Garden Michigan
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Cultivating Gratitude
It’s been smoky here. Like ash falling down from the sky and collecting on the leaves-type smoky. Apocalyptic. It fucking sucks. I’m stuck inside and I’m grumpy about it. The Boss hasn’t missed a beat in the garden. He’s out… Continue reading
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Big Snake Energy
It gets really snakey around here in July. You would think we were running the Eden of Garden Snake Sanctuary. Snakes, mostly fox snakes (aka pine snakes), and a few garter snakes, converge from all over the woods to gather… Continue reading
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Unsolicited Gardening Advice
Here is our unsolicited number one tip for successful gardening: Don’t grow stupid shit. What do I mean by stupid shit? Exotic shit, shit that doesn’t grow well in your climate, experimental shit, shit that doesn’t produce well, shit that… Continue reading
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Winding Down, Sorta
It’s mid September. When you ask a gardener how it’s going, they’ll answer 1) Things are really winding down or 2) I’m over it or 3) Both. In some ways I feel like we just got started. Growing season is… Continue reading
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‘Tis the Season
Deck the counter with peppers and potatoes, fa la la la la, la la la la.Beans, and corn and ripe tomatoes. Fa la la la la, la la la la. It’s the most wonderful time of the year for gardeners.… Continue reading
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Prepping for Corn
When the corn starts taseling, the Boss starts drooling. It means the time is near — Sweet Corn Season! When corn season hits, that’s all he will eat for dinner the entirety of the season. His goal is a 300-ear… Continue reading
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Garden of Weedin’
“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson I wanted to title this post I hate weeding, but hate seems like a harsh word to use for gardening, so I’ll just say,… Continue reading
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Marathon May
May is a butt kicker of a month for gardeners. Yes, I know it is June and that is my point. We were already rolling in abundance when we completed our eastward migration. YES! Cold frames filled with spinach. Three… Continue reading
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You Can Take the Man Out of Garden . . .
Many Yoopers are snowbirds. They migrate to warmer climates and closer civilizations for the winter. Not us. We migrate laterally. People can’t wrap their brains around the idea that we go somewhere cold for the winter. We are skiers and… Continue reading
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Garlic Planting at the Eden of Garden
We planted 1,248 cloves of garlic this year. Those cloves will most likely turn into 1,248 bulbs of garlic, at least a few hundreds pounds. That’s a lot of freaking garlic. And it’s a big task. We get asked a… Continue reading
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Fall-ing
“I’ve got my work cut out for me.” — The most common refrain you’ll hear this time of year around these parts. It’s busy. Everyday, putting up food. It’s bushel season. Everything is coming in extra large amounts. Apples, pears,… Continue reading
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Copious Corn Consumption
Corn. That’s what happening around here. The Boss has been waiting for this all year. He’s been carefully planning since browsing the seed catalog in February. Three hundred seeds. Three hundred opportunities for bi-colored deliciousness. You know corn season is… Continue reading
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Awesome Amazing Abundant August
August is the best month! “Sun is shining, the weather is sweet,” – Bob Marley. The weather is perfect. Abundant with sunshine and well-timed rain (the kind you can take off all your clothes and dance in). It’s warm enough… Continue reading
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Re-branding the Cucumber
Is your garden overrun by cucumbers? Is the farmers market giving away free cucumbers with every purchase? Are your neighbors foisting their excess cucumbers on you? Sick of pickles? Then I’ve got a solution for you: spa cucumbers. Cucumbers have… Continue reading
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Recovery
Gardening can seem like a lot of trouble and turmoil (hence, all the Boss’ war references), especially when everything is small and getting started. So vulnerable. Us gardeners can take is personally and “some of us” really let it get… Continue reading














