A gardener from our community plot once told me a frustrating story. She had grown beautiful butterhead lettuce all spring. Perfect leaves. No pests. A real success. But she couldn’t eat it. Every time she … Read more
My neighbor Tom spent three summers failing at Brussels sprouts. Each year, the same story. Tiny, bitter sprouts the size of marbles. Plants that toppled over in September storms. Leaves eaten to lace by caterpillars. … Read more
My neighbor Janet grows beautiful romaine lettuce in her backyard garden every spring and fall. Last year, she knocked on my door with a problem. “I harvested six heads of romaine yesterday,” she said. “And … Read more
Last spring, a new gardener in our community plot asked me a simple question while we were planning her first garden beds. “Should I plant cilantro with my vegetables or somewhere else?” I watched her … Read more
A few years back, my friend Lisa from our community garden in Seattle called me in frustration. She had just spent $6 on a tiny bunch of bok choy at the grocery store. Six dollars … Read more
Last spring, my neighbor Dave pulled me aside at our community garden. He had a confession. “I’ve been growing lettuce for three years now,” he said, looking a bit embarrassed. “But I always thought it … Read more
My neighbor Margaret called me last summer in a panic. Her backyard apple tree was loaded with fruit, and she had no idea what to do with hundreds of apples. “I’ve been buying expensive superfood … Read more
Last summer, my neighbor Karen knocked on my door in a panic. She’d just started keto and was staring at her garden beds like they’d betrayed her. “I grew all these beautiful vegetables,” she said, … Read more
My friend Sarah started a keto diet last summer and immediately swore off all fruit. Her raspberry bushes—the same bushes she’d carefully tended for three years—went unpicked. The berries rotted on the vine while she … Read more
Have you ever brought home a beautiful, fresh bunch of cilantro, all ready to make your tacos or curry amazing, and two days later it’s a sad, slimy mess in the fridge? Yeah, that happens … Read more
My grandmother kept a small leather notebook filled with her own handwritten notes about flowers. Each family member’s birthday was listed alongside their birth flower, complete with care instructions and symbolic meanings. When my cousin … Read more
Last fall, my nephew asked me a question while we were planting garlic cloves in my garden beds. He’d been learning about food groups in school. “Uncle, is garlic a vegetable? Because we use it … Read more