Part of successfully growing a garden is knowing your USDA hardiness zone. USDA plant hardiness zones are the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at any given location. Some plants are able to survive outside of their hardiness zone, but can only survive for one growing...
Eggplants are a delicious vegetable grown on a plant that enjoys hot summers and full sun. There are tons of varieties of eggplants to experiment with growing. Some come in a very light color, some with striations, and some are a rich, dark purple that’s nearly black. Some eggplants grow small fruits, others large. Some...
Watermelons are well known for being big, sweet, red, delicious fruits that come into season toward the end of summer. But did you know they come in different colors? There are indeed other types, like the black diamond watermelon or the outrageously expensive Densuke watermelon. But today we’re going to be talking about yellow watermelons...
Backyard chicken keeping is an increasingly popular hobby that is experiencing a resurgence. More and more cities are rolling back ordinances that prevent keeping chickens on your property, leading to an uptick in interest. There are hundreds of different types of chickens to choose from – hybrids, heritage breeds, crosses. One of those breeds is...
Backyard chicken keeping is an increasingly popular hobby that is experiencing a resurgence. More and more cities are rolling back ordinances that prevent keeping chickens on your property, leading to an uptick in interest. There are hundreds of different types of chickens to choose from – hybrids, heritage breeds, crosses. One of those breeds is...
Backyard chicken keeping is an increasingly popular hobby that is experiencing a resurgence. More and more cities are rolling back ordinances that prevent keeping chickens on your property, leading to an uptick in interest. There are hundreds of different types of chickens to choose from – hybrids, heritage breeds, crosses. One of those breeds is...
Have you ever heard of worm castings? They’re solid gold for gardeners and farmers alike. Gardeners love to sea worms in their soil because it means they get free worm castings! How can you beat a deal like that? That’s not where the fun ends, though. Did you know you can make worm casting tea?...
Ask a gardener or a farmer what they think of worms and you’ll probably get a lot of positive feedback. Why? Because what comes out the backside of a woman is gardening gold! I’m talking, of course, about worm castings. “Castings” are the term applied to the manure that comes from a worm. It’s packed...
Owls are seemingly mysterious, nocturnal birds whose various, hoots, screeches, and calls at night can spark the imagination. There are more than 200 species of owl around the world, 39 of which reside in North America. They aren’t easily spotted birds, especially in our yards and gardens. They’re nocturnal, meaning they tend to be more...
When you think of breakfast, baking, or holiday meals, chances are, eggs come to mind. For the most part, the eggs we consume come from chickens. Other birds, like quail and ducks, also produce eggs that are edible. But why don’t we ever see turkey eggs made available at the grocery store? Do they not...
Incubating and hatching eggs yourself is a fun and rewarding practice. It’s the least expensive way to acquire new poultry for meat and eggs and is an exciting hobby for homesteaders and urban gardeners alike. But there are few things more disappointing than hatch day coming and going and finding that none of your eggs...
Making compost is like magic. You throw together organic material, wait a while, and boom, rich, dark soil for your garden. Okay, that’s a little misleading. There’s a bit more that goes into successfully composting your kitchen scraps and lawn clippings into fertile soil. One of the things you’ll want to do to your compost...
