By thegardenergal on May 17, 2011
Where we live, we are having drought conditions. We have cracks in our backyard that I don’t even want to try to measure – they’re deep. It’s worse in a lot of places than it is here, but since this is where we grow, this is what we’re concerned with. So, how thrilling it is to have the possibility of alleged rain in the forecast for not just one day, but several days! My plants were really dry yesterday, though, and my last experience with the local weather guys predicting rain was really disappointing. Continue reading »
Posted in Conservation, Country Lifestyle, Dieting and weight loss, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Herbs, Homesteading, I recommend these..., Kansas, Kansas farm life, Reducing sodium intake
By thegardenergal on May 16, 2011
Well, I grew my tomatoes from seed this year, as usual, and I nurtured them and loved them and cared for them, then I almost killed them, saved them, almost killed them again, saved them once again and now, I’m going to put their lives at risk yet again, all for the sake of “hardening off” in a really difficult spring. Continue reading »
Posted in Country Lifestyle, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Homesteading, Kansas, Kansas farm life, Peace on the prairie
By thegardenergal on May 15, 2011
A few days ago, I blogged about my obsession with pesto. Yes, I am a pesto purist… I prefer original, classic pesto made with fresh basil, however… my basil is only a couple of inches tall and there’s enough to make about 3 teaspoons of pesto right now. While I wait impatiently, I am going to try something new and different today. I am going to make pesto with cilantro! Continue reading »
Posted in Conservation, Country Lifestyle, Dieting and weight loss, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Herbs, Homesteading, I recommend these..., Kansas, Kansas farm life, Recipes, Reducing sodium intake, Tips, Tricks and How-tos
By thegardenergal on May 13, 2011
I take my neighbors’ recycling once a month to a great recycling center in El Dorado, Kansas. Whoever designed this place is brilliant. It’s a drive-through building, so even in the horrible weather we often have in Kansas, it’s not an ordeal to do a good deed for the earth. I’ve been there in rain, snow, sun, and ice. I choose to go a little farther to El Dorado rather than the center in Augusta because I always get fabulous stuff in El Dorado, and it’s all free! Continue reading »
Posted in Conservation, Country Lifestyle, Earth Day, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Homesteading, I recommend these..., Kansas, Kansas farm life, Tips, Tricks and How-tos
By thegardenergal on May 12, 2011
Let me begin by saying that we eat horseradish here at home… about 1/4 cup per YEAR. Harvesting it for home use is not why I wanted to grow it. It was supposed to deter black blister beetles from devouring my tomato crop, and that is the ONLY reason I wanted it. I regret the day I brought home the first slip of horseradish, believe me. If I could go back in time, that’s a life event that would definitely make me want to hit the “do-over” button. Continue reading »
Posted in Conservation, Country Lifestyle, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Herbs, Homesteading, Kansas, Kansas farm life
By thegardenergal on May 11, 2011
Yesterday, the Butler County Master Gardeners got together to plant flowers along the main intersection in the town where our office is based – El Dorado, Kansas. In less than an hour, we fanned out and put forth our efforts to beautify the city. It was an act of civic pride, but it was more than that… it was fun! Continue reading »
Posted in Country Lifestyle, Ecology, Gardening, Kansas
By thegardenergal on May 9, 2011
This past Saturday, I overheard a conversation among gardeners in which the female participant was very excited that her male friend was growing beets. I cringed when I heard the word beets, because I don’t eat them and, unless starving, wouldn’t. My husband gags at the mention of beets. More about that in a minute. I recalled another such conversation I overheard once wherein a man was announcing proudly that he had planted his entire, quite sizable spring garden with only swiss chard. It made me wonder if people think I’m strange because of my long-term love affair with Brussels sprouts. Continue reading »
Posted in Conservation, Country Lifestyle, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Homesteading, I recommend these..., Kansas, Kansas farm life, Preserving the harvest, Recipes, Tips, Tricks and How-tos
By thegardenergal on May 8, 2011
It’s Sunday already where I live, and if you haven’t bought anything for Mom yet, and she’s a gardener, listen up. I have a gift idea for you that will knock your socks off. Weed. No, really. Not that kind of weed, but the verb… to weed. To weed, as in get out there on your hands and knees and, after verifying that what you are about to destroy is actually not a treasured plant, pull it, let it die in the sun and then compost it. What more could a mother want? Continue reading »
Posted in Conservation, Country Lifestyle, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Homesteading, I recommend these..., Kansas, Kansas farm life
By thegardenergal on May 7, 2011
After I posted about using basil to repel flies, my mouth has been watering all day at the thought of fresh pesto. Oooo… fresh pesto on a thin slice of homemade bread. Yeah, baby… that’s what I want. Sadly, my basil is only about an inch tall right now. I’ll have to wait awhile, but once it’s tall enough to start harvesting, here’s what I’m going to do with it. Continue reading »
Posted in Country Lifestyle, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Herbs, Homesteading, I recommend these..., Kansas, Kansas farm life, Preserving the harvest, Recipes, Reducing sodium intake
By thegardenergal on May 6, 2011
Most people are familiar with flies getting in the house on occasion, some seasons more than others, and some climates more than others. Just because flies try to get in doesn’t mean you have a dirty house. It is the nature of flies to annoy us! Continue reading »
Posted in Conservation, Country Lifestyle, Ecology, Gardening, Green living, Herbs, Homesteading, I recommend these..., Kansas, Kansas farm life, Tips, Tricks and How-tos