Chelsea Green
(Photography by Deirdre Heekin) As the holidays get closer, it’s good to know what kind of wine to serve on the right occasion with the right meal, right? Deirdre Heekin, winemaker and author of An Unlikely Vineyard, is here to share some of her favorite wines along with food pairing suggestions. Her selections include a…
Read More
Have a fruit nerd on your holiday shopping list this year? Then give the gift that Booklist calls, “a thorough investigation of one wonderful fruit”—The Book of Pears by Joan Morgan. In this one-of-a-kind guide, noted pomologist and fruit historian Joan Morgan (The Book of Apples) has researched and crafted a definitive account of the pear’s…
Read More
A thousand years ago, the people who lived the Viking lifestyle enjoyed a myriad of foods and beverages and threw feasts that lasted several days to show off what they had stockpiled throughout the harvest season. Bring the Viking spirit of celebration to your Thanksgiving table this year with a traditional batch of spiced orange…
Read More
If you’re looking for something new and different to serve this Thanksgiving, Chef Evan Mallett of the Black Trumpet restaurant in Portsmouth, NH has some ideas. From his book, Black Trumpet, Mallett has selected three traditional, New England-inspired dishes that are sure to add some new flavors to your Thanksgiving feast. The following is an…
Read More
All good things must come to an end– and that includes warm summer nights. But with the close of summer comes overnight frosts, the ideal time to gather plump, ripe rosehips. A rosehip’s sweet, unique flavor is perfect on morning toast. There are endless variations on ingredients and many ways to make rosehip jam. Here are…
Read More
Ever spotted a dandelion growing in your backyard and wondered, can I eat that? According to wild plants expert Katrina Blair, the answer is a resounding yes. And there are plenty of other commonly found weeds that fall into this category as well. These nutritious “survival plants”, as she calls them, can be eaten from root…
Read More
In today’s world of processed foods and too much sugar, it can seem impossible to find truly natural ingredients that taste good. Look no farther than your backyard! Hibiscus and roses are two common flowers that can be used to make natural soda that tastes fresh and have healing properties. The following is an excerpt…
Read More
Sheet mulching is a layered mulch system that nurtures the soil. You start with a biodegradable weed barrier like cardboard. From there, you build a thick, layered substrate for your garden with compost and mulch. As the materials break down, worms move in, softening the soil below, and creating a healthy, aerated planting bed where…
Read More
Homesteading isn’t meant to be a solitary adventure, done in isolation. Building and living on your land takes at least one partner, if not several. That’s why homesteaders have come to rely not just on their specialized skills, but on the skills of their neighbors, family, friends, and other homesteaders as well. It doesn’t make…
Read More
It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get down into the dirt – but you may want to grab a bucket, especially first thing in the morning. Nutrient loss in our soil is an ongoing issue for some gardeners, but you may find help in an unexpected—liquid—form. The following is an excerpt from The…
Read More
Whether you’re a home gardener or a more seasoned horticulturist, saving seeds is a time-honored tradition vital to the preservation of important varieties of vegetables and herbs. During a time when genetically modified crops and hybrid seeds are all too common, there is a growing appreciation for seed saving of time-tested, open-pollinated cultivars. The following…
Read More
Surviving the Future is a story drawn from the fertile ground of the late David Fleming’s extraordinary Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It. That hardback consists of four hundred and four interlinked dictionary entries, inviting readers to choose their own path through its radical vision. Fleming’s long-time collaborator Shaun Chamberlin…
Read More
Though nature can be a mighty force, it takes great care and a gentle hand to support the growth of the environment–especially trees. Trees are essential for life; they create oxygen and are home to thousands of species, yet we’re experiencing rapid deforestation. It only takes one person to plant one tree in their community…
Read More
Have you ever wondered about growing perennials? Now’s a better time than ever to get started with them. Here are some low-maintenance perennials suited for gardeners of all interests and abilities! The following is from Perennial Vegetables by Eric Toensmeier. It has been adapted for the web. Perennials: General Overview, History, and Ecology Around the world…
Read More
This year, people all around the world are celebrating a milestone—the 50th anniversary of this international day of action for our environment. Why not celebrate Earth Day by reading about our great planet? We’ve compiled 13 books to get you started! In Courting the Wild Twin, Dr. Martin Shaw invites us to seek out our wild…
Read More
They say history is bound to repeat itself if we don’t take the time to learn from the past. Our decision-making skills and resiliency are essential for survival but, for some, it’s difficult to connect the dots between the cause and effect of said decisions. However, in this day and age, it’s important to recognize…
Read More
If you have an unused stretch of patio, why not make it into a garden? Turning a concrete slab into a verdant garden isn’t as impossible as it sounds, all it takes is time, a compost-fed soil bed, and some good old-fashioned elbow grease. The following is an excerpt from Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The…
Read More
What guiding principles will you need to not just survive the future, but imagine a better one? To answer this question we not only need to look within ourselves, but at our community as a whole, and identify our flaws. By understanding each other, we can work together to build a better future. The following…
Read More
Whether you live in a four-season climate or a small apartment in the city, fresh food at your fingertips is easier than you think! Just follow the directions for this self-watering growing container and you’ll have an abundance of produce in no time. The following is an excerpt from Fresh Food From Small Spaces by…
Read More
Without a greenhouse or expensive equipment, it’s hard to imagine a reality in which you can have fresh and local greens every day. Sprouts, however, are easy to cultivate, mature very quickly, and really pack a nutritional punch. The best part is, you can use them for some great recipes! The following is an excerpt…
Read More
If I may be graphic for a moment—my mouth is watering, literally, as I type this. I have a new food passion, and its name is kimchi. This tangy, spicy side dish can be cooked with pork, in savory pancakes, or as a soup stock. And imagine if you made it with your own fresh,…
Read More
Think you need a vast outdoor garden in order to enjoy fresh produce? Think again! It’s entirely possible to grow your own salad indoors, no matter where you live. If you find yourself dreading heading out to the grocery store for that fresh produce, give indoor gardening a try! The following is an excerpt from…
Read More
There’s nothing quite like having a box of cute, fluffy chicks arrive in the mail. It’s miraculous that a newly hatched chick can survive without food and water for exactly the amount of time it takes to mail a package from anywhere in the United States to anywhere else in the United States. Adding chickens…
Read More
With the birth of spring comes its profusion of gifts—the warm sun, higher temperatures, and (best of all) fertile soil. With each day, more colors seem to burst forth—both in nature and on our plates. This veggie mandala is traditionally served directly on the surface of the entire length of the farm table, but, whether…
Read More
This time of year we always seem to get a hint of spring in the air for a moment, whether it’s the snow storms starting to taper off or a glimpse of grass in your yard. The lure of sweetness calls from the maple trees and we begin daydreaming about all of the wonderous treats…
Read More