Gardening

A Passion for Seeds ~ Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company

A Passion for Seeds ~ The Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company

I’ve wanted to visit Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company for a long time. For at least ten years I’ve received their catalogs and watched Jere Gettle’s business and family grow. Their festivals have always looked like so much fun, yet I never found the time to make the 2 1/2 hour trip. My contact there, …

Garden Tour ~ My Mother’s Garden

Garden Tour ~ My Mother's Garden

I inherited my love of gardening (and porches) from my mother. I recently visited my parents at their home near Livingston, Texas, and my mother’s garden was in full-bloom. I thought you might enjoy a tour, seeing some new plants, and learning a few stories behind her decorations. Mama’s Style My mother describes her garden …

The Ups and Downs of Asparagus

The Ups and Downs of Asparagus

I’m far from being an expert on asparagus. In fact, I’ve been a little disappointed in my asparagus harvest, so I decided to do some research to see if there’s something I can do to improve it for next year. I thought I’d share what I’ve learned, along with my experience – the ups and downs …

Rainy Days ~ A Simple Pleasure

Rainy Days ~ A Simple Pleasure

I love rain. Rainy days make me feel like nesting. Maybe that’s because God is taking care of my watering chores, and when I have seeds sown and new plants getting established, I especially appreciate the help that a good soaking rain gives them. Rainy days give this gardener time to catch up on a little …

On the Hunt for Redbuds and Phlox

On the Hunt for Redbuds and Phlox

Now that spring has arrived, I’ve been really busy gardening like a mad woman. In my flower garden I’ve been weeding and pulling up grass, as well as planting and transplanting. One of the corners of the front yard has been neglected, and while working out there I kept thinking about what it needed. I finally …

A Green Thumb Grows

A Green Thumb Grows

It was such a beautiful day! All week I had been looking forward to spending it in my front yard flower garden. For a variety of reasons, I hadn’t been able to spend very much time out there lately. It was something I just had to do, for my own well-being as well as for the …

Poultry for the Homeplace ~ A Practical Primer

Poultry for the Homeplace

Poultry are not paltry on the homeplace. They each serve a purpose and are profitable. Poultry refers to a variety of domesticated birds that are raised for their meat and eggs. It includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and guineas. Plumage I think of our birds as feathered flowers. They all have different colors and patterns, and …

Patiently Pruning Peaches and Pears

Patiently Pruning Peaches and Pears

My gardening chore today was to prune my peach and pear trees. In my mind it was urgent because the peach trees are in full bloom and already starting to leaf out. I really wanted to get them pruned while I could see the limbs and the structure of the tree. We’ve been working on …

Clearing the Way for Spring

Clearing the Way for Spring

I love leaves and even wrote a tongue-in-cheek poem, “In Defense of Leaves,” about them last fall, but it’s time to make way for spring and the flowers I love so much. I don’t clean my gardens up in the fall, I wait until spring to clear away the leaves and other debris left from …