A few weeks ago, we harvested a frame of honeycomb from our bee hive. We've enjoyed eating thin slices of comb and chewing on it to extract the honey. What you're left with is like chewing gum, but in this case you can either spit it out or swallow it (it's technically a fat, not a wax, so it's safe to ingest). Regardless of whether that grosses you out or not, it's a fascinating experience. Still, we wanted honey to…
Two years ago we dug up a blackberry runner that had wandered over from a neighboring plot at the community garden. We planted it in a pot and year later it took over the place, diving down through the drainage hole and sending up shoots a few feet away along the back wall. Now it's safe to say we are in full production. Eating seasonally is a particular joy when you get to harvest blackberries and make something that would…
I had the pleasure of attending an event last night called Getting Wasted, which focused on how much food is wasted in our country. From farm to table and from table to trash, we throw away a lot of food. A gathering of experts shed light on the subject. It was enlightening and informative, and I'd like to share some highlights with you. 40% of all food in the U.S. is wasted. What? How? My first thought was, sure - farmers…
We garden for many reasons, but whether it's a hobby, habit or homesteading way of life, gardening has a purpose. It feeds us. What's more, it gives us the opportunity to control where some of our food comes from. I do it to avoid pesticides, to assure that the methods used to grow my food are sustainable, and to reduce my carbon footprint (fewer miles from farm to table, less pollution from chemicals, lower water usage through bio-intensive planting methods).…
We couldn't stand the suspense any longer. Our bees were filling up frame after frame of their hive with golden nectar and we wanted to share the experience. So we donned our suits and veils and harvested a single frame for ourselves. Oh, sweet goodness! The frame was heavy with precious cargo, with each hexagonal cell covered in wax capping to let us know that it's ready. Open cells of comb are not ready; bees wait until the moisture content…
We planted millet in late February and planted it out last month and already we have an update! While many of the plants were destroyed by curious cats, the remainder have sent up impressive stalks of grain. This being our first time growing millet, we weren't sure what to expect. It's always fun to try something new and see what happens. Here's what we found in the garden yesterday: Millet apparently is a short crop, only reaching about 15" tall.…
What do you do with all those fava beans from your winter cover crop? The possibilities are endless, but when you're in the mood for something sophisticated, try this fava bean crostini for a bright spring delight. It is based on a recipe from Susie Middleton's Eat Your Spring Veggies: Five Fresh Dishes in Oregon Live. Instead of shallots, we used some of our freshly harvested, young green garlic. Check out this satisfying treat: Ingredients - for 2 Kosher salt 1 pounds…
One of my Santa Monica College students wanted to put in a starter garden to try out her new found skills on a small scale. She didn't want to invest in landscaping or permanent raised beds just yet. After a consultation and some thoughtful deliberation, we landed on a patio garden with a pre-fab raised bed. The patio was level concrete and brick, eliminating the need to level out uneven ground (saving on labor costs). There was no grass to…
For those who missed it, I had the pleasure of chatting with Lisa Boone of the LA Times a couple weeks ago about spring planting. It was a chance to share some helpful gardening tips and answer viewer questions. It appears to be one of their more popular chats, receiving more than 27,000 views as of this writing. May it help you get your garden in shape this spring: You'll find tips on pest control, volunteers, composting and small space…
Here's another chance to cook (or not cook) with fresh ingredients from the garden with this great Raw Cabbage and Tofu Salad recipe. It's easy to make and uses your cabbage and carrot harvest from the cool-weather season. It happens; we grow things and then try to figure out what to do with the bounty. This recipe uses a whole head of cabbage, making room for more in the fridge. We used a few colorful carrots and green onions from…