Chelsea Green
During the summer, many environments struggle with temperatures above 100˚F. These high temperatures put heat stress on crops that are not very thermotolerant. Thankfully, there are some crops that can still effectively produce food in extremely hot climates. Many farmers have found ways to build “guilds” of crops, livestock, and canopy plantings to reduce heat stress and…
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Hot sauce fans, this one’s for you! This easy recipe for fermented hot sauce with wild greens is sure to add an extra punch of flavor to your favorite meal. The following is an excerpt from The New Wildcrafted Cuisine, by Pascal Baudar. It has been adapted for the web. RECIPE: Fermented Hot Sauce With…
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Learn the ropes on drying prune plums and other fruits! Whether you’re a pro at preserving or you’ve never tried it out before, anyone can make these simple and delicious snacks. The following excerpt is from The Resilient Gardener by Carol Deppe. It has been adapted for the web. Prune Plums: Perfect for Preservation Prune plums…
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If you keep your laying hens in a stationary coop, you’re missing out on their incredible soil building talents. Un-coop that chicken poop by putting your flock in mobile shelters, otherwise known as chicken tractors! These tractors spread manure for chickens to till, which helps keep your grass short and your soil healthy. The following is…
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Cherry season isn’t over quite yet! Soak up the flavors of summer while they last with this sweet, mouth-watering recipe for Summer Cherry Cornmeal Cobbler. The following is an excerpt from Cooking Close to Home: A Year of Seasonal Recipes by Diane Imre and Richard Jarmusz. It has been adapted for the web. RECIPE: Summer Cherry…
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Get ready to create your own seven-layer forest garden! Food forests, or edible forest gardens, are life-filled places that provide habitat for wildlife and food for humans while promoting natural beauty and biodiversity. To get started, all you need is to take a page from Mother Nature’s book. The following is an excerpt from Gaia’s…
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No summer day is complete without an ice cream cone. Unfortunately, dairy intolerance makes it tough for many to enjoy this seasonal dessert. Try out these dairy-free ice cream recipes to indulge in this frozen treat while still being kind to your gut. The following recipes have been adapted for the web from The Heal…
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Is your yard uneven or sloped, but you want to build a greenhouse? It may not seem like the “perfect spot,” but building a greenhouse on a slope actually comes with a couple of benefits that you won’t get from making one a level site. The following is an excerpt is from The Bio-Integrated Farm by…
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Looking for a new way to enjoy the benefits of your garden all year long? Follow this easy tutorial for making drying trays to expand the lifespan of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The following is an excerpt from Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning by The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante. It has been adapted for…
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If you love grilling, you probably know that various woods add delicious smoky flavors to grilled meat, fish, and vegetables; but where do you find them? Here are some tips on foraging for wood, bark, and aromatics to help you add a wild twist to anything you toss on the grill this summer. The following…
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Looking for a faster way to ferment your vegetables? Lacto-fermenting, a fermentation method widely used in Japan, involves a special glass or plastic container that has a device for constantly pressing down the vegetables. With this method, you’ll be ready to eat your fermented veggies in as little as a few days! The following is an excerpt…
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Buying fresh produce feels like a waiting game — if you blink, your food will go from ripe to rotten all too soon. Beat this game by preserving vegetables, such as tomatoes, in salt. This process will keep them fresh and ready for sauce, stock, and more. The following is an excerpt from Preserving Food Without…
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When we grow fruit trees, we know we’re creating something delicious. Bugs understand the same thing, which results in an unwelcome army of pests eating and affecting the fruit you grow. How do you get rid of these bugs without using harmful sprays and treatments? Here are some tips for identifying insects on fruit trees…
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Summertime is here, which means it’s officially grilling season! Whip up a delicious grass-fed steak at your next BBQ to support small-scale farmers, help protect the environment, and give your guests a meal they’re going to be talking about all summer. The following is a collection of recipes from cookbooks by Shannon Hayes, author of…
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There’s nothing much better than having a drink after a long, hot day. What could make it better is drinking something that you brewed yourself. Create great drinks all on your own this season with help from these recipes for summer brews! The following is an excerpt from Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz. It has…
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Contrary to popular belief, forestry and farming are NOT mutually exclusive. Growing food, medicinals, and other non-timber products like mushrooms and ginseng in the woods helps increase self-sufficiency and allows you to maintain a healthy forest. The following is an excerpt from Farming the Woods by Steve Gabriel and Ken Mudge. It has been adapted for the web.…
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Chances are, you’ve seen cattails growing on the edge of your local lake or stream at least once or twice. Instead of just passing these plants, try foraging for and cooking them to create delicious seasonal dishes! The following excerpt is from The New Wildcrafted Cuisine by Pascal Baudar. It has been adapted for the…
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Daydreaming of extending your growing season and building your own greenhouse? After considering the following factors and making a few additional preparations, you’ll be all set to grow food for you and your family in your backyard greenhouse for years to come. The following is an excerpt from The Forest Garden Greenhouse by Jerome Osentowski.…
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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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Gardening takes hard work; so it may slip your mind to take a moment, step back, and look at all you’ve accomplished. You might just come across some new ideas to improve your garden. In the excerpt below, author Carol Deppe reflects on her time spent garden weeding and how her actions can often transcend…
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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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Just like homes, farms require some cleaning and waste removal every now and then. How do you decide what to get rid of and what to keep?When it comes to a lean farm in particular, farm waste is defined as any activity that doesn’t add value. Before throwing something away, it’s important to consider the function of…
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As a society, we make a lot of waste, especially in this culture of on-the-go single-serve disposables. What can we do to reduce our waste? Use less, recycle and reuse packaging materials, and compost your organic waste. And if you’re a gardener, there’s no reason to throw away this beneficial (and cheap!) source of nourishment…
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Before yanking out the next patch of lambsquarter you find in your yard or garden, consider the different edible and medicinal uses of this “super weed.” From green juices to soaps, lambsquarter can be used to create and enhance plenty of health-boosting meals and products. The following is an excerpt from The Wild Wisdom of Weeds…
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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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