Category: Local Food (Page 2 of 15)

OK, so I have a thing for books…

Gardening “How To” books, Ecological Gardening books, Permaculture, No Dig, Companion Planting, Preserving, Homesteading… I’ve read a lot of books. And, not all of them earn a place on my bookshelf.

Nothing quite compares to flipping open to a page to find that bit of info, recipe or inspiration. Below are some of my most loved Garden and Local Food books.

Each of the books listed below would make great gifts, and a welcome addition to any gardener, homesteader, or foodie’s library!

Gardening, at its heart, is good for you AND the planet! But years of green washing and less than organic practices have made it a little confusing. But there are some basic tips I’ve learned to help you get gardening for sustainability.

Sustainable gardening is all about creating a living system that supports itself, nurtures the environment, and…  actually gets easier for you over time. It’s the sweet spot where ecology meets practicality.

When you plan to manage each precious resource—from water, soil, sun, and plant matter—you’ll see the soil grow richer each year and the workload become more manageable. The garden will start to function like the ecosystem it is rather than feel like a chore.

For Minnesota gardeners and especially organic, permaculture-minded homesteaders, this mindset fits beautifully with our distinct seasons, rich glacial soils, and wildly resilient native species.

Simple One Pot Soup Recipe Easy to Repeat!

This is such a warming soup. I’ve made a few variations in the past but have settled on this as a family favorite. I recently made this for a recovering friend, and I think it’s a perfect hug in a jar.

I also recently harvested all of these main ingredients from our suburban homestead here in Minnesota. Yes, even the ginger. So this soup sums up my most recent fall harvests in one bowl.

And as with all soups, this recipe is a jumping off point. A half cup more or less of any of the main ingredients is not going to ruin this soup. It is lighter and brighter than the more common butternut squash soup, but it certainly looks like that other orange fall soup. I am always looking for ways to sneak in more protein, so of course I add white beans to this soup. Adding beans to any blended soup gives it a creamy, thicker consistency along with all the other health benefits.

How to Prep Your Fall Garden the Easy, Earth-Friendly Way

Fall is in the air. Cooler days brings the unmistakable shift in our gardens as the growing season winds down. It’s tempting to grab your rake, pull every plant out by the roots, and “tidy up” before winter hits.

But if you’re aiming for a healthier garden and less work next season, it’s time to embrace no dig garden clean-up. No dig gardening is more than just a trend—it’s a smarter, soil-loving way to garden. And when it comes to fall cleanup, the no dig method gives your garden a natural boost while cutting your workload. Win-win.

I started seed saving the year I got behind (way behind) on picking my pole beans. When I found a few (ok, lots) of bean pods that were swelling in their pods and starting to yellow I was in despair at a lost harvest.

But then a light bulb popped on.

These were not a waste—just a different stage of the plant.

I didn’t have to toss these overripe beans into the compost. I could leave these to grow and save them as dried beans. I could eat them or save them to plant for more beans next year.

It was a sublimely empowering moment. One I want you to have too!

I got lucky by stumbling onto starting with one of the easiest vegetable seeds to save. For the first few years I saved mostly bean varieties and native flowers. Over a decade later, I’m still experimenting with saving new seeds. Which is why I’m well suited to pass the torch: if I can do it—you can too!

Sweetcorn Season = Peak Summer.

I am a Midwestern gal, through and through. And let me tell you, we take our corn seriously.

That coupled with the growing interest in preserving more of our foods brought about this article. I’ll share my family’s favorite ways to enjoy and preserve this beautiful bountiful crop.

I love the versatility of strawberries – just enough tart to hold their own, and shine through even in salads!

At this point of summer, even I’m getting tired of the same old salads. But making your own dressings is an easy way to jazz up your salad routine!

I love rhubarb for so many reasons! This is now my 4^th article on rhubarb (and counting) and I think it’s because it is one of the first to arrive in my northern garden that I give so much attention to it! We’re just all so excited to have fresh fruits and veggies to play with again, so here’s a newer favorite way that I’ve found to preserve rhubarb—in rhubarb chutney!

Find more information on Growing Great Rhubarb HERE.

Eating this with grilled pork chops or a spring charcuterie board helps this rhubarb chutney shine. Paired with the goat cheese, crackers and cured meats, along with the first spring greens salad = spring in a meal. But the flavors are also deep enough to work well all summer and into fall.