Food Gardening Network

Growing food, fun & more

November 2024

At The Gate

November is a month for thankfulness. Each day, I make it a point to note at least one thing I am grateful for during this month. Sometimes, it’s something as small as a hot cup of coffee and a peaceful morning. Other times, it’s more significant, like the time I was thankful for the town police and fire department who came to my "rescue" after I locked my keys in my running car.  READ MORE right arrow

Club Notes

The Great Indoors

As the days grow shorter and the chill of Winter starts nipping at our noses, a delightful trend is blossoming in households across America: indoor gardening. Yes, folks, our gardens are no longer confined to the great outdoors!  READ MORE right arrow

Potatoes on Mars

In Andy Weir’s The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney, victim of a freak accident, has been left for dead on Mars. Now 140 million miles from home, stranded and incommunicado, but very much alive, he has to figure out how to survive on his own for four years.  READ MORE right arrow

An Apple a Day?

In the crisp, refreshing days of Autumn, there’s perhaps no fruit more emblematic of the season than the humble apple. Whether bobbing for them at harvest festivals or biting into a perfectly ripe one on a cool afternoon, apples are a timeless symbol of the changing seasons.  READ MORE right arrow

Plants Behind Glass

Bringing the garden inside is not a new idea. In the little city courtyards of Pompeii, frescoes enlarged the space with painted trees, flowers, and birds. In the Arabian deserts, nomadic tribes would remind themselves of oasis gardens by spreading ornate carpets, patterned and quartered like oriental gardens, on the hot, sandy floors of tents.  READ MORE right arrow

(almost) Ground Zero

We interrupt our regularly scheduled garden story . . . because we have been severely interrupted ourselves. By Hurricane Helene. North Carolina’s Asheville—and our outlying community of Fairview—were the areas hardest hit by that monstrous tropical storm. We were featured on the national news for days in a row.  READ MORE right arrow

PLANTS WE LOVE

Mint Madness

Ah, mint. The herb that brings freshness to your dishes, zest to your beverages, and chaos to your garden! My journey with mint began as a child, assisting my father, a professional chef, in our family garden.   READ MORE right arrow

The Great Cilantro Chronicles

In the lush, verdant world of Don Nicholas’s garden, there exists a plant that has baffled and bewitched me for years: cilantro. While I’ve had the pleasure of cultivating everything from tomatoes that seem to grow bigger than my head to basil that practically sings in the Summer sun, cilantro and I have been locked in a tumultuous dance.  READ MORE right arrow

Bountiful Basil

I’ve always had a soft spot for basil. There’s something magical about this herb that brings a touch of Summer to every dish and garden.  READ MORE right arrow

STORIES FROM THE GARDEN

Botanical Elocution

The nurserywoman approached me and asked, “May I help you?” I replied, “Yes. Can you direct me to your hostas?” “Our hostas are over here,” she said, leading the way.  READ MORE right arrow

Battling for Lemons

In the sunny backyard of my family home in California, there stood a proud lemon tree—a dwarf in name, but a giant in stature, towering over us at 10-feet tall. With its dense foliage resembling a green cupcake speckled with yellow sprinkles, it was a sight to behold.   READ MORE right arrow

Flourishing in Winter

In the depths of Winter, amidst the challenges of adapting to a new climate and lifestyle, I found solace and inspiration by surrounding myself with the beauty of nature. Having grown up on a tropical island, the transition to a Winter wonderland was daunting, but I was determined to keep the spirit of my island home alive within my new surroundings.  READ MORE right arrow

Plant At Your Own Risk

Thirty years ago, my husband Kim and I moved into a new home, our blank-slate yard a vast expanse of dirt. Eager to create a lush, colorful garden, I hastily planted a border with two rosebushes, a bougainvillea, and some donated yellow cannas.  READ MORE right arrow

The Legacy of Three Rosebushes

Growing up in Trenton, Michigan, our house was always adorned with a particular charm—a solitary rosebush, steadfast against the side of our home. Its blooms, a radiant crimson, seemed to glow even brighter under the sun.  READ MORE right arrow

The Blueberry Battlefield

The morning ritual of adding a handful of blueberries to my Frosted Flakes was more than just a breakfast routine; it was a symbolic gesture, a tribute to the fallen soldiers of my backyard battleground – the Blueberry Bushes.  READ MORE right arrow

A Garden-Variety Love Story

Our porch is now enclosed with windows to keep the rain, wind, and eventual snow out. This also gives my flowers one more month of normal moisture and warmth – if the sun cooperates.  READ MORE right arrow

Message from a Guava

In the bustling cities of India, gardening is not just a hobby; it's an adventure. Every dedicated gardener battles pollution, mischievous animals, and even human skeptics who see plants as nuisances. Growing up, gardening was a family affair for us.  READ MORE right arrow

GARDEN TO TABLE JOURNEYS

Dad’s Orange Cranberry Relish

Growing up in the Sacramento Valley, our family was blessed with a garden that yielded fresh produce year-round. Our bountiful cranberry harvest, combined with the zesty citrus from our neighbors' trees, resulted in a cranberry citrus relish that has been a family staple for decades.  READ MORE right arrow

A New England Thanksgiving Tale

Thanksgiving in New England has always been a cherished tradition for our family, filled with warmth, laughter, and an abundance of delicious food. Growing up at the knee of a professional chef, I've spent countless hours in the kitchen experimenting with various recipes and techniques.  READ MORE right arrow

The Origins of Pilgrim Pumpkin Pie

Once upon a time, on the edge, of a new and unexplored land, the Pilgrims settled in Plymouth. It was their first Thanksgiving after a harsh winter, and they were keen to celebrate their survival and newfound friendship with the Wampanoag tribe.  READ MORE right arrow

Letters to GreenPrints

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