September is here! And in the Catskills, that means it's getting chillier all the time. We will most likely still have a short heat wave ahead, but for the most part, it feels like Autumn. That means it's time for September Garden Tips! We have a spectacular display this time of year as the leaves begin to change color. People come from all over just to take in the gorgeous mountain views. ("Leaf-Peepers") SEPTEMBER GARDENING TIPS 1- Clean your birdhouses. For detailed … [Read more...] about September Garden Tips
Organic gardening
Herbed Roasted Potatoes!
This year's harvest of potatoes did not disappoint. I haven't picked all of them yet, but I grabbed some to make a side dish for our dinner last evening. These tubers are in the nightshade family. Also, they have been heavily relied upon for sustenance throughout history. They are versatile and tasty. *Note - If you or someone you love struggles with diabetes, you may need to limit your consumption of potatoes. You'll need to talk to your doctor about … [Read more...] about Herbed Roasted Potatoes!
Easy Blackberry Jam
Now that we've picked most of the raspberries, the blackberries are ripening. We use blackberries in many of the same ways as raspberries, but we seem to have so many more of the blackberries, as you can see. Since the berries were already here, growing rather wild, we chose the "live and let live" approach, which is very much in keeping with Permaculture principles. We opted to observe and see what would unfold. Lo and behold, the abundance revealed! Years ago, we … [Read more...] about Easy Blackberry Jam
Garden Update
It's time to give you a quick update on the garden! We've been enjoying the bounty this year, that's for sure. The above photo shows some vigorously blooming oregano! In general, my flowers are a little more sparse than usual right now. I'll have to work on that and figure out some "late bloomers" that I can plant next year! Wild Looking Garden At the moment, I have a jungle-like flowerbed just outside one kitchen window. Outhouse Plant The tall plants in that bed are called, "Outhouse … [Read more...] about Garden Update
Food and Flowers in Permaculture
When practicing permaculture, food and flowers can live harmoniously. They can even be one and the same. Even though we have a designated vegetable garden, we don't exclusively plant vegetables there. One of the joys of permaculture, as well as of gardening in general, is the endless way we can combine plants for multiple reasons. This is how to "stack functions," and "stack elements," which are part of the bigger picture in permaculture principles. Let's first … [Read more...] about Food and Flowers in Permaculture