journey to a self sufficient life
This recipe for canning zucchini sweet and sour pickles features turmeric in the simple brine. Pickling is a great way to preserve summer zucchini from the garden! Overwhelmed with zucchini? Preserve the zucchini harvest bounty by canning zucchini pickles with this sweet and sour zucchini pickles recipe. Tips for Canning Zucchini Pickles Select firm, slender, and young zucchini for pickling…
Read More
The chicks enjoyed some sunny days in their new pen last week while we worked on the final details on their new home. The coop still needs roofing shingles (donated by my father ~ Thanks Dad!) and another coat of paint, but the rest was completed, secured, and and ready for the chicks to move in. Sunday was move in…
Read More
The chicks are 3 weeks old and their first feathers have grown in on their wings and tail. Fuzz is now being replaced with feathers on their backs. They are looking less like chicks and more like mini-chickens now. Chicks usually feather out at 5-weeks depending on their breed and temperature. We completed the chicken run this week just as…
Read More
Grow Biointensive is an organic agricultural system that focuses on attaining greatest yields from a small garden area. The process involves double-digging beds, feeding the soil with compost, and planting closely to conserve spacing and create a microclimate. This method uses less garden space and eliminates the labor of hilling your potatoes. My first year of growing potatoes, I used the…
Read More
I love gardening. It is like meditation allowing me to relax and tune out the busy day and focus on the sounds of nature around me such as the wind blowing through the trees, the birds singing their various songs, and the bees buzzing around the garden seeking out nectar. Winters can be long here in Maine and I miss…
Read More
Do you want to start garden seedlings indoors? In order to grow healthy seedlings and plants indoors, you will need some supplemental light. Here is a simple and affordable grow light system made from easy to find equipment. Growing plants indoors is an enjoyable project for any gardener. Whether you want to grow herbs inside, start your garden seedlings, cultivate…
Read More
Zucchini relish is another way to preserve the summer glut of zucchini from your vegetable garden. In this recipe, zucchini is combined with sweet bell peppers, and onions for a sweet and slightly tart flavored relish that will dress up your burgers, sandwiches, and picnic salads. Tips for Making Zucchini Relish This is a simple zucchini relish recipe from the…
Read More
Many versions of self watering containers, also known as self watering grow boxes, self watering pots, and self watering planters are sold online, but you can make them yourself for a fraction of the cost out of some easy to find items. This post on constructing self watering containers out of 18-gallon storage totes was originally written in May 2009 and…
Read More
Building a square foot garden is a quick and easy way to begin or expand your garden. The method is also simple to understand, organized, and makes it easy to plan your growing beds. We built our first square foot gardens in 2009 after reading All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. The concept of Square Foot Gardening is…
Read More