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Plant this NOW!Have you heard about Parsley Pea??One of our favorite plants to grow, parsley pea is a botanical wonder!  Parsley peas produce exaggerated tendrils that fan out into delicious fern-like foliage that can be eaten fresh, added to salads, or sauteed.  These tendrils resemble sprouts in flavor and texture and can be added to salads or sandwiches.  A small area produces masses of these delicious greens. Technically a snap pea, this curious pea is typically grown for its edible tendrils, leaflets, and flowers. Harvest whole plants, or cut tendrils above the first node and get a second growth. Plants will produce...

We know how it is.You're too busy to garden. Life happened and you haven't gotten anything planted yet. We still want you to have fresh produce from your backyard all summer long!That's why we've picked 5 low-maintenance crops you can plant NOW:1.  Ethiopian Kale-  More adaptable than traditional kale, Ethiopian kale can thrive in low water and still tastes great2.  Alice Sunshine Green Bean-  Easy to grow multi-purpose (green or dry) bean3.  Little Marvel Shelling Pea- No trellis needed, quick to harvest, early and cute4.  Yukon Chief Sweet Corn- A quick, short statured sweet corn from the north5.  Lemon Cucumber- A farmer's...

Two years ago Homero Gomez, a leading activist for monarch butterflies in Mexico, was found dead in a well in Michoacan.  Homero was an outspoken advocate for the monarch and fought for the protection of their vital overwintering habitat in Michoacan state, where millions of butterflies journey each year from Canada seeking the shelter and warmth of old-growth trees.  Though cause of death is still not known, Gomez disappearance one week prior to his death led to speculation of his being a target of illegal logging operations in the area.   Michoacan state is home to Mexico's largest butterfly reserve, El...

Mayflower Dry Bean   What a gorgeous little dry bean! The burgundy color on one side fading to cream on the other is at once rustic and cosmic. Named such because it arrived in the Americas on the Mayflower in the 1620s, this bean also goes by the names 'Red Nightfall', 'Cutshort', and 'Cornfield'.   This pole bean did well in my field and was quite productive. The main downside to this variety is its lateness; the 110 days I had this in the ground were not enough for the whole crop to dry down. We have dry enough falls...

Do you find yourself looking out at grass where you would love to see fresh tomatoes and lettuce growing, pollinators flying, and your children picking peas?  Clueless as to where to begin in achieving that dream though?  Turning sod or neglected soil into a thriving vegetable garden can seem intimidating, but with one weekend's work you can be well on your way to that garden of your dreams! Before we bought our farm, we cut our teeth in part by gardening in yards and on vacant lots- really anywhere we were allowed.  I have transitioned lawns, weed patches, and super-compacted-clay-dust-bowls...