and figure out how many we need
Tips to increase carrot germination Read More »
Are weeds just weeds? Weeds in the garden can seem like a never-ending task to deal with. Pulling. Hoeing. Cutting. Ploughing. Chopping. It gets exhausting! Having spent many an hour out in the field pulling those countless weeds, I feel your pain. After a few years of weeding, there are patterns that I began to
What weeds tell you about your soil Read More »
Weed control. One of the banes of vegetable gardening, especially if you want to use organic weed management methods. Thankfully there are some great ways to conquer the weeds! We’ve tried quite a few different methods over the years and have settled on using the weeding tricks and methods below as a sustainable way to
Organic Weed Control in the Vegetable Garden Read More »
Maybe you’ve finally found THE tomato variety of your dreams or maybe you’re just trying to save a little moolah in your seed budget next year. Either way, learning how to save tomato seeds is a great skill to have in your homesteading toolbelt. Why save seeds? Saving seeds is a super economical way to
How to save tomato seeds – Beginner’s Guide Read More »
We are starting our fourth year of growing loofah and we’ve certainly learned a few things on how to grow loofah successfully (and unsuccessfully) from trial and error. Year one, we tried direct sowing in a partial shade location. The vines grew like crazy. All the way to the top of a nearby juniper tree…but
How to grow loofah – Tips to grow your own sponges Read More »
You’ve planted your very first indeterminate tomato plant. You know you need to start pruning your tomato vines…but you’re worried you might accidentally kill your tomato plant. Don’t let fear keep you from snipping away the suckers or taming the vines. This guide will help you learn how to prune tomatoes to keep your vines
How to prune tomatoes and not kill your plant Read More »
You’ve probably seen a myriad of ways to plant potatoes on Pinterest. From pots to wire cylinders, from raised beds, to specially made bags, and the list could go on and on. But you may be wondering how to plant potatoes simply and cheaply. No frills or major upfront investment to get started. Thankfully potatoes
How to plant potatoes – Simple and Cheap Method Read More »