Passing through Ellensburg in pear season, one is compelled to stop at a fruit stand and be enraptured by the presence of firm, ripe, voluptuous pears. Pears can be red, green and yellow in color, and they grow in sizes from prune-sized seckels to anjous as big as a fist. Pears do not ripen on […]
fruit
Posted inAt Home
Final Chance to Make Summer Sweeter with Fresh Cherries
Whether you use them as a snack, as a special ingredient in recipes or to inspire new dishes, Northwest-grown sweet cherries are one delightful way to celebrate the summer season. Ripened on the tree and generally harvested, packed and ready for sale within just one day, these treats are some of the freshest summer fruit […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Why Buy Organic? Part 2: The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15!
While it is the responsibility of the U.S. of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure food safety, the agency’s broad guidelines can fall short of the minute details many consumers desire. Also, due to the size and workload of the USDA, reports on the safety of many food groups are few and far between. The last report […]
Posted inBlog
Why Buy Organic? Part 1: Fruits and Vegetables
What is the big fuss about buying organic produce and organically grown meats, as opposed to those products that are conventionally grown? Budget-conscious buyers will usually opt for the lesser-priced option, which typically, but not always, is conventionally grown. Next to price, the problem becomes even more complex due to labeling and various standards for […]
Posted inGarden
Enchanting, Colorful Garden Comes from Creative Evolution
A walk through Lisa and Glenn Eastep’s garden makes it clear that creative minds are at work here — from the clipped gables and rolled-edge roof of the cottage-style home they designed to the inviting, arched entry gate and the foliage colors that grace the curving walkways; from the tiny village nestled under the shelter […]
Posted inGarden
From Garden to Glass — and a Spoonful of Sugar
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. So goes the famous song, “A Spoonful of Sugar,” sung by Julie Andrews in the classic Disney movie “Mary Poppins.” Not intended to be about liqueur; however, the song hints to why liqueur came to be. Liqueur was the result of monks and alchemists trying […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
From Farm to Truck
Welcome to Farmer Rosie’s, a come-as-you-are kind of place. Meet an old friend for breakfast or make a new one. Arrive on foot, by bicycle or on horseback, or drive on up. Relax in the sun, indulge in that second lavender shortbread cookie or piece of strawberry shortcake, and contemplate the many proven benefits of […]
Posted inAt Home
Enjoying the Fall Flavors of Apples
Who doesn’t love the sweet, juicy crunch of fall’s first apple? It is as if all of nature has concentrated the best days of summer and the cooling nights of fall into one beautiful red, shiny gift that makes us happy to be alive. According to the Washington Apple Commission, six out of 10 apples […]
Posted inAt Home
Watermelon!
The ubiquitous summer fruit that appears at nearly every picnic or beach party and is nearly everyone’s favorite must be watermelon! Those who come from hot-weather summer climates have memories of the sweet, succulent melon, sold at fruit stands and off the back of pickup trucks. Frequently, the melons were floating in a tub of […]