What’s Growin’ On

Moringa seeds - loose and ready for the taking...swapping.
Moringa seeds - loose and ready for the taking...swapping.

Field Trip: Heirloom Expo Seed Swap

Continue ReadingField Trip: Heirloom Expo Seed Swap

This will be my last post about the 2015 Heirloom Expo, but it's one that couldn't be left out. Every year the Heirloom Expo hosts a seed swap for those who have been saving seeds throughout the year. They bring their seeds to swap with other gardeners, hoping to find interesting varieties to take home and try this year. It's mayhem. It's wonderful. It's worth writing about. Baker Creek not only hosts the seed swap, but they hand out bargaining…

Dr. Vandana Shiva of Navdanya
Dr. Vandana Shiva of Navdanya

Heirloom Expo Wrap Up – All About Seeds

Continue ReadingHeirloom Expo Wrap Up – All About Seeds

The 2015 Heirloom Expo was another huge success. I had the pleasure of giving a talk to a full house about Growing Food in the Drought. The rest of the time I was wandering amidst the beauty, sampling wholesome food, listening to top-notch bluegrass music, and meeting some of our fearless leaders in the movement toward seed freedom. Please allow me to gloat for a moment. Being a speaker (and having a blog) affords one the opportunity to chat with…

Read more about the article Harvesting Jerusalem Artichokes
Some were large like this one.

Harvesting Jerusalem Artichokes

Continue ReadingHarvesting Jerusalem Artichokes

It's been 9 months since we planted the three Jerusalem Artichokes that had sprouted in the fridge. Now the plant has dried up and it's time to harvest. Most guide books tell you not to harvest until after frost, but here in Southern California things are different (heck, we planted in December, so that should tell you something). The flowers on our massive sunchoke stalk are long gone and the leaves and stems are crispy brown. The biodegradable pot has…

Read more about the article Field Trip: Quachuu Aloom Farmers in L.A.
Guatemalan farmers grow, harvest and sell traditional and contemporary seeds growing in desert climates.

Field Trip: Quachuu Aloom Farmers in L.A.

Continue ReadingField Trip: Quachuu Aloom Farmers in L.A.

The Seed Library of Los Angeles recently hosted a dinner with visiting Qachuu Aloom Farmers as they journey up to the Heirloom Expo this coming week. David King at the Learning Garden (home of SLOLA meetings) invited me to attend, and learn about how these native Guatemalan farmers harvest and save seeds for amaranth and other crops. We got more than we bargained for during this dinner event. Not only did we eat well, but we learned tricks for how…

Read more about the article Recipe: Ground Cherry Salsa
Ingredients for ground cherry salsa.

Recipe: Ground Cherry Salsa

Continue ReadingRecipe: Ground Cherry Salsa

We grew ground cherries for the first time this year. Having been previously under the impression that they only grow in northern climates, ground cherries were never something we considered growing here in the south. Now that we're full-up on golden ground cherries, it's time to do something with them. Ground cherries taste like a tropical fruit crossed with a tomato. If you love sweet/savory combinations, you'll find this fascinating fruit. When making recipes, our goal is to make food…

Read more about the article Recipe: Plum Skillet Cake
Finished cake - the recipes says it's 4 servings. It really is 8.

Recipe: Plum Skillet Cake

Continue ReadingRecipe: Plum Skillet Cake

Back in July we were up to our eyeballs in Santa Rosa plums raining from our front yard tree. We ate as fast as we could, but still there were about 60 plums on the counter at any given time. Drastic measures needed to be taken. Enter Plum Skillet Cake. Martha Stewart is good for one thing if nothing else: ideas for excessive amounts of fruit. Her recipes for plums run the gamut, offering a plethora of options for the…

Read more about the article Growing Cowpeas (Black Eyed Peas)
A little more than 1/2 a cup of beans. We'll try again next year.

Growing Cowpeas (Black Eyed Peas)

Continue ReadingGrowing Cowpeas (Black Eyed Peas)

Cowpeas, or black-eyed peas, are a staple of Southern cuisine, but the pea (actually a bean) itself traces back to Africa, Southeast Asia and even Native American traditions. Last year we discovered a Native American heirloom called Tohono O'ohdam "U'us mu:n" cow peas.  Say that 10 times fast...if you can. This spring/summer we grew them out to see how they would do in our climate. Cowpeas, you should know, are available as both bush and pole varieties. Our packet of…

Read more about the article Growing Fish Peppers
Tiny flowers turn to fruit quickly

Growing Fish Peppers

Continue ReadingGrowing Fish Peppers

If you haven't guessed by now, we love growing heirlooms here at Gardenerd HQ. This year we were excited to try growing fish peppers. Both the fruit and leaves offer visual interest in the garden with variegated, cream-striped green pods, and white-mottled leaves that look like a beautiful mistake. Fish peppers also have a history dating back to the 1800s, with African-American culinary roots tracing back to the 1940s. Hot white sauces made from these young fruits kick up the…

Read more about the article Pruning Tomatoes
Young tomatoes in cages - Rule #1: give them proper support

Pruning Tomatoes

Continue ReadingPruning Tomatoes

Today we have a guest post from James White, a self-described kombucha tea-sipping blogger who focuses on green building and sustainable living via his family blog Homey Improvements. He's offering advice on how to prune tomatoes for those who are pruning-averse. Take it away James! How to Prune Tomatoes The first year I planted tomatoes they all died. Year after year, I’ve made every mistake you possibly can when it comes to tomatoes but I’ve learned so much that now I…

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