At the compost bin

April 26, 2020February 1, 2020 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ 2 Comments

Every spring, once the compost thaws, I empty the bin to supply the garden. And then I refill it with leaves collected the previous autumn to start the whole process again.

Gardeners’ mecca

March 18, 2020February 1, 2020 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

It doesn’t look like much, this former chicken barn at 688 Bellsqueeze Road up in Clinton, Maine, but it and a larger shed behind it are the operations center for Fedco Seeds, a seed and garden supply co-op geared toward the Northern New England climate. (I had to get that name in, Bellsqueeze, it’s a real, longstanding country road.) Members vouch for its high quality, low prices, and range of selections.

Well, they do call this a warehouse, even if you are welcome to stop by to browse and buy. Mostly, it’s mail order.

Garden season begins

January 23, 2020December 1, 2019 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

Snow may be piling up outside, but the planning and seed ordering are done now. This is how it looked last year, with the catalog then. (Photo by Rachel Williams)

They’ll soon be arriving. We try to order early, since the coop sometimes runs out.

On our Christmas dinner menu

December 15, 2019August 6, 2019 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

Brussels sprouts get sweeter after weather turns frosty. They’re one of the goodies we harvest after many other plants have been killed off in our garden. Yes, we’re definitely entering winter.

A little profusion

September 29, 2019May 20, 2019 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

We much prefer this instead of bands of single colors in straight rows.

Pole beans

September 22, 2019May 20, 2019 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

Another of my whimsical supports constructed from fallen limbs. This one made harvesting much easier than the traditional pyramid design.

As summer winds down

September 1, 2019May 20, 2019 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment

The profusion of blossoms tapers off at the end of summer. Hostas and turtleheads are among our late-season exceptions.

Fresh spuds

August 31, 2019May 20, 2019 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ 2 Comments

I stuck two rotting potatoes in the ground and got eight pounds in return.

Not a bad investment, is it?

Well, I stuck them in two old planters with just a covering of soil at the bottom late last spring and kept covering them as the stems and leaves shot upward. Didn’t take long for the entire container to be full. Three or four months later, in early September, the lush foliage went kaput, and it was time for harvest.

Have you ever eaten truly fresh potatoes – the kind picked just an hour or two before cooking? It’s a revelation. Roasted, they’re so creamy and sweet. Melt in the mouth, if you nibble at the oven. By the time they get to the table, they’re getting some firmness … but, oh, they’re still heavenly.

You don’t have to visit Maine or Idaho or even live there to discover what this means.

Ten reasons I love my electric lawnmower

August 20, 2019May 20, 2019 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ 5 Comments

Starts easily. Just push a button rather than trying to yank that cord.
There’s no cord to break. (Ever had that happen?)
I don’t have to buy gasoline.
It’s far less polluting. Lawnmower emissions are notorious.
It’s quiet. I won’t wake the neighbors.
Lightweight and easy to maneuver.
And it folds up easily, for storage or transportation.
If it needs to go in the car, there’s no gasoline to spill.
Never needs sharpening. The blades are designed with rounded edges. For that matter, there’s no annual tune-up.
The rechargeable battery also fits my weed whacker and other yard gadgets I’ll likely be adding. I’ve heard some good things about the chainsaw.

Anyone else running on rechargeable batteries?

Woodland trail

August 18, 2019May 20, 2019 ~ Jnana Hodson ~ Leave a comment