I finally remembered to harvest my basil before it fully flowered! Before it flowers is supposed to be the best time for catching the flavor when drying. I may have come close last year, but this year was the best I’ve done. The timing of it all was perfect. The sprinklers had been on to give […]
Rich Wants to Know How I Make Cream of Tomato Soup
I am a lazy cook and a picky eater, Rich. When I’m hungry I want to eat NOW and I want what I want. This makes my aversion to processed and pre-packaged foods particularly inconvenient. Most of the time, I don’t like how they taste or how I feel after eating them. It feels like […]
Tips for Dehydrating and Canning Your Garden Tomatoes
If the frost hasn’t hit yet, you are probably torn between 1) wishing your garden would vanish in a swift, complete act of nature and 2) beginning to already mourn the dearth of fresh backyard tomatoes. In our climate, we have to plant for being bombarded with produce so that we can try to preserve […]
What You Need to Know About Backyard Garden Economics
If you ever get frustrated trying to garden, it is because of economics. Really. Your garden is trying to teach you some important lessons, lessons that can help you vote better, make better decisions in spending, and aid you in teaching your children money and time management. Your garden is trying to expose to you […]
My Bread and Butter Pickle Psychosis
(or at least as far as I remember; recipe included) I was sent off to be an illegal farmer worker at the age of 12. Well, at least it would have been illegal by today’s standards. I worked for hours in the hot sun, making just a couple of dollars a day. Never mind that […]