October in the garden always feels a little bittersweet to me. The cool mornings, shorter days, and colorful leaves make it clear that the season is winding down, even as peppers make one last heroic effort, hardy greens thrive in the cooler weather, and root vegetables wait patiently beneath the soil. I find myself lingering a little longer during my garden rounds, knowing there won’t be too many more mornings spent wandering among the beds before frost changes everything.  READ MORE 

October always brings me back to the harvest festival in Sudbury Valley, Massachusetts an annual celebration centered on two of Summer’s greatest gifts: corn and tomatoes.  READ MORE 

A journey through the seasons as we cultivate pumpkins, harvest their bounty, and transform their seeds into savory Autumn treats, with practical advice on selecting the best varieties and crafting enticing spice blends for the perfect roasted seed.  READ MORE 

This time of year, leaves are hot stuff in Vermont, since our pitiful tax base – otherwise fueled by cheese, maple syrup, skiers, and desperation – gets a solid boost from visiting leaf peepers. At a guess, 2.5 million tourists pour into Vermont every Fall to look at leaves, an influx that makes it next to impossible to make a restaurant reservation or turn left at any Vermont crossroad during the month of October.  READ MORE 

Sooner or later, all those people who claim to be gardeners (or Italian) have to grow their own fresh, vine-ripened Summer tomatoes. (Unless they live in Arizona, southern California, Texas, Florida, or some other godforsaken place so hot they have to grow tomatoes over the Winter and then live in deep holes in the sand all Summer to escape the heat, like toads and people who make up cellular-phone calling plans.)  READ MORE 

In the heartwarming glow of Autumn, there's hardly a figure more iconic than the Great Pumpkin from the beloved TV special, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" This classic piece of animation not only captures the essence of Fall but also echoes the anticipation and delight that comes with the season.  READ MORE 

Dear God, We thank Thee for the blessing of Thy harvest and for the abundance of all Thy Glory, Thy zucchini and Thy tomatoes. We praise Thee and do not question, Lord, why in Thy fathomless wisdom Thou blessest zucchini and tax collectors when Thou could bestow equally Thy Grace upon asparagus and poets.  READ MORE 

Shep Ogden, the fellow who started The Cook’s Garden seed company, happened to drop by last Summer, the day after the neighbor’s cows broke through the fence and chomped all my two-foot corn plants down to three-inch ones. I was, at the time, definitely not a happy gardener.  READ MORE 

There’s a particular morning every October when I step outside with my coffee and realize the garden has changed overnight. It’s not necessarily the first frost. It’s not even the first really cold morning. It’s just a feeling. The air smells different.  READ MORE 

Few images express the generosity of the harvest as perfectly as the cornucopia. A curved horn overflowing with fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains, and nuts seems to say that the garden has given us more than we can possibly hold.  READ MORE 

When I was young, Winter squash puzzled me. I understood Summer squash. It grew in Summer, and we ate it in Summer. But “Winter squash” appeared to be a whole parade of vegetables: round ones, long ones, smooth ones, bumpy ones, green ones, orange ones, and even blue ones.  READ MORE 

If Autumn’s harvest festivals leave you wishing you could bring some of that color and abundance home, make room in next year’s garden for miniature corn. These diminutive varieties produce ears that may be small enough to fit in your hand, but they can deliver an impressive mixture of beauty, flavor, and old-fashioned harvest fun.  READ MORE 

If you’re reading this in your garden, that’s ideal. If you’re singing it aloud with gusto, even better. And if you happen to be carrying a trowel as you sing, you’re officially part of the choir.  READ MORE 

I used to believe that my garden slept at night. The crickets chirped their tireless songs, owls hooted from somewhere in the trees, and that was the extent of nocturnal life or so I thought. But one moonlit evening, I discovered that my garden had been keeping secrets from me all along.  READ MORE 

The pumpkin sits in the corner, silent and still, waiting for the One Big Night—its night—to awaken from quiet slumber and become its true self. I will be there to assist in its transformation, sharpened blade in hand, ready when the muffled cries for release escape from within those thick, orange walls.  READ MORE 

The first apron smelled like thyme and old cotton. I found it at the bottom of Aunt Lou’s sewing drawer, tucked beneath brittle seed packets and a tangle of yellowed paper. The denim was softened by years of wear, its pockets stained a deep brown—maybe from tomatoes, maybe from dirt and sun. Along the hem, stitched in tiny, patient letters, it read.  READ MORE 

April 3 – Grand Beginnings This morning, I began starting seeds. Tomatoes, cucumbers, kale plus one row of heirloom eggplant for flair. I lined them up on the sunny windowsill like tiny green soldiers preparing for battle.  READ MORE 

As long as a sturdy pane of glass separates us, I can appreciate nature’s wonders like the spider spinning her masterpiece on the other side of my kitchen window. But if she were to crawl on me? Well, let’s just say my impromptu “Creepy Crawlie Dance” would rival any jitterbug routine, complete with frantic swatting and flailing arms.  READ MORE 

We board our horses at a local barn where we take riding lessons. The other day, I learned something so exciting I couldn't wait to get home and tell my husband. "I was talking to this lady at the barn today, and she told me that you can use goats to clear blackberries," I told him. We have a lot of blackberries and such taking over our property.  READ MORE 

Arthur Minick, my grandfather, had a cellar dug in 1936 to store eggs from the hens that clucked above it. My Uncle Harry, the oldest of the four Minick boys, recalls—his first memory—the huge explosion of dynamite that blew out the rock. Once the excavator finished, masons laid the block and carpenters framed, sided, and roofed.  READ MORE 

My grandmother used to love gardening. She lived alone in a rather small house here in Jorvas, Finland (“the cottage,” we used to call it), but had a fairly large garden which she nurtured almost like a much-loved child. She spent hours caring for it every day.  READ MORE 

My home state of Washington is justly famous as the birthplace of Boeing, Starbucks, Amazon, Microsoft, Bing Crosby, and about a gazillion apples. But the state never has received proper recognition for our biggest accomplishment: the Mega Slug.  READ MORE 

If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping outside your kitchen door to pluck fresh herbs for your culinary creations, or if you’ve been curious about the historical and cultural significance of herbs in American life, Herb Gardening in America is the guidebook you’ve been waiting for.  READ MORE 

Welcome, dear readers, to a culinary journey that celebrates the magic of garden-fresh ingredients and time-honored family recipes. In this collection, we are delighted to share with you the treasured dishes that have been passed down through our family for generations, each lovingly refined and perfected over the decades.  READ MORE 

Growing up in a suburban neighborhood just outside Sacramento, California, I was fortunate to have a professional chef as my father. He wasn't just a master in the kitchen; he was also an avid gardener who transformed our backyard into a lush oasis of fresh vegetables and herbs.  READ MORE 

Once upon a time in the vast, untamed plains of Texas, a group of rugged cowboys roamed the land with their trusty steeds. These cowboys, known for their grit and determination, also had a surprisingly keen sense of culinary adventure. Among them was a legendary cook named Buck, who could turn the simplest ingredients into hearty, flavorful meals.  READ MORE 

Once upon a time, in the rolling hills of the Scottish Highlands, a shepherd named Angus discovered the secret to happiness: a hearty bowl of lamb stew. Angus, known for his thick brogue and even thicker beard, spent his days tending to his flock of sheep and his evenings concocting culinary masterpieces over an open fire.  READ MORE 

Nestled in the woods of Plymouth, Massachusetts, on a charming dirt road, stands what some claim to be the oldest English-speaking tavern in North America. This historic tavern, with its creaky wooden floors and the scent of the sea lingering in the air, has been a gathering place for locals and travelers alike for centuries.  READ MORE 

Once upon a time in the burgeoning culinary landscape of America, a humble yet hearty soup was born. It all started with the early European settlers who brought with them their cherished recipes and culinary traditions. Among these was a simple, nutritious, and beloved dish: broccoli soup.  READ MORE 

In the heart of the Sacramento Valley, where winter's chill was more of a gentle reminder than a biting cold, our family Garden thrived. The frosty nights kept farmers on their toes, but the relatively mild climate allowed us to harvest bountiful crops, especially tomatoes, well into the fall.  READ MORE 

Imagine the rolling waves of the open sea, the crisp salt air filling your lungs, and the camaraderie of fellow sailors as you embark on yet another voyage aboard the mighty USS Enterprise. As a lifelong sailor, I've always found comfort in the familiar, and nothing was more comforting on those long journeys than a hearty bowl of navy bean soup.  READ MORE