Image source: FineCooking.com

For all of your fall gatherings and dinner parties this year, stick to fresh local veggies, fruits and herbs, and delicious yet easy ways to prepare them. For as much as we enjoy elaborately crafted dinner parties, there is something that has always bothered us about them. It often seems that by the time the host has finished preparing an array of time consuming and fancy dishes, he or she hardly even has time to savor them! The ratio of 4 hours of prep and cooking in the kitchen to 30 minutes of consumption hardly seems fair. So you know what we would suggest? Simplify!

Four Simple Fall Harvest Recipes

Stewed Apples
Recipe from Kevin D. Weeks at About.com

These sweet and spicy apples are great wrapped in a crepe, served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or simply on their own as a side dish. We like to use a nice tart, firm apple such as Braeburn or Granny Smith. You can use whatever is available to you locally this fall.

Prep time – ten minutes
Cook time – thirty minutes
Total time from start to serve – 40 minutes

Ingredients:
3 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
2 Tbsp molasses
1 – 2 Tbsp rum, apple brandy, or water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
6 – 8 grates of fresh nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Add enough rum, apple brandy, or water to a small saucepan to just cover the bottom.
2. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir them together. Place the pan over low heat, partially cover, and simmer gently until apples are tender – about 30 minutes.

Baked Acorn Squash
Recipe from Ciocia Laura at Food.com

This acorn squash recipe is practically no-maintenance. Just cut the squash, scoop out the seeds, season and bake. You can experiment with using different types of fresh herbs from your herb garden if you don’t happen to have thyme. Sage or rosemary would be nice, too.

Prep time – 5 minutes
Cook time – 1 hour
Total time from start to serve – 1 hour and 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 acorn squash
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp dark brown sugar
1 pinch fresh ground black pepper
1 pinch freshly ground sea salt
A sprinkle of fresh thyme, cinnamon and nutmeg

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out of the center using a spoon or melon baller.
3. Spread butter along the cut edge and inside.
4. Place each half face up on a baking sheet.
5. Sprinkle each half with the brown sugar and spices, then bake for approximately 1 hour. The halves will be fork-tender when they are ready.

Roasted Parsnips
Recipe from Midgelet at GroupRecipes.com

Parsnips have a distinct flavor and texture that we love. And because their taste is rather mild, they carry spices and flavors well. Early in the season, around October and November, these root veggies are nice and tender. Later in the season, around February, you may want to cut out the very center of each parsnip, as this area can get a tad bit woody.

Prep time – 10 minutes
Cook time – 35 minutes
Total time from start to serve – 45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 pounds of fresh parsnips, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1 and ½ inch chunks
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp finely chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon and/or rosemary

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Toss the first 3 ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
3. Spread the parsnips in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4. Roast the parsnips for 20 minutes.
5. Using tongs, turn the parsnips and allow them to roast for about 15 minutes more, until they turn brown on the edges and fork-tender in the center.
6. Transfer the parsnips to a serving plate and season them with the fresh herbs.

Pumpkin Chowder
Recipe from Country Living

This pumpkin chowder is so hearty, all you need is a crusty bread for a complete meal! And if this is the first time you’ve ever cooked with fresh pumpkin, trust us, you will never want to use canned pumpkin puree again. For a pumpkin that is easy to handle, choose a small pie variety at your local farmers’ market.

Prep time – 20 minutes
Cook time – 40 minutes
Total time from start to serve – 1 hour

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, white parts chopped and tough green parts removed
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 medium bell peppers, chopped
2 and ¼ pounds of pumpkin peeled, seeded, and cut into ½ by 1-inch thick pieces
1 and ½ tsp chopped fresh marjoram
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 and ¼ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
6 cups of vegetable broth

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot of dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the leeks and cook them until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
4. Stir in the green peppers, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the peppers begin to soften, about 8 minutes.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the pumpkin is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Creative ways to use your summer vegetable harvest

Zucchini cupcakes. Yum!

Search Out New Veggie Recipes

There are plenty of ways to use summer vegetables that are easy and do not require a lot of fuss. And don’t forget, nearly any vegetable can be steamed and frozen.

• Zucchini. Zucchini is a fabulously versatile vegetable because it works in a variety of different sweet and savory dishes. Next time your kids are craving french fries, fry up some zucchini spears instead. They taste just as yummy with ketchup. Zucchini ribbons can be added to nearly any type of salad or pasta dish. To ribbon a zucchini, simply use a vegetable peeler to cut along a zucchini length-wise. Grated zucchini also makes an excellent addition to baked goods, such as these beautiful zucchini cupcakes from I Am Baker.
• Kale. Every time we find ourselves with bountiful bunches of kale, we sit and ponder ways to use it. Then we recently realized — we’re kind of over-thinking it here. You don’t even really need a recipe to use kale. Just tear it up and throw it in to any soup or stew, layer it in lasagna, mix it into pasta sauce, or bake it into a pot pie to add a wicked dose of healthy greens to any recipe. Kale also works great thrown into your breakfast fruit smoothie; you won’t even taste it in there. Trust us!
• Tomatoes. One idea that we just love for a glut of fresh garden tomatoes is some homemade Tomato Marmalade, a recipe that we found here at Sunset’s Fresh Dirt blog. You need 30 tomatoes just to make 3 cups of the marmalade mixture, so it really is a great way to use those ripe red beauties. If it is simply too hot to slave over the stove, try this super easy gazpacho recipe from Real Simple Magazine.

Dry Your Harvest

Fruits and veggies for dehydrating

Freezing is the least labor-intensive method when it comes to preserving your harvest. But if you live in a hurricane or summer storm prone area, your harvest could be wiped out with one good power outage. To preserve your food with some serious shelf-life, try drying and/or canning. While you can buy a conventional fruit and vegetable dehydrator, it is just as effective and yields great results if you use your oven. To try it yourself, check out these instructions from The Green Earth Traveler (scroll to the bottom of the screen to find a handy “How To Dry Vegetables” chart).

Can & Pickle Your Harvest

Bread and butter pickles Pickling is not just for cucumbers, you know. You can pickle asparagus, green beans, beets, carrots, and okra, too. One of our favorite pickled veggies is yellow squash. To try it yourself, check out this garden fresh recipe from Awesome Pickle. If you’ve never tried home canning or pickling before, this summer is an excellent time to start. While there is a small initial investment involved (since you’ll need to purchase equipment such as a water bath canner and tongs), in the long run a nice stock of canned summer vegetables can save you a tremendous amount of money. If you think home canning sounds intimidating, don’t worry. It’s easy to get started. For some inspiration, take a look at this Etsy blog.

Donate Your Harvest

Donate your vegetable harvest Even if you can’t use your summer harvest, chances are good that someone else in your community can. Check in with your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter to see if they can take a fresh food donation. If you are not sure where to go to make your food donation, check in with Ample Harvest.org first. It’s a website that is devoted to helping gardeners connect with those who need food assistance.

As a Last Resort, Compost

Compost over-ripe fruits and veggies

If your harvest starts to fall off the vine and rot before you can get to it, toss the veggies into your compost heap. This way, they can at least be recycled when you add compost to your garden in the fall. Just be sure to not add any part of the plant that you suspect might be diseased.  When in doubt, throw it out.

Ever since we discovered these amazing (and amazingly easy to make) sandwich combinations at Whole Living, we have been just smitten. Whereas before our sandwich repertoire consisted only the same old pb&j, grilled cheese and cold cuts, our eyes and stomachs have now been opened to a whole world of new-fangled flavor combinations.

Lentils with Mint Sandwich

Just check out the Lentils with Mint sandwich, for example. Would it ever occur to you to use fresh mint from your herb garden with lentils? No? Us neither! With our mint springing up like crazy right now, we were anxious to find interesting new ways to use it. And this one gets two thumbs up. Not only is it tasty, but the sandwich includes everything you need in one little pocket: protein from the Greek yogurt and lentils, carbohydrates and fiber from the pita bread, and antioxidants as well as vitamins from the cherry tomatoes and mint. Talk about a powerhouse snack. We’ll take this over a crappy sugar-laded protein bar any day!

Egg and Roasted Red Peppers

This is another one of our favorites sandwiches. Again we’ve got the same concept that is key to freshness and ease: start with a grain, add some fresh herbs and veggies straight from the garden, and top with a dose of protein. Voila, such an easy and awesome way to use goods from your summer garden, along with a couple basic staples from your pantry, and fuel your busy day. You can even make your own roasted red peppers for this sandwich by following these instructions at Our Best Bites. You’ll find that roasting your own home grown red, yellow and orange bell peppers is pretty darn simple, and as Sara points out in her tutorial, the taste is far superior to that of store-bought roasted peppers.

We adults may be perfectly happy to munch on an open-faced sandwich with a sunny-side up egg on top, our kids, maybe not so much. We all know that the little tykes tend to reject anything that looks even remotely “yucky”, “icky,” or “weird.” That is why we absolutely love this idea at Kiddio.com where we were introduced to Muffin Tin Mommas.

Fun Snack Ideas for Kids

If you want to make snack time appealing for your little one, introduce him or her to a muffin tin. It’s an idea that was started by Michelle, the Muffin Tin Mom, to make mealtimes fun, and encourage kids to eat healthy foods in small, manageable portions.  The grown-up sandwich from above could be deconstructed for a muffin tin by diving it into raw red bell pepper strips, a dollop of homemade veggie dip with fresh herbs, hard boiled egg slices, shredded spinach “grass”, and a slice of multi-grain toast cut into bite sized pieces.

Try These Healthy Finger Foods

If you’d like, you could reserve just one muffin space for a special treat, such as m&ms or mini marshmallows. Better yet, you can even have your child carry his or her muffin tin right out into the garden to pick berries, cherry tomatoes, pea pods, and other bite-sized garden goodies. Isn’t this a great way to encourage your child to develop healthy eating habits?

If you want to flex your mealtime creativity muscles a bit, try incorporating a theme into your muffin tin snack, like the Birds & Nests muffin tin from the Another Lunch blog. So cute and fun! Now even a snack can have a modern bird motif. Put a bird on it! {sorry, couldn’t resist}

Image source: Flickr/Natalie Maynor

There is nothing like lengthy days of sunshine, and balmy nights filled with humming cicadas to make us feel like children again. We also can’t help but adore the fact that summer is major harvest time for fresh fruits and veggies. Not just the cherry tomatoes, but a huge array of greens, fruits, legumes, peppers, squashes, herbs, and more are all at their peak during midsummer. Take advantage of the summer harvest and check out our local farmers’ markets. It’s a way to contribute to our local economy, support the locavore movement, and meet people from our community all in one.

Why Shop at Farmers’ Markets?

Why a farmers’ market instead of a grocery store? Well, if you don’t grow everything you want to eat yourself, then a farmers’ market is as close as you can get. You can rest assured the product has not been shipped thousands of expensive miles to reach you, and that the money that you spend goes right back into your local community. Many farmers’ markets have not just local fruits, veggies, and herbs, but also meats, dairy, eggs, baked goods, and even arts and crafts. They are also a great way for you to educate yourself about the food you are buying. Many meat merchants are happy to inform you of what their animals are fed and how they are treated, while local vegetable farmers can fill you in on valuable cooking tips, such as how to cook okra so that it doesn’t get slimy.

If you’ve never visited a farmers’ market in your area, do it this summer. We promise you will not be disappointed. And in celebration of farmers’ markets, we’ve got some awesome products in the AML shop to accompany your local shopping experience. Check ‘em out.

AML’s Farmers’ Market Essentials

Chicobags™ Haven’t kicked your single-use plastic produce bag habit yet? Now’s the time! We have a great variety of reusable produce bags made by ChicoBag™, including those made from recycled materials, mesh, and hemp. They are not only better for the environment but also will help to keep your farmers’ market produce stay fresh longer. All you need to do is tuck one in your pocket on your way to the market, and you’re all set with the perfect shopping bag.

Roost Farmers’ Market Baskets Once you get your delicious summertime fruits and veggies home, a great way to store them is in the Roost Farmers’ Market Baskets. The sturdy white bone china baskets allow you to create a beautiful and simple display, while also providing proper air circulation for your produce.

The Locavore Way, by Amy Cotler Want to try shoping and eating locally, but still think it’s easier to head to the nearest chain grocery store? Then The Locavore Way is a good guide for you. The author, Amy Cotler, clearly answers common questions about how you can tell what is in season, and lists questions you can ask at your local farmers’ market to maximize your shopping experience.

Summer Tea Towel With our love for summertime, how can we resist this pretty, brightly colored tea towel? It’s part of the set of the Four Seasons Tea Towels designed by graphic artist Claudia Pearson. This tea towel will be just perfect for drying off all of your freshly washed fruits and veggies. Want to see some other cool uses for tea towels? Check out our recent blog, Six Awesome Ways to Use Studiopatró Tea Towels.

Image source: Flickr/Fourof5Zs

The other day while driving in the car, we heard a radio commercial for a nearby Big Box garden store that is selling a 1.3 gallon container of Ortho Max Flower Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer for less than 20 bucks. Yep, for less than the cost of a dinner out, you can spray down all of your fruits, veggies and herbs with bug-killing poison.

The issue we have with this is that the price does not accurately reflect the levity of the task one will perform when this product is purchased. Think about it for a second: why is it so easy and cheap for us to get this poison in our hands? The active ingredient in the product is Acetamiprid, and it is unknown whether this chemical acts as a developmental toxin or an endocrine disruptor. So do we want to be spraying it on plants that we will eat? Certainly not!

Yes, it’s true that chemical pesticides are cheap and highly accessible. But this definitely does not make them the best choice for your edible garden. Chemical pesticides are dangerous for the environment, wildlife, kids, pets, and for beneficial insects such as lacewings and praying mantids. Here are some safer, chemical-free alternatives to ridding your edible garden of pests.

Natural Pest Solutions for Your Edible Garden

Grubs
To rid your vegetable patch or lawn of grubs, which are baby Japanese Beetles, you can use a natural remedy called Milky Spore. Milky Spore, or Bacillus popillae-Dutky,  is a naturally occurring host specific bacterium. One application can last up two ten years, as the bacteria grows. Milky Spore is a good option because it kills only grubs, and will leave beneficial organisms in your garden, such as worms, unharmed.

Not to worry butterfly lovers, grubs and caterpillars that eat your leafy vegetables are not the same as butterfly babies. We’ll have more on this topic later.

Slugs and Snails
The best solution for dealing with slugs and snails is to use a combination of preventative and cultural methods. Baits alone will not take care of your problem. The first step is to eliminate their favorite hiding spots like overgrown weeds, piles of yard debris, low growing leafy branches and dense ground covers. Then do a little hand picking at night with a flashlight (great fun for kids!), set out a few beer traps, set up copper barriers around your raised beds and sprinkle a little Sluggo around your leafy greens (pet and wildlife safe).

Mites
You can keep mites off of your plants by applying a cheap, easy homemade solution. Mix together two tablespoons of cayenne pepper or hot sauce, a few drops of Ivory liquid soap, and one quart of water. Let this stand on your counter overnight, then pour it into a spray bottle and spray your plants the next morning. Shake the bottle frequently during application in order to keep the ingredients blended together. Spray only the effected plants, and reapply after rain.

Aphids and Mealybugs
A great solution for aphids is to release ladybugs in your garden. Ladybugs will eat the aphids and look pretty in your garden, too! If you prefer, you can also make a homemade solution with canola oil, which will smother the insects. Mix together one tablespoon of canola oil with a few drops of liquid Ivory soap and a quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray your plants from above, as well as the undersides of the leaves. Spray only the effected plants.

Fungal Diseases
Baking soda is an effective and very inexpensive treatment for fungal plant diseases. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda in with a quart of warm water. Spray this on your plants first thing in the morning, and repeat applications every few days until the fungus has subsided. Spray only on the effected plants, and reapply after rain.

Powdery Mildew and Leaf Spot
An excellent remedy for these very pesky plant illnesses is Safer Concentrate. This product is a concentrated plant spray that contains the active ingredients Potassium Salts and Sulfur. Safer is approved for organic gardening because it is a natural pesticide that does not contain chemical ingredients. It should only be applied to the effected plants, and one take care to read the label carefully before application.

Deer
The average deer eats about 5 pounds of greenery per day, so that means that just one or two deer could level your garden pretty quickly! The best defense against deer (without harming them) is to apply a scent to your plants that will repel them. Try mixing together one cup of dairy milk, 2 tablespoons of canola oil, 2 tablespoons of liquid Ivory soap, 2 whole eggs, and 2 gallons of water. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and spray your plants. This mixture will withstand light rain because it is a bit sticky. If you have leftovers after one application, make sure to refrigerate them. Dispose of any leftovers after about a week.

Keep in mind however, there is no 100% effective defense against a hungry deer, other than a 7 foot tall fence.

Rabbits
Rabbits are very territorial little creatures, so you can actually keep a wild rabbit out of your garden by making it smell like another rabbit. One way to accomplish this is by sprinkling some domestic rabbit droppings, which you can get from a local pet store, in your garden. The droppings won’t hurt your soil. Rabbits are also not fans of hair, so you can place your own clippings, or the hair from your dog’s brush around your garden.

Prevention Is Key

It’s a lot easier to prevent pests in the first place than it is to deal with them once the occur. To prevent pests in your edible garden, follow these maintenance tips.

Minimize insect habitat
When plants are dead, pull them out. When veggies are ripe, harvest them. By keeping your garden clean and free of debris, you can eliminate the spots that pests find most attractive.

Water early
Keeping foliage dry is key to preventing mildew and fungus problems. Water early in the day so that your plants do not sit wet overnight.

Build healthy soil
Healthy plants have the strength to stand up to and resist a few pests. To grow strong plants, make sure to nourish your soil. Adding natural compost to your edible garden is a great way to encourage healthy soil and vigorous plants. Use natural fertilizers, such as Haven Cow Manure Tea and Down to Earth All Purpose Fertilizer to encourage the growth of beneficial microorganisms and feed your plants without depleting your soil of nutrients.

Be a good babysitter
Keeping your edible garden free of pests means that you need to babysit it daily. Every day, set aside a little bit of time to closely examine your plants. If you see a bug or two, you can easily pull them off your plants with a gloved hand. This can prevent them from multiplying and becoming a big problem in the long run.

See details at the end of this post for a chance to win 2 tickets and more!

I have never been to the Celebration Weekend but I expect to literally experience all home and garden topics the magazine has to offer in person. If you’re familiar with the magazine, then you know what I’m talking about.  If not, then you’ve been missing out!

Sunset’s Celebration Weekend Lineup

Chip Wade from HGTV's Designed to Sell

Take part in wine tastings from local wine makers

Learn tips from garden editor Kathy Brenzel

We’re Arriving in Style!

This modern interpretation of the classic teardrop trailer has yet to venture into California, and Sunset’s Celebration Weekend is the perfect excuse to head south. We bought our Cozy Cruiser over a year ago and we’ve been soaking up the regional landscape ever since (one positive outcome from this dreary economy).

Before we leave I’ll visit Sunset’s online travel guide for recommendations on where to eat, where to stay and what to do in northern California. Trips to Europe will just have to wait until we’ve toured the best of the west.

Cozy Cruiser back and side views with Leo the Frenchie

Enter to Win Our Sunset Celebration Giveaway

I want to share my excitement with everyone who loves Sunset Magazine and the outdoors.  Three people will have a chance to win 3 different prize packages. Here’s the scoop:

Stay hydrated this summer with BPA-free Vapur Water Bottles

What You Can Win

• First Prize – 2 tickets to Sunset’s Celebration Weekend on June 4-5th, 1 copy of Sunset Magazine, 2 Vapur Water Bottle
• Second Prize – 1 copy of Sunset Magazine, 2 Vapur Water Bottle
• Third Prize – 2 Vapur Water Bottle

How to Enter

It’s super simple.  Just answer one or all of the following questions in the comment section below and we’ll draw 3 random names for the winners. Submit comments by June 2, 2011.

Please note in your comment if you plan to attend Sunset’s Celebration Weekend. We’d hate to award the first prize to someone who lives in North Carolina and has no plans to traveling out west.

1. What is your ideal summer vacation?
2. Do you have a favorite summer destination you visit every year? Let me know – I want to go there too!
3. How has the economy changed your travel plans this summer?
4. What kind of destinations do your prefer – beaches, lakes, mountains, cities or your own backyard?
5. What are you favorite summer activities?
6. Who has a hard time leaving their garden while on vacation? How do you deal?
7. How do you make sure the garden gets watered while on vacation?

Image from CookThink.com

Herbs have been used for centuries as for both medicinal and culinary purposes. They are incredibly versatile and somehow have the power to enhance just about any dish from chicken, to fish, to salads, sauces, soups and vinegars. So if you’ve ever prepared any of these things, surely you have worked with herbs.

Here at AML, we use fresh herbs whenever we can. And what we love about this is that it means we are snipping leaves straight from our own plants, not pulling a slimy plastic bag out of the bottom of our crisper (blech!). If you’d like to grow your own herbs, this is a great time to start! They are fun and easy to grow, and make attractive borders or container plants. You can have your very own fresh herb garden regardless of the (lack of) time and space you have available.

Six Easy Herbs to Plant, Pick, and Cook

When deciding which type of herbs to plant, think about what dishes are your favorite, and which you most enjoy preparing.

Basil: If you love Italian dishes such as Caprese Salad and Bruschetta, then a great herb for you to plant is Italian Large Leaf Basil. This variety of basil can grow to be up to about 24 inches, and can even flourish indoors in the winter. You’ll have plenty of leaves to use in scrumptious Italian dishes. If you would like to make your own homemade Pesto, try planting Genovese Italian Basil, which is the variety traditionally used for the yummy, garlicky basil sauce.  Or, if you prefer a more mild variety, try Purple Petra Basil, which has a wonderful sweet taste and a gorgeous violet color.

Chinese Garlic Chives: If you prefer Chinese dishes, then try planting Chinese Garlic Chives. You may not have seen them before unless you shop in a Chinese Market or China Town, but this is a totally versatile herb! You can eat the plants’ leaves, flower buds, and flowers. They have a garlicky but delicate and honey-like flavor. This makes them perfect for adding to simple dishes such as scrambled eggs and spring rolls.

Traditional Chives: Speaking of versatile, you can’t go wrong with traditional Chives. We end up chopping and adding these puppies to just about everything: pasta salad, baked potatoes, risotto, and salmon. We love it that the flavor is slightly oniony and peppery without being overpowering.

Cilantro: Did you know that Cilantro and Coriander come from the same plant? Yup, it’s true. So when you plant Cilantro, you really get two seasonings for the price of one, because in its seed form it is Coriander. Cilantro is also sometimes called Chinese Parsley, and it is popularly used in both Southeast Asian and Latin American/Mexican cooking. We love it chopped up in fresh salsa, or blended into an easy and healthy spicy hummus.

Dill: If we had to pick a favorite fresh herb, we would say that it is Dill. The plants grow beautiful yellow blossoms that attract butterflies, and the flavor of fresh dill is fantastic. Dill tastes particularly perfect on seafood, in potato salad, and of course in dill pickles. Dillicious!

Parsley: Ever wonder why at restaurants, they add a sprig of Italian Parsley to the edge of your plate? It’s because when eaten, Italian Parsley both aids in digestion and freshens breath. So your body loves parsley- and your garden actually does, too. It is a good idea to plant Italian Parsley next to roses, tomatoes, and asparagus. It also tastes great in a wide variety of dishes (not just Italian ones).

Fresh herbs versus dry herbs

At this point, you may still be thinking that it will be easier to just buy a jar of McCormick brand dried herbs off of a grocery store shelf. But here’s the thing about those little plastic jars: you really don’t know how long those herbs have been sitting there – not to mention how expensive they are. Herbs do lose their flavor over time, so it is best to snip small amounts right when you need them, rather than allow them to sit in your pantry for months and months.

Another factor to consider is nutritional value. Fresh herbs pack the most vitamin and antioxidant power. Fresh basil, for example, is a good source of vitamin E, niacin, riboflavin, dietary fiber, zinc, maganese, vitamin A, iron, and vitamin B6. (What a list!) Yes, dried herbs do also have great nutritional value as well. But exposure to light and heat diminishes the nutritional value, so it is best to dry your own herbs in small batches, or to freeze them, in order to preserve their nutritional integrity.

Want to be able to swap fresh herbs for dry ones in recipes? No problem! One tablespoon of fresh herbs is equivalent to one teaspoon of dry herbs. So experiment with using fresh herbs in your cooking, and discover the new flavors that they impart to all your favorite dishes!

For more cool and easy ways to use fresh herbs, visit our blogs Using Fresh Garden Herbs In Cool Summer Cocktails and Grow Your Own Garnishes.

Simply put, many (if not most) municipal areas cannot keep up with the demand for water, and must put restrictions on how and when we use it. During these times, we’ll bet you’ve thought, “there must be a more efficient way for me to get water, sans treatment chemicals and super high prices.” Well, you’re right. There is a way, and it is called rainwater harvesting.

What is rainwater harvesting?

Rainwater harvesting is exactly what it sounds like – simply a method of collecting rainwater in order to re-use it. This process may be implemented at home, at work, or on a larger scale for agricultural use. Either way, rainwater harvesting has a great number of benefits, including that it:

• Can help to relieve the strain on a city’s water supply
• Will help you to save money by reducing your water consumption
• Allows people to garden and farm in areas with no other water supply
• Increases water security and independence
• Gives you water that is free of the chemicals and toxins that municipal water may contain
• Reduces the amount of storm water that flows off your property and into the sewer system
• Permits you to water your plants and/or lawn without contributing to water shortages

How can I harvest rainwater?

Pretty much any way you can think of to collect and re-use water may be considered rainwater harvesting. This can be as large or small scale as you would like.

One of the most popular ways to harvest rainwater at home is by installing a rain barrel. A rain barrel is a receptacle that collects water directly from your gutter’s downspout, then stores it for later use. You can buy a commercially made rain barrel at your local garden store or online at Clean Air Gardening and follow the installation instructions. Or, if you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can make your own rain barrel using these instructions from Apartment Therapy’s Re-nest blog.

Keys to Rain Barrel Installation and Use:

1. Keep the rain barrel on a small wooden platform, or a row of cinder blocks, so that you can easily drain water out of the spigot at the bottom, allowing gravity to work for you.
2. Make sure to install a piece of screen over any openings on top of the barrel to keep leaves and critters out of your water.
3. If you live in an area that receives a lot of rain, you may want to install more than one barrel.
4. Drain your rain barrel before the freezing winter weather hits.

Quirky Petal Drops

Is it still possible to harvest rainwater if you don’t have a yard, a gutter, or room for a rain barrel? It sure is! You hardly need any space at all to harvest rainwater, in fact. To harvest on a smaller scale, try using a few of our cute little Petal Drops. Aren’t they fun? All you have to do is attach a Petal Drops to an old plastic water bottle, and the shape of the green petals will funnel rain water right into the bottle. You can then reuse this water to sprinkle your container gardens, potted plants or refill your pets’ outdoor water bowl.

To make rainwater harvesting a total snap, pair up the Petal Drops with the Plant Nanny. These two garden accessories together make watering your plants totally fun and easy - and eco-friendly, too!

Image source: Squakfox.com

We always think of the act of gardening as a celebratory event. But during the month of April, our green thumbs get an extra special boost because it is National Gardening Month, as designated by the National Gardening Association (NGA). So even if you have never planted a single thing in your life, April is an excellent time to get started.

6 Great Ways to Celebrate National Gardening Month

(1) Host a Plant Swap Party

The basic gist of a plant swap is to ask your friends to bring a few plant starts that they have divided from their gardens. Most perennials can be easily divided and therefore are easy to share. Make sure that you, as the host, have extra containers on hand, and plant markers, such as Popsicle sticks or plastic spoons that can be written on with a permanent marker. Make it clear to your guests what they are expected to bring to swap- you may wish to include seeds and bulbs, or even tools and gardening books. We think plant swaps are an awesome idea because they can truly save you a lot of money. To make your plant swap special, consider serving iced tea and a yummy garden-inspired treat, like these Rose-Walnut Scones. (And you can learn how to make your own rose water here!)

(2) Organize a Neighborhood Garden

Chances are, if you live in a big city, you’ve witnessed an awesome trend that has started to grow lately. Driving down the street, you may notice an unexpected green patch next to an apartment building, or a plot of flourishing herbs and vegetables next to a vacant lot. These community gardens have been started by individuals who wish to maintain a garden, but don’t have a yard in which to do it. The community collectively shares the responsibilities and decides what to grow- some are flower-filled relaxing spaces, while others are vegetable gardens from which the harvest is donated to a local food bank. For tips on how to start your own neighborhood garden, check out this guide from Urban Harvest.

(3) Help a Friend Start a Garden

Sometimes all a friend needs is a little support when it comes to starting something new. If you have a friend who swears she has a black thumb, give her an extra boost of encouragement this month. Try tucking an adorable Matchstick Garden into a card and popping it into the mailbox for her. When she receives the matchsticks, all she needs to do is tear one off, drop  it in some soil, and water it. It couldn’t be easier. Or, if you have a friend who is super crunched for space in her little one-bedroom apartment, how about a Greenbo Planter or a Recycled Glass Hanging Terrarium. These awesome accessories make it possible to have plants while not using any floor or yard space.

(4) Begin a “Flower Brigade”

Who doesn’t love to receive a cheery gift of fresh flowers? And chances are, there are some places in your nieghborhood that could use a little cheering up. How about the local hospital, oncology care center, retirement home, or nursing home? Collaborate with friends so that an arrangement of freshly cut flowers may be delivered to the location of your choice once a week. You may even be able to get a local florist to participate.

(5) Join a CSA

Joining a CSA may initially seem like an investment. But it is one that definitely pays off, and you have little to lose. A CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, basically means that you will pay a local farm in advance to receive a weekly supply of fresh fruits and vegetables throughout its growing season. This means that not only do you get fresh local produce every week, but you are supporting your local economy. Plus, you have the opportunity to try fruits and veggies that you may not otherwise, such as tatsoi and lacinato kale.

For more information, please read our blog What Is A CSA and Why Does It Matter?

(6) Take Inventory of All Your Gardening Tools

April is an excellent time to take all of your gardening tools out of storage and do a good head count. Don’t trek off to the garden store until you have done this- otherwise you are more likely to purchase things you do not need. How many gas-powered tools do you have? Is it possible to downgrade to more eco-friendly options? How about that big ol’ pile of rusty, assorted pruners? Maybe it is time to upgrade to a sleek and handy multi-tool. Organize all of your gardening items, including pots and seeds, and donate anything you do not need to a nearby school or community garden.

For more ways to commemorate April, check out 101 Ways to Celebrate National Garden Month at the National Gardening Association’s website.

What you need is something to entice your kids to get out in the fresh spring and summer air; something that will keep their bodies and minds healthy and active; something that affords them a learning experience while still keeping them entertained. What you need is a children’s garden.

Now if you shudder at the thought of your kids tromping garden mud through your kitchen every day, try to relax. A children’s garden does not have to be a big backyard plot. It can be a few pots on your balcony or a window box outside your kitchen. In fact, starting with a little space is a good idea to help keep your kids, and you for that matter, from feeling overwhelmed.

Tips for Beginning, Sowing, and Harvesting a Children’s Garden

Focus on Edibles

If there is one thing that kids find super rewarding about gardening, it’s that they can eat the results of their work! Many kids only know fruits and veggies as things that come off of grocery store shelves, so take this opportunity to show your children where vegetables really come from, from seed to harvest. A children’s garden also gives you the opportunity to plant things that you would not normally find at the store. Like these Carnival Blend Carrots, for example. They come in funky purple, white and yellow shades, making them way cooler than the average carrots. Or how about these Sugar Snap Peas that are so crunchy and sweet, your kids will want to eat them right off the vine. Plus, the vining plants are really pretty. Fun, Easter egg colored radishes grow well in pots, as do these cute little Baby Round Zucchini- a treat that you will never find in a produce section.

Let Them Take Responsibility

Don’t worry about the end product of the garden too much- focus on the process. If a few plants get trampled or killed along the way, that’s alright. That’s part of the learning experience of gardening. Let your kids take over the responsibility of watering, weeding, (safely) handling pests, and harvesting. If your daughter accidentally uproots a row of Cherry Belle Radish seedlings thinking they are weeds, don’t freak out. These puppies mature in as little as 3 weeks, so just encourage your child to re-plant and not sweat his or her mistakes. Allowing your kids to have their own garden not only encourages them to take personal responsibility, but also ensures that they won’t meddle in your own garden space, too!

Supply Them With Their Own Tools

If there is one thing that can make gardening seem super awesome to your kids, it is supplying them with their own garden tools and supplies. You know why toy lawn mowers, cars, computers, and cell phones are as popular as they are? It’s because kids freak out over having their own “grown up” stuff. To encourage your kids to be active gardeners, supply them with their very own cute kid-size watering can, such as the adorable Elephant Watering Can.  Children’s gardening tool sets come in kid-friendly plastic. And providing your kids with their own gloves and smocks can make gardening seem just like dress-up.

Avoid Chemicals

Kids’ brains are a lot more vulnerable to chemicals and pollutants than adults’ are, so it is a good idea to avoid chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in your children’s garden. Instead, focus on teaching them to identify harmful bugs, such as aphids and japanese beetles, versus helpful ones, such as ladybugs and praying mantids. Rather than using chemical fertilizers, start with a healthy, organic soil base that has been amended with plenty of compost. The  give the plants a nice healthy shot of nutrition every now and then with Authentic Haven Cow Manure Tea. Each “tea bag” is made from all natural ingredients, so it is safe for use around and by your kids, and on their edible plants.

Get Creative

Thinking outside the box a bit is sure to keep your kids interested in their garden. Try collecting sticks and rocks in different shapes as sizes, then having your kids paint them to create their own garden ornaments. Purchase 7 different pots, then designate each pot for plants in one color of the rainbow to create a Rainbow Garden. Plant a themed garden, such as a Pizza Patch, where you grow tomatoes, garlic, basil, and oregano. Make the garden a haven for friendly critters by building a worm box, planting bee balm to attract bees and butterflies, and adding some overturned terra cotta pots to serve as toad houses. Or construct some interesting homemade structures, such as teepees and arbors, for vining plants to climb on. Be creative- don’t worry about how neat or perfect it looks.

We all know that gardening is cool and fun, so it’s time to let your kids discover that, too! Remember, start small and give your kids’ lots of encouragement. They are soon bound to take lots of pride in their very own garden space.

Grow Something!