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My Garden / Recipes

When Life Gives You Pears… Make a Mess

asian pears cut up on a countertop

It’s that time of year again when the kitchen fills with the sights and smells of freshly picked Asian pears. The baskets are overflowing, the counters are covered, and the rhythm of slice, core, and stir sets the pace for the afternoon. There’s something deeply satisfying about the simple ritual of putting up fruit.

This batch of pears will soon become pear butter. I’m thinking maybe some crisps for the next batch. Those make great holiday gifts. But for now, … Read More

One of My Favorite Times of Year

asian pears in a wicker basketEvery year, I look forward to this exact moment. Walking out to the backyard and picking the first Asian pears off the trees I planted years ago. You’d think I was harvesting a rare delicacy from some secret orchard in the Himalayas. Nope. Just me, standing in the grass in my bare feet, grinning like I’ve won the produce lottery.

There’s something about that crisp snap when you bite into an Asian Pear that makes all the tending worthwhile. Sweet, … Read More

Summer’s Unfolding

The cherries are ripe and ready for picking in the food forest, each one a small burst of sweetness and color. The mulberries are not far behind, still blushing their way toward deep purple perfection. Overhead, sunlight streams through slow-moving clouds.

This is the gentle unfolding of summer. Not a sudden arrival, but a gradual opening. A quiet reminder to savor what ripens in its own time.

Ripe—Cherries

cherry bush with loads of cherries

Almost Ripe—Mulberries (with raspberries not far behind)

mulberry tree with almost ripe berries

Magical—Summer Light… Read More

If There Ever Was a Time to Start Growing Your Own Food, That Time is Now.

homegrown organic raspberries and concord grapesUnless you’ve been living under a rock, you, too, are shocked and dismayed at the rapid rise in food costs. But there is a way we can all fight back that’s not only good for our wallets but our bodies, too.

This is one day’s haul from my grape and berry patch: 3.5 lbs of raspberries and 4.75 lbs of Concord grapes.

Let’s do the math.

Today’s price for 6 oz of organic store-bought raspberries is roughly $5.99, and for … Read More

Best Zucchini Recipes

Even if you don’t have your own garden, if your car’s been unlocked, you’ve probably been anonymously gifted with enough zucchini to feed an army. We gardeners like to share the wealth, as it were…

I’m here to help save the day. I have two recipes that are guaranteed to have everyone in your family (even your vegetable-hating kids) loving zucchini and asking for more. No joke.

Without further ado:

zucchini-pie.jpg

Zucchini Cauliflower Pie

I know, it sounds positively awful — … Read More

Gardening When You’re Too Busy & the Best Strawberry Rhubarb Recipe Ever

raised bed gardenI used to have a quarter-acre vegetable garden. Back when I had time. But those days appear to be in the rearview mirror.

So, what’s a dirt lover to do when they don’t have the time to full-on garden?

Go with raised beds and perennials.

Garlic is a given—I’ve been using my own bulbs, which I cultivated starting back when Cait was still a toddler. While not technically a perennial, it’s super easy to grow. Plant in the fall. Harvest … Read More

Abundance of Green Tomatoes and a Great Recipe to Use Them

green tomatoes

I’ve been putting up all the last of my fall crops: Asian pears, pumpkins, concord grapes, raspberries, aaaaaand lots of green tomatoes. Time to get preserving.

I’m not a fried green tomato fan, so I went looking for a recipe for something different. I found Beryl’s Mom’s recipe for pickled tomatoes. It’s a keeper.

Since I’ve got a mix of cherry, Roma, and an heirloom variety that I’ve been growing from seed for so long that I no longer remember … Read More

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