Author Archives: NearlyHomeGrown.com

Permaculture Is What Happens When You’re Busy Making Other Plans

Posted on April 16, 2022 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

Spring is a yearly invitation t0 new beginnings, and an annual reminder of age-old renewal. It is the time of year that I am certain Khalil Gibran wrote the words “And forget not that the earth delights to feel your … Continue reading →

Posted in Arugula, Asparagus, Backyard Gardening, Blackberries, Blueberries, Bok Choy, Cilantro, Container Gardening, Figs, Herbs, Parsley, Peaches, Rosemary, Spinach, Sustainable | Tagged | Leave a comment

Asparagus Lives Here

Posted on April 6, 2020 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

Asparagus is promise for tomorrow, taking a couple of years after planting the crowns to have tender stems for the table. Today I made that promise with 40 crowns, split between Purple Passion, one i have grown before and Jersey … Continue reading →

Posted in Sustainable | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Searching for Eden

Posted on April 5, 2020 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

Long Island is entering the 4th week of Work From Home orders during the pandemic and “home” has suddenly become the center of many people’s lives in a way it has not been for a few generations. I am looking … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Fishing, Local Food, Organic, Permaculture, Raised Bed Gardening, Seafood, Sustainable | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

New Beginnings

Posted on April 20, 2019 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

This year, in particular, is full of new beginnings. I welcomed the New Year in with a toast and a cheer from my home in Apex, NC. Just a few months later, this native midwesterner calls Long Island, NY home. … Continue reading →

Posted in AeroGarden, Backyard Gardening, Basil, Cilantro, Hardiness Zone, Hydroponics, Indoor growing, Morel Mushrooms, Permaculture, Raised Bed Gardening, Sustainable, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Into the Wild

Posted on May 28, 2018 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

I started my journey into the wild a few months ago when I became curious about wild rice because it checks all the boxes for something to put on the planned buying list; lightweight, non-perishable, high nutrition and delicious. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Anson Mills, Permaculture, Recipe, Sustainable, Wild Rice | Leave a comment

Just Add Water

Posted on May 20, 2018 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

It has rained all day, every day for a week now and the sky has run itself out of water!  I stole this break in the rain to check on sown seeds and the herbs and berries. The back half … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Blueberries, Cherry Tomatoes, Chives, Cilantro, Container Gardening, Daikon Radishes, Herbs, Lettuce, Organic, Parsley, Raised Bed Gardening, Sage, Saving Seed, Serrano Peppers, Sustainable, Tomatoes | 2 Comments

First Day of Last Frost

Posted on April 14, 2018 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

The last frost date for this area passed without incident on April 9th and today was my first day home to survey the perennials and sow some annuals. I’m just going to say it, my over-wintered herb garden is just … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Blueberries, Chives, Herbs, Lettuce, Oregano, Organic, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Strawberries, Sustainable, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Fallow Season

Posted on December 24, 2017 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

Winter is a quiet time for the garden.  The cooler temperatures and shorter days signal a change and the earth changes orientation from growth to conservation.   The plants that continue to grow through the changing of the calendar year do … Continue reading →

Posted in Asparagus, Backyard Gardening, Herbs, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme | 3 Comments

Closing Summer

Posted on September 9, 2017 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

It is the end of an unusually quiet summer here at NHG.  A late, hard frost wiped out much of the spring plantings as well as this year’s harvest of blueberries and asparagus.  The figs and asparagus were late and … Continue reading →

Posted in Daikon Radishes, Drying, Food Preservation, Herbs, Organic, Permaculture, Raised Bed Gardening, Spinach, Sustainable | Leave a comment

Permaculture Summer

Posted on June 26, 2017 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

To create your own permaculture summer: Start with a good variety of fruits, berries and herbs that pretty much take care of themselves year after year. Add to that background of growth, some tender green leaves (lettuce and spinach will … Continue reading →

Posted in Asparagus, Backyard Gardening, Blackberries, Blueberries, Chives, Container Gardening, Figs, Herbs, Lettuce, Oregano, Parsley, Permaculture, Raised Bed Gardening, Spinach, Square Foot Gardening, Strawberries, Sustainable, Thyme, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Summer Already

Posted on June 4, 2017 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

After an early, false spring in February that fooled blueberries and peaches into blooming followed by the rest of a perfectly normal winter that felt like it lasted forever, spring finally did come and then go in a flash and … Continue reading →

Posted in Asparagus, Backyard Gardening, Blackberries, Blackberry, Blueberries, Herbs, Lettuce, Peaches, Permaculture, Sustainable, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Laissez-faire Farming

Posted on April 17, 2017 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

The threat of winter weather pushed right up to the last frost date for my area this year.  Add in my hectic schedule the past few weeks and the result is a late start on my spring garden, and some … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Lettuce, Oregano, Organic, Pro Tip, Raised Bed Gardening, Square Foot Gardening, Sustainable, Thrift | Leave a comment

Spring Again (Maybe)

Posted on April 9, 2017 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

The average last frost date for this area passed on April 4th but it has been an unusual spring with early season warming trends in February that encouraged strawberries and blueberries to bloom early followed by unsurprising freezes in early … Continue reading →

Posted in Asparagus, Backyard Gardening, Herbs, Oregano, Parsley, Permaculture, Raised Bed Gardening, Sage, Strawberries, Sustainable | Leave a comment

Seeking A Lorax

Posted on April 1, 2017 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

…for the bees This headline “First U.S. Bumblebee Officially Listed as Endangered” in a National Geographic article last week says it all. This is the first US bumblebee, but not the first US bee.  Seven species of Hawaiian bees were … Continue reading →

Posted in Bees, Conservation, Endangered | Leave a comment

Lessons for the New Year

Posted on January 2, 2017 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

One of my goals for the coming months is to find lessons for skills I want to either learn or improve upon.  I had a head start a few weeks ago with a class offering by Whisk, a unique, local … Continue reading →

Posted in Food Preparation, Home Economics, Kaizen, Kitchen Implements, Knife Skills, Resources, Slow Food, Sustainable, Whisk | 1 Comment