When Falling in the Garden Isn’t the End
As I get older, I'm getting keenly aware that my body isn't going to stand (literally) for what I'm used to putting it through, whether it's squatting to pick up …
gardener
A Beginner’s Guide To Gardening With Hoses
A hose is a hose. Right? When I started gardening, there was no beginner's guide to gardening that had much to say about hoses. My "lesson" involved going to the …
Can You Eat Green Tomatoes Raw or Are They Toxic?
Can you eat green tomatoes? Raw? Cooked? Diced into a salsa? Oh, this question is as old as time. What else would we bicker about at our gardening clubs, if …
Tips and Tales from the New Age of Small Farm Living
In a world where tomatoes are shipped thousands of miles, and honey often hides behind syrupy imposters, small farmers are bringing food production back to the backyard—or at least the …
How to Repel Rabbits from Plants
Rabbits are the most adorable little critters. They twitch their little noses and hop around, making the world around them seem like an idyllic meadow, even if you’re in an …
Banana Peppers: A Love Story Between a Gardener, a Sandwich, and a Surprisingly Prolific Plant
A long time ago—back when Subway sandwich shops seemed like the height of lunch sophistication—I discovered banana peppers.
At the time, my routine was simple: walk to the neighborhood Subway for …
Autumn Chores
When I lived in Italy, all the women vigorously Spring-cleaned their houses before Easter. When the houses were spanking clean, the priest would come to them and bless them. Of …
The Perilous Pepper Parade
One fine Spring, feeling bold and adventurous, I decided to grow an assortment of peppers—everything from sweet bell peppers to feisty jalapeños, along with a few exotic ones with names …
Tussie-mussie and Timeless Traditions
Sally’s party was the stuff of Summer dreams. Her Maine island cottage was alive with oldies blaring from a stereo perched on the deck, the tantalizing scent of barbecue mingling …
How I Became a Sunflower Salesman (By Accident)
Verne, a retired timber faller and stalwart of the church, had started the garden on church-owned land with a noble mission: to donate fresh veggies to the local food bank. …
