Having grown up in the countryside, one of the things I missed most when I lived in the city as a student was the smell of late summer. That warm, cereal-like scent of freshly cut straw was always the signal that the season was shifting. Now that I’ve moved back to the countryside, and even mowed for the very first time myself on a giant John Deere tractor, I can confidently say: the smell of straw is back, folks....

We just took over a farm, and the previous owner planted about 150 tomato plants. You might think that’s a crazy amount, and yes, it absolutely is. But here’s the thing: we also run a micro-bakery and head to the market every week to sell our bread. And what goes perfectly with fresh bread? Tomatoes! Unfortunately, this summer’s weather has been all over the place, and a lot of our tomatoes have split....

Gardening is not just about following a set of guidelines, it’s much more than that. It’s about observing, listening, and building relationships with those we’re working alongside: the plants, the soil, the weather. This post will be a little different than usual. Let me take you with me as I reflect on a quiet but significant shift, my garden’s turning point. ‘‘Nuchter’’ I grew up in a small village in the Netherlands, where we have a particular word to describe our outlook on life: ‘’nuchter’’....

Hi it’s Samantha with Planter! Welcome to my second journal entry. I’m talking about how my summer in my Pacific Northwest garden has been going. Our spring seemed a little drier, and parts of it were definitely hotter. So some of my cool-weather crops, like lettuce, didn’t do the best. In the beginning, I had nice and steady growth of my lettuce and peas. Then we got a random heat wave in May, and it caused some problems like bolting and wilting....

Part of why I turned to gardening was for resilience. That quiet confidence of knowing I’ll always have access to food. Understanding what it took from the earth, and what it gives back, tastes like freedom. Like peace, in a way. It also made me think more deeply about what nourishes me. And if there’s one nutrient the world seems fixated on right now, it’s protein. Every other product at the supermarket screams “high-protein” or “protein-packed”, gym culture has practically rebranded it as a religion, and new research keeps surfacing about how essential it is for our health....

While home fermentation is a natural and rewarding process, it does involve live bacteria. To keep things safe and delicious, be sure to follow the safety guidelines included at the end of this article. It’s peak harvest season, folks! If you’ve ever watched RedLeaf Ranch on YouTube, you can probably hear him yelling it already: “ABUNDANCE!” Because that’s exactly what many of us are experiencing in our gardens right now. The beds are bursting with produce and while it’s a blessing, it can also be a bit… overwhelming....

It’s been a dry year for the Southwest so far, though things are looking up with a fairly active monsoon season underway. I’ve been helping my garden adjust to the heat, use water more sustainably, and provide better habitat for local wildlife. I’ve lost some plants, but plenty have still thrived. Here’s a look at what I’ve been doing in my Sonoran Desert, zone 9a garden. Some plains coreopsis winning against the heat....

If you have a garden, chances are you have wildlife. So why do you need to “create” a wildlife garden, you might be wondering? Gardening for wildlife is more than just having plants; it’s thoughtful touches that help the local animals. Benefits of Wildlife in the Garden A garden with a diverse population of insects, birds, and even small mammals indicates healthy soil and a good ecosystem. If you can draw birds into your garden, they can help keep the pesky bug population in control....

Oh, summer. How I love you. It’s mid-July, and the breeze here in the mountains feels like a warm hug. Most folks are busy harvesting courgettes the size of baguettes and, no doubt, cursing their once-again runaway mint. I’m standing in my garden with a fresh cup of (yes, mint) tea and a question: What do I want to eat in the fall? Because while summer is in full swing, this is actually the secret season to sow again....

Growing up with fairytales, I came to believe that love is everywhere. Sometimes, you just have to look a little closer to notice it. It doesn’t always look the way we expect. It can take different shapes and happen in places we’d never think to look. Even… in your veggie patch. Let me explain. As you prepare for a season of abundance, you’ve been nurturing your zucchini plants for weeks. The vines are sprawling, the leaves are lush, and then: boom, flowers!...