Photo Credit: Parsnip by Ben and Flo used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Sometimes gardening is not about growing vegetables but instead the knowledge that is cultivated through hard work and ones relationship to nature.

This unexpected knowledge obtained through growing ones own food is something that I treasured when I think about my kids.

While they may remember our time in the garden a little different, I recall it as a special time where discovery of the world was mutual and the flavor of a fresh tomato out of the garden never tasted so sweet.

One special moment that I treasure so dearly was the year we grew parsnips.

Well, as you can image, the gardening experience started out with a hope that our parsnip crop would grow by leaps and bounds. I talked to many people about how to grow parsnips and was disappointed with the results. I live in a somewhat Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Anise Flower by Doug McAbee used under CC BY-NC 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Growing up as a child, my mother made most of the holiday treats.

Fudge, chocolate chip cookies and fruitcake were her specialties.

My favorite treat to make was gingerbread.

While my mother and I were busy in the kitchen, my dad would sit back and wait until the tornado of culinary delights were cleared.

Once that had occurred, he would make his famous anise cookies.

What made these cookies so special was the fact that my dad and I had raised the anise and harvested the seed together. While many cookie recipes require anise oil, my dad’s family recipe deemed anise seed.

This herb is not a difficult one to grow and fits perfectly in Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Children’s vegetable garden by NOWCastLA used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Many parents face that daunting task of getting their kids to eat.

Unfortunately, kids seem to be hot wired into eating everything that is bad for them.

Pizza, hamburgers and fries fill many American kids’ plate during lunchtime.

When they get home, their taste buds are geared for that same junk and with kids’ schedules and parents’ work responsibilities the evening meal ends up coming from the restaurant you pass on the way home instead of the garden.

But what can one do when faced with such obstacles and how do you get the kids involved in their own meals?

Below are some solutions to this challenging task. While not all will work with every family, it is worth the effort to get back to nature, homemade family meals, and eating what one reaps.

• What’s for dinner? Is a question that every parent has heard but instead of turning it into a sigh change it into a teaching moment. Offer what the meat or protein source of the day will be and then go to the Farmers Market together. Allow your child to pick the produce that will go with the protein source. Encourage them to try something they have never had.

• Snack Time is another great opportunity to Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Edamame by Debra Roby used under CC BY 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

About ten years ago, I got my first taste of edamame.

I was not into the health food claims of this food but instead wanted to try something different.

My first attempt with this culinary delight was not that great.

I cooked up my edamame and began to eat it like sugar snap peas. As you can imagine, the dish was very distasteful and chewy.

Once I realized you did not eat the pods, I began to love them.

In my quest to eat only what I grow, I began to look into growing my own soybeans.

Soybeans or edamame is a low-growing type of bush bean that requires a lot of sun. My journey into soybean production began when the soil warmed to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Prior to planting, I prepared the soil by adding a lot of organic material along with an organic 5-10-10 fertilizer.

Once that was done, it was time to prepare Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: DSC_5925 by Riku Kettunen used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Every gardener who suffers from allergies knows the pros and cons of the allergy season.

Runny nose, headaches and coughing can ruin a great day of gardening.

Today, through the field of science, we as gardeners know longer have to suffer from seasonal allergies.

To do this, Spanish researchers searched long and wide for the perfect plant. What they came up with was the Pelargonium, which is a flowering shrub that is better known Read the rest of this entry »