journey to a self sufficient life
Thyme is a low-growing, woody perennial herb grown for garden beauty and culinary uses. Use these tips to grow thyme in your garden so you can enjoy this beautiful and versatile herb. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a perennial shrub belonging to the Labiatae, or mint, family. It is native to southern Europe from the western Mediterranean to southern Italy. This…
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Freezing celery is a simple way to reduce food waste in the kitchen. With a little effort, you can have frozen celery ready to add to your favorite recipes. Follow these easy steps to freeze celery. Celery isn’t something I use regularly in the kitchen. We enjoy a few ribs here and there in salads, soups, stir-fry, and in bread…
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Get a jump-start on enjoying fresh harvests by planting these fast growing vegetables this spring. Cool season vegetables are ones that grow and thrive during the shorter days and colder temperatures of early spring and fall. These cold tolerant vegetables also grow quickly so you can enjoy fresh harvests in no time! After the long winter, most gardeners are eager…
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It’s easy to make fresh pasta at home. Feed your craving for comfort foods by making homemade pasta from scratch with this simple recipe and tutorial. Fresh pasta is the perfect dinner when you have only a few ingredients on hand, but feel like making something special. Flour, salt, eggs, and water are all you need to make a basic…
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Crop rotation is a great way to maintain healthy soil and reduce pests and diseases in the organic vegetable garden. Discover the benefits of crop rotation and how to apply it to your backyard vegetable garden. Growing the same crop in the same location year after year makes the crops an easy target for pests and diseases. Vegetables that are…
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Pressure canning potatoes is a great way to preserve an abundant harvest for long-term food storage. The shelf-stable jars of potatoes are handy for quick additions to meals. Potatoes can last a long time when stored in a cool, dark location. Sometimes the storage conditions are not ideal. Preserving potatoes by pressure canning makes them shelf stable so they last…
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Healthy soil is important for growing strong, vigorous plants that resist pests and diseases and produce abundantly. Whether you are starting with fresh, quality soil or gardening in your native topsoil, improving your soil is a continuing process. Soil is alive and made up of many parts, including mineral particles, water, organic matter, air, and microorganisms. The balance between these…
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Basil is a tender annual herb that is easy to grow indoors on a sunny windowsill, outside in the garden, or in containers on your patio. Learn how to grow basil with these tips. Basil is an annual herb that grows as an attractive bushy plant. This herb not only adds lots of flavor to recipes, but also makes an…
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Most gardeners are eager to get something growing in their vegetable garden after the long winter. Unfortunately, Jack Frost may not be ready to release his icy grip completely and can send us a couple of unexpected frosts in late spring. Tender garden plants can’t tolerate frost. So instead of losing them, protect plants from unexpected frosts with these methods….
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Microgreens are young edible vegetables and herbs harvested within weeks of sprouting. The tender greens are very flavorful and nutrient dense. Use these tips and discover how easy it is to grow microgreens indoors so you can have a continual harvest of fresh, healthy greens. What Are Microgreens? The term “microgreens” is a generic term used to describe any edible…
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