counter on iweb

Home Farming Challenge – Harvest Time & VOTING

Raised Bed Home Farm Final Collage

VOTE FOR CAT'S HOME FARM For three very long months I've been tending to a raised bed home farm that I built with my own two hands, plus the helping hands of my father. Week after week I water it, picked bugs off the plants and the day has finally come that my family and I are finally able to enjoy the fruits (or should I say vegetables) of my labor. The first moment of pure joy and excitement came when I was … [Read more...]

Home Farming Challenge – Preparing to Harvest

Snapshot 2 (7-31-2011 10-34 PM) copy

A little over three months ago I began the process of creating a home farm for my family using raised beds. At that moment, I knew there would be challenges, setbacks and the possibility of failure. What I hadn't realized at the time is how amazing it would feel to not only learn how to avoid home farming problems but actually overcome those challenges. Yet, I did, all thanks to the Triscuit Home Farming website. … [Read more...]

How to Freeze Fresh Garden Herbs for the Winter Months

Frozen Mint Herb Ice Cubes

When I first started growing my herb garden, I knew I would be using the fresh herbs for meals throughout the summer. What I hadn't realized is how big all of the herbs would grow. So big that I have more than I could ever use before the snow comes. While I do plan to dry and bottle many of the herbs, I also want to have a fresh form of them available for my winter dishes. One easy way to preserve fresh herbs … [Read more...]

From the Garden, Fresh Vegetable Omelet Cups Recipe

Vegetable Omelet Breakfast Cups

Every day I wake up, walk outside and look at my vegetable garden growing in the backyard. And every day I'm more in awe than the day before. For the first time in my life I can retire my "brown thumb" and say, I grew this! These amazing vegetables and herbs are all mine and I did it! Some may think of this as a bit of an exaggeration but the feeling of accomplishment and awe (for me) is comparable to the growth and … [Read more...]

From the Garden, Broccoli Cheese Soup with Croutons Recipe

Broccoli Cheese Soup with Croutons

Growing up I was a pretty privileged child in the sense that I was offered some pretty amazing home cooked meals. Looking back, I can see how lucky I was compared to all of the cardboard boxes and takeout bags I frequently saw at my friends houses. While not every dish was a favorite, my moms soups were on the top of my list for requests. My mom's vegetable soup was and still is a winter favorite while the broccoli … [Read more...]

Home Farming Challenge – Training Vertical Vegetable Plants

Orange Grape Tomatoes Garden

Two months ago I began my home farming journey with the expectation that if I was lucky, I'd make it through the summer with a few fresh herbs and possibly some cherry tomatoes. At the very least, I was thinking if I failed at everything else, I'd be happy if I came out of this with some fresh salad toppings. What I hadn't expected was my home farm to not only survive the unpredictable spring weather but to truly … [Read more...]

From the Garden, Garlic Herb Cheese Rolls Recipe

Garlic Herb Cheese Rolls Rosemary

Do you ever find yourself bored with the same old foods and side dishes day after day? Growing up we ate certain vegetables with certain meats and I still cook the same way today. Where there's beef you'll surely find green beans. If there's a bowl of stew on the table you'll find the biscuits nearby. Spaghetti and meatballs ... garlic bread. See what I'm getting at? Boring! Well. Switch it up! Try something … [Read more...]

From the Garden, Herb Crusted Pork Chops Recipe

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

This week I was walking around my vegetable garden, thinking about all of the big, beautiful tomatoes I'll have in a few short weeks and dreaming about BLT sandwiches. Then I ventured over to the herb section and decided it was time to stop dreaming and start consuming. I have all of these beautiful herbs and haven't been using them to their full potential. So I bent over and start plucking some of the sage leaves, a … [Read more...]

Home Farming Challenge – Pesticide Free Farming

Home Farming Vegetable Farm

I first started the home farming challenge with grand ideas of growing an entirely organic farm from soil to seed. Unfortunately, to keep costs as low as possible we had to forgo a few organic choices in our product selections. One thing I am doing to keep our garden healthy and our produce pesticide free is using natural pest deterrents. Using the Triscuit Home Farming Community Q&A as a resource, I found a … [Read more...]

From the Garden, Homemade Corn Salsa Recipe

Garden Fresh Corn Salsa

For nearly two months now I've been growing a pretty amazing garden that includes my own personal little herb garden. This being my first time growing herbs I discovered two things. One, a fresh herb garden is incredible to have just outside of your kitchen when you need some flavor for a dish in a pinch. Two, most herbs are so easy to grow with the exception of cilantro. Two weeks ago the cilantro that started … [Read more...]

Photography – Big Changes in a Little Garden

garden cabbage

Over the past month my vegetable garden has become almost unrecognizable to me. One day it looks just as it should and then I wake up to find all of my plants have done something insane .... they grew! Can you believe that? Mrs. Brown Thumb herself is actually growing vegetables and they're surviving! Now while I typically update our garden progress every 3 weeks, I just couldn't wait. The vegetables are just too … [Read more...]