It is now officially Autumn and the length of our days diminishes a little with each circle of the planet. In the edible garden, harvesting has gone on for some time as spring crops moved over for summer crops and - lucky for us here in northern California - in many cases they have been replaced with fall crops, some of which are up and going strong, and our winter crops have gone in or are going in. Even if by “crop” I just mean a few rows of beets or carrots in the raised beds out back. Just as for the squirrels and the acorn woodpeckers, perhaps more than any other time of year, Autumn compels us to store up against the cold and the dark. It brings out our instinctive desire for some level of self-sufficiency. Photo: Cattle grazing, and honeybees working on the drive into Chaffin Family Farm - a model for the integrated family farm ideal - below Table Mountain in Oroville. (more…)

As a person who visits gardens large and small, fabulous and fantastic as part of what I do, I find it really easy - frustratingly easy - to fall into a trap of garden envy and discontent. Maybe my garden should be bigger? Or smaller? Maybe it should be more whimsical? Perhaps more formal and statuesque? If only I had more trees? More ferns? More flowers? More time? More money? Ahhh…if only I had more. Photo: The Breakers historic mansion and garden Newport, Rhode Island, summer 2009.

But then late October and November come upon me and the garden. In many areas, it is the end of the growing season for summer flowers and typical summer fruits and vegetables. It’s the beginning of seasonal rain and snow, the season of evergreens and winter vegetables. It is the season of deep bold colors exuberantly lighting up in contrast to the softening, lessening light - the last ditch efforts at glory for our roses, our tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. It’s the beginning of the citrus season in the valley portions of the North State. It’s the season of storing the fruits of our labor for winter; the season of digging hopeful and un-likely-looking bulbs into cooling, dark soil in hopes of spring beauty returning in time. It’s the season of that first killing frost having arrived in almost all gardening zones of our region and the beginning of simpler times in the garden. Photo: Autumn oak leaves. (more…)

Worms, Worms, Worms. Some people love ‘em, some people are a little nervous around them and the way they wriggle and squirm. But no matter which kind of person you are, you can rest assured that creating compost with worms is an excellent way to recycle many of your food scraps and a good way to make top-grade fertilizer for your garden. Free. Well, close to free once you set up your worm bin.

I have a good friend from elementary school who has had a smallish worm bin in the cabinet under her kitchen sink for years. Other gardening friends up near Redding in Happy Valley, Alice Wilkinson and Tom O’Mara have a big wooden worm bin built of recycled boards outside in their vegetable garden. You may have read about Alice’s discussion with Doni Greenberg on Anewscafe.com about her worm bin earlier this year.
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