I had the pleasure of spending a recent sunny morning at a nearby farm picking berries with my friend Denise and my 3-year old Juniper. It’s been an annual early-June tradition since long before Juniper was born and each year this day marks both the kick-off the u-pick season and also the passage of time. I remember when a decade ago nearby Sauvie’s Island was
Spring Garden Prep
There might be snow or ice on the ground where you live, but it’s already time for some spring garden prep. Here are a few productive ways to get started: Decide What to Grow Think about what you buy most frequently from the grocery store and grow that this year! Even better, think about what you want to preserve this summer and fall and plant
The Homestead is Moving!
Eight years ago we moved into a little bungalow on a 1/10th of an acre lot in the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood of SE Portland. We put a lot of elbow grease into polishing this house into a loving home. But the tine has come to start the next chapter with a new homestead. We scored big with our new digs! We found a cozy, 1950s bungalow
Reluctantly Sentimental
I am sad to say that old Florence has passed away. We raised this Rhode Island Red from a baby chick several years ago, she graced the pages of my book and delivered a steady stream of eggs for us through much of her life. She worked hard on our homestead before settling into retirement and will be sorely missed. I wrote recently about the
Signs of the Homesteading Movement
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of sitting down in my kitchen for an interview with garden guru P. Allen Smith (well, I was in my kitchen but Allen was in Arkansas…). He was talking with me via Skype about my book, Modern Homestead, for his public radio program Garden Home. We chatted about our personal journeys with homesteading, keeping backyard poultry, what we are preserving
Snapshots of Autumn
The wind and rains are rolling in on these late fall evenings – a reminder that winter is rapping on our door. Here are some snippets of what autumn has looked like on our homestead. Fall creates a mix of cool blues and gray-greens in the front yard, dotted with yellow leaves from our trumpet vine and quince shrubs. Scarlets pop up here and
Imperfection
I had a recent revelation when I was sharing some fruit from our garden with friends and coworkers this summer. All around me, I am happily living with imperfection. On one occasion, I was sharing a bowl full of perfectly ripe figs. When someone from the group spotted a fruit fly circling above, almost all of them turned their noses up at trying the delicious
Country Gardens Magazine Article
Run, don’t walk, to grab your Spring 2013 copy of Country Gardens magazine (on sale March 12th). I wrote an article for this issue all about my journey through modern homesteading. They did a fabulous photo shoot of our homestead, so you can enjoy all kinds of gorgeous garden inspiration. I am so giddy to be a part of this national publication. James Bagget, the
Homesteader Reunion Weekend
Suitcases are being packed for Labor Day weekend – a sign that summer is coming to a close and fall is knocking on our door. I am being whisked away to the Homestead National Monument of America in the gorgeous state of Nebraska for the Homesteader Reunion Weekend that takes place over the holiday weekend. The event celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Act
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