Chelsea Green

urban gardening

Urban Gardening Tips: No Space? No Problem!

By Chelsea Green / March 27, 2024 / Comments Off on Urban Gardening Tips: No Space? No Problem!

Do you want to learn how to transform your balconies and windowsills into productive vegetable gardens? Try urban gardening! Choosing the right crops based on climate and light conditions, along with creating a companion planting strategy to prevent pests and attract pollinators, can help maximize food production with limited space. The following is an excerpt…

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starting plants

Grow Your Own Veg — Starting Plants from Seed

By Chelsea Green / March 20, 2024 / Comments Off on Grow Your Own Veg — Starting Plants from Seed

Growing your own vegetables may be easier than you think! All you need is an indoor or outdoor space & some seeds, and you’ll be starting plants in no time. The following is an excerpt from Fresh Food from Small Spaces by R. J. Ruppenthal. It has been adapted for the web. Starting Plants from Seed…

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preserve

How to Preserve Seasonings: Herbs Today, Preserves Tomorrow

By Chelsea Green / March 11, 2024 / Comments Off on How to Preserve Seasonings: Herbs Today, Preserves Tomorrow

What do you do when you have bunches of herbs reaching maturity at the same time? Preserve them!   Preserving herbs for seasonings involves traditional techniques that use salt, oil, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, and a few other simple ingredients.  The following is an excerpt from Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning. It has been adapted…

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garden planning

Garden Planning: The Most Promising Veggies

By Chelsea Green / March 4, 2024 / Comments Off on Garden Planning: The Most Promising Veggies

Getting ready to do some garden planning? Here are some of the most promising veggies that Eliot Coleman suggests to start with! The following is an excerpt from The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman. It has been adapted for the web. A Guide to Garden Planning When I began farming full-time on my own…

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How to Plan the Best Garden Ever

By Chelsea Green / February 29, 2024 / Comments Off on How to Plan the Best Garden Ever

When you plan out how you want your garden to look and operate, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success. Here are some helpful tips on how to plan the best garden this upcoming growing season! The following excerpt is from The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times by Carol Deppe. It has been…

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making sauerkraut

Making the Best Sauerkraut on Earth in Four Simple Steps: Chop, Salt, Pack, Wait

By Chelsea Green / February 26, 2024 / Comments Off on Making the Best Sauerkraut on Earth in Four Simple Steps: Chop, Salt, Pack, Wait

Make your own delicious, healthy, probiotic sauerkraut! Four easy steps are all you need to turn fresh garden veggies into a long-lasting, tangy, pungent condiment. The following excerpt is from The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz. It has been adapted for the web. 4 Simple Steps to Making Sauerkraut The English language does…

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tomatoes growing

DIY Seed Bank: The Seed Series

By Chelsea Green / February 22, 2024 / Comments Off on DIY Seed Bank: The Seed Series

A do-it-yourself seed bank is simply your own frozen stash of seeds set aside for long-term storage. The best seed banks are located in your own home or neighborhood and contain vigorous, regionally adapted varieties of the crops you already know how to grow and use. The following is an excerpt from The Tao of Vegetable…

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seed saving

8 Seed Saving Myths

By Chelsea Green / February 16, 2024 / Comments Off on 8 Seed Saving Myths

There is a lot of misinformation out there about how to save your seeds. Luckily, we’re here to bust the most popular myths and answer all your questions about seed saving! The following is an excerpt from The Tao of Vegetable Gardening by Carol Deppe. It has been adapted for the web. Myth #1: You…

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tree sap buckets

Maple Syrup 101: Spouts, Tapping, and Trees

By Chelsea Green / February 15, 2024 / Comments Off on Maple Syrup 101: Spouts, Tapping, and Trees

Everything’s better with maple syrup. So what better way to solidify your love for all things maple than to learn how to make it yourself? If you have a couple of trees nearby, we have all the advice you need from spout to syrup! The following is an excerpt from The Sugarmaker’s Companion by Michael…

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Create Your Own Chèvre Using Natural Ingredients

By Chelsea Green / February 7, 2024 / Comments Off on Create Your Own Chèvre Using Natural Ingredients

Making cheese at home may seem like a time and labor-intensive process — but what if you could have a delicious, high-quality cheese that practically made itself? With chèvre, you can. The following recipe for all-natural chèvre will change the way you look at homemade cheese! The following is an excerpt from The Art of…

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Eliot Coleman’s Components of the Winter Harvest

By Chelsea Green / February 6, 2024 / Comments Off on Eliot Coleman’s Components of the Winter Harvest

So you want to start reaping a winter harvest, but you’re not sure where to start? Eliot Coleman breaks down the three basic components of the winter harvest so that this time next year, you’ll be knee-high in produce! (Maybe not knee-high, but you’ll definitely have fresh vegetables!) The following is an excerpt from The…

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salad

How to Grow a Year-Round Indoor Salad Garden

By Chelsea Green / February 5, 2024 / Comments Off on How to Grow a Year-Round Indoor Salad Garden

Does the cold weather have you dreaming about fresh greens and colorful salad? Grow and harvest sprouts indoors to make those dreams a reality! The following is an excerpt from Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening by Peter Burke. It has been adapted for the web. Soil sprouts, microgreens, sprouts, and baby greens are all different versions…

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oyster mushrooms

A Guide to Growing Oyster Mushrooms Indoors

By Chelsea Green / February 2, 2024 / Comments Off on A Guide to Growing Oyster Mushrooms Indoors

What’s so great about oyster mushrooms? First, you can add them to the short list of foods that can be grown indoors! This fungus can grow almost anywhere–from a log to a straw. The following is an excerpt from Fresh Food from Small Spaces by R. J. Ruppenthal. It has been adapted for the web. Oyster…

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Fresh-Fig-Pecan-Bread

Fresh Fig Pecan Bread

By Chelsea Green / February 1, 2024 / Comments Off on Fresh Fig Pecan Bread

This fig pecan bread is a  sweet, delicious, and nutritious side that everyone around the table will enjoy this winter (or maybe you’ll want to keep it all to yourself, we won’t judge). Enjoy! The following is an excerpt from From the Wood-Fired Oven by Richard Miscovich. It has been adapted for the web. What…

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Author Ben Falk

Perennial Power: Why You Need Perennials in Your Garden

By Chelsea Green / January 31, 2024 / Comments Off on Perennial Power: Why You Need Perennials in Your Garden

Keeping up with a garden can be a lot of work; luckily, there’s a secret weapon that will take away some of your stress. Perennials are the perfect addition to any garden, and only have to be planted once a decade! The following is from The Resilient Farm and Homestead, Revised and Expanded Edition by…

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Leeks: The Ultimate Winter Crop

By Chelsea Green / January 26, 2024 / Comments Off on Leeks: The Ultimate Winter Crop

Looking for a veggie to grow and harvest through winter? Try leeks! With some careful planning, a bit of elbow grease, and some insight from Eliot Coleman, you’ll enjoy leeks from your garden all year long. The following is an excerpt fromThe Winter Harvest Handbook by Eliot Coleman. It has been adapted for the web.…

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ricotta

Say Cheese! A Simple & Fast Ricotta Cheese Recipe

By Chelsea Green / January 26, 2024 / Comments Off on Say Cheese! A Simple & Fast Ricotta Cheese Recipe

Cheese lovers, it’s time to add another recipe to your list! Make this easy (and cheesy) ricotta recipe at home in as little as one hour. The following is an excerpt from The Art of Natural Cheesemaking by David Asher. It has been adapted for the web. Recipe: Fast Ricotta Cheese Estimated time frame: 1…

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bone broth

Homemade Bone Broth: A Healthy Diet Staple

By Chelsea Green / January 24, 2024 / Comments Off on Homemade Bone Broth: A Healthy Diet Staple

Looking for a soup that tastes good AND is good for you? Consider adding this nutrient-rich, immune system boosting bone broth into your daily diet! The following is an excerpt from The Heal Your Gut Cookbook by Hilary Boynton & Mary Brackett. It has been adapted for the web. How to Make Bone Broth Bone…

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arugula

The Endless Arugula Bed

By Chelsea Green / January 19, 2024 / Comments Off on The Endless Arugula Bed

What if we told you that there was a way to extend your growing season and save time & money? The answer is all in arugula. With quick hoops and greenhouse film, you’ll be on your way to harvesting sweet & flavorful arugula in no time.  The following excerpt is from The Resilient Farm and…

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Seeds1

Saving Dry vs. Wet Seeds: The Seed Series

By Chelsea Green / January 19, 2024 / Comments Off on Saving Dry vs. Wet Seeds: The Seed Series

Interested in seed saving? Before getting started, it’s important to know the difference between storing wet seeds and dry ones.  The following excerpt is from Will Bonsall’s Essential Guide to Radical, Self-Reliant Gardening by Will Bonsall. It has been adapted for the web. (Unless otherwise noted, all photography courtesy of Will Bonsall.) Dry vs. Wet Seeds:…

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Build Your Own Cold Frame: Get a Jump on the Planting Season

By Chelsea Green / January 16, 2024 / Comments Off on Build Your Own Cold Frame: Get a Jump on the Planting Season

Extend your planting season with a cold frame! Building your own cold frame is a simple way to keep growing plants all winter long. The following is an excerpt from Four-Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman. It has been adapted for the web. What Is A Cold Frame? Gardeners should dedicate a monument to the cold…

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blue cheese

How To Make Blue Cheese

By Chelsea Green / January 10, 2024 / Comments Off on How To Make Blue Cheese

Attention, moldy cheese lovers — this recipe is for you! “Moldy” isn’t usually a quality we look for in our food; but when it comes to blue cheese, the mold cultures contribute largely to its unique texture and bold flavor. The following is an excerpt from Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking by Gianaclis Caldwell. It has been adapted…

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soup

Cream of Butternut Squash Soup

By Chelsea Green / January 8, 2024 / Comments Off on Cream of Butternut Squash Soup

During this time of year — when the weather is cold and the sun still sets early — there’s nothing like a good comfort meal to warm you up and boost your spirits. This soup recipe is sure to keep you feeling cozy all season long! The following excerpt is from Full Moon Feast by…

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spice bread - pain d'espices

Spice Bread: Quick and Easy Pain d’Epices

By Chelsea Green / January 2, 2024 / Comments Off on Spice Bread: Quick and Easy Pain d’Epices

Need a little spice in your life? This recipe for Pain d’Epices will do the trick! Bring warmth and joy to your table with a slice of this delicious spice bread. An added bonus: Your house will smell amazing while the bread is in the oven. The following is an excerpt from From the Wood-Fired…

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winter gardening

Winter Gardening Without Heated Greenhouses

By Chelsea Green / December 29, 2023 / Comments Off on Winter Gardening Without Heated Greenhouses

Think you can’t enjoy winter gardening without a heated greenhouse? Think again. As long as you’re adding layers to keep your crops warm, you’ll be set to grow food all winter long! The following is an excerpt from The Winter Harvest Handbook by Eliot Coleman. It has been adapted for the web. Winter Gardening Without…

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