Category Archives: Heirloom Varieties

Peeking at Presents

Posted on December 26, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

It is the day after Christmas and I wanted to peek at a couple of presents, patiently waiting their turn in the garden. We have had a few light freezes in the Raleigh area and at least one hard freeze … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Carrots, Heirloom Varieties, Parsnips, Raised Bed Gardening, Seasonal Eating, Square Foot Gardening, Sustainable, Urban Farming, Victory Garden | Leave a comment

Aero Garden Update – Day 46

Posted on November 13, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

Day 46 of the prepackaged herb pack that came with my AeroBount and I have excellent basil growth, both genovese and thai.  The mint was just starting to grow and the cilantro, parsley and chives never really took off.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in AeroGarden, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Basil, Cilantro, Heirloom Varieties, Hydroponics, Inventions, Kale, Kitchen Implements, Non-GMO, Organic, Parsley, Sustainable, Technology, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Collards – From Garden to Table

Posted on October 4, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

This year I grew the heirloom collards called Georgia Southern Creole, a pre-1880 southern variety that has done quite well overall. Growing organically means that some of the leaves were ventilated by a mid-summer cross-striped cabbage worm invasion (treated with … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Collards, Food Preparation, Heirloom Varieties, Raised Bed Gardening, Recipe, Square Foot Gardening, Sustainable, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Saving (Pretty) Seed – Glass Gem Corn

Posted on September 26, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

My Glass Gem Corn has been happily drying above my home office and today was the day to strip the cobs and put up the kernels for popcorn and next year’s planting.  If you have been following my blog for … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Corn, Drying, Flint Corn, Glass Gem Corn, Heirloom Varieties, Non-GMO, Organic, Saving Seed, Sustainable, Trench Composting, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Big Finish – Glass Gem Corn

Posted on August 14, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

The Glass Gem Corn is winding down and I will have a couple more ears to harvest over the next few weeks but today was really the big finale with 4 ears harvested and two that were almost* entirely in … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Black Eyed Peas, Companion Planting, Corn, Flint Corn, Glass Gem Corn, Heirloom Varieties, Organic, Sustainable | Leave a comment

I Can’t Even – Glass Gem Corn Harvest

Posted on August 10, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

Yes.  It is just that beautiful!

Posted in #Food(Growing)Porn, #NoFilters, Backyard Gardening, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Corn, Glass Gem Corn, Heirloom Varieties, Organic, Sustainable, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Pomodori Aplenty

Posted on August 8, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

I had my largest one-day harvest of Roma Tomatoes at a little over 3.5 lbs, a similar weight in Amana Orange and Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes were ready to be picked along with some cherry tomatoes, a nice bowl of figs, … Continue reading →

Posted in Amana Tomato, Black Eyed Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Corn, Figs, Flint Corn, Glass Gem Corn, Hartman's Yellow Gooseberry Tomato, Heirloom Varieties, Mortgage Lifter Tomato, Organic, Paste Tomato, Roma Tomato, Slicing Tomatoes, Sustainable, Tomatoes | Leave a comment

First Glass Gem Corn Harvest

Posted on August 4, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

I harvested my first ear of Glass Gem Corn yesterday and it is beautiful!

Posted in Companion Planting, Flint Corn, Glass Gem Corn, Heirloom Varieties, Sustainable | Leave a comment

July Garden Update

Posted on July 12, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

Under the best of circumstances July is an awkward time for the garden. Spring greens (spinach, lettuce, cilantro) still in the garden have bolted or browned, strawberries have stopped producing anything but dozens of straggly runners and asparagus has transmogrified … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Cherry Tomatoes, Companion Planting, Hartman's Yellow Gooseberry Tomato, Heirloom Varieties, Mortgage Lifter Tomato, Non-GMO, Organic, Paste Tomato, Raised Bed Gardening, Roma Tomato, Slicing Tomatoes, Square Foot Gardening, Sustainable, Tomatoes, Zucchini | Leave a comment

Food With a Story – Mortgage Lifter

Posted on June 28, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

When was the last time you ate a tomato and considered the intrigue and controversy surrounding it’s provenance? This big guy, sold by Baker Creek under the name Mortgage Lifter is almost ready to harvest and when I save the … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Farmer Facts, Heirloom Varieties, Mortgage Lifter Tomato, Non-GMO, Organic, Raised Bed Gardening, Slicing Tomatoes, Square Foot Gardening, Sustainable, Tomatoes, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Towering Tomatoes

Posted on June 18, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

The view standing next to my Hartman’s Yellow Gooseberry Tomato. The view a few steps back.  This tomato plant has already over taken the 8 foot bamboo support pole and I need a step ladder to access the top with … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Cherry Tomatoes, Hartman's Yellow Gooseberry Tomato, Heirloom Varieties, Organic, Raised Bed Gardening, Square Foot Gardening, Tomatoes, Urban Farming | 2 Comments

One Boy, Three Sisters

Posted on April 23, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

Me:  Let me snap a picture before you plant the rest of the seeds. 9yo:  Sure, but let me grab the dibber first! I served in an advisory capacity last weekend as my 9 year old planted Glass Gem and … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Blackeye Peas, Companion Planting, Corn, Dibber, Flint Corn, Garden Toy, Glass Gem Corn, Heirloom Varieties, Strawberry Popcorn, Sustainable, Zucchini, Zucchino Tondo Chiaro Di Nizza | Leave a comment

Batting 500

Posted on March 10, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

I have two spring perennials that required a 2 year latency before the first harvest: Last night I harvested my first two spears of asparagus, one each of Jersey Knight and Purple Passion. But my morel boxes… only contain mulch … Continue reading →

Posted in Asparagus, Backyard Gardening, Fungi, Heirloom Varieties, Jersey Knight Asparagus, Morel Mushrooms, Mulch, Mushrooms, Organic, Purple Passion Asparagus, Raised Bed Gardening, Sustainable, Urban Farming | Leave a comment

Tender Beginnings

Posted on February 15, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

While winter is having it’s (hopefully) last hurrah outside, I am prepping my indoor garden to be without me for a week while I travel for work. After trying first newspaper pots then peat pots for last year’s starts and … Continue reading →

Posted in Amana Tomato, Collards, Heirloom Varieties, Indoor growing, Organic, Paste Tomato, Pro Tip, Saving Seed, Starting Seeds, Sustainable, Thrift, Tomatoes | Leave a comment

Hello, My Name Is…

Posted on January 23, 2016 by NearlyHomeGrown.com

This year will be my fifth year as an urban food grower.  It will also be my fifth attempt to create plant markers that are still legible at the end of a growing season.  With 52 varieties of annuals planned … Continue reading →

Posted in Backyard Gardening, Container Gardening, Heirloom Varieties, Plant Markers, Square Foot Gardening, Thrift, Urban Farming | Leave a comment