Brooke Medlin is an Ohio horticulturist with experience growing both edible and ornamental plants. She really likes anise and is a fan of the plant’s medicinal and culinary benefits. She also loves its decorative value in the garden. “The plants grow to about 2 feet tall with graceful white umbels and fern-like leaves. I have […] More

With a sweet taste and crisp texture similar to apple, yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is a flavor-packed root vegetable that’s quickly gaining popularity with homestead gardeners. Yacon is a tasty treat to put away for winter. Yacon tubers are stored the same way as any other root vegetable and can be dehydrated, pickled, or canned. Dried […] More

As gardeners, we all aspire to spend our mornings and afternoons planting seeds, pulling weeds, and finishing the day off with a dinner made of home-grown vegetables. But for some of us, gardening is a passion we unfortunately only get to enjoy on the weekends and evenings. If you find yourself at the office wishing […] More

Don’t you just love the fragrance and flavor of vanilla? Most folks do. In fact, the United States is the second largest consumer of vanilla per capita worldwide. While much of the world’s vanilla extract is synthetic, gourmet chefs and foodies alike know there is nothing like the flavor of pure, natural vanilla to add […] More

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire …” is a phrase most Americans can sing along to without even thinking, but there is so much more to these amazing trees than Christmas lyrics. Much more than a seasonal treat, the chestnut tree has a fascinating history, a tragic past, and a deserving place on the homestead. […] More

Onions are an essential ingredient in a great many main dishes, appetizers, salads, slaws, soups, stews, and sauces. In fact, onions are the third most consumed vegetable worldwide. With proper handling and storage, it’s easy to store onions to enjoy their pungent goodness throughout the long, cold months of winter. Whether you’re storing a bag […] More

Avocados have long been considered a perfect food. If the avocado were newly discovered today, it would be marketed as a miracle food. Irresistibly flavorful with a smooth, creamy texture, avocados should be part of everyone’s daily diet. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, avocado trees thrive in sub-tropical and tropical climates around the world. […] More

Lucky bamboo is a fascinating little house plant. Adorable and easy to grow, they are quite common in homes around the world. Yet there are some myths that we need to get out of the way before we discuss this plant. Firstly, one of the most interesting things about lucky bamboo is that it is […] More

Native to Central and South America, pumpkin is a low growing, vining groundcover plant with bell-shaped yellow flowers and shallow roots. Pumpkins are members of the plant family cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae) that includes melons, cucumbers, squash, gourds, and zucchinis. Pumpkins are easy to grow, easy to harvest, easy to transport, and store well for extended periods. […] More

Nothing could be simpler, or more complex, than organic fertilizer. Garden stores make it seem like it’s something that you buy in bags. Big Agriculture makes it seem like it’s something that’s less efficient than chemical fertilizers, and therefore useless unless you have a special interest for using it. Online, the options for organic fertilizer […] More

I am the do-it-yourself type. Why hire someone to do it if you can do it yourself? This is my mantra, and part of the reasoning behind this mentality of mine is saving money. I am not cheap, but I am frugal. The main reason I enjoy tackling all sorts of projects is the experience […] More

I have seen, grown, and written about some pretty unusual flowers – unusual in the fact they have unique names. There was the story I wrote about Jack-in-the-pulpit and the story about the black bat flower, but there are more unusual names for flowers, and some that might seem a little too bizarre. Like the flying duck […] More