gardening

Garden Bones and Chicken Broth

Posted on by Jean Campbell

  A soft footprint is not what I'm after. I don't want the planet to diminish because of me. My goal is to leave it better. I want nature to start singing the Hallelujah Chorus because I showed up. To that end, I am following the lead of the indigenous people of this continent, the original citizens of North America, in showing appreciation and using my resources without waste. It's not only good for me; it's good for the planet. Here's an idea, and it's pretty simple. Replace... Continue reading

The Kitchen Garden – 2021 in review

Posted on by Jean Campbell

Kitchen Garden is the new Secret Garden Originally an unexceptional collection of grass and shrubs, The Secret Garden was a fenced area just outside my back door intended to provide quick access to herbs and salad veggies. A year of observation proved my plan needed modification and the space earned a new name, The Kitchen Garden. January 2021 - Sheet mulching the grass away Goal number one - grass, the bane of our planet's existence, had to go. In lieu of renting a tiller or... Continue reading

Woods Dirt

Posted on by Jean Campbell

My mother was an avid gardener. She insisted my little sister and I help with pulling weeds and feeding the veg patch. Little sister and I in the garden As a surly teenager, I complained a lot, totally missing the point. Gardening would not take hold with me until after the birth of my second daughter. When I asked my mother's advice on a fruitful garden, she replied, "Woods dirt makes the best soil." I didn't really know what she meant, but if she said it, then it was so. In my... Continue reading

Urban Waste – A Veritable Gold Mine!

Posted on by Jean Campbell

I recently happened upon this jewel and became so excited with the ideas it sparked, I couldn't wait to share it. It's a segment entitled "How to Compost in an Apartment" from a show called Chai with Lakshmi. What an inspiration! I'm stunned I've never thought of or run into the concept of container composting! I've let my "live garbage" container stay on the counter long enough that I should have gotten the idea with what I eventually tossed in the bin, but alas, I did not. As a big... Continue reading