Foraging for fruit is not going to save the world, but it's an act that can help make us better people. It enriches lives, gets us out of doors, and ignites our curiosity. It connects us with subtle shifts in the seasons and brings us closer to the people and animals who share wild and settled spaces with us... - Sara Bir, author of The Fruit Forager's … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Holistic Orchard
I’ll soon be moving to a new home where I’m planning to begin an orchard as part of my homestead. I understand that many types of fruit trees won’t start producing for at least a couple of years so I’m eager to get them in the ground as soon as possible. I was interested in reading “The Holistic Orchard” by Michael Phillips to find out what makes his methods “holistic” and how … [Read more...]
Variety is the spice of life
A few months ago I was being interviewed on a radio talk show, and the host asked me if we ever get bored with our food. You know, since we grow almost all of our own, we must get bored eating the same thing all the time, right? Uh, no. Not even close! The simple fact is that we have far more variety in our diet than most people, and we are able to eat lots of foods that are … [Read more...]
Don’t judge a fruit by its skin
When growing your own fruits and vegetables, you need to forget a few things that you've been doing in supermarkets your entire life. One of those things is eschewing any produce that looks imperfect. I totally understand that you don't want to buy anything that looks like it might not be edible. Neither do I. But when something is growing in your yard or garden, you owe it to … [Read more...]