To all my fans, friends, and readers – I’m letting you know that I accepted a new position and will be leaving my position with WVU Extension Service at the end of the year. Now that all the details have been finalized and all the papers signed, I’d like to share my future plans. My last day with WVU Extension will be January 3, and … Continue reading Announcement: Garden Guru to Go West
There are certainly several flavors that are linked with the celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday. A few of the flavors are native to the United States, or at least the Americas, like cranberries and pumpkin (corn and beans, too). But, most interestingly, the flavors most often associated with the holiday come from warm Mediterranean regions. The main dish (usually turkey) and its accompanying stuffing (or … Continue reading Sage advice for Thanksgiving
They’re delicate, but tough; beautiful, yet crusty. They’re also found almost everywhere, but you probably don’t pay them much attention. They grow in patches on rocks, trees, buildings and just about every other surface. They’re under-researched and misunderstood. Most people probably don’t even know their name, which is lichen, by the way. I’ve written about lichens before (after a trip to Seattle, where they are … Continue reading Lichens: A lesson on how to get along
During the summer, a giant found a home in my garden. Standing tall near the back gate of the house, the green giant reached at least 12 feet in the air — sticking its arms out wildly and looking like it could use a good tidying up. Sure, my giant was unwieldy and perhaps not all that attractive, but it gave me some great treasure … Continue reading Sunchokes – Trendy food from flowers
Some of our pumpkin consumption is purely ornamental — pumpkins to decorate our porches and to carve into spooky or cute characters (more on that in a bit), but 80 percent of the crop grown in the United States is meant for processing into canned pumpkin, manufactured pumpkin foods and more. So only 20 percent of the annual crop doesn’t go into the food system. Continue reading Good eats or evil spirits: Origins of the pumpkins we eat and the ones we don’t
First, when someone hears the term sustainable agriculture, they automatically assume that it means organic or environmentally focused. While environmental stewardship is a part of sustainable agriculture, it is only one area of focus for those who try to educate about the practice. Environmental stewardship is held in balance with economic viability and quality of life. Continue reading A sustainability tour of West Virginia farms
Autumn is probably my favorite season. The cool, crisp air and the colors are definite big reasons, plus it is a season where great things happen — like my birthday. The cool weather last week prompted me to make the final shift between the summer and winter garden. It’s almost like pulling the boxes of winter clothes out of the attic to switch places with … Continue reading Planting garlic, shallots, and perennial onions
As the temperatures cool, it is not too late to plant some leafy greens for overwintering. The key is to grow the plant to a harvestable size before the weather turns totally cold. Most of these plants will survive even a moderate freeze but won’t grow after the temperature gets down to freezing. Continue reading Keep the Garden Going through the Cold Months
Did you know that there are lots of different types of pumpkins — from tiny to giant? While they may all look good sitting on the front porch with some flowers, not all of them are good eating. Continue reading Picking the perfect pumpkin – for carving or for eating
Canning and dehydration are great ways to preserve almost any food — vegetables, fruits and even meats. The Extension Service provides one of the most comprehensive go-to sources of information for home canning and food preservation. Here are some of my recent adventures in home canning and drying. Continue reading Preserving the harvest – canning, drying, freezing
BearlyGrowing 