I have said this before: October in the Northstate garden is a sigh of relief. A deep cleansing breath. Summer’s heat has mostly subsided, fall rains are returning, but the garden is not yet done. Its colors are deepening and mellow; October to me is about this seasonal artistry and seasonal surprise. (more…)

Over the past few weeks I have had several in-depth conversations about plant names. Specifically, why I chose to include scientific plant names across the front of Jewellgarden’s new note cards and how these names are determined - why are they so confusing? All of these conversations got me thinking about plant names - what purpose they serve, why it is important to me to learn them and thus why they proudly embellishing my new cards. Photo: A black and white note card depicting the California black oak acorn (Quercus kelloggii) from my Natives in the Garden series. (more…)

May is upon us – the crowning of the May is actively happening in my garden. On Egreenway.com out of Red Bluff I ran across this timely quote by 20th century naturalist, writer, and photographer Edwin Way Teale: “The world’s favorite season is the spring. 
All things seem possible in May.”


So much activity happens in our gardens in May – much to be done and much to be enjoyed. (more…)

Wolfgang Rougle is a young woman with a sharp mind, an engaged spirit, a strong work ethic and a big vision. She is also the owner and market-farmer of 20 acres west of Cottonwood, named Twining Tree Farm, which she describes as: “a small farm located in the foothills of the Coast Range in the northern Sacramento Valley, at about 700 feet, in a sea of blue oak savannah.” Photo: A fleeting glimpse of Wolfgang Rougle, hard at work on her Twining Tree Farm west of Cottonwood.

A community activist for good locally grown food, and sustainable small farms, Wolfgang is also an eloquent writer and has authored a small book/manifesto entitled “Sacramento Valley Feast: How to find, harvest and cook local, wild food… All Year Long!” as well as being a regular contributor to edible Shasta Butte. (more…)