Where does our homegrown food come from in the winter? As you know we grow a garden year-round, so do we have a greenhouse big enough and suitable to grow what we eat during the winter months? These are good questions, let's take a closer look. The year-round garden Growing food year-round ...
Growing Food
Growing Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans
Growing chickpeas or garbanzo beans is part of my growing legumes project. I have been curious about what legumes can we grow in our cold climate and short growing season. In an urban garden, we do not have space to grow all our legumes, and that was not the goal. I wanted to see what can be grown ...
Growing Sunchokes or Jerusalem Artichokes
Sunchokes or also known as Jerusalem Artichokes have a mixed reputation among gardeners. There are those that say Jerusalem Artichokes will always feed you and those that would never grow them in a food production garden. Let's take a closer look into growing Sunchokes or Jerusalem Artichokes, the ...
12 Favorites to Grow in the Garden
Fall update on our 12 favorites to grow in the garden. Every year we grow annual vegetable plants that don't do well in our climate. I must admit that during a long winter and a dozen catalog dreams, we tend to forget it and plant it all over again. This year I wanted to record what really is worth ...
Growing Peppers in Cold Climate
Growing peppers in a cold climate is in many ways similar to growing tomatoes, but still different. Tomatoes are more popular, more forgiving, and a bit easier to grow. Overall though if you are successful in growing tomatoes, peppers can be your next thing to conquer. We love to grow peppers. ...
Bull’s Heart Heirloom Tomato Variety
Bull's Heart or also called Ox Heart, Beef Heart or Coeur de Boeuf is our favorite heirloom tomato variety. We grow many heirloom tomatoes but this one stands out and deserves a separate post. Bulls's Heart was a tomato I grew up with. It must have been my father's favorite because I remember him ...
Growing and Preserving Basil
Basil is a great culinary and medicinal herb. Fresh and preserved (dry, or frozen) basil is great to use. Not just the taste, but also the scent of basil is unique. Fresh basil adds a summer fragrance and taste to a dish or salad. Basil is also great for teas and oral health. The basil herb is ...
Growing Food – Cucumbers
Growing food is important to us, and we have covered many edible plants already. Today it's all about growing food - cucumbers. Growing cucumbers in the northern climate, using cucumbers in yummy recipes, and preserving them for winter. Now, I have to admit that I have not been able just yet to ...
All About Starting a Garden
Here at Northern Homestead, we write about gardening a lot, general, and also especially about cold climate and short-growing season gardening. We have so much information here that it can be hard for a newbie to find it. So today we merge as much information as possible about starting a garden in ...
Grow What You Eat and Eat What You Grow
Gardening is a craft that brings a lot of joy, fun, and fulfillment. It inspires the natural desire to create and beautify our world. Gardening also allows you to grow what you eat and eat what you grow. If you put into it some thoughts, it can replace your grocery shopping altogether. Wow! Do you ...