Fruition Garden Journal
video tutorials, tried-and-true tips + our latest learnings to surround you with abundance all season long
Why Thanksgiving Kale is My Favorite
Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!
Some years, like this year, I’ve already been skiing for a week, HOORAY! Other years, Thanksgiving arrives and leaves are bright though fading, snow yet to accumulate.
Either way, there are two things to know about how I eat kale.
First: I eat kale twelve months of the year.
Second:
I eat 98% of that kale between November and March.
Here’s why:
Sugar is nature’s antifreeze.
Literally.
This means, among other things, kale leaves are most sweet and tender in the coldest seasons. Which is SO good to know! And the reasons why are equally fascinating.
How Sugars Prevent Freezing
Across plant and animal kingdoms, sugars are formed in cells as cold approaches. These sugars protect cell walls as freezing water molecules expand. Pure water, H20, becomes jagged and sharp, cutting like sharp swords, as it freezes. With dissolved sugars, water becomes sloshy rather than sharp, maintaining the cell walls even as temperatures...
4 Easy Ways to Harvest More This Fall
Here in the Northeast, finding easy ways to extend our season is essential to eating well as the days grow short.
After years of working on farms and experimenting at Fruition, here are the four keys of season extension:
- sowing the right seeds
- using the right tools
- at just the right time
- and harvesting in just the right way
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Let's dive in.
Cold-Hardy Seeds for Season Extention
In any season, the right seeds make all the difference. September in Zone 5 is no match for seeds selected to thrive in California, where most seed is grown, which is perhaps why so many gardeners don't grow into the fall. Oh yes, and we've all been working hard all summer, so we're ready to slow down, too! But I know my own childhood-self was deterred by lettuce that wasn't up for the cause.
Now, I am so grateful to know which ones are.
'Winter...
Mmmmmm! 5 Keys to Eating Greens Before Memorial Day
Mmmmmmm!
5 Keys to Eating Greens Before Memorial Day
Traditional wisdom sends us to our garden Memorial Day weekend. And for good reason: the soil is finally warm, it is marvelous to not wear socks and all the quintessential summer crops (tomatoes, basil, beans) can be planted with confidence knowing there will (likely) not be another frost 'til fall.
Certainly, Memorial Day is a great time to start your garden but friends, there’s no need to wait. Especially if you love salad as much as Davi and I do :)
With the right seeds, the right tools and the right timing, you can be eating greens six weeks or more before Memorial Day, even in our short seasons here in the Finger Lakes.
Yes, even when it's still snowing on April 19th, as it is today :)
Here are my five ways to make sure you're eating salad before Memorial Day.
1. Sow in fall
When does nature sow her seeds?
In the fall!
Much more on this as autumn approaches :)
In the meantime,...
Harbinger of Harbingers: Sowing Allium Seeds for Spring
Harbinger of Harbingers: Sowing Allium Seeds for Spring
With snow still on the ground and freezing nights long from over, it's finally time to sow the first seeds of spring.
But don't worry, it's not time to start everything. In fact, most seeds sown this early would be sown months too soon.
The only seeds to sow in February are allium seeds. The Allium family (thanks for the great name, Linneus) include onions, leeks, shallots, chives and garlic. Garlic is planted in fall and chives can wait 'til April, but the first three are best sown mid-February to mid-March. It's not a race and no need to make any extra work for yourself, just know if you're looking forward to homegrown shallots as much as I am, it's time to start planning.
Materials You'll Need:
Here is a materials list to get you started from page 15 of Rise & Shine: Starting Seeds with Ease, Fruition's eBook making it easy for you to sow seeds like a pro:
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