Living Homegrown Podcast with Theresa Loe

Did you know you should NOT do a fall garden clean up?

It sounds counter-intuitive, right? Plants have died back or gone dormant and winter’s coming. So, why wouldn’t we want to clear out the debris and tidy up?

Well if you’re an organic gardener, fall clean up is the last thing you should do because all the beneficial insects are overwintering in that debris. From native bees to ladybugs, the fall garden provides shelter and more.

In today’s episode, host Theresa Loe interviews author Jessica Walliser to give us the whole scoop on why traditional fall clean up is a thing of the past and what we should be doing instead.

Jessica also answers a listener question about trap cropping!

You will learn:

  • Why our fall garden is so important for butterflies & other critters
  • What you should do instead of clean up
  • How to handle plants going to seed
  • Why this actually makes your life easier
  • What is trap cropping and is it really effective
  • The simple trick to finding university garden research online

As always you can get more links and free info at www.LivingHomegrown.com/116 as well as a full transcript of the episode. 

Direct download: 116_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:22am PDT

Sometimes, you might want to make small batch preserves such as enticing pickles, chutneys, jams, or other condiments and NOT "can" them. Perhaps you just have a few extra tomatoes or cucumbers and you need a tasty way to use them up. Or maybe you have an event where you just need a jar or two of preserves to include on the table -- But you don't want to break out the canner.

Well, the book featured in today's episode would be the answer in those situations. It's called: Savory Sweet: Simple Preserves From A Northern Kitchen and host Theresa Loe interviews one of the authors (Beth Dooley) about why she and co-author Mette Nielsen wrote a preserving book without any "canning" in it. 

You'll learn: 

  • About the freedoms that come from not canning
  • How the book was specifically designed for food gardeners
  • Why small batches allow for more experimentation
  • The challenges of creating a cookbook that works for everyone
  • How to make a Sweet Pickled Winter Squash

And you can download a free PDF version of the Pickled Squash recipe that is perfect for the Thanksgiving table. Go to www.LivingHomegrown.com/115 to get the PDF, more links for info and a full transcript of the episode.

Direct download: 115_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:18pm PDT

I thought it would be fun to share some behind-the-scenes info on how a garden television show is put together and some of the garden and food stories we’ll be sharing in the coming months on our PBS show, Growing A Greener World.

To do that, I brought on the host and Exec Producer of the show Joe Lamp’l. Growing A Greener World was his vision. He dreamed it and put together the team who creates it. 

He’s the guy we laugh with at the end of an exhausting day and same guy we give the evil-eye to when he decides he wants to redo a scene “just one more time.” Ha!

You see…Producing a television show is NOT easy. There are long hours and lots of travel.

But I think you’ll get a kick out of hearing why we still love to do what we do...despite the hard work.

In this episode, you'll learn: 

  • How this gardening series was created
  • How watching the show can have a ripple effect for the planet
  • Which episodes will move you the most
  • Why bats will be making a TV debut next year
  • What TV celebrity will be featured next season
  • And more

As always, you can get a full transcript at www.LivingHomegrown.com/114 as well as all the links mentioned in the show.

Direct download: 114_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:17am PDT

You know when you pick up a cookbook and the recipes make your mouth water?

That’s when you know you have winner on your hands.

And such was the case with the preserving book featured in this week’s podcast.

I brought on author Emily Paster who has been on the podcast before (Episode 54). This time, she shares insights into creating flavorful preserves that are steeped in tradition.

Her latest book is called The Joys of Jewish Preserving.

Now I’m not Jewish, but I can’t wait to dive into some of these recipes because they are so innovative.

There are preserves using rose petals, wine,  and honey. And the recipes shift between jams, conserves and syrups and fermented and/or quick pickles.

There is something for everyone.

This book is meant to open the eyes of both new and experienced canners and explore modern combinations of fruit and spice.

You'll learn:

  • Why canners should look outside regular cookbooks for canning ideas
  • The exact steps to making Cinnamon Salt-Preserved Lemons
  • How to make delicious fruit syrups with ease
  • The many uses for fruit syrups including desserts and beverages
  • How Emily transitioned traditional recipes into modern preserves
  • Where she got inspiration for new flavor combinations
  • Different ways to use a lemon-walnut jam
  • Some of the stories behind the creations in the book
Direct download: 113_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:14am PDT

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