I'm off to create my own Magic Hat Story at Vanishingfeast – An Heirloom Solution. Please come stop by and see what I'm doing to advocate for heirloom varities of vegetables. Continue reading

Hello, no I haven't vanished, life has been a crazy ride. On one hand, things have fallen completely apart. Seriously apart. Seriously and totally apart. On the other hand, things are now falling into place. The old structures are decimated, and some new one ones are being built. I hope... Continue reading

There's always a story lurking somewhere around me. Recently, I stopped by my garden plot at the community garden. It's the end of the season and I wanted to assess what had to be done to close it. I didn't plan to do any work, and was not dressed for... Continue reading

I've written a lot about heirloom varieties of vegetables, but there are heirloom varieties of just about any plant. Take for example sunflowers. They have been around for a very long time. Some dates I have see put them back to 2600 b.c. While it's generally it's thought they originated... Continue reading

I have the utmost respect for veterans. They are outstanding citizens and deserve a better shake then the government gives them today. They sacrifice a lot to serve and protect America, and when they come home they are often left to fend for themselves. That's a sad reflection on the direction of American society. For a country that at one time offered it's returning veterans opportunity with the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, a.k.a. The G.I. Bill, the treatment of veterans today is a travesty. The Farmer Veteran Coalition is an organization that seeks to address a couple problems that... Continue reading

I'll be the the first to admit it, I'm a sucker for the romantic notion of heirloom varities being pure as the driven snow. When I first strated exploring heirloom varities, I assumed, (and yes you can break it apart into THOSE three words), that these were pure lines of... Continue reading

No, it's not the title of a new Christopher Guest film. It's another self-induced adventure that I get to write a story about. You know the saying you just can't make this up, well I sorta do by growing my own content. Hinklehatz peppers, aka Chicken Heart Peppers are a... Continue reading

I kicked around the idea of pre-selliing the book, but I have no control over the print quality. The print on demand nature of self-publishing lends itself to manuscript type of books where it's all type, or perhaps a lot of type with some illustrations through out the book. Digital... Continue reading

Sunflowers, who doesn't love them? I'm sure there are are folks out there who don't, but for the most part, they are adored by many, inspiration to others, and an important food and oil source for birds and humans. Van Gogh painted, Martha Steward gave them brand approval, and Greek... Continue reading

Evidently in colonial times in America, this Philadelphia heirlom variety did exactly that. It seemed odd and intriguing to me when I first read about the Red Fig tomato being used as fig susbsitute in early America. When I read about that use, of course I had to experience this... Continue reading

Lime Green Salad Tomatoes, aka Green Elf tomatoes, are a unique tomato bred by Tom Wagner, a well-known breeder of heritage type potatoes and tomatoes. When I first read the name Lime Green Salad Tomatoes, the concept of a compact tomato plant that offered up small green tomatoes captured my... Continue reading

Well the kickstrater thing didn't happen, and some family of mine are betraying their commitment and my trust in them, so I will not be at the Heirloom Expo as I had hoped. A hail storm decimated my garden, and I now longer have anything but rotten and scared tomatoes,... Continue reading

I'm 6'4" and my Black Cherry Tomato plants are taller then me, and still growing. We had a severe thunderstorm Tuesday evening, and two of these plants fell over. It's a good thing the Northern Lights were there to catch them. The plants are fine. I'm can see using a... Continue reading

I can't wait to make sauce with these. The first tomatoes came off the vine today, and while a little small compared to the fruits that will be coming, the taste for me is what I want in a tomato. Sweet but not overwhelming, a robust and clean tomato taste,... Continue reading

It's a possibility, and one that is part of a ongoing story. Time will tell, as it does with all stories ever told or written. Back in February or March some tomato seeds came my way through my friend Kathleen, who got them from friend of hers, an elderly gentleman... Continue reading

As promised, I present to you, the Lemon Cucumber. As you can see from this photo, it makes a great prop. Try that with you average, wax-encased supermarket variety. I know what you thinking, Jeff I don't need my cucumbers to be props, I need them them to crisp and... Continue reading

I'm an insomniac. No rhyme or reason to it. It happens and has been since I was a child. And I'm in a current bout with it. So when I woke up for the day I felt like a colorless blob of a being, which when this happens is normal.... Continue reading

Tonight was it, my first harvest! And the first time I've tasted Boothby' Blonde Cucumber. And the result, it tastes like a cucumber, which I love cucumbers. And there is quite a difference in one that you grow as opposed to the ones you buy. A major difference, no wax.... Continue reading

No, not my first tomato, the first tomatoes of the season are out. I was running around the supermarket this afternoon with the intention of making a quick pizza for dinner with some roasted feta cheese that I was going to make like a friend me told me she made.... Continue reading

Being the open minded person that I am, I do understand that not everyone wants to play in the dirt and collect cucumber and potato beetles off their plants everyday. But to those of who garden, well we all know how awesome it is. There are many ways for people... Continue reading

When I left off last time I was transitioning from Tribute to Tye Dye with Hopi Dye Sunflowers to some yet unknown patch in my garden. Ah, what a sweet and philosophical post that was. Living in the moment seemed to be the happy go lucky way forward. There have... Continue reading

Seems like that what plants do. Given the fact they have roots, and just can't get up and go, living in the moment seems like something they do. Weather, seasons, cycle of day and night. Except for a mighty Oak, I doubt seriously that they plan ahead. Given the storytelling... Continue reading