The Holiday Season is just around the corner – are you ready? From turkey to ham, sweet potatoes to cranberries, or stuffing to pumpkin pie, this foodie season is a perfect time to raid the garden (or the pantry if you have stored your garden bounty well) to make dishes that warm hearts and remind us all that friends and family are truly the foundation of our lives.

Ahhh, garlic. Such a popular additive to so many dishes and a wonderful food in its own right. Garlic has been a staple in cooking and gardening for many many years but how did it achieve this cult status? Let’s explore the very cool world of growing garlic.

As Fall progresses in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, we begin to focus on what is commonly termed “The Smile.” This phrase comes out of the feed and ag business where the geography from Seattle through California and then into Texas, across the Southeast and up into the Maryland area is seen as a great place for Winter gardening & production – whether livestock, second crops of popular commodities (such as wheat) and gardening.

Growing Vegetables Indoors: How to become hardcore in the gardening world Have you ever tried growing vegetables indoors? We don’t mean a lone basil plant or a mock orange tree or even starting your seeds…

As we move towards Fall here in Minnesota, we see a lot of activities that drop off dramatically after Labor Day. From golf to lake and cabin visits to outdoor restaurant seating, as the weather cools, folks tend to move on to other activities. Unfortunately, this is a bit of a trend in vegetable gardening as well. You’re not alone if you too are wondering how to extend your growing season.

As Winter approaches, we have been seeing a lot of information on how to best leave your soil over the Winter – by planting ground cover plants or heavily mulching your space. We see merits on both sides and have a preference for our own gardens (more on that at the end) so let’s explore the benefits!

We have shared before some things you can do at home to re-use things around the house to “hack” your gardening experience and implement sustainable gardening methods. Now, we want to share some ideas on how to make a season’s worth of fertilizer over the Winter months and into Spring. We will also share any cautions we have experienced or come across. All of these are easy – but they require a bit of thought as well.

Gardening is a rewarding hobby that many find to be a peaceful, solitary effort. But if you’re a beginner, or don’t have the space, you may want to consider community gardening. In Minneapolis alone, there are over 300 community gardens. And if you are interested in gardening but don’t know how to start, growing food as a group will shorten your learning curve—there will likely be experienced growers in the mix. It’s a wonderful way to connect with people who share your passions and interests.

Did you know that 30-40% of 5th and 6th graders do not know where food comes from? What better way to introduce the subject than to start a school vegetable garden! Fast food and processed…

Yes, we know you’re still enjoying the harvest from this year’s garden, and waiting patiently for fall vegetables to crop up. But soon you will have to put the garden to bed (at least in the cold parts of the country). There is plenty to do before that, though. The soil in your raised garden bed is teeming with life and can be used again next year. Here are some tips to prepare garden soil for winter and keep it healthy, and ready to take on the spring growing season!