Successful seed starting for us gardeners is about combining the right timing, light, seeds, and seed starting mixes all together. And when starting seed indoors, we control every element, including the seed starting mix.

For modern homestead gardeners, a high-quality seed starting mix creates the foundation for strong roots, healthy growth, and resilient seedlings when starting seeds indoors.

While it can be tempting to scoop soil straight from the garden or grab any bag labeled “potting mix,” but seed starting mixes are a category all their own. They’re designed to support early plant growth using sustainable gardening practices that protect seedlings during their most vulnerable stage.

Click HERE for my Free Seed Starting 101 Guide
Or Register for my On Demand Class HERE

Why Seed Starting Mix Is Different From Potting Soil

Seedlings are delicate. In their earliest stages, roots are extremely fine, stems are tender, and plants are more vulnerable to disease and stress. Garden soil and standard potting soil are often too dense, nutrient-heavy, or biologically active for young plants.

A proper seed starting mix is lightweight, finely textured, and typically sterile, making it ideal for organic seed starting. A sterile seed starting soil is free from weed seeds, pathogens, and fungi that cause damping off—one of the most common failures when starting seeds indoors. And here sterile means ‘essentially sterile’ as it will still have some active biology. This clean, controlled environment gives seeds the best chance to germinate evenly and grow without competition.

Starting Seeds Indoors Means Replacing Nature

When we start seeds indoors, we’re asking plants to do something they were never meant to do. In nature, seeds germinate in living soil, supported by weather patterns, microbial life, and gradual environmental cues. By moving seeds inside, we remove them from their natural habitat and place them into an artificial one where light, airflow, moisture, and temperature are entirely controlled by us.

A thoughtfully designed seed starting mix helps replace what’s missing from nature by providing consistency and protection until plants are strong enough to transition into outdoor beds or richer soil systems. I mean, seeds want to grow— but we also want to give them the best chance to live their best lives.

Learn more about Winter Sowing your veggies, and letting Mother Nature handle the sunlight and temperature in my article HERE.

The Importance of Sterility in Organic Seed Starting

One of the most critical features of a seed starting mix is sterility. While biologically active soil is ideal for established plants, seedlings benefit from beginning life in a clean environment.

Using a sterile seed starting mix reduces the risk of fungal diseases and pest pressure without relying on chemical treatments, an important goal for gardeners committed to sustainable and organic methods. Once seedlings are established, beneficial microbes can be introduced intentionally through compost and transplanting into healthy garden soil.

Texture: Fine, Light, and Root-Friendly

Texture plays a major role in successful seed starting. Small seeds need consistent contact with moisture to germinate, and coarse or compacted mixes can prevent that. Seed starting mixes are screened and blended to create a fine, airy structure that supports healthy root development.

Coconut Coir: A Sustainable Foundation for Seed Starting

Many seed starting mixes now rely on coconut coir as a base ingredient, making it a favorite among gardeners focused on sustainability. A coconut coir seed starting mix offers good moisture retention, resists compaction, and maintains a neutral pH—ideal for young seedlings. Some gardeners have had minor issues with high salt content. To avoid that look for buffered or washed coir products. Always buy from a reputable distributor.

Because coconut coir is a renewable byproduct of the coconut industry, it aligns well with sustainable gardening practices and my modern homestead values. It also performs reliably in both commercial and DIY seed starting mix recipes. It does get shipped from far away, though…

Drainage and Aeration

Alongside coconut coir, seed starting mixes include materials such as perlite, vermiculite, pumice, or rice hulls to improve drainage and airflow. Whether you’re mixing your own soil or purchasing a ready-made blend, proper aeration prevents root rot and encourages strong root growth, two essentials for healthy transplants in any homestead garden plan.

Another way to encourage strong roots and start seeds is through the SOIL BLOCKING method.

Consistent Moisture for Indoor Seed Starting Success

Maintaining consistent moisture is one of the biggest challenges when starting seeds indoors. High-quality seed starting mixes absorb water evenly and drain excess moisture efficiently. This consistency is especially helpful for gardeners managing many trays in their indoor seed starting as part of larger homestead garden planning efforts.

Low Nutrient Content Is Intentional

Unlike potting soil, seed starting mixes are usually lower in nutrients. Seeds contain the energy they need to germinate, and excess fertilizer can burn young roots. This low-nutrient approach supports organic seed starting by encouraging roots to develop fully before feeding the plant.

As you can see below, I do add some micro-nutrients to my own seed starting mix. I find this especially helpful for seedlings that are living inside for more than 6 weeks (tomatoes, peppers, onions). Nutrients can be added later through diluted liquid fertilizers or during transplanting into garden beds as well.

Seed Starting Mix

4 parts coconut coir
2 parts mushroom compost or 1-2 parts worm castings
2 parts perlite
1/4 cup blood meal
< 1/4 cup bone meal
< 1/4 cup Azomite (aka rock dust)

SOAK COCONUT COIR FOR AT 2+ HOURS PRIOR TO MIXING

*I mix this in a large tote with a snap on lid to maintain moisture.

This is different than my soil blocking recipe, which is heavier on binding materials.

If the idea of DIYing your seed starter is too much – I highly recommend and will use in a pinch one brand. ProMix uses high quality ingredients and organic slow release fertilizers.

For modern homestead gardeners, predictability matters. A well-designed, sterile seed starting mix reduces variables and makes troubleshooting easier. When soil structure and moisture are consistent, it’s easier to adjust light, temperature, and airflow to meet plant needs.

A seed starting mix isn’t just dirt, it’s a carefully planned growing environment. For gardeners focused on organic seed starting and sustainable gardening practices, choosing or making the right mix is a foundational decision. Strong plants begin with strong roots, and strong roots are nurtured by the right mix.

And remember, seeds want to grow!

Dig Into Seed Starting!
Michelle

The post The Most Important Aspects of a Seed Starting Mix (and Why They Matter) appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

Seed Saving is something that has made me a better gardener in so many ways. It requires us to be more aware of how our plants are progressing through the season. It makes you see more than just the ‘product’ you’re growing—you see the plant as a self-sustaining entity. It can reproduce itself! For all these reasons and more, seed saving connects you to your garden in new and beautiful ways.

Did you know that saving annual flower seeds is a simple and cost-saving skill to master in your garden? It doesn’t require any special equipment and gives you another ‘harvest’ from your gardens.

Saving seeds is another way gardening helps us work closer with nature. And we need to really pay attention to nature as she moves through the seasons in order to save the best seeds. And being ‘in the moment’ in our gardens is one of things that brings us the most joy, isn’t it!?

So, I’m sharing my favorite annual flower seeds to save. The flowers listed also make amazing companion plants in any vegetable garden, along with adding color to the beautiful bouquets I get to bring inside all season…

More on these flowers as companion plants HERE.

Basics to Successful Seed Saving

• Start with the right seeds– grow open pollinated or heirloom varieties that will come back true to type. Saving seeds from hybrid plants will most likely not grow into the same plants (or flower/fruit) that they came from. More information on which are viable seeds to save HERE.
• Save seeds from the healthiest plants- Only save seeds from plants and fruits/veggies with traits you want to bring back (earlier, bigger, color, etc.).
• Mark specific blooms– as colors may fade before you can collect seed.
• Collect Seeds on dry days– wet seeds can mold when brought inside.
• Be patient– Saving seeds is mostly intuitive, but researching the specific seed maturity time of plants will help you gather the best seed.

Saving the best seeds means you’ll have the best luck germinating them next season.

My Favorite + Easiest Annual Flowers to Save Seeds

From the well-loved marigolds and zinnias to nasturtium and calendula and so many more, let’s see what flowers you can bring back to your garden for FREE next year!

Since all the flowers listed bloom continually, you can deadhead AND leave a few to fully mature into seeds throughout the season.

Calendula

These are also known as pot marigold and come in many shades and varieties. These seeds look like little aliens and very unlikely to sprout—but these beauties are easy to harvest and require very little cleaning. Waiting until the seed heads are fully brown and dried on the plant is key. They should basically fall off into your hands or collecting bowl.

Since these flowers bloom continually, you can deadhead—or leave a few to fully mature into seeds throughout the season.

*If you’re growing a few different varieties of calendula, note that they do cross-pollinate, which means that eventually you’ll have your own variety.

Seeds viable for 3–6 years

Check out my post on how to make calendula salve.

Cosmos

I love the way these blow in the summer breeze and add such a variety of color to the vegetable garden and border. I find most of the varieties are hybrids, but sensation, radiance and candy stripe have all grown well from home saved seeds for me. Wait for the flower heads to dry completely on the plant, then rub between fingers into a bucket. The seeds will fall off, and look like little curved pine needles. Then blow away the extra fluff (chaff).

Seed viable for 3–5 years

Marigold

Oh, the marigold, is there any flower that is either loved or hated as intensely? I am a lover, for so many reasons. True marigolds are from the Tagetes family, and they offer a wide array of colors and sizes. I prefer the French marigolds for the full-sized blooms and large (3’x3’) plant size and lemon or tangerine gem for the smaller flowers and (1’x1’) plant size.

These seeds will dry on the plant and stay encapsulated in the involucre—how cool is that word—and that function!? So, they really stay all together until weather and time wear the papery seed package away—it falls to the soil and is ready to grow again. But we get to play with these and pull them out of their packaging.

Marigold seeds look like two-toned needles. We’re looking for seeds that are darker/black on the bottom and a straw color on the top. If the seeds aren’t fully mature, they’ll still be lighter in color at the base.

Larger seeds from larger french marigold flowers, tiny seeds from the gem series!

Seeds viable for 1–3 years

Nasturtium

These cascading beauties seem to save their seeds until the end of the season. Seeds form in groups of 2–3 and are attached well to the stem. They are tasty as immature green seeds and make a fun alternative to capers.

But these seeds need to ripen fully and fall off on their own to have the best germination rates. So my practice is to wait until mid-September, then start lifting the mass of blooms and vines up off the ground and picking up the fallen seeds. They look like dried up, wrinkly little brains (as my schoolyard garden kids call out year after year). Make sure these are fully dry before sealing them up.

Seeds viable for 2–5 years

Poppies

Snap Dragons

Tithonia

Tithonia (aka Mexican Sunflower) is one of those plants that impresses me every year. They often grow 6–7 feet tall and produce so many large branches laden with blooms that the bees and butterflies love late in the season. These are another flower that do best when the seeds are left to dry fully on the plant.

I snip just below the base of the flowers and drop directly into a brown paper bag. If you plan on handling these at all consider gloves as they are sharp! Shake the bag to help release the seeds from the heads. The seeds are gray to black and triangular, with a rough ‘crown’ on their wide end..

Viable for 2–4 years

Zinnia

With zinnias you can have your bouquet and save seeds too! As long as the flowers are in full bloom when you cut them, you can enjoy them as cut flowers and then as they fade, remove from water, rinse and hang to dry—and still have great germination rates. I actually find this works better than leaving the flower heads in the garden to mature, because so many birds pick at the flowers and seed heads.

Gently tug from the base of the blooms to separate seeds. I usually hold the flowers upside down for this. You can keep the petals intact or break off depending on your preference. The seeds are flat arrow-shaped seeds, usually dark gray.

They won’t always bloom true to color, but tend to stay in the same shades, shapes and sizes from what I have saved and regrown.

Viable for 3–5 years

Learn all about Saving Veggie Garden Seeds HERE!

Storing Seeds

Make sure seeds are 100% dry before storing in either paper envelopes or an air tight container. I opt for paper envelopes and keep them inside a loose metal tin, in a cool and dry part of my home.

With each flower seed saved you’re adding to the story and resiliency of your garden, and saving money too!

What flower seeds do you want to save first?

Dig into Seed Saving,

Michelle

The post Seed Saving: Annual Flowers appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

Board butter is a must-have wood care solution for protecting and nourishing your wooden kitchen items.

I see you buying heirloom pieces instead of cheap plastic, and I am so proud of you!

I also want to help you make the most out of those new (usually more expensive) pieces. So, while we’re happily using our wooden kitchen utensils while we cook from scratch, let’s make sure we’re taking good care of them with a simple recipe for “Board Butter.”

*This is also called spoon butter, board balm, and lots of other things depending on the part of the country you’re from. I’m up in Minnesota, so board butter it is.

Wood naturally dries out over time, so we need to do something to keep it from over-drying and cracking.

Enter board butter; a basic mixture of oil and beeswax to help condition and seal our wooden kitchen tools and cutting boards. While this recipe has just two ingredients, both of those ingredients should be top quality to help seal the wood.

Wax:

I love using local beeswax for this, and usually have some extra around for making herbal salves and body butters.

Beeswax is such a gift! On its own it’s an inert substance without specific benefits when consumed directly. The way beeswax is made creates an anti-bacterial, adhesive substance that’s the perfect thickener for so many safe and healthy homemade products. 

You can also use carnauba wax if you want to keep a vegan kitchen. Carnauba wax come from the carnauba palm (Copernicia prunifera). The carnauba palm is native to Brazil and is also known as the “Tree of Life.” Just make sure it is pure wax with no additives.

If you’re having fun melting and mixing, try making my Calendula Salve!

Oil:

There are a few different oils that do well as wood conditioners. The main thing is to keep them 100% pure and organic. Stay away from mineral oils as they tend to be processed in a way that can ooze toxins over time.

I have used both coconut and sunflower oil for this recipe. I prefer coconut oil for the smell and way it leaves the spoons and cutting boards. I have also seen flaxseed oil recommended for this project. *Remember to look for unrefined options*

Board Butter Recipe

*1 part beeswax
*3 parts coconut oil -or 2.5 parts sunflower oil.
(Yup, that’s it.)

Use proportions that make sense for how much wood you want to protect.

Heat the beeswax and coconut oil in a double boiler until melted. I make my double boiler from a pyrex measuring cup hung over the edge of a pot, making sure at least half the measuring cup is under water to heat evenly. Keeping the melting process low and slow helps keep the intrinsic benefits of the raw beeswax.

Once warmed and melted, mix well. This recipe will cool to a thick paste-like consistency. Wait until fully cooled to place the lid on to avoid any condensation forming on the bottom of the lid.

You can slather on a thick layer to your favorite wooden kitchen utensils and let set overnight, wiping off any excess in the morning, or just go for it all at once. I have found a little warming helps it really soak into the wood as well.

I keep my jar of board butter handy to use on utensils as needed. But I also try and condition all my wood pieces at least once every winter, as that’s when it is driest in my home and I’m spending more time in my kitchen than in the garden.

Store the jar of spoon butter in a cool, dark place (I keep mine in my pantry) and it will last 12+ months.

I love being able to use this natural product to keep my homestead kitchen running smoothly.

Let me know if you try this Board Butter Recipe in your kitchen!

Dig In,

Michelle

The post DIY Board Butter Recipe appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

We finally hit a new milestone at our suburban homestead last summer- preserving eggs! When we couldn’t keep up with the eggs our hens were laying we had to make some decisions.

What a wonderful problem to have. But I also wanted to make the most of our surplus for those winter months when the eggs dwindle. Especially because I knew that most of my girls were in for their first serious molting (usually happens around 18 months old) and so we’d be short on eggs come winter.

So, I did what most modern-day, first-generation homesteaders do- I took to the internet and started researching…

I found some conflicting information from some of my own trusted resources, but enough research to try a few different options. Because I have learned the hard way, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” (or mason jar).

So I chose to both Freeze and Water Glass my eggs. I had only frozen a few eggs before and it worked well, but I wanted to try both and do a side-by-side comparison of preserving eggs for our family – and for you all.

The most important thing to remember here is that you do what feels right for your family!

READ THIS if you’re thinking about starting your own flock.

Here’s our ‘Eggsperience’…

Preserving Eggs by Water Glassing

Water glassing is a process where you essentially overload the eggshell with pickling lime to nearly completely stop the exchange of air between outside and inside the egg. You’re trying to plug the microscopic air holes that allow a baby chick to breath, in order to keep the egg in ‘suspended animation’. Old school homesteaders did this as a way to hold eggs without the need for refrigeration. This method is used to get homesteaders through the lean egg time- over the winter when hens slow down laying because of the decrease in sunlight.

For preserving eggs this way they need to be PERFECTLY clean, with a full bloom still intact. Getting some poop into the lime water solution will allow any contaminants to enter the eggshell before it is sealed up.

Water Glassing Recipe:
1 ounce pickling lime
1 quart water

• Measure 1 ounce of pickling lime, add the lime to a sterilized half gallon jar (or ½ the recipe for a quart-size jar).
  Mix lime powder into water well; it doesn’t really dissolve.
• SLOWLY add eggs, trying to get pointy side down
• Add airtight lid
• Store in a cool dark place for up to a year
• Can add more eggs and water as you get them.

 Pros –

• Shelf stable (in a cool, dark location)
• Can last over a year
• Simple Process- mix pickling lime + filtered water, set eggs inside

Cons –

• If there is any chicken poop or dirt, it can enter the egg via the shell and you can get sick (salmonella not death)
• The eggs become more watery the longer they sit
• Your kids can easily crack an eggshell and the rest of the batch is ruined (ask me how I know

Preserving Eggs by Freezing

This method for storing eggs is as simple as it sounds. It is also more familiar to most of us as a way to preserve, but that doesn’t automatically make it better.

The only trick is that you crack and scramble the eggs before freezing, and have to use a freezer-safe container.

The eggs thicken after thawing, so I use two to three times as much water and/or milk to thin them out before making into an omelet or scramble. They work great for baking as is or thinned out a little too. They do take up space, but my 2 cup square freezer containers hold roughly eight eggs, perfect for my family of four. The containers measure 4”x4”x2” – about the same size as a single large muffin. You can also use large silicone ice cube trays and freeze in smaller portions. The typical ratio is 1 scrambled egg = ¼ cup.

Pros –

• Comfortable process and pretty foolproof as long as your freezer stays frozen
• Easy to use, almost end up with more egg ‘mass’ after freezing

Cons –

• Take freezer space and energy to preserve
• It’s best to take time to defrost them. DO NOT microwave these to defrost; you will be disappointed. Set in a water bath or take out the night before and place in the fridge to thaw.

Storing Fresh Eggs

You can store eggs fresh, unwashed from your backyard (or farmer) on your counter for two weeks. We have a rotating rack that helps us keep fresh eggs on the top and easily accessible.

You can store eggs in the refrigerator for up to six months, but the quality diminishes after a month or so- which is why we preserve them in other ways.

• Refrigerate: Store eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator, away from the door and pungent foods, at a temperature of 40°F or slightly below. The temperature on an inside shelf is more consistent than the door, which is opened and closed frequently. Eggs can last about three months or more in the refrigerator, but unwashed eggs can last about two weeks unrefrigerated.
• Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

My Preserving Eggs ‘Take Aways’

I will hopefully always have enough extras to be preserving eggs. But we’ll likely only water glass a few eggs, as we run out of plastic freezer containers. It was pretty heartbreaking (and stinky) to throw away 16 or so eggs in the middle of winter when I realized that something was wrong…

Also, if you want to try this- use more and smaller containers- because, even though I should know better, I put too many eggs in one 2 gallon mason jar…

You can also dehydrate scrambled eggs and freeze dry them if you have the right tools and patience. I might try and dehydrate some this summer as well… but freezing has worked best for us so far.

Also, there’s lots of ways to use those eggs during the summer! We hard-boil about a dozen a week, and even make lemon curd (recipe is in our book, Small-Scale Homesteading.)

Would you try water glassing to preserve your eggs?

Have you frozen eggs before?

Dig In,
Michelle

The post Preserving Eggs: Water Glassing vs. Freezing Eggs appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

The number and diversity of bugs that want to eat what you grow is truly staggering, but take a deep breath- we’ll tackle organic garden pest control together.

With new insects coming into our gardens every season (thanks climate change) it can seem like a losing battle…

But looking at each insect as part of a larger ecosystem can calm fears and get us into the right mindset when finding yet another new bug eating our plants.

Spending time in your garden with an insect identification book (like the Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders) will give you quite an education. And if you find an infestation of insects, take some time to learn more about them by asking some questions like:

• Is this their larval or adult stage?
• How long do they stay in certain stages?
• What do they ultimately turn into?
• Where do they go at night?
• Where do they overwinter?
• How do they reproduce?
• What do they eat?

Asking these questions can really help you plan your response.

Say there’s a caterpillar eating your dill, but you find out it’s a swallow tail butterfly and you love those. You might choose to plant more dill rather than remove the caterpillars. Remembering that when you plant a bio-diverse garden, you’re giving nature the best chance to balance itself out.

For more info on ways to balance your garden, read my Companion planting article for tips on pollen and nectar rich flowers to attract beneficial insects helps curb these infestations!

Organic Garden Pest Control: Integrated Pest Management

This introduces the idea of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM gives us a framework to assess and choose options that are less harmful to the overall ecosystem, yet effective at stopping the spread of insects and plant diseases.  For a good overview of IPM and how to implement it check out the U of MN Extension Services page on Preventing pests in your yard and garden

When searching for information on a pest or disease in your garden, try adding “.edu or .extension” and look for information near your area to find researched information.

Pro Tip

The Usual Suspects

Imported Cabbage Worms:

Eggs are oval and start white but turn a tinted yellow and are found on both sides of leaves. These are the bright green, and velvety soft to the touch caterpillars. You’ll often have to look very closely as the tend to blend into the broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower leaves that they eat. The adults are the white butterflies with a black dot. The best way to manage these are hand picking or capturing the butterflies before they lay eggs as one butterfly can lay 300 or more eggs! Floating row cover helps deter. Planting early to get plants well established before they arrive en-masse helps too. You can confuse the butterfly egg laying by interplanting different herbs (like dill) that have very different leaf structure from typical brassicas. Parasitic wasps will lay eggs inside the caterpillars ending the lifecycle.

Cabbage Loopers:

The eggs are tiny, white and laid on the underside of the plant leaves. The caterpillars move like inch worms. They look more segmented with more pronounced ‘legs’. The adults are gray-brown moths. Hand picking and floating row cover work to deter, as does early planting. You can confuse the moth egg laying by interplanting different herbs (like dill) that have very different leaf structure from typical brassicas. Parasitic wasps will lay eggs inside the caterpillars ending the lifecycle.

Cucumber Beetles:

You can discourage egg laying (they lay by burrowing into the soil) by heavily mulching around newly planted cucurbits, or by add floating row cover early in the season- but remove in time to aid in pollination. Hand pick beetles early in the season, I’ve found having soapy water to drop them into helps- good luck, they’re fast! Plant a trap crop like a Blue Hubbard squash nearby as the beetles are drawn to the plant’s higher level of cucurbitacin. Larva cannot overwinter in Zone 4 or colder but migrate from the south each spring.

Colorado Potato Beetles:

Look for clusters of orange eggs on the underside of leaves and are easily squished. Larva are deep red and eat the most leaves compared to other stages, they are easy to hand pick. But these are seriously one of the grossest bugs for me- so I wear gloves). The adults can fly in from other gardens so stay watchful, especially as the tubers are bulking up which is right after flowering. There’s been some luck with capturing beetles in plastic lined trenches set in the midst of a potato bed. Check daily and remove. If infestations persist, consider taking a year off from growing potatoes. Or see if another gardener can grow those for you, while you grow something else for them.

Japanese Beetles:

Eggs are laid underground and become white grubs which feed on the roots under the soil. They emerge as flying beetles to eat all the things, they eat well over 300 types of plants! Thankfully they don’t usually spread much disease, just devour leaves. The plants usually survive, but repeated stripping of leaves can eventually stunt or kill plants, shrubs and trees. Start picking off bugs as soon as possible, the more damage, the more beetles will come. Netting can be added as a physical barrier but needs to be removed if pollination is required.

GOOD JAPANESE BEETLE NEWS!

A parasitic tachinid fly, the Winsome Fly, has finally followed the Japanese beetle north! This unassuming looking fly lays white eggs on the thorax of the Japanese beetles. So if you see Japanese beetles with the tell tale white dots on them- do not kill them, let nature take its course. The beetles will burrow underground within a few days where the eggs will hatch and bore into the beetle and kill them from the inside out. Making more Winsome flies and less Japanese beetles!

Winsome Fly are attracted to marigolds, calendula and nasturtium

nature is neat

Squash Vine Borers:

The adult squash vine borer moth is bright orange and black with two long antennae. They’re also very fast and can fly in from neighboring yards so be aware through the end of July. They lay eggs at the base of your squash and cucumber plants and the larvae bore into the base of the vine and feed from inside. Careful inspection of plants is the best defense.

Wilted plants, especially in the morning, is a sign of squash vine borer. Look for the entry wound at the base of the vine. Slice the vine open where you see the entry point until you find the grub. Then remove and then cover the wound with the soil. If caught soon enough many plants survive. Plant a trap crop like a Blue Hubbard squash nearby as the beetles are drawn to the plant’s higher level of cucurbitacin. Also, planting resistant alternatives like butternut, ‘Cocozella Di Napoli’ and ‘Costata Romanesco’ helps.

PS- All Hand Picked Pests = Chicken Approved Treats

We haven’t covered slugs, pill bugs, cut worms, jumping worms or tomato horn worms…  A great place to start digging deeper into the world of garden pests is Jessica Walliser’s book, “Good Bug, Bad Bug”.

Did you know I have FREE Monthly Emails with tips, links and ‘to do’ lists?

SIGN UP HERE!

Let’s dig in together, Michelle

Recipe for Organic Garden Pest Control Spray

Sometimes the bugs just become too much, and you need a solution. This simple, organic garden pest control spray works great on any soft bodied larvae like cabbage worms and potato bugs, as well as aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, and mealy bugs. This spray will not hurt pollinators like the bumblebee!

• Use a 1 quart bottle
• Add ¼ Cup Olive Oil (or another organic vegetable oil)
• Add 1 tablespoon of castile soap
• Fill the rest of the way with water.
• Swirl the contents to mix (shaking creates too many bubbles) before each use.

Spray directly onto pests in the morning or evening, avoiding spraying in full sun. As with all natural remedies, this will have to be reapplied more often. But this spray is quite effective in quickly suffocating the larvae by coating their skin. It lasts an entire season.

Quick Tips:

• TP/Paper Towel collars placed into the soil around newly emerged seedlings will fend off cutworms.
• Place short pieces of 2×4 lumber or corrugated cardboard in the garden to lure in earwigs and Roly-polies/Pill bugs over night and remove in the mornings.
• Adding sound ‘scare’ tactics can work, if used infrequently, so save for right before a harvest for racoons, even leaving on a talk radio station can work.
• Place copper strips in the soil to fend off slugs, it makes their slime sizzle!
• Apple Maggots are lured in by red balls hung in trees, so coat with a non-drying glue and you’ve got a non-toxic trap.
• Molasses and water mixed together lures in flies, ants and grasshoppers, which will often drown in the mixture.

**One trap I avoid are the pheromone traps to lure in Japanese beetles etc. I find they just bring in more trouble than they kill.**

Organic Garden Pest Control

For more ideas on organic garden pest control, check out my companion planting article and free companion planting guide. On the other side of this topic, is how we create habitat for wildlife to help balance out our garden spaces naturally.

Hopefully this helps ready you to deal with the common pests that every gardener deals with. Is there a specific pest you have trouble with that I didn’t mention?

Have you found a new organic solution to pest control? Let me know in the comments below.

Dig In,
Michelle

The post Organic Garden Pest Control appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

A little crisp on the top layer, dense and perfectly spiced with chunks of warm apple throughout… This baked apple oatmeal recipe is so easy, uses a single bowl and can feel like a hearty breakfast or delicious dessert depending on how you dress it up!

I love the ‘idea’ of baked oatmeal but so many recipes can fall apart and feel like a good attempt gone wrong. This recipe teeters between baked oatmeal and oat cake/muffins, but I’m 100% comfortable with rocking the oat boat like this- because these are absolutely delicious!

Oat Power

I love making oat flour out of my oats and think this is my second favorite gluten free flour of all time. So, this recipe uses the humble oat in three ways. We use whole rolled oats (not the instant kind please), oat bran and then more of the rolled oats, pulverized to a flour to bring all the health benefits of oats but help it hold this dish together like a flour. Because it only uses oats, it is also naturally gluten free!

I don’t want to call this a health food, because there is maple syrup (or brown sugar) and butter (or coconut oil) in it- but the oat’s naturally high amounts of soluble fiber (specifically called beta glucan) lowers blood glucose and cholesterol levels. The oat bran also provides high levels of antioxidants. Oat groats and steel cut oats both naturally contain oat bran. But oat bran is also sold on its own, usually in the bulk bins from your local coop.

And I’ll give a shout out here to farmers growing grains sustainably and organically. It takes a lot more land to grow marketable amounts of these grains compared to vegetable farming operations. I see you and appreciate you!

Back to the Apples

It’s the perfect pairing of the nutty oats with a spiced fall apple flavor. I am not an apple snob, so I say use whatever apples you have on hand, but I do prefer a slightly tart apple in these.

Granny Smith is the classic, but I prefer Honeycrisp, Cortland, Macintosh or  if you can find them Northern Spy. Whatever apple you use, these will be simply satisfying.

If you’re looking for an Organic Apple Orchard I’ve got you covered there too!

I’ve also baked these in a 9X12” (lots of crispy edges and tops), a 9” round (almost overflows), and muffins (this makes a slightly awkward 18 muffins) – all are delicious. I will suggest you steer clear of paper muffin liners because this is such a wet batter going in that half the muffin will stick to the liner when you’re trying to eat them.

Baked Apple Oatmeal Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 c. rolled oats – 1 cup pulverized into flour
• ½ c. oat bran (or another ½ cup rolled oats)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground (or 1/2 tsp fresh) ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves +/or cardamom *optional
• 2 large eggs
• 2 c. milk (2% or whole)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 c. maple syrup (or brown sugar)
• 2 small apples cored, peeled, and chopped (about 2 c.)
• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter (or coconut oil) melted, plus more, softened, for pan
• 1/2 c. chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts) *optional

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease pan of choice with coconut oil

Start by mixing the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Measure 2 cups of milk into a 2 cup measurer- then you can crack and beat two eggs (gently) and add the vanilla, pour and then measure the maple syrup all in the same measurer before pouring into the dry ingredients. Melt the butter (I use same now empty measuring cup) and add to batter.

Mix and let that mixture soak up the liquids while you peel, core and chop enough apples to make around 2 cups. Chop and add nuts if using. Mix with the other ingredients.

Grease your pan or muffin tins with coconut oil. and fill to just under the rim. These do not expand much.

Bake in 350F oven for allotted time:

• 9X12 – 20-25 minutes
• 9” Round- 25-30 minutes
• Muffin tins- 20 minutes

Enjoy it Your Way

And then we can dress it up. My one son LOVES whipped cream- and straight cream with a little vanilla extract whipped in is a delightful topper. I also push whole fats with my boys and paired with the oats this is a healthy way for them to eat them.

I prefer whole fat Greek yogurt spiced with vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, maybe cardamom too… the yogurt feels like a breakfast, but the whipped cream brings this fully into the dessert realm in our home.

For more apple goodness check out my post An Apple A Day that has loads of delicious ways to cook with and preserve the fall apple bounty!

If you’ve moved on to Pumpkin, try my favorite Spiced Pumpkin Cake recipe too!

Let me know how you prefer to enjoy these healthful, delicious apple + oat treats.

Dig in,

Michelle

The post Baked Apple Oatmeal Cake (GF) appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

Fall temps can quite literally cool our northern garden jets once fall hits its stride and apple season arrives. But for those of us that enjoy those frost sweetened crops and don’t mind gardening into the cool of autumn, Season Extension opens another mini-season of gardening and harvesting!

For those just getting started on season extension, you may be wondering why we bother with this extra work?

For me the reason is clear: by keeping plants alive in the ground, it allows them to hold onto their nutrients, compared to if we harvested at the first sign of frost. Food loses around 30% of its nutrients within three days of harvest…

Practicing season extension can add weeks or even months of harvesting FRESH FOOD from your garden. And isn’t harvesting healthy food one of our main goals?

*This post includes some links to products I have tested, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*

Season Extension Factors

Successfully extending the harvesting season depends on a few individual factors.  Each one affecting the other; like the plant variety, weather, your growing zone, microclimates within your garden and if deciduous trees drop leaves and add a little more sunlight to an area that is shady during the summer months. But it all starts with the right plants!

Knowing which plants do well in cool weather is key to success. We’ve got a list of the 21 most common garden plants (everything from arugula to zucchini) and their germination temps and their low temperature threshold listed on page 46 of our book, Small-Scale Homesteading. You can also find most of this information online at whichever seed company you purchased your seeds from as well. Johnny’s Seeds and High Mowing are especially good at adding this info online.

It can be surprising how much low temp threshold variation there can be between what we all typically think of as cool weather crops. So do your research and you’ll be ahead of the game!

Read more on which plants work best in my Succession Planting blog.

Growing Under Covers

The next key to success is adding some physical cover over the plants. There are many ways to add a layer of protection over your plants, from simply setting a plastic bin over a few plants, or quick to set up and moveable low tunnels, to permanent cold frame structures. Even adding a layer of dry, shredded leaves will help protect many root crops for a few more weeks.

We pop up these kinds of covers for two different reasons.

1. To protect frost sensitive plants
2. To hold cold-hardy plants in the garden longer  

The first category of plants we cover up tend to be lettuce and other plants like broccoli and cauliflower that can typically handle down to 28F without damage.  So, if we know a frost is coming, we’ll get the cover structure up *at least* a day or two before the temps dip. This allows the soil and air temps to gain a few degrees before they get to the critical low temperature.

Managing the temperatures inside low tunnels and cold frames is a bit of an art. The air temps under coverage will vary greatly depending on how sunny the days are. Even with air temps in the 20F’s outside, we’ve had air temps inside low tunnels above 70F (this happens both in the spring and the fall).

Temperature Fluctuations

Something to watch in adding a low tunnel over plants in the fall is how fast the sun still warms the air. Sudden changes can cause plants stress because they have to quickly change up their internal metabolic processes. Even experiencing this one time can lead to a weakening of the plant’s overall vigor. This in turn makes it more susceptible to diseases and pests. If we’re using this practice at the end of the season for an annual plant, this weakening isn’t crucial for longevity. But it is good to know both for spring low tunnel use – and because drastic air temperature fluctuations will affect the quality of produce you harvest.

Depending on when the sun hits the low tunnel (or cold frame like pictured here) temps can easily rise 10F every half an hour. And this is where plants can suffer from temperature shock.

In a typical Minnesota fall, temps can be down in the low 30/40s overnight and back up to the 70s in the afternoon. So it doesn’t make sense to say there’s a specific number of degrees plants can handle in a day. The issue is that under a plastic cover the temps increase more rapidly than in a natural setting, so the plants don’t have time to adjust their internal processes.

Opening up the end of the low tunnel in the morning, and closing back down early in the afternoon to keep temperatures as moderated as possible is my goal.

DIY Low Tunnel

Low tunnels are VERY easy to construct and move around to follow your crop rotations. Start by pounding in 2-foot lengths of 1/4″ rebar at your corners and along the edges every 2’ or so.

Then slide some ½” PVC over the rebar. This creates an arch over the bed when you slide the PVC onto the rebar on the other side of the bed.

Then add a stick of PVC the length of the bed. At the top of and perpendicular to the arches, to add strength to the structure. You can easily secure with zip ties.

Cover in “poly” which is just plastic between 2-6 millimeters thick. Cut so you have enough to make good contact with the soil all the way around. You can use a longer piece of rebar or rocks, lumber etc… to weigh down the edges. Secure the plastic to the PVC with clips or clamps. This whole set up can cost as little as $40 and will last for years.

You can also cover with fabric called “floating row cover.” This is a woven fabric that breaths where plastic does not- but it doesn’t hold in the heat quite as well as plastic- but it is great for light frosts.

Know that you’ll be peeking in to check on temps often, so adding a soil thermometer and a regular small exterior thermometer where you can easily see it makes that step lots easier.

If you’re looking for an easy all in one option? I know garden friends who enjoy this combo of a structure and easily to install 3-Season Plant Protection Tent from Gardener’s Supply. (I am not affiliated with them).

Season extension has added months of fresh harvests for my family over the years, and I hope it can do the same for you!

What questions do you still have about starting this process?

Let’s Dig In!

Michelle

The post Season Extension: Garden + Harvest into Winter appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

Stephanie and my collective knowledge has been distilled down to what we wished we’d known when we started down this homesteading road.

…And I know that’s said about a lot of books by a lot of authors, and I understand why- we write what we know. We end up knowing a lot about what we love.

And we love homesteading, in all it’s beautiful forms.

The twist with this book is that these pages hold BOTH of our combined experiences and the different ways we’ve settled into doing different homesteading skills.  We’re obviously big believers in there being  more than one way to do just about everything.

GET YOUR COPY HERE

How our Book Took Root

Stephanie had written her second cookbook and I was planning another Winter Farmers Markets in White Bear Lake. I was expanding the event to include classes during the markets. I asked Stephanie to teach one of her fermentation classes at a market. We hit it off right away. But living on opposite sides of the city with busy lives during a pandemic kept us acquaintances over the next few years.

Jump to the spring of 2021 at my monthly book club. I was sharing a rhubarb shrub cocktail with my gals and they all loved it so much they wanted the recipe, and urged me to write a blog on it. I knew Stephanie had a recipe for this specific shrub in her book, Weck Small Batch Preserving and so I asked if she wanted to collaborate on the blog…

We used Stephanie’s recipe in the Rhubarb Shrub Love blog and we even did a book giveaway. While talking details and chatting about that project Stephanie mentioned that she’d recently pitched and gotten the go ahead on another book idea to her publisher. But she was feeling hesitant to tackle all the writing for a book on homesteading. She asked if I’d be interested in doing something like that together… and it lit a fire under both of us!

“Instead of self-sufficiency, how about communal abundance?”

Quote from Michelle’s intro

Planning The Book

So we presented our updated outline to her publisher at Skyhorse, they accepted, we negotiated and started flushing out ideas and projects, taking photos and having lots of conversations about what we wanted this book to feel like.

The rest is captured within the pages of our beautiful love letter to urban and suburban homesteading!

We both knew we wanted reading it to feel like hanging out with some friends who happen to be experts (but not the snotty kind ) sharing information and a cup of tea (or coffee, kombucha or maybe a cocktail) and feeling like you can accomplish any project you read about- but without feeling like you had to do it all. But that’s a pretty long title, so after LOTS of title changes we ended up settling on a final. “Small-Scale Homesteading: A Sustainable Guide to Gardening, Keeping Chickens, Maple Sugaring, Preserving the Harvest, and More” – which isn’t much shorter- ha!

And what a fun ride it has been writing my first book. I got to dig deeper in so many of my favorite topics; from my obsession with soil life to the way pollinators are welcomed to our gardens, favorite recipes and chicken keeping hacks. We even get to share some truly inspirational stories of others in our homesteading community. There are amazing people doing amazing things in cities across America.

We believe any home can be a homestead, and any person can be a homesteader. A core belief of ours is that many of us making ‘small changes’ will have a larger impact than a few of us making ‘all the changes’ ever could.  So, we break down some of the basics and how to get started in the book!

Community at the Core

This is also why we include community in the book. As urban/suburban homesteaders, we’re not working with acres of land. But we do have access to amazing neighbors with varying talents and interests.

We encourage you to draw on those talents and skills so we each get to do more of what we love, while giving others the chance to share what they love.

Together we’ll create a more thriving community, plus it is just more fun!

We can’t wait for you to get our book dirty with seed starting and kitchen projects.

In case you haven’t ordered you book yet, here’s the LINK to get your own copy.

Cheers to your own journey of Small-Scale Homesteading!

-In Community

Michelle + Stephanie

The post Small-Scale Homesteading Book appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

I’m finally slowing down enough to take the time to get in that frame of mind where I can rewind and somewhat clearly peer back at 2022, the year in review.

Thankful for 2022

I distinctly remember being so very grateful for the late spring as I was frantically writing/editing/revising so many pages (so many times) along with Stephanie Thurow for our upcoming book, Small-Scale Homesteading.

I felt lucky that the maple sap held off until we got back from our March vacations. We brought home and raised a new brood of chicks into a healthy, happy (and spoiled) backyard flock. I took my local Master Gardener coursework and completed 50+ hours of volunteer hours. I helped grow vegetables and flowers at my son’s elementary school.

We took time up north in Minnesota to walk through and wonder at creation. I taught classes on companion planting, composting, growing garlic, garden planning and preserving the harvest, wrote for magazines new and old. I got to manage our 6^th annual Winter Farmers Markets. My family all got Influenza A at the same time and we nursed each other back to health with homegrown remedies. And I grew as much food as ever- including so many new favorites.

We celebrated life as we lived it. What a year both in and out of the garden!

Weather Woes

And while I can truly say that I’ve never experienced weather like we had last season, I am grateful for all it taught me.

From our early season chill that got everything started late, to May’s thunderstorms, June’s record heat and learning what a Derecho was, hail in September and the Dirty rain that followed…only to have the drought conditions put at ease by way too early and way too much SNOW. Then the artic storms of Christmas. Whew.

And yet, our plants persisted! They grew to the best of their abilities, and hopefully we got to grow with them as we helped them along with low tunnels and shade cloths, deep mulching and frequent watering…

Onward

I’ve become even more enamored with our planet. Not taking for granted the simple act that life exists because of photosynthesis. I’m working towards being part of the solution in taking care of this planet in my small ways. Living as simply as I can, eating local, being smart about my energy consumption- and making those choices with humility, because I know it is a luxury to have a choice.

I believe that each of us doing whatever small things that work for us will be the way we turn the tide and in turn are able to gift a healthy planet to future generations. One of my small parts is growing food for our family and sharing how we do that with you all.

Garden in Review

All in all our (roughly) 550 square feet of garden space produced (roughly) 554 pounds of produce (not counting the egg and maple syrup we harvested). Just a few pounds more than last year. Not bad considering that farmers anticipate about 0.5 pounds of produce per square foot.

I’d call that intensive gardening. And it is all made possible by working with nature via taking care of the soil, companion planting, extending our growing seasons, and paying really close attention to what is happening in the gardens. 

From welcoming wildlife big and small, to practicing No Till Gardening, from using what we’ve got with leaf mulch and composting what comes out of our chicken coop- this garden cycle never gets old.

There’s always a way to dive deeper into relationship with Mother Nature, more to learn about tending plants or beneficial insects, another recipe to try that means another new seed to start. I am so grateful I get to do these things – I’m blown away by those of you that follow along. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this journey with me.

I hope I can inspire you in some ways, because I know so many of you have inspired me!

Favorite Blogs from 2022

• Beet Love
• Harvesting, Preserving + Using Herbs
• Growing Great Garlic (bonus link to webinar)
• DIY Cocktail Infusing

And I added so many tasty recipes to the blog as well, From Summer Spaghetti to Broccoli Soup on my newly updated Recipe Page

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at book signings (PS- you can still pre-order the book to get our bonus content HERE), or during the Home and Garden Show days and maybe even at some more in-person classes and events… more on that soon, for now; cheers to 2023!

Dig In,

Michelle

The post Homestead Year In Review 2022 appeared first on Forks in the Dirt.

Start with the Best Broccoli

Broccoli is one of our family’s favorite garden veggies to grow. So much so that my boys will even go patrol for cabbage worms, the little green guys that can ravage this plant if left to their own munching.

I also love that when we eat broccoli, we’re eating the immature flower buds! I used to tell my boys they were eating broccoli bouquets, and I like to think that helped them grow in their love for this powerhouse veggie.

I’ve had good luck growing Bellstar, Emerald Crown, and Green Magic varieties of broccoli in our zone 4 gardens (all from Johnny’s Seeds).

Harvesting Tip** Soak your broccoli florets in salty water (1 Tbsp in a bowl of water) for a few minutes so any creepy crawlies float to the top!

Because it is a family favorite veggie, we grow a lot of broccoli and usually have some frozen to use during the winter months. And while we love many veggies from green beans to corn simply heated and eaten as side dishes straight from the freezer, I find broccoli needs a little extra love once frozen.

Soup is the perfect spin!

In addition to the blanched and frozen broccoli from the garden, I’m also saving broccoli stems all season to use in this broccoli soup. To make the best use of them, peel the ‘skin’ from the tender part of the stems closer to the buds. Toss the woody part (further down the stem) into the compost. These add great bulk and flavor to soups. And by peeling, you’ll get rid of the most gas-inducing part of the broccoli!

My secret ingredient in so many pureed soups is a little cream cheese. It adds such a depth of flavor and pairs well with broccoli.

You can keep it really simple, and even skip the pureeing, if you like it chunky. If leaving this kind of soup chunky, make sure to not overcook the vegetables. You can also add up to half cauliflower if preferred. See, super-flexible soups really are the best!

I’ve added the white beans and/or potatoes as a way to thicken this soup without adding gluten, and I like the flavor better too. Leave out the cream/cheese if you want to keep it dairy free or vegan.

Healthy Broccoli Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1-2 yellow/white carrots (optional)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1-2 cups shredded zucchini (optional but great thickener)
• 2-3 Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
• 4-5 cups broccoli stems and florets (frozen is fine)
• 6 cups chicken (or veggie) stock
• ½ cup white beans (optional)
• 1 cup milk, or ½ cup of half and half, or ¼ cup of cream cheese
• Salt + pepper to taste
• Olive oil to sauté

Our family’s favorite garnishes for this healthy broccoli soup recipe are roasted chickpeas, pea shoots, green onion—and of course always served with toasted bread.

Directions:

• Chop veggies into desired sizes, considering if you’ll be pureeing.
• Sauté onions for a few minutes, then add garlic, thyme, and celery.
• A few minutes later add the shredded zucchini, potatoes, and stock. If you have lots of good broccoli stems, add those in now as well. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Then add in broccoli florets and cook for another 5-10. Or if pureeing, add florets at same time, cooking for 10-15 minutes total.
• You can puree some stock with the white beans to thicken, or add milk, half and half, or cream cheese while pureeing as well.

Have fun garnishing! We love to sprinkle microgreens on top of our soups. And make sure that bread is extra toasty!

Last Words on This Healthy Broccoli Soup Recipe

For more Very Veggie Soup Recipes, check out my RECIPE page. I’m also perfecting a “Broccoli Leaf Soup” recipe—check out this deeply flavorful and nutrient packed recipe!

This healthy broccoli soup recipe makes excellent leftovers and keeps in the fridge for a few days.

Dig In,

Michelle

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