Let me start off by saying I really like this book. Although the info sheet that accompanies The Vegetable Garden Pest Bookby Susan Mulvihill talks about climate change and newly invasive pests that attack edibles, most of what’s inside are the same pests and the same problems I’ve been dealing with in my Mid-Atlantic vegetable garden for decades. But that’s a quibble with the info sheet rather than the book itself, which is a terrific tool for almost anyone who works to produce food from their little bit of earth.
Category Archives: Food News
Planting Garlic in Faith
Two days ago, I planted half of the hardneck garlic I intend to put in this year. I had chosen a bed that hadn’t held any last season and yanked out the desiccated tomato plants (we picked our last green ones, which are turning red on the porch as I write, about five days ago)Continue reading “Planting Garlic in Faith”
WHY Would You Graft Tomatoes?!
When I first heard of grafted tomato plants, I thought: Grafting? Of annuals? Really? Grafting woody perennials, yes. The time, attention and effort required to produce a successful graft rewards us with years of fruit (trees) and/or beauty (think: roses). But all that work for the tender stems of tomato plants that only lastContinue reading “WHY Would You Graft Tomatoes?!”
Grow What You Love to Eat*
It’s slightly more complicated than your fourth grade biology project, but a whole lot more rewarding: starting your own garden plants from seed indoors. “It’s a lot of fun,” says veteran gardener Tina Beneman. “There’s nothing more exciting than seeing the seeds sprout, especially when everything outside is dormant and gray.” For years Beneman hasContinue reading “Grow What You Love to Eat*”
Pulling Supper Off The Shelves
One of the reasons I love to can is the bounty you end up with in the dead of winter. As long as there are jars of last year’s produce safely tucked away on the pantry shelves, I feel safe (smug even) when the weatherman starts talking about Snowmageddon and urges everyone to rush outContinue reading “Pulling Supper Off The Shelves”
Zucchini Latkes Recipe
This is for Bonnie, who asked for the recipe after I mentioned it on Midday with Dan Rodricks a couple of days ago. sorry I don’t have a picture of the finished product for you, (I’m currently thinking about ice latte for breakfast), but if I did, it would be little pancake-y things browned withContinue reading “Zucchini Latkes Recipe”
Pumpkin Brulee Pie
I’ve done it again. Or rather, I’ve not done it – AGAIN! Taken pictures of food. We grow, harvest, cook and eat, but always, in the midst of wine and men and women, and laughter and conversation, I forget to get the digital camera out and record it for posterity, or at least for GrowContinue reading “Pumpkin Brulee Pie”
Blessings from The Compost Pile
I love compost. I do. It’s rich, dark, earthy-smelling and gives me a sense of being part of the cycle of life. It’s a great addition to the garden beds, but it’s also, often, another inadvertent growing medium – as it was for us this summer. Last fall, I bought two Long Island Cheese pumpkinsContinue reading “Blessings from The Compost Pile”
Pests in a Packed House
It’s still cold as I write this (at least ten degrees below ‘normal’). I went out with the 75-pound puppy and played catch (actually it’s more like keep-away since once he gets the ball, he spends most of the time teasing me with it), and watched the sun try to melt the frost off everythingContinue reading “Pests in a Packed House”
Turnips for The Year of The Root Crop
I don’t really know who makes these declarations — I hope they don’t clog up an already clogged Congress to get something like The Official Year of The Root Crop powered through — but it is, officially, somehow, The Year of The Root Crop. It’s a good thing, since little by little, we as aContinue reading “Turnips for The Year of The Root Crop”
Nancy Taylor Robson 