I was out in my garden early this morning checking on my sweet potatoes and let me tell you—this heat wave we’ve been having hasn’t slowed them down one bit. While some plants like my tomatoes have been struggling, sweet potatoes thrive in the heat. They’ve been spreading like crazy, and I’m starting to wonder…
Archives for July 2025
Smart Farmers Market Shopping: Tips for Fresh Produce and Supporting Local Farmers
While many of us have our own backyard gardens, we don’t raise all of our own food. Even in the most productive growing seasons, we still find ourselves needing to supplement with fruits and vegetables from the farmers market or grocery store. My preference during the gardening season is the farmers market. Why? Because I…
How to Use an Elevated Raised Bed for Fall Vegetables: A Beginner’s Guide
One of my newsletter subscribers recently reached out with a great question—he just purchased a 3×4 elevated raised bed on legs and wanted to know what he could grow in it this fall, what kind of soil to use, and how to make the most of this smaller space. If you’ve been eyeing those waist-high…
How to Store and Preserve Summer Vegetables from Your Garden or Farmers Market
If you’ve been harvesting from your garden or shopping the farmers market lately, chances are your kitchen is full of summer produce—ripe tomatoes, piles of squash, ears of corn, and maybe even a few okra pods or cucumbers rolling around on the counter. But now what? Should you refrigerate everything? Can you freeze it? Is…
How to Use Fresh Peaches: Eat, Bake, Freeze, and Enjoy Peach Season
It’s peach time here in North Georgia, and I’m making the most of it. I picked up a few baskets from our local farmers market and grabbed even more from a fundraiser at the high school (because how can you say no to fresh peaches and supporting the kids?). Of course, I saved some to…
How to Harvest, Freeze, and Bake with Blackberries: Easy Backyard Cobbler Recipe Included
I have a confession.I have two blackberry bushes in my backyard… and I pretty much neglect them. Sure, I pull the weeds away from the stems and prune off any dead limbs, but beyond that? They’re mostly on their own. So imagine my surprise when this year I actually had a decent harvest! The berries…
Why Fall is the Best Time to Grow Broccoli (Plus How to Start Seeds Indoors)
I’ve been growing broccoli in my garden for several years now—and here’s the truth: I almost gave up on it after a couple of disappointing spring crops. The weather would heat up too fast, the plants would bolt, and I’d be left with more frustration than florets. But once I gave fall planting a shot?…
Mid-July Garden Tasks: What to Do Now to Keep Your Garden Thriving
Is Your Garden Feeling the Mid-Summer Slump?You’re not alone. July can be an awkward time in the garden—some plants are going strong, others are giving up, and it’s easy to feel like the season is starting to wind down. But there’s still plenty you can do to keep your garden thriving through the heat and…
Beginner’s Guide to Fall Gardening: What to Plant and How to Plan Your Cool-Season Garden
Think Fall Is the End of Garden Season? Think Again. You don’t have to say goodbye to fresh vegetables just because summer’s winding down. In fact, fall is one of my favorite —and often overlooked—times to grow a garden, especially if you love leafy greens, root veggies, and crisp-weather crops that actually prefer cooler temps….
Garlic Chive Butter for Corn on the Cob
Last-minute dinner invite? Spontaneous cookout? This garlic chive butter has you covered. All you need is a few minutes, some fresh herbs, and a few ears of corn (easy to grab from your garden, local grocery, or farmers market). It’s one of those simple summer recipes that feels a little fancy without any extra work….