Author Archives: ilene

What Keeps Farmers Busy in the Winter

There is a myth that farmers only work during the growing season. That we have nothing to do in the wintertime but vacation, tinker, make crafts and read books. Certainly, on our organic vegetable farm, we are busiest during spring … Continue reading

Posted in Mother Earth News blog and more, On the Farm | Leave a comment

Grow a Kiwi Arbor for Shade and Fruit

Before Sarah moved away, she bought the farm a gift: a pair of kiwi plants. Not only did she give us this gift, but she planted it too. She was wise. How often has a potted plant gone unplanted? She made sure … Continue reading

Posted in DIY project, Mother Earth News blog and more, On the Farm, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Reusable Toilet Paper Cloths

DIYers, we need you! Homesteaders, take the lead! The supply and demand of toilet paper is off-kilter during COVID-19 lockdown, and the nation needs us to reduce the demand. We have been practicing sustainability and resilience for years, sometimes just … Continue reading

Posted in DIY project, Mother Earth News blog and more, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Designing a Coronavirus Victory Garden: First Steps

 Now, during the spring 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, I anticipate there will be new or renewed interest in planting a garden. Like the wartime Victory Gardens of the last century, this health crisis which has us all social distancing in our … Continue reading

Posted in DIY project, Mother Earth News blog and more | Leave a comment

9 First Crops for your Coronavirus Victory Garden

This gallery contains 3 photos.

Coronavirus Victory Garden Planning Here are my first picks for a garden. These tips are of course for any garden any time, but I am particularly inspired to start a Victory Garden resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s springtime, we … Continue reading

More Galleries | Leave a comment

Plant Your Coronavirus Victory Garden

Plant your own Coronavirus Victory Garden. Now is the time to get busy, a time when many of us are home social distancing (if you are reading this in March-April 2020). And it’s springtime. Time to plant things! As farmers, … Continue reading

Posted in DIY project, Mother Earth News blog and more | Leave a comment

Cherry Board Farmhouse Table Years in the Making

For 25 years, this stack of two-inch-thick boards has sat under the house waiting to become a beautiful farmhouse table. It waited and it waited. For 25 years, it waited. We would propose the table project with incentives—for this anniversary, … Continue reading

Posted in Blog Link, DIY project, Mother Earth News blog and more | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Preserving Garlic for Year-Round Use

It’s March, and my garlic stash is diminishing and drying out. But that’s OK, I’m covered. I plan for this. I preserve garlic in a few different ways to ensure a year-round supply of farm garlic. Over the years, I’ve … Continue reading

Posted in DIY project, Herb Garden, Mother Earth News blog and more, Recipes | Leave a comment

Simple Composting: Starting from Scraps, a Trash Bin, and a Hay Bale

Our chickens have eaten our kitchen scraps for so long, I don’t even remember maintaining a compost pile. So when we found ourselves without chickens, I really missed the little rotten vegetable eaters. It was a good system, but now … Continue reading

Posted in DIY project, Mother Earth News blog and more, On the Farm | Leave a comment

How to Perfectly Roast Vegetables

Roasting vegetables is easy, they say. I have always heard that but never experienced it. Anyone can throw a dish of vegetables in the oven, but I found it difficult to achieve that crispy coated browning. The caramelized sweetness of … Continue reading

Posted in Mother Earth News blog and more, Recipes, Veggies | Leave a comment