About Don Nicholas

Don Nicholas

Don Nicholas serves as Executive Publisher for Food Gardening Network and GreenPrints. He is an active gardener whose favorite crops include tomatoes, basil, blueberries, and corn. Don and his wife Gail live and work in southern Massachusetts surrounded by forests, family farms, cranberry bogs, and nearby beaches.

Articles by Don Nicholas

Herbs That Make the Loaf

Herbs That Make the Loaf

My father always said, “Beans make the meatloaf, but herbs make it sing.” He meant that no matter how good your base is, the right blend of fresh garden flavor  …
Beans, Glorious Beans!

Beans, Glorious Beans!

If meatloaf really does start in the soil—as my father insisted—then beans are the foundation. They bring the hearty texture, rich flavor, and plant-based protein that make a veggie loaf  …
Growing Meatloaf

Growing Meatloaf

How to Plant a Meatloaf (According to Dad) One sunny April morning, I caught my father kneeling in the bean row with a packet of seeds in one hand and a  …
Stories Rooted in the Soil

Stories Rooted in the Soil

As I begin this collection of stories about gardening and farming across America, I find myself reflecting on how deeply the land has shaped my own life. Like many families  …
A Gardener’s Promise

A Gardener’s Promise

Afterword If you’ve made it this far, you know a secret that many overlook: soil is not just “dirt.” It’s memory, energy, and life itself. It holds the laughter of children  …
Soil Troubleshooting Guide A to Z

Soil Troubleshooting Guide A to Z

No matter how much love and compost you pour into your garden, soil sometimes misbehaves. Plants look yellow, fruit drops early, or herbs refuse to sprout. The good news? Most  …
Soil Life and the Food Web

Soil Life and the Food Web

When you dig into soil, you’re not just handling minerals and organic matter—you’re holding a bustling city of life. Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, insects, and earthworms are all part of  …
Soil pH and Mineral Balance

Soil pH and Mineral Balance

If soil is the body of the garden, then pH is its heartbeat. Too acidic, and certain nutrients are locked away. Too alkaline, and others wash through unused. Striking the  …
Water, Drainage, and Soil Health

Water, Drainage, and Soil Health

Soil is more than dirt—it’s a living sponge. Too much water and it suffocates, too little and it starves. The art of gardening lies in finding that balance. Managing water  …