When thinking of food preservation, many people have visions of some big-production, time-consuming project with dozens of jars to fill with pounds and pounds of produce. But that doesn’t have to be the case. The first thing most people say to me, after expressing a desire to learn to ferment or preserve something, is, “But […]
vegetables
Posted inGarden
Permaculture Garden Becomes Museum of Edible Trees
In the middle of Bainbridge Island, there is an unusual garden gem. “This started out as a permaculture project, but mostly I just have a lot of fun with trees,” says Mark Shaffer. In 1978, Shaffer and his wife, Susan, purchased 1908 farmhouse on 5 acres, half wooded and half “old growth scotch broom.” The […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
The Loft at Poulsbo has Something for Everyone
Waterfront dining is always popular, but even more so when the food is “fresh, local and delicious,” as The Loft in Poulsbo proclaims on the front cover of the crisp-white menu. Chef Michael Bucholz believes that food should be made from scratch, using fresh, local and organic ingredients whenever available, as the seasons allow. He […]
Posted inAt Home
Heirloom Tomatoes
No matter how you say it – “toe-MAY-toe” or “toe MAH-toe” – there is no doubt these luscious, juicy fruits are at the top of the list for late-summer, garden-to-table enjoyment. Tomatoes are the No. 1 produce grown in home gardens, and frequently the reason most people start gardening in the first place. A resurgence […]
Posted inGarden
Always a Dark Side in the Garden
Welcome to the dark side. Almost every new gardener wants a garden full of flowers. Usually the flowers on their wish list come from plants that need full sun. And tomatoes — almost everyone wants to grow tomatoes. Yet it is going to be impossible to grow a decent tomato in a shady garden. Sorry. […]
Posted inAt Home
Pressure Canning a Great Way to Preserve Your Garden Bounty
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt adapted from the book “Modern Pressure Canning,” recently released by Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. The glass clinks gently in the hot, soapy water as I wash my jars for this year’s canning. Sitting on the counter are colanders full of tomatoes and peppers that need to be saved […]
Posted inAround West Sound
Manette to Host Edible Gardens Tour
Has gardening been on your mind but you don’t know where to start? The Manette Edible Garden Tour is one idea. The biannual tour, now in its fifth year, is geared to aspiring local gardeners who wish to learn from Manette’s veteran gardeners, beekeepers, landscapers, arborists, and chicken keepers. The tour, hosted by the Manette […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
The Collaborative Farm-to-Table Spirit of Mossback
Mossback. It’s a slang term for anyone who prefers the gray drizzle of the Pacific Northwest to its elusive, sunny days. And we all know what happens sans sunlight — moss grows. Except in Kingston. There, Mossback is a restaurant with an ever-changing farm-to-table menu, a supportive community of local family farmers and producers whose […]
Posted inGarden
Gardens — Oh, the Stories They Tell
This year’s Gig Harbor Garden Tour is going to tell some enticing stories about gardens and how they came to be. Each garden, no matter how small or large, simple or exquisite, has a story to tell. Now in its 21st year, the Gig Harbor Garden Tour has recruited seven local hosts, who are opening […]