November settles quietly into the garden, wrapping it in a cool, earthy calm. The brilliant colors of October have faded, leaving behind a softer, more reflective beauty—bare branches, rustling leaves, and the first glimmers of frost. It’s a month for tucking things in and buttoning them up: planting garlic, mulching beds, cleaning tools, and giving thanks for the year’s harvest. The pace slows, but the gardener’s heart stays full—because even as the earth rests, we’re already dreaming of what will bloom again come Spring.  READ MORE 

Greetings from the Autumn of 1621! That’s right—your faithful gardening reporter has hitched a ride in a horse-drawn wormhole to bring you a firsthand report from the very first Thanksgiving celebration held right here in Plymouth Colony  READ MORE 

I know you've always imagined it: snow is piling up outside your window, the heating bill is climbing, and you’re already dreaming of Spring. Then you walk into your living room and pluck a perfectly ripe Meyer lemon from a tree that’s been happily growing next to your couch all Winter long.   READ MORE 

Fall in Vermont (at least briefly) is glorious. The air is crisp; the leaves are bright; and the grass has stopped growing, so there’s no need to mow the lawn. Everybody loves October. At a guess, about 2.5 million people visit Vermont in October, thus providing what for us counts as a tax base.  READ MORE 

I was VERY young—4 years old, to be exact – when “Police Scientist” (I always loved that job description) Barry Allen was standing in front of a shelf loaded with chemicals, and a lightning bolt came through the window, hit the shelving, struck Barry, and doused him with the presumably now-electrified chemicals all at the same time.  READ MORE 

The potato. Just the mention of it brings to mind mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, crispy fries on a Summer afternoon, or a steaming baked potato loaded with toppings. For centuries, potatoes have been synonymous with comfort food, sustenance, and even survival.  READ MORE 

She was the most ornery, irritating dog that ever was. She looked like a cross that no breeder ever could have achieved, between a favorite toy . . . and a jackal. She had very large ears, and someone, before we got her, had named her "Rabbit."  READ MORE 

I've always had a special affection for Thanksgiving. It seems to me the gentlest, the kindest of our holidays. There're no glaring red rockets or blowouts on beer. There's not the commercialization of Christmas, when a blizzard of promotion buries the holiday's original purpose. It hasn't been gimmicked up with brash hats and colored eggs like Easter.  READ MORE 

There are several things that signal Autumn to me…colorful leaves tumbling down, brisk mornings that nip at your cheeks, fresh apples in every market, and pumpkins stacked high. As soon as Autumn arrives, so does my urge to fire up the stove. Baking warms the house—and our hearts along with our tummies.  READ MORE 

Snowstorms and BLTs don’t mix—or do they? I used to think that tomato season ended with the last hummingbird flight south, when my garden surrendered to frost and the final, tragic batch of green tomatoes came inside to ripen on the windowsill.  READ MORE 

I have a theory—completely unproven, but delicious to believe: grapefruit was invented for people who need a burst of joy when the world outside is buried under snow. In the short, dark days of January, there’s nothing quite like slicing open a ruby-red grapefruit and releasing that citrusy mist into the kitchen air.  READ MORE 

If there’s one green leafy hero that’s always there for me, it’s basil. Whether it’s the sweet, licorice-scented perfume wafting from my raised beds in July or the perky little leaves thriving on my kitchen windowsill in January, basil has become my constant companion, culinary muse, and occasional air freshener.  READ MORE 

I took the dusty glass jar from the basement shelf, the bean seeds inside rattling like a forgotten memory. My heart dipped as I realized that I hadn’t planted the seeds last year. These weren’t just any beans—they were Italian heirloom seeds from my grandpa.  READ MORE 

There’s something undeniably enchanting about watching the snow blanket the world in quiet beauty—unless, of course, you're scraping it off your car and inching your way to work on slippery streets. But for those of us lucky enough to be nestled in our recliners, sipping a hot cup of coffee, we get to enjoy the scene guilt-free.  READ MORE 

Like all great artists, the weather has its temperamental moments. Some days, your garden seems bathed in the brilliance of a Summer sun, while others are shrouded in gloomy grey clouds—perfect for sighing dramatically and staring out the window. But what’s a gardener to do when inspiration (and sunshine) fail to show up? Grow scallions, of course!  READ MORE 

The story of the Gardens of Happiness began when we moved into a charming home in California nestled in a safe, welcoming neighborhood. To my delight, the backyard revealed a hidden treasure: a cinder-block walled garden.  READ MORE 

The day greeted me with a crisp, sunny Fall morning—a perfect invitation to tackle a long-awaited gardening project. Brimming with determination (and a touch of self-righteous zeal), I donned my gardening clothes, fortified myself with tea and toast, and set off with a bucket, gloves, a trusty spade, and a bag of 50 daffodil bulbs.  READ MORE 

It all began with a small, cracked walnut lying on my kitchen counter—a leftover from Aunt Millie’s baking. As I turned it over in my hand, an idea sparked: Why not grow a walnut tree?  READ MORE 

If laughter could kill, my mother and I wouldn’t have survived to share this story! One sunny day, we found ourselves doubled over on the living room sofa, unable to catch our breath from laughing so hard. It all started innocently enough—our morning routine of gardening, a curious toddler, and an equally curious pup named Possum Marie.  READ MORE 

It has always been a mystery to me: how do farmers manage to grow carrots that are perfectly straight, single-rooted, and almost uniform in shape and size, when carrots, given the choice, would much rather do something else?  READ MORE 

At first glance, gardening seems simple enough—dig, plant, water, wait. But anyone who’s ever knelt in the dirt knows better. Gardening is less a tidy pastime and more an ongoing improvisation: part comedy, part tragedy, part history, with the gardener cast as both director and bewildered understudy.   READ MORE 

As someone who cherishes Thanksgiving as the most food-focused holiday of the year, I am thrilled to share with you a selection of recipes that have become staples at my family’s Thanksgiving table.   READ MORE 

Once upon a time in the cozy little town of Plymouth, there was a Thanksgiving feast to be planned, and one dish was set to be the star of the show: the perfect green bean casserole.   READ MORE 

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 

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 

In the realm of my father's culinary wizardry, a delectable spicy cornbread dressing emerged. Far from the ordinary Thanksgiving fare, it became a celebration of flavors   READ MORE 

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