organic

Have you heard of the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Dirty Dozen list? Every year, this non-profit organization shifts through the fruit and vegetable market to see which conventionally-grown produce is loaded with the most pesticides. The Dirty Dozen list for 2018 is officially here and let’s just say the report found nearly 70 percent of produce tested was contaminated with pesticide residue. Here's what you need to know.

Growing your own organic vegetables is the best way to ensure they will not be exposed to excessive, harsh chemicals. But what if you have sandy soil? Sandy soils are made up of loose, granular dirt containing small rocks and minerals. A common misconception of gardeners is that you cannot grow anything in this kind of soil. I am excited to tell you that even though a great deal of vegetables cannot thrive in this soil, there are a few that actually can. Check out these 7 vegetables that you can grow in sandy soil!

Indoor plants are both beautiful and beneficial to have in your home. They help make the atmosphere more pleasant, and can also help to purify the air. Sometimes caring for plants that need soil can be messy business.  The good news is that although most plants require soil, some plants only require a few rocks and water. For those who would prefer to grow in your home without the use of dirt, read on to find out which 7 indoor plants you can grow without soil.

Making a baby transition from milk bottles to his/her first solids can be quite a task. Here are some easy, time-proven ideas…

For a garden that’s best described as exotic, you could try some of these carnivorous plants! The fringe benefit is that a part of your garden can now be free of pesky bugs, allowing you to enjoy nature without irritants!

Someone gifted you a gorgeous, exotic plant and suddenly you see that you no longer have any bugs around your house…Strange, sure, but okay—maybe the plant repels bugs. But if you seem to be missing a canary or that friendly little lizard, you might have a plant that has a penchant for flesh…

For clever farmers, alfalfa is a nitrogen-fixer, but for those of us who aren’t quite on that scale yet, alfalfa sprouts add a fabulously light, crunchy, young-green flavor to any meal. And they taste even better when you grow them yourself…in your kitchen…with materials you (probably, hopefully) already have on hand!

In 2011, I moved from the lush greenery of Olympia, an hour south of Seattle, to Philadelphia, one of the densest cities in America. Never in my life had I seen so much brick, so much pavement, and so little green space. I loved the city—I moved there to pursue opportunities that weren’t available in a smaller town. But I missed the green. And something about that made me suddenly interested in healthy eating. If I couldn’t have much green foliage around me, at least I could have some on my plate.

You probably don’t need another recap on the benefits of buying organic. Whether it’s for increased nutrient value or more sustainable farming practices, choosing organic over conventional can reap a lot of benefits for your body and the planet.

Depending on where you live and if the regulations within your area permit, you may want to consider owning organic livestock. Livestock can be anything from smaller animals such as poultry  or rabbits to larger animals like goats, cows, pigs, and sheep. Having livestock actually yields many benefits for growing plants.  Here are 5 advantages to having your own organic livestock for your home garden.  

We all love our gardens and hate the pests. So here are five homemade pesticides that target only the bad bugs in our garden and are benign to all other life.