For just a few dollars, you too can be a farmer...

I am in serious farm dreaming mode lately.  I don't know why but every once in a while my desire for some land and some animals becomes an acute ache.  But since I am firmly embedded in suburbia for now and unable to have more the 6 hens(which I have), I go down the street to Thanksgiving Point's Farm Country and talk to the cows, ride in trailers pulled by retired farmers, and feed the ridiculously cute goats.  It helps for a while but like any unnatural stimulant, I crash after-wards and want a farm more than ever.  I listen to Dolly Parton, peruse rural real estate, and plan future orchard placement and animal housing.  Oh well, I'm addicted.  Someday I'll have the real deal.

 ~megan

Education

"Whatever education is, it should make you a unique individual, not a conformist; it should furnish you with an original spirit with which to tackle the big challenges; it should allow you to find values which would be your road map through life; it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whomever you are with; it should teach you what is important: how to live and how to die."

-John Taylor Gotto

A large part of why I homeschool is out of the hope that my children will find themselves as they study and learn.  That instead of heading to college without any clue what they are good at or what they like, they will have spent their adolescence unearthing their talents and skills.  And that in that process they will discover the world.  That they will feel a part of the community - that they will know what contribution they can make - and are able to make one even before they are adults.  I hope that they will learn how to live.  I love being a part of that miraculous process.  A process that may happen in a public school, but in my opinion, in spite of it not because of it. 

Megan

IT'S A HE!

Do you remember this gal?

The one on the left with the bright red comb? 

We wondered if she was just an early bloomer or if possibly she was actually a HE.

It turns out that it's a HE. 

At 12 weeks, he was starting to get pretty loud and Megan decided it was time for him to find a new home. The suburbs really aren't the place for a rooster. 

Megan tried selling him in the classifieds, but when she didn't get any calls on him after a day, she took him to a farm near her house. Good bye little guy.

RIP

by Megan

Yesterday I watched my favorite chicken die.  She was a beautiful Americauna pullet - 9 weeks old.  I watched as she struggled to hold onto life after the neighbors dog, not really more than a puppy, had gotten under our fence and grabbed her.  I was only 10 yards away - within earshot if my window had been open.  My 5 year old son had found them and said to me very calmly, "Mom, a puppy is eating one of our chickens."  I said, "What!?"  to which he repeated with a little more alarm, "Mom, a puppy is eating one of our chickens!"  I ran out to find the puppy, tail between his legs, trying to crawl under the fence again, and our chicken gasping for breath.

I had wondered over the past few weeks if I would cry if one of them died.  A couple of years ago I saw a hawk carry away a small pullet and I burst into tears - but I thought perhaps it was a fluke because those were my first hens.  I wondered if I was as attached to these birds.  But when I came out and found her dying, I once again burst into tears.  I didn't know if I was supposed to save her - to mend her wounds or if it was too late.  I felt such an immediate sense of how small and vulnerable my little hens are - and how it was my responsibility to provide a save place for them to live.  I felt awful after I realized she was really gone,  lifting her limp body and putting it in a bag.  Since we have no backyard neighbors but wilderness I didn't want to bury her and attract predators so I put her in the trash.  I felt so guilty.  She was such a beautiful bird.  I had told my sons that we might even want to enter her into the county fair but instead she ended up in our trash.  It was a sad day.

Rest in peace, little hen.

ROOSTER?!?!!?

by Megan

Here are 6 of my 8 chicks a few days after I picked them up from the local feed store.

Aren't they sweet? This was 7 weeks ago and my chicks are really beginning to look like pullets. Every couple days I like to remark to myself, “My, how big those little ladies are getting.” Yesterday though when I opened the coop I found myself saying to one hen in particular, “My how big YOU are getting! What a big red comb you have...” Then a long pause. “What a really big waddle you have! Hmm...”

So the obvious question of the day is, is my she a he? Is one of my hens a rooster? Here is the low down, the skinny, the scoop – and then you make the decision. She/he is somewhere around 7 weeks old, the same breed, an Australorp, as the other pictured and purchased on the same day. The feed store, like most, does not guarantee the sex of the chicks but I wasn't worried because they were supposed to be female chicks. BUT her/his comb is considerably larger than the other pullet pictured, don't you think? And I've noticed white tips coming at the end of the wing feathers. That seems troublesome as well. One thing to consider is that I didn't notice the comb in particular a few days ago so perhaps those combs grow quickly and perhaps the other pullet is just a few days younger. What do you think? Do I have a Rooster on my hands?

And if I DO have a rooster on my hands...what then? I live in a home that I don't even own, on a lot that is a postage stamp as it gets, and she is one of 8 hens. I have heard of roosters that don't call so if that were the case I would keep the guy around. But if it calls, do I sell him? Do I eat him? I certainly can't keep him, right?

Go and vote (the poll on the right)  on whether you think this chicken is a future hen or rooster and then leave a comment and tell me what you think I should do!

Miraculous Promises

I can't tell you how often I find myself just sitting and staring at my seedlings.  They are full of the promise of summer and of good eating.  Last summer was the best summer of eating I have ever had.  I learned to appreciate eating in season and enjoying so many fruits and veggies at the height of perfection.  So I've expanded my own garden - I've started so many things - basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, black beans, green beans, snap peas, watermelons, acorn squash, onions, carrots, rainbow chard,  peppers, lettuce, and the list just goes on and on.   I bought the seeds with my friend Callie.  We went through a seed catalog and ordered ones that sounded good to both of us - all heirlooms.  We both like cooking and veggies so it worked out beautifully.  I'm so excited.


Last year I had 10 basil plants and it still wasn't enough to supply our demand for all things basil.  So this year I'm doubling that - including 8 purple basil plants.  Can you see my cute purple seedlings?



Did you know herb seedlings smell good? I don't why but I figured they wouldn't start tasting/smelling good until they got older. Nope, not so, they are deliciouso from birth.



I am also hoping to have upwards of 30 tomato plants which means that if they all produce as promised I'm going to be swimming in beautiful tomatoes. We use TONS of canned tomatoes around here so I was hoping to be able to can them like crazy at the end of the season. We'll have big red ones, medium sized yellow ones, huge purple ones, and tiny yellow and red ones. Yum yum.

What about you? Have you got a garden on the horizon? If not, it's a lot easier than you think. Seeds just wanna grow - it's really miraculous. And once you plant some, you won't be able to keep your eyes of them either.

Backyard Chickens 101: Part Two

In our last Chickens 101 post we discussed some of the basic concerns about chickens. In this post we're going to discuss housing. I am going to share my own experience with chicken ownership not as an explicit rulebook on how to raise chickens but to give you a starting off point as you figure out what works for your family.

What do I house my baby chicks in?

If you purchase your chickens as chicks they will not be ready to go out into an outside coop and will need something temporary. There are some definite housing requirements and I will go over a few here but there is a really great ebook from MyPetChicken.com that goes over the entire process in detail. On our first batch we used a cardboard box with some newspaper in it and we kept it in a closet off our kitchen. This worked ok but they were very quickly trying to jump out of the box and they did get a little stinky for the house. On our second batch we used a large bucket-like thing we had and kept them in the screened in back porch. We used pine shavings(those these can cause trouble - see the ebook) and a light we had purchased at the hardware store. The chicks need warmth - 95 degrees the first week with the temperature requirement going down by 5 degrees each subsequent week after that. I mention my experience to show that there are many options which will work and chances are you can pull things together from the garage which can be useful!

What about a coop?

There are so many ways to house a chicken and as long as it meets the basic requirements you needn't worry if it's cute or traditional. I have even heard of people using an old truck trailer top as a chicken coop! We opted to use a dog house our neighbor was getting rid of and built a structure to put it in. We elevated the dog house on beams - chickens like to be off the ground a little - and placed hay inside as bedding. This worked excellently and was plenty of room for our three hens - we eventually added two more and the space was still plenty adequate. We learned the hard way about predator proofing - it was almost as if we were playing some game with the raccoons, possums, and hawks in the neighborhood to see who was the smartest. Eventually we added locks to the doors, barriers to the floor to keep anything from digging in, and a secure top. We were in eastern Texas at the time and there were so many animals interested in our hens that it felt like we were living in the jungle! We didn't ever having nesting boxes but the hens made little spots in the hay to lay their eggs and we just collected them from that.

If I don't want to build my own coop or use scrap materials, what are my housing options?

There are many options for coops from beautiful chateaus that house your hens in style to basic a-frames that get the job done without any fuss. Here are a few:


Someday I plan on building something as beautiful as this one - it retails for nearly $1600.00 but can house 12-15 chickens and comes in many siding options. This coop is for someone who has outgrown the small flock and is ready for moving up - in style, mind you!






This is a cool option that comes from the U.K. and even has a run that attaches to it. What neighbor could complain about such a sleek design that comes in multiple colors? Plus, it seems pretty easy to clean. Something like this will set you back upwards of $450.00 but will probably last for years and years to come.

But this one is one of my favorite designs. It's a stealth coop that disguises itself to look like some sort of trash receptacle but in reality is a chicken coop! The stealth coop is easily moved around your yard and comes with everything your chickens need: a nesting area, a waterer, a feeder, and a discreet, predator-proof run. It is not recommended for more than two hens at a time though and retails for $499.00 shipping included.

There are still not a lot of websites out there that sell chicken coops but I have seen them in local classifieds and on craigslist.

Popcorn is the Tops

by Megan

Did you know that popcorn is actually a really good snack idea? We eat tons of it around here. Here is some info on the health benefits of popcorn:

A new study carried out at the University of Scranton showed that popcorn has some surprising health benefits. Popcorn is high in antioxidants, most notably, polyphenols – a group of natural plant chemicals that have a variety of health benefits. Polyphenols are the same group of compounds that give red wine, tea, olive oil, and chocolate their beneficial properties. Not only do they scavenge free radicals and protect against cell damage, they’re being investigated for their anti-cancer properties and heart protective properties. In fact, the researchers found that the polyphenol content of good, old-fashioned popcorn rivals that of many fruits and vegetables.
Another health benefit of popcorn? It’s a whole grain in the same league as oatmeal, barley, brown rice, and millet – grains that are known for their health benefits. All of these grains retain the bran and germ of the plant which is the source of most of the vitamins and minerals - in contrast to refined grains where these vitamin-rich components have been stripped away. Three cups of popcorn is equivalent to a single serving of a whole grain food. Popcorn is also a good source of fiber which helps to increase satiety and give a sense of fullness and satisfaction that lasts for hours. This can be helpful for weight control since popcorn without butter is low in calories.

Though popcorn is my snack of choice, I am really really REALLY against microwave popcorn. Ok, so maybe I overstated that a bit but I just can't bring myself to buy it. It's sooo overpriced, it's REALLY awful for you, and it makes your house smell like fake "popcorn scent" for days. I know, my horse has gotten so high I just might hurt myself. Really though, here is some interesting info I found on another site about microwave popcorn:

A report from the FDA indicates that a chemical coating used in microwave popcorn bags breaks down when heated into a substance called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA). The Environmental Protection Agency has identified PFOA as a “likely carcinogen.” Another study has found an acid that can be extracted from the chemical causes cancer in animals and is “likely to cause cancer in humans.”
A second potential danger in microwave popcorn is diacetyl, an FDA-approved chemical found in the fake butter flavoring. There’s even a debilitating respiratory disease called “popcorn workers lung,” (the medical name of the condition is bronchiolitis obliterans) suffered by microwave popcorn factory workers caused by extended inhalation of the chemical’s fumes. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, (NIOSH) concluded that diacetyl needs further study so that workers in the flavorings and snack industry are no longer at risk

And now that I've gotten you good and scared about eating it anymore let me tell you some other options. First off, you can cook it in a little oil on your stovetop. There's some instruction for that here.

Or did you know that you can make your own microwaveable popcorn with a cheap paper bag? Click here to read more about that.

Or you can use my method of choice - the air popper.

We own a simple air popper that we got at the grocery store and we are totally happy with it. Even though it's loud, here's what I like aboutit - I can make a serious amount of popcorn instead of the small amount I'd get in a bag. I've got four boys so that is important to me. Second, I can pour the popcorn in and walk away. I don't have to worry about anything burning or scorching or being undercooked. The popped kernels fly out and the old maids that take a little longer stay in until they're ready. And lastly, it's a clean slate - I can add or not add oil, salt, or other flavorings.

Our favorite way to eat popcorn is to drizzle on some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle some nutritional yeast flakes on and add a little salt. Nutritional yeast is a heavy hitter when it comes to nutrition and it gives the popcorn a really good savory flavor that my kids go nuts for. And for a sweet treat just like Kettle Corn but much healthier try drizzling on some maple syrup and a dash of salt.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Black Beans and Rice

written by Megan

This morning as I was going through my options for dinner I knew I had a bag of black beans, knew I wanted to be able to throw them into a pot and forget about them, and knew I wanted to have a tasty (and cheap) dish for dinner. So beans and rice it was. I got this recipe by doing a quick search on the internet. It was simple - I cut it all up and threw it in the crock pot and my kids loved it - my toddler ate two big bowls of it! Not to mention it was all REAL food. The recipe calls for canned tomatoes but I used fresh partly because of this article and partly because I had a couple ripe romas sitting on my counter in need of eating. And we ate it on white rice just because we were out of brown. But it would have been good on brown as well.

I got a new crock pot (or slow cooker) back in December and it has rejuvenated my desire to cook this way. It makes it possible to make some really healthy soups, stews, and main dishes with very little work. If you've got one you know what I'm talking about and if you don't - you're really missing out.

Here's the recipe:

1	pound dried black beans (2 cups), sorted and rinsed
1	large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1	large bell pepper, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
5	garlic cloves, finely chopped
2	dried bay leaves
2	cups diced tomatoes (from 28-oz can), undrained
5	cups water
2	tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
4	teaspoons ground cumin
2	teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño chilies
1	teaspoon salt
3	cups hot cooked rice

1. Mix all ingredients except rice in 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on high heat setting 6 to 8 hours or until beans are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove bay leaves.

3. Serve beans over rice. We added lime and cilantro to really make it authentic. Easy, healthy, yummy!

REAL FOOD and REAL good advice

Last year I read both "In Defense of Food" and "An Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan and even did a week long eating experiment based on them. And even though I try and keep it up I am finding that time has faded my memory of the recommendations and guidelines set out in the books. That's why I was so happy to find this book at the grocery store the other day.

It was great because I went through the produce section, picked up some bananas, carrots, and apples and then moved on to the rest of the store. It was on my way to the meat that I stopped to look at the books and saw this. I grabbed it, thumbed through it, and asked my oldest son to read the chapter headings out loud to me as we shopped. The book is laid out in small chapters; each one listing a guideline with an explanation following. As we walked the aisles he was saying things like, "If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't" and "Eat only foods that will eventually rot" and it made us all really consious of what we were buying and it also made us really anxious to go home and eat some good REAL food.

Needless to say, because of the book, we turned around and spent a lot more time in the produce section of the store. I love Michael Pollan's work and if you do too than this book is the perfect thing to keep hanging around in your kitchen or in your bag to remind you of how we really need to eat. And to remind you that how you eat shapes what the landscape around you looks like.


p.s. go check out that last link to Michael Pollan. His website has some great links and info on it.

The gift of the seasons.

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

This Thanksgiving I am grateful for the gift of seasons. I am grateful for the renewal they bring. For the glorious summer and all her sweet berries, for the crisp fall and her warm apple cobblers, for the furious winter storms and the potatoes in dark cabinets, and the return of spring with it's gift of tender seedlings. What wisdom to give everything it's place, it's short time - to remind us of temperance, wisdom, and the chance to begin again.

~Megan

Eat the Seasons: Spicy Yams and Kale

This past week when making my grocery list I scoured my cookbooks for some more vegetable based meals with things that are actually in season right now. I found several recipes including one for "Spicy Yams and Kale". I had made it a few years ago and remembered it being good so I added it to the list. Then each afternoon as I looked at my options for what to make I kept skipping this meal and using the others until last night when we had made everything else, our kitchen was bare and all we had left was the yams. So what did we do? We went out and got mexican. Sad, I know, but we were really unsure of the meal. But I finally got around to it and my memory served me correctly - it was excellent! Even my family had to admit it! If you're a little unsure of how you and yours will take this meal - serve it as a side to some roast chicken or the like!

Spicy Yams & Kale (recipe taken from "Becoming Vegetarian")

4 cups yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and diced in 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp each: cloves, cinnamon, cardamon and cayenne
1 cup kale or parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
1 Tbsp olive oil(optional)
2 Tbsp hazelnuts or almonds, sliced or chopped(optional - I never use these)
salt and pepper to taste


In a medium saucepan, combine the yams, stock and ground spices, and bring to a boil. Stir, cover and simmer 3 to 4 minutes until the yams are fork tender. Add the rest of the ingredients, and toss to blend flavors. Serve hot or chilled as a salad.

Quick and yummy - makes a GREAT lunch.

Goodbye, little hen, may you rest in peace...

It's been a while since I've had a hen die and I'd forgotten how hard it can be. The other morning my son went out to feed the chickens and get them fresh water when I heard him say, "Mom, this is really strange, come look." My stomach immediately got a knot in it because even though it's been a long time since a chicken has died, I am constantly scared it will happen again. So I went out and found Marshmallow lying in a heap inside the coop. Her head was completely curled underneath her and she was as still as a rock. You can see her at the bottom of this image.

I don't know what killed her. Maybe a raccoon reached through and held onto her until she died of a heart attack or perhaps she was sick - I wish I knew. They've been molting which I know can be hard on the little gals but our other hen Cracker seems fine. Since I only had two hens and am left with just one I don't now what I'll do know but I am leaning towards letting Cracker go to a friend's coop and just going without chickens over the winter. We'll see.

Backyard Chickens: Molting

We usually get an egg from each of our two hens a day but about a week ago we stopped getting eggs altogether. And they became completely silent which was quite a change since my little hens are usually talking from sun up to sun down. I didn't know what could be wrong - were they spooked? Were they sick? Not getting enough feed? I gave them extra food and water and made sure everything else was ok. A few days passed and when I checked on them I realized what the problem was. There were feathers EVERYWHERE! Aha, my ladies are molting. Molting is a process chickens go through once a year to shed their feathers and replace them with new ones. Many of you may be experiencing the same thing since decreased daylight times and temperatures will induce molting.

Here's some information I found on another site about molting:

Molting is the shedding and renewal of feathers and occurs about once a year. The order in which the different sections of the bird lose their feathers is fairly defined: head, neck, body, wings and tail. Molting is a difficult time for birds, since it involves hormonal fluctuations and increased energy requirements. Eliminate stress during this time: keep temperature in a narrow range (70-80o F), provide a high quality diet, and each day mist the birds with a fine spray or provide a pan for bathing. It takes about seven weeks for new feathers to complete their growth cycle. Domesticated chickens bred for high egg production have a definite molting pattern. A natural molt does not normally occur until the end of an extended, intensive laying period. Chickens that have been laying heavily for one year or longer molt easily in the fall since this is the natural molting season. If they finish their intensive year in the spring, they do not molt easily and may wait until the fall. A chicken loses feathers from various sections of its body in a definite pattern. The order is: head; neck; feather tracks of the breast, thighs and back; wing and tail feathers. Some birds molt more slowly than others; some molt earlier. A good high producing flock tends to molt late and rapidly. Decreasing day-length is the normal trigger for molting. Therefore, lighting programs for egg production flocks should provide either constant or increasing day-length. Stresses caused by temporary feed or water shortage, disease, cold temperatures, or sudden changes in the lighting program can cause a partial or premature molt.

*Did you know that when you have questions about your chickens you can go to this great forum and people will start posting replies almost immediately? I have used it for many reasons asking things like, "What breed do you think this pullet is?" to "Can chickens get fleas?" It's been a great resource. You should check it out!

Crack is wack...

My tomatoes have been a little late this year and so I have been waiting in earnest to harvest. Yesterday I was eying a particularly large tomato and was so excited to see it was ripe enough bring it in for lunch, but MUCH to my dismay I discovered CRACKS!
I had no idea what caused this so I had to do a little research. And it turns out, it's all my fault. Actually, it's all my husband's fault. Here's what I found:

Growth cracks occur as a result of the rapid growth stimulated by wet weather following a dry period. Two types of growth cracks affect the stem end of tomatoes: concentric and radial. Concentric cracking produces circular cracks around the stem end of the fruit. Radial cracks spread outward from the stem scar.*

See, a couple weeks ago a part of our yard was a mess. It was wet and soggy with tons of standing water. So my husband, without consulting me, decided to just turn off the sprinklers completely. Now, over watering tomatoes can cause lush foilage and and only a few tomatoes BUT cutting it off completely can push your fruit just a little too much and give it what is essentially stretch marks. Luckily, a few days ago I discovered that the water had been turned off and so it's back on. I hope that puts an end to the cracks because as the great Whitney Houston once said, "Crack is wack!"

Megan's Square Foot Garden: Gone With the Wind

We too had a huge wind storm that did a lot of damage. You can see our ordeal in this video below.

I felt so depressed when I witnessed the damage one night of storms could do and how our many of our hopes for our little garden had been dashed. And I couldn't help but think of people who completely rely on their farms/crops for sustenance. I don't know what they did when that happened. Turned to what they had stored/ asked neighbors for help?

Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo!

What a difference two weeks makes!

Here are our pumpkins two weeks ago:

And here they are now:

Pick your battles and your hens...

Last week a friend was visiting and while showing her kids our hens she asked, "How many eggs do you get - about 1 a week?" I was proud to say that my two hens, Cracker and Marshmallow, each lay an egg a day - though it's actually a pretty good question since egg production is different with every chicken. They are Delawares and like all chickens their potential for egg laying is directly linked to breed. In the past I've had several breeds ranging from Rhode Island Reds to Australorps to Bantam Brahmas and some would lay as often as twice a day and some only twice a week. I didn't mind some of my chickens laying less - I chose their breed because they were pretty. As you can see the Delaware isn't really flashy but it's a great producer of extra large brown eggs. Here's what mypetchicken.com had to say about them:

The Delaware is a relatively new breed of chicken, having only been developed in 1940. They're a cross between New Hampshire Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks with the goal of maintaining the prolific egg production of these two breeds but increased meat value. They're a lovely, calm white breed with black feathers around the neck and the tip of the tail, and with some black striations also working their way into the back.

I really love being able to go and research breeds at that site and potential egg production is only one reason to do that among many. You may want to know if a breed is comfortable with confinement or hardy in the winter or if it lays colorful eggs. Or you may just want to browse around and see the different beautiful breeds out there. Either way, it is helpful to do your research before you get your chickens, especially if you are hoping to get a certain amount of eggs per week or if you hope to breed your birds(some breeds make better mothers). At their site they have a "breed recommender tool" where you can enter in certain criteria to give you some suggestions on breeds. And while I won't be able to add any birds to my flock this year, I can't help but dream of some I might get after we move next year.

~Megan

Seed Savings

Here at Backyard Farming we talk all the time about starting from seeds for our vegetable gardens so we can be able to grow more diverse varieties such as heirlooms that you can't find as transplants at the local store. This summer I also decided to start some flowers from seed. My original purpose in doing this was to give my kids the opportunity to grow something themselves but it didn't take long to realize that by starting from seed I was saving a lot of money.

In the past when I had the itch to add some color to my garden I'd go to the local nursery and spend $30-$50 only to come home and realize that the amount of plants I had purchased would only cover a small part of my yard. This year I bought three seed packets and one seed starting tray which totaled at about $10. After giving away about half of my flowers to friends I was left with about 40 flower plants for my own garden. I added up how much buying those plants at the store would cost me and realized I was quickly going over an amount I'd ever spend - upwards of $120 dollars. So this year I have been able to cover a large amount of my yard with beautiful color for a fraction of the cost. And both my children and I have the satisfaction of knowing that we nurtured these flowers from seeds that were as small as the tip of a ball point pen. Next year I am going to triple my seed starting for flowers to have an explosion of colors and scents to enjoy all season long!

Eat the Seasons - Rhubarb Crisp

If you have yet to try rhubarb - why not do it this year? It's a real treat!

Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients*

Serves 12

• 2 pounds rhubarb, sliced crosswise 3/4 inch thick
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup flour; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine remaining 1/2 cup flour and the butter. Pulse until the butter pieces are pea-size. Add brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon. Pulse to combine. Sprinkle over rhubarb.
3. Bake until rhubarb is tender and topping is golden, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

* recipe taken from marthastewart.com