Back in 2014, we took a field trip to The Little Farm, a 2 acre private residence in the Valley in Southern California. Clive Segil is a rare fruit grower, and he transformed his sloped parcel into a jam packed, productive jungle with a menagerie of livestock and fruit trees. In our latest YouTube video, we return to see what has changed since we were there last.
This week I had a unique opportunity to visit the Wildlife Waystation, a sanctuary for wild and exotic animals on 160 acres in Sylmar, CA. The motto of the Wildlife Waystation is Refuge, Healing, Education. It was an experience I'll never forget. Imagine standing in the midst of the Angeles National Forest, among chaparral, cactus, and wildflowers. Suddenly you hear a lion roar. Next, a peacock caws, followed by the hoot of two or three chimpanzees. It's out of place…
On a sleepy Saturday morning in early October, I drove to Fillmore, CA to meet up with a gaggle of sourdough bread bakers. Our gathering place: Roan Mills Bakery. Why? To get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of making bread from start to finish--from heritage grain to Caprese sandwich. The Bakery Roan Mills is run by Andrea Crawford of Kenter Canyon Farms (and LABB member). She and her team control ever stage, from growing identity-preserved wheat including Sonora, Red Fife, and Glenn,…
Nothing grows outside in Iceland in the winter. The land is blanketed with snow and scarcely a twig is visible for miles. Lava rock punches through the landscape and geysers power the entire island. Iceland gets 100% of its energy from either wind, geothermal, or hydroelectric power sources. And you can swim in the runoff as a health benefit. It's another world. I'll bet you're wondering why I'm writing about Iceland. I was there last week for a scant 2…
During my time at the Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello, I took a few classes. It was more like I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to gather as much information as possible from the abundance of classes on offer. In two days, I learned 3 ways to grow your own sweet potato slips, how to process seeds for home-grown oil, how to use every part of okra, and I heard an inspiring talk about…
Now for the good stuff: specific crops grown at Monticello. Some of these veggies and fruits date back to 1774 when Jefferson first planted the crop. We brought home a few seed packets (who could resist) to try them out in the Gardenerd Test Garden. Before we get started here are a few fun facts: Garden staff have successfully harvested artichokes 13 out of the 21 years that they have been grown at Monticello.They are also growing cardoons.Jefferson's favorite herb…
I didn't think I had a bucket list until I realized I hadn't yet been to Monticello. That was nearly 10 years ago. Last weekend, I ticked Monticello off the bucket list. It was worth the wait in every way imaginable. Thomas Jefferson's 5,000 acre estate in Charlottesville, VA was his home during the latter part of his life (from age 76-83) after being the first Secretary of State, the second Vice President, and the third President of the United…
We hear more and more about urban agriculture and small farms cropping up in the middle of big cities. MoonWater Farm, the collaborative effort of Kathleen Blakistone and Richard Draut, is exactly that. But MoonWater Farm is more than just a homestead microfarm, it's a learning experience for kids of all ages. Want to learn how to milk a goat or build an inexpensive compost bin? Have a burning desire to take care of horses or create a dry garden?…
If there's one thing the English do well, it's gardening. Many of our traditions and ideals about what a proper garden should look like come from the English. As a resident of a drought-stricken area, I've had to peel these ideals away from my brain over the years, to embrace a different aesthetic. Now and again, though, it's nice to see a lush garden where it rains more than 9 inches a year. During our stay in York recently, we…
We traveled to Texas last week to help a friend sort out her landscape design for her new home. While there, we took in the sites including the Dallas Arboretum. It gave us a chance to see what's growin' on in Texas between thunderstorms. North Texas is still suffering from drought, I am told, but the Dallas area was lush and green from plentiful spring rains. I was curious to see what plants grow well in Texas. The Arboretum helped…