Chelsea Green
Are you ready to get a jump-start on the gardening season? With a cold frame, you can get started now. A cold frame harnesses the sun’s heat before it’s warm enough to let unprotected seedlings growing outside. Essentially, it consists of a garden bed surrounded by an angled frame and covered with a pane of…
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Why is modern wheat making us sick? That’s the question posed by author Eli Rogosa in Restoring Heritage Grains. Wheat is the most widely grown crop on our planet, yet industrial breeders have transformed this ancient staff of life into a commodity of yield and profit—witness the increase in gluten intolerance and ‘wheat belly’. Modern…
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Seeds are the foundation of agriculture. As John Navazio describes in this excerpt, America was once home to hundreds of small-scale agricultural seed producers, each of which developed seeds adapted to grow best in the surrounding region. Today, following the trend of most businesses, just a few large companies provide seed for farmers everywhere. With…
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The importance of a good stock has been overshadowed by convenience. Now you have a better chance of finding quality ready-made stocks from a trusted source.
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It’s officially stew season! Warm yourself up from the inside out by making groundnut sweet potato stew, a favorite of fermentation revivalist Sandor Katz. The following is an excerpt from Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz. It has been adapted for the web. Fermenting Sweet Potatoes for Stew MaxZine, who lives down the road at IDA,…
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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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Looking for new ways to use those winter root veggies throughout the season? Put your cooking skills to the test with this Root Veggie Potpie recipe! The following is an excerpt from Black Trumpet by Evan Mallett. It has been adapted for the web. RECIPE: Winter Root Veggie Potpie When I was born, my mother…
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Sourdough is a simple wild ferment made from nothing but flour and water. You can start a batch today, use it in a few days, and keep it alive and bubbling … well … forever. If you have the patience, enjoy the flavor of sourdough, and can commit to feeding your quiet new “pet” frequently,…
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Learn how to grow shiitake mushrooms in almost any environment, including your yard and even your garage!
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The secret to the sweetest arugula ever? Overwinter your plants for a spring surprise: the sweetest, most flavorful arugula you’ve ever tasted!
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For the adventurous brewer infusing mushrooms into brews is a great way to combine the medicinal benefits of fungi with one of the world’s most consumed drinks.
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Building a root cellar is a great way to keep your harvest fresh through the cold months. With protection from weather and animals, these cellars can be just as good as a regular refrigerator. They can be built into a wall in your basement, dug into the ground, or simply buried. The following excerpt is…
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Sour pickles have a deep, robust taste. They are wonderfully sour and crisp with a flavor that’s guaranteed to make you smile.
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Cows can help rebuild soil and restore land to its rightful state—improving carbon sequestration, natural water cycles, and soil fertility and nutrient density.
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Become more resilient when temperatures are on the rise to reduce heat stress and grow food in even the most arid environments.
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Compost is the key to an abundant garden. Learn the basics of making compost from gardening expert Eliot Coleman, and enjoy the joy of growing your own food.
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As your favorite variety of home grown tomatoes start ripening on the vine this summer, be sure to save those seeds for next year’s planting. It takes a bit of care to get the seeds out of the gelatinous tomato goo they’re suspended in, but once you’ve done it you can use those seeds to…
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With the “dog days” of summer underway, the heat can feel a little unrelenting. On hot days, there’s no better way to cool off than with a refreshing, cold beverage. Here’s a list of some perfect cool-down summer drinks made with organic ingredients sourced right from your garden or local wild places. The following excerpts have…
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Think about how much work your perennial flower beds take compared to your annual vegetable garden. In a busy year, your perennial garden largely sails through despite neglect. Once your perennials are established, and if they are suited to your climate and site conditions, they can be virtually indestructible. An annual vegetable garden, as we…
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Is hoeing hurting your back? Is your trowel cramping your wrist? Are the tools at your local hardware store just not cutting it? Gardening can be such laborious work, but what you put into your garden is what you get back. With a few simple do-it-yourself modifications you can find and alter your tools to…
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When Jereme was in North Carolina for the 2016 Mother Earth News Fair in Asheville, he picked up a local honey made from summer wildflowers. Why? He was inspired after visiting Fox Hill and sampling their Special Reserve Mead, which has hints of ginger and a unique blend of buckwheat honey and some lighter varietals.…
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Do you have an old, worn-out pair of jeans in your dresser? Instead of throwing them out, try to grow mushrooms on them. Follow this simple step-by-step outline to start growing mushrooms in the unlikeliest of places…on your pants! The following is an excerpt from Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation by Tradd Cotter. It has…
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Looking to add another recipe to your fermenting repertoire? Try your hand at kvass! This nourishing beverage calls for just a few simple ingredients and only takes a couple of days to ferment. Use beets or get creative with various fruit combinations like Blueberry Lemon Mint or Ginger Apple Lime. The following recipes are from The Heal…
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Thinking about adding a laying flock to your backyard, but having trouble deciding between ducks and chickens? Agonize no more. Ducks are easy to herd, have routine egg laying hours, and are superior to chickens in terms of pest control. Chickens are more readily available, usually cheaper to purchase, and are a better confinement animal,…
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According to a column in Agricultural Research from September 1974, “buckwheat has an amino acid composition nutritionally superior to all cereals, including oats,” due to its high content of lysine. Not only that, but hearty buckwheat pancakes are just as tasty, if not tastier, than those made from wheat. So what are you waiting for?…
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