Kitchen Gardeners

All Blog Posts (725)

Search Blog Posts

Penelope Teasing Weather

Here In Southern Idaho, USA, the January/February weather teases us. We know, because of the calendar, that we are deep into winter, and our fairly high altitude (4,800 feet) allows for many sub-zero F days and nights, so we dig in, content ourselves with indoor activities: weaving, spinning, piano music, Scrabble, baking, movies. . . Stories of frustration regarding frozen pipes and drains circulate; cars refuse to start requiring a "jump" from generous friends. But then something happens --

… Continue

Added by Penelope on February 7, 2010 at 10:30am — 3 Comments

Margaret Flett France

Hallo Ian - I am new so reading your site about France brought back memories of living in Spain, just over the border from St Jean de Luz and visiting at least once a month. Your comment re the food is just so true and there was nothing like the country cooking that I experienced. I really miss what I called "rough pate" and the glorious bread which we ate it with - the pate here in Aussie is smooth, more like a paste.
Continue

Added by Margaret Flett on February 6, 2010 at 7:02pm — No Comments

Lydia Riedel-Tramsek prehistorical agriculture

I'm so eager to increase my knowledge about prehistorical agriculture, so I ask you to transfer all links of very new research results to me. I yet read an article, that genetic biologists found out, that plant domestication dates far longer back in prehistory than assumed till now, what I supposed. They usually described the paleolithique cultures living in northern ice ages, but even animals moved in warmer regions, so humans should have done it too. But many of these warmer european and orien… Continue

Added by Lydia Riedel-Tramsek on February 5, 2010 at 1:33pm — 2 Comments

Paul Gettis Perserve beauty and water through Xeriscape Gardening

Written By Paul Gettis Water is a precious resource and when we are talking about regions like Calgary, Canada whose climate is semi desert, then water becomes even a more precious commodity. The term xeriscape comes from the Greek word xeros meaning dry. The word first came into use in Denver Colorado in 1971 because of sky rocketing water bills and studies on shortages in waters Here are 7 principles of Xeriscape gardening that can help you in understanding it better. 1) Refined designing… Continue

Added by Paul Gettis on February 1, 2010 at 11:02am — 3 Comments

amna mufti Heralds of Spring!

Its 1st February,season is about to change.The migratory birds have gone to north.Sun is giving energy to the shiviring earth.Although my lawn and kitchen garden are still slumbering an autumn slumber,but I can feel the warmth of spring already spreading around. I saw a big swarmp of bees traveling to a near by garden.So they are back and busy.I checked the spring catalouge .I have to sow bitter gourd,as well as harvesting my broccoli,ice berg,turnips ,raddish,spinach ,peas,lettuce,cauliflower,c… Continue

Added by amna mufti on February 1, 2010 at 7:23am — 2 Comments

Gillian gardening year round in the tropics

My aim was to try and grow and eat as much as I could from my garden year round, not just the drier winter season which is our main growing season. I have been harvesting pawpaw and passionfruit, and then asparagus for the beginning of the wet season, but leaving the shoots now to grow the crowns. Herbs are all doing OK, but do struggle with the huge amount of rain and bugs. I was wondering what I was doing wrong with my luffas - The veggie garden fence is a tangle of vines - the thick snake… Continue

Added by Gillian on January 31, 2010 at 6:45pm — 10 Comments

Marian Worley Snow, Compost, Dreams and the future

I am so glad to see the snow, ice, cold weather. Not only is it a source of fun outside, but so necessary here in the south to naturally control the insect and fungus and mold population and also to help with weeds and composting. I will happily pull up and toss into the compost all of the frozen sqishy plant materials left outside to freeze and re freeze. It makes it easier to pull up after the ground has thawed enought to work. Here in Tennessee we can have some of the most beautiful days with… Continue

Added by Marian Worley on January 31, 2010 at 5:29pm — 8 Comments

Lost Valley Educational Center New Camassia 2010 Courses

The Camassia 2010 courses are ready to launch! This year Lost Valley has greatly increased the offerings of our educational programs, creating an exciting new schedule of courses that cover permaculture design, ecovillage design and eco-building as well as a week long seminar for those interested in a 'crash course'. This new course line up is far more extensive and in depth than what we've done before and we are looking forward to teaching a whole new family of students! Our new courses begin F… Continue

Added by Lost Valley Educational Center on January 29, 2010 at 6:02pm — No Comments

Everett McDonald What To Do With the Woody Stuff?

In the course of a gardening year I save all my grass clippings, leaves, spent plants, and kitchen scraps. Everything either goes into the compost or straight into the garden. However I have never bothered to recycle woody things, branches, bushes, trees except that which was big enough for fire wood. That changes this year. I've started a hugelkultur. A hugelkultur is a mound of branches or brush piled up, pressed down then covered with soil or compost and planted. It is described in the book "… Continue

Added by Everett McDonald on January 27, 2010 at 9:30pm — 4 Comments

Desi Powell A Scaley Lesson

In the interests of helping anyone else out there as ignorant as I am - and just in case anybody actually reads these blogs, it is time to update news on my Lime Tree! After the last happy and excited post when my Lime Tree was recovering so well, new leaves and flowers, almost overnight things started changing. All the new leaves at the top of the tree had just disappeared when I went out to greet my tree one morning. I did see one caterpillar which I removed, but then the little branches start… Continue

Added by Desi Powell on January 26, 2010 at 1:05am — 8 Comments

Glenn Fletcher Plant Hardiness Zones

This always confuses me, knowing how temperatures in different parts compare. Heres a link that may help. Continue

Added by Glenn Fletcher on January 25, 2010 at 7:51am — 4 Comments

Maggie There always seems to be something to do when you have a kitchen garden..

I am sitting here on a warm dry summer's evening watching English gardening and cooking shows and listening to the fire works in the city after the Adelaide Tour Down Under bike race comes to an end. I am reading about torrential rain in Northern Queensland and looking at snow on American gardeners sites. River cottage has just appeared on the tele. I have eggplants and zucchinis to make into chutneys, lemons to make 3 dog lemonade beer and dried herbs to bottle. We had a delicious meal of garli… Continue

Added by Maggie on January 24, 2010 at 6:50am — 6 Comments

Kathryn Edible Weeds

This plant is widely eaten here, you can find it nearly everywhere as a weed and you can also buy it at the local markets. It is used in a soup with lentils, onions and tomatoes. I am not overly keen on it but alot are. I believe this is a Mallow plant, correct me if Im wrong as I want to know the englis… Continue

Added by Kathryn on January 23, 2010 at 11:48am — 6 Comments

Lost Valley Educational Center Ellen Page at Lost Valley!

Ellen Page at Lost Valley! She talks about LVEC in USA Today after living in our eco-village and taking a course in permaculture: http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-09-29-ellen-page_N.htm Page also spoke about LVEC on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Take a look: http://www.lostvalley.org/Valley-TV-and-Videos Continue

Added by Lost Valley Educational Center on January 22, 2010 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Everett McDonald A Calabrian Garden

It seems Maggie and Gillian have been holding out on us. If you google "Gardening Australia" and click on the link for ABC gardening you'll come to a gardening website for Australians. On the left side click on videos, at the bottom of the video page the video "A Calabrian Garden" was excellent. There are several other videos as well, I haven't had a chance yet to watch. I stumbled on to this site while researching permaculture and no-dig gardening. Continue

Added by Everett McDonald on January 22, 2010 at 12:27pm — 6 Comments

Kathryn Pickles

Kathryn, I read your post in Preserving the Harvest. I wonder if you might post and share your pickling recipe in a blog or somewhere. I pickled a lot of veggies last fall, but they are all too salty. Would like to compare and perhaps try your recipe this year. Thank you. During this time of year most people here are busy pickling. Carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, chilies, large radishes and other veggies are in and waiting to be pickled. Last month I made a couple of kilos of carrot sticks and a… Continue

Added by Kathryn on January 21, 2010 at 11:29am — 1 Comment

Alexis-Yves JEGOU Very new in all this.

Alexis-Yves JEGOU. I dont use computer often,my best subject at school was French Because i was French now i am a cross betwen a frog & a kangooroo witch is a Frogaroo. Now to be a good gardenner you have to be as meesy as nature.Weeds are good i recycle just about everything and it works for me.I love garden & outside living.That has been in our famili since 1465.Now how do i send this ? Continue

Added by Alexis-Yves JEGOU on January 21, 2010 at 12:27am — 1 Comment

Lydia Riedel-Tramsek Fructose Malabsorbtion

Till now I simply ignored my digestive problems eating fruits, vegies, whole-grain bread. I didn't know, that undigested fructose conjoins to tryptophane, an essential amino acid, and both are excreted. I ended up being totally exhausted, without any drive. So I had to accept a diet without my beloved fruits, vegies and brown breads and I do well ! How to continue? I won't miss all this for ever! Lydia Continue

Added by Lydia Riedel-Tramsek on January 17, 2010 at 8:43pm — 1 Comment

Suzie O'Connor Fertilized Chicken Eggs –How Can I tell if I have Fertile Chicken Eggs

The most common question we get is how can I tell if I have fertilized chicken eggs? Whether you are in a place where you are looking to get lots of little chicks, or you are simply curious about the quality of the eggs that you receive, you might be wondering whether or not you have fertile chicken eggs. Fertile chicken eggs, which might also be called fertilized chicken eggs, are often thought to be tastier and mo… Continue

Added by Suzie O'Connor on January 17, 2010 at 3:11pm — No Comments

Lost Valley Educational Center PAPERCRETE

In 2010, Lost Valley Educational Center will be starting new eco-building courses. We would like to be able to demonstrate as many material options as possible, including papercrete. If you know of anyone who could donate a papercrete mixer, not a towmixer, but a stationary one, to Lost Valley, please forward them our email address registrar@lostvalley.org. Thank you and we hope to see you in 2010. To learn more about our 2010 courses click here htt… Continue

Added by Lost Valley Educational Center on January 14, 2010 at 3:31pm — No Comments

Featured Blog Posts

View All

Latest Blog Posts

Most Popular Blog Posts

Blog Topics by Tags

Monthly Archives

2010

2009

2008

KGI's Book of the Month



Latest Activity

Martha Hill replied to Martha Hill's discussion 'Error on page question !!'
No its still giving me an error message !!!
1 hour ago
Martha Hill added a discussion
Error on page question !!
I tried to add a reply to two posts and got an "error on page" note !! But then it asked me to sign in again !! Would that be the reason my posts did not work ?? Sign in was negated ?? Or is it common to have to do this occassionally ??
1 hour ago
kimmy miller, Ludovic, Julie and 3 more joined Kitchen Gardeners
4 hours ago
Penelope replied to Maya's discussion 'Garden in a Box - your input requested'
trowel, fork, seeds with planting directions tailored to the area. harvesting and preserving information. drip irrigation system?
5 hours ago
Michelle W. Flannery left a comment for Sandra Badboy
5 hours ago
Michelle W. Flannery commented on Michelle W. Flannery's group 'Native American Heritage Group'
Wow Sandra! You've asked for an awful lot of information! Start by checking for your "predicted" last frost date. There are frost charts online, but the quickest way for you, I think, is to call your county extension agent. He'll be listed in the ph…
5 hours ago
Glenn Fletcher left a comment for Maggie
7 hours ago
Mare Cromwell replied to Katherine Turcotte's discussion 'Book Recommendation for Group' in the group Sacred Gardening
thanks, Katherine, I will try to seek it out... It would be interesting to see where their info came from... stay warm wherever you are...
7 hours ago
Mare Cromwell commented on Mare Cromwell's group 'Sacred Gardening'
Hmmm... we are having lots of sacred snow these days in Baltimore... can't wait for some of it to melt down... can't wait for spring to get my fingers back in the soil...
7 hours ago
Lydia Riedel-Tramsek left a comment for Sandra Badboy
10 hours ago
Gillian left a comment for Steph Webb
15 hours ago
Mary Riekert joined Gillian's group
Gemsquash
Those interested in growing gemsquash - a very typical South African vegetable that we miss!
15 hours ago
Mary Riekert commented on Mary Riekert's photo 'First tomato harvest of 2010'
Had no luck with gem squash last year - it was just too hot! So I didn't try this year. Maybe next summer.
15 hours ago
Gillian left a comment for Marian Worley
15 hours ago
Gillian commented on Mary Riekert's photo 'First tomato harvest of 2010'
Oh gosh, that is rare to get humidity that far south! That is where all our moisture went - we havnt had any rain for over a week :) I started that gemsquash group as I discovered a new member (Margaret Flett) who had gemsquash as her favourite vege…
15 hours ago
Gillian added a group
Gemsquash
Those interested in growing gemsquash - a very typical South African vegetable that we miss!
15 hours ago
Mary Riekert commented on Mary Riekert's photo 'First tomato harvest of 2010'
Yes it's hot but very humid which is unusual. We are having a spell of days in the low 30s but tropical air is being pushed south by the weather systems up north and we are getting rain and humidity. The rain we love - the humidity we are not used t…
15 hours ago
Gillian left a comment for Margaret Flett
15 hours ago
Mary Riekert commented on Gillian's blog post 'gardening year round in the tropics'
yes - the pods are quite tough. We only ate the peas inside and we always ate them green although many Indian people dry them. They are known as toovar dhal in Gujerati or tuvaram in Tamil and there are lots of recipes for them dried. Just google to…
15 hours ago
Gillian commented on Gillian's blog post 'gardening year round in the tropics'
Mary, so you always shell them? I am entirely in the dark with these, and no more flowers :(... Did you only cook the peas fresh or did you leave some to dry? I posted a photo of the HUGE luffa I found, and there are lots more making an appearance -…
15 hours ago

From the KGI Main Site

Garden Q & A: Starting transplants from seed

2009: Year of the Kitchen Garden

"First Garden" now has the "First Hoophouse"

Big Question: Feast or famine?

Roast Your Own Chestnuts

More photos from KGI's first global gathering

Gardeners Have the Power!

Braised brussels sprouts with pine nuts

Garden Q & A: extending the salad season

New White House kitchen garden videos

Notes

HOW TO - ADD A LINK

Several people have experienced difficulty putting working links into comments and blogs etc and I know it is clumsy.... so here is how you do it.....

First type the text you want to appear....  ie  IAN'S PAGE

Then go back and highlight the link text.

Then hit the hyperlink button...a pictogram of a chain link.

Your browser may intervene and request permission to allow temporary scripting or some similar message.   Allow it and go back and highlight the text again

… Continue

Created by Ian Jun 7, 2009 at 7:28pm. Last updated by Ian Jun. 8, 2009.

Forum Policy

Hi, I'm starting to put together a few guidlines on using the discussion forum on here.

I would be happy to hear any comments you may have.  This is very much a work in progress so plese feel free to ask me to add anything you think is needed.

I don't want to make our community hide bound by rules and regulations but I think that, as the community has grown, some explanation of what is expected is needed.

Administration

You can refer any que

… Continue

Created by Ian May 23, 2009 at 1:55am. Last updated by Ian May. 25, 2009.

Climate maps

Hi following recent discussion I have put climate maps of the USA, Australia and Europe on here for reference..

 Climate map of the USA

Climate map of Australia

Climate map of Europe

 

… Continue

Created by Ian Sep 12, 2008 at 6:20pm. Last updated by Ian Apr. 14, 2009.

Recipes, Recipes, Recipes

Hi Everyone,  I've started to collect together recipes from various posts on the site and put them all together here.

If you have a recipe you want to add on here, just post it on the site and leave a comment on my page telling me where it is and I'll go and fetch it back here.

They are organised in Contributor Order but I'm open to better suggestions!

BEVA'S RECIPES

… Continue

Created by Ian Jun 2, 2008 at 9:54am. Last updated by Ian Apr. 13, 2009.

US STATES ABBREVIATIONS

 

US STATE ABBREVIATIONS

AK - Alaska               AL - Alabama              AR - Arkansas
AZ - Arizona              CA - California           CO - Colorado
CT - Connecticut          DC - Dist of Columbia *   DE - Delaware
FL - Florida              GA - Georgia              GU

… Continue

Created by Ian Jan 27, 2009 at 4:27pm. Last updated by Ian Jan. 27, 2009.

HOW TO - MAKE COMPOST

Recently there was an excellent discussion about composting. I’ve pulled together all the various comments here. You can also watch KGI's video on composting here.

 

 

KATE’S ADVICE

I used to have a tumbler that we made from a wine-barrel but

1 you have to fill it up all at once

2. it seemed mostly

… Continue

Created by Ian May 30, 2008 at 5:29am. Last updated by Roger Jan. 15, 2009.

Notes Home

Welcome to Notes.

To view notes that are in the system hit the "all notes" button above.

Continue

Created by Ian May 28, 2008 at 12:10pm. Last updated by Ian May. 30, 2008.

A Note about Notes

I have just written this note so that I can see what we can achieve by using this new feature.

If you read this and have any suggestions then please leave a comment on my page or email me.

Ian

Continue

Created by Ian May 28, 2008 at 6:19pm. Last updated by Ian May. 28, 2008.

© 2010   Created by Kitchen Gardeners International

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Privacy  |  Terms of Service

Sign in to chat!