harvest

The best of the summer harvest may be over, but the best of fall is yet to come.

Fall always comes faster than expected. In the garden, however, produce is at its peak with fresh berries, sweet corn, crunchy cucumbers, and juicy stone fruit sun ripe and ready to eat. 

The apples are dropping, the squash is ripening, and its tomato harvest time! If you are one who enjoys putting up your fresh food for winter, your kitchen may be a busy place this time of year.

Garden fresh flavors never last quite long enough. The growing season comes and goes in a flash, and mid-winter cravings for the freshness of some fresh, lively flavors can be painfully unquenchable. Prolong delightful summer flavors from the garden by making any of these freezer-friendly recipes. Feed your belly first…and then feed your freezer! Your winter belly will thank you down the road.

Fall comes quickly, and within a few weeks cooler temperatures and less sunshine will be status quo. The best way to kickstart a cozy autumn is in the garden, and planting a variety of colorful fall annuals and perennials is key. This article includes a round-up of ten fall-inspired plants, several of which are also edible.

I woke up the morning before last and it felt like autumn.  Sure, it’s still quite warm during the day here in Durango, but something about the light and the cool morning air signaled the imminent arrival of the colder months here at higher elevations.  

Getting children into the garden at a young age can be a great way to start a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors, nourish oneself with healthy food, and develop a new skill—in this case, growing flowers. Unfortunately, not all flowers are easy to grow and many require wait times that outlast a child’s patience. 

Do you have an herb or flower garden? Do you enjoy foraging for flowers and herbs? Learning how to properly harvest and dry plants can really help them last a while and preserve their flavor and beneficial properties.

Springtime is long at last here and it’s time to take full advantage of the fantastic wild food sources that are beginning to burst from the earth. Spring is my favorite time of year to do food foraging, because there are some particularly special offerings. Spring is all about fresh beginnings: light greens, tender shoots, and cool roots.

As you plan your garden for this year, consider what type of gardener you are—or want to be. Some folks love spending meditative hours in the garden, pruning and weeding and maintaining plants. Others (like me, this year) may prefer to “sow and go”—to set seeds and watch the magic happen without extensive investment of time and energy.