Last week was all about cover-cropping the garden here at Runamuk. The chickens had completed their work and I had my new broadfork, along with some seed to put down; there’s something particularly intimate and romantic about working soil, so I was especially jacked up for the project. Aside from the continued focus on the Runamuk apiary, getting the chickens… Read more »
Potatoes are one of the easiest crops to produce and gardeners can grow their own potatoes using the trench and hill method, even in a first-year garden. I don’t know about your household, but for ours potatoes are a staple in the pantry, and we go through a LOT of potatoes! Thankfully they’re easy to grow, mercifully reliable, and they… Read more »
Potential new beekeepers often ask me what are the essential tools needed to get started in beekeeping? What do I really need? Beekeeping is a big expense up front, and it can be 2 years sometimes before you see a return on that investment. People usually want to know which tools they absolutely have to have, and which ones they… Read more »
Each winter, as we work to grow our apiary to the goal of 100 hives, I closely monitor the condition of our hives throughout the course of the long winter. After each big snow, I make this trek out across pastures to ensure the entrances are clear for my girls. I take advantage of the rare warm days to pop… Read more »
One of the great things about growing shoots is that it’s so versatile! You don’t need expensive equipment to get started, and most of the required components you probably already have on hand. Sure, there are commercially made germination trays you can purchase, but if you’re not ready to fully commit money to supplies for shoot-production or if you’re short… Read more »
Supply your household with a source of fresh, leafy green vegetables this winter by learning how to grow your own shoots indoors. If you’ve never tried it, I’m offering you the perfect opportunity to try it now and see how easy it really is. Join me in my #WinterGrowingChallenge and grow shoots through the winter this season. I’ve assembled this… Read more »
I am so pumped about this whole Winter Growing Challenge that I want every household to do this with me and I’m going to give you 13 reasons to grow your own shoots. By doing this together we can encourage the people around us to eat healthier too; we can inspire our friends and family to make a conscious choice… Read more »
There were 9.5 hours of daylight yesterday. Here in Maine the Persephone Days have begun. If Halloween festivities and the celebration of Samhain weren’t enough to indicate the turning of the Wheel of the Year, day light savings really drives the message home. Darkness descends upon the landscape right now at 4:30 in the afternoon, cutting the days dramatically short,… Read more »
Having spent several years now pouring over real estate listings in search of my own forever farm, I have become painfully aware of the cost of farmland. Farmland prices are rising, and good land for farming is becoming increasingly scarce. This has serious implications for the future of the nation’s farm economy and farm system, but also for America’s agricultural… Read more »
It’s mid-August already, but there’s still time to sow a number of different vegetables for a winter harvest. If you’re growing your own food for your family or for market, you’ll want to take advantage of the remaining season and get these crops in the ground right away. If you haven’t tried it yet, seize the opportunity and overwinter a… Read more »