cold climate gardening

How I Established My Native Wildflower Garden

Despite a bumper crop of raspberries and tomatoes starting to produce, it’s not all unicorns and butterflies over here on the homestead. Weekday harvests in the food forest have been interrupted by the background noise of earthmoving machines.  You may recall that to make way for a new development, a substantial wildlife corridor was taken down …

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Q&A with Kareen – How do I prevent bitter cucumbers?

There’s nothing more disappointing then putting your time and energy into growing vegetables that don’t taste great. After all, the reason you have a garden is to enjoy that delicious juicy tomato or that crisp cucumber. So it’s heartbreaking when, after a season of watering, weeding and care, you bite into that luscious cucumber and …

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How I Use My Chickens to Prep New Garden Beds

Chickens are one of the easier and more useful animals to have in your backyard gardens. In permaculture, they are often the example of “each element performing multiple functions.” In other words, having chickens as part of your backyard ecosystem accomplishes several functions at once. Not only can they provide you with eggs and meat …

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Q&A with Kareen – What native plants grow in a cold climate?

Since planting season is underway, this week’s Q&A with Kareen is especially timely and all about native plants. Sam asks what native plants grow in a cold climate and I share some of the shrubs and wildflowers that I have growing in my front yard.  Sam’s question is especially relevant since last month, the members …

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