Wordless Wednesday Harvest
The harvest needs washing right away. It took about an hour to process this batch. We soak lettuces and other greens, rinse off roots, and trim stems from brassicas and roots. The chickens get some of it, we get the rest.

Wordless Wednesday: Winter Garden Harvest

Continue ReadingWordless Wednesday: Winter Garden Harvest

The beauty of a fall or winter garden is that it grows almost without care. Cooler temperatures and rain lend themselves to a stress-free garden. There are virtually no bugs, you don't have to water as often, and some veggies (brassicas and root crops in particular) become sweeter with a frost. True, they do need protection from cold snaps in cooler climates. But now we reap the benefits of a winter garden--it's harvest time! If it's too cold for a…

Monarch caterpillars wordless wednesday
Monarch caterpillars stripping the last of the milkweed.

Wordless Wednesday: Winter Solstice

Continue ReadingWordless Wednesday: Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is tomorrow, the shortest day of the year. Dark at 4:30 is sad, but it's temporary. From this point forward, the days get longer. Here we celebrate the beauty of winter even with no snow or frost in sight. Winter Solstice Whether your garden is covered with snow or providing you with daily greens, Happy holidays and happy Winter Solstice from our garden to yours!

Read more about the article Wordless Wednesday – Winter Garden Bliss
Helios radishes, one of several new varieties we trialed this winter.

Wordless Wednesday – Winter Garden Bliss

Continue ReadingWordless Wednesday – Winter Garden Bliss

As we prep for spring gardening, we enjoy the harvest from our winter garden. Soon it will be time to start seeds, but in the meanwhile, we add compost to existing crops and prune fruit trees, cane berries, and grasses. Rain pampers our plants and they reward us with a bountiful harvest. We're watering from rain barrels in between, and watching everything grow while we read through seed catalogs. Here's what's growin' on in this colorful  (almost) Wordless Wednesday. For…

Read more about the article Yes, Virginia, There is a Winter Garden
Multicolored carrots include Yellowstone, Cosmic Purple and Scarlet Nantes

Yes, Virginia, There is a Winter Garden

Continue ReadingYes, Virginia, There is a Winter Garden

So many people are shocked to discover that you can grow food in winter. In many places, where the ground freezes, it is more challenging but still possible. In warm-winter climates like Los Angeles, it's a piece of cake. Folks flock to Hollywood from other parts of the country, for stardom, yes, but mainly for the weather. If you've never grown a winter garden, let's start now. It's December, and for colder locations it's too late to plant, so take…

Read more about the article Late-Fall Garden Happenings
Greens and roots make a big show in winter gardens

Late-Fall Garden Happenings

Continue ReadingLate-Fall Garden Happenings

Half the country may be covered with snow, but the Gardenerd Test Garden is going strong here in Southern California. Don't think of it as bragging; think of it as a beacon to spring plantings to come. This Saturday marks the first day of winter, but it also means the days will get a little longer each day--a step closer to spring as each day passes. How nice for you...what can I do now? This is the time to spray…

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