The folks at the Community Teaching Garden have done it. They transformed the training ground for heavy equipment operators at Shasta College into a beautifully productive garden within two years. From hard packed clay into dark organic soil, it took… Continue Reading
Here’s some good news about your shady backyard: You can grow some summertime crops, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and squashes, despite the lack of direct sunshine. Shade doesn’t have to prohibit you from growing lots of your own food. But… Continue Reading
Wouldn’t it be hunky-dory if your garden had great deep soil and just the right amount of sun and shade all year around? If your garden is perfect, stop. If it isn’t, read on. I will start a series that… Continue Reading
So that you don’t have to twiddle your “green thumbs” during the winter, here are some activities to make gardening interesting and fun, without digging in the mud. First, remember, “you are what you eat.” Be careful. Growing your own… Continue Reading
My grandmother was an example of what our Lakota relatives mean when they say that an elder is more than just an old person. Her wisdom was the product of a life lived deeply, rather than merely lived a long… Continue Reading
Fall and Winter is a great time to start gardening. Waiting ’til Spring will be too late to have a terrific first-time garden. At that time there are too many pressures, so relax and get started now, slowly. Here are a… Continue Reading
When I was seven, I saved my first tomato seed. It was a big deal for me — the beginning of my “formal” gardening education. While savoring a perfectly ripe tomato I had pilfered from the vine, I developed the… Continue Reading
Did you know you can save about $700 in food costs if you grow your vegetables year-round in a 10-by-10-foot garden bed? Think of what your back yard could produce. I know of an old man who has about a half-acre… Continue Reading
My grandmother was a superb gardener. Her neighbor, Mildred, who knew her well, thought Grandma had some sort of magical powers. But then Mildred got her advice from her cat, so who can know for sure? One thing is certain, Grandma could… Continue Reading
I recall reading a few years back the tragic tale of a man found dead among his cabbages from a self-inflicted overdose of pesticides, so passionate was his commitment to defeating the insects in his garden. I expect that, to… Continue Reading
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