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[…] think I shared with you how my homegrown lettuce this year includes some heirloom varieties. An heirloom variety is one in which the seeds have been passed down for generations. They are […]
by Jeanne
[…] think I shared with you how my homegrown lettuce this year includes some heirloom varieties. An heirloom variety is one in which the seeds have been passed down for generations. They are […]
I promised to share this French fig salad recipe with you. This recipe originally came from a cookbook by Georgeanne Brennan called Savoring France: Recipes and Reflections on French Cooking. I updated the recipe to remove the dairy and fat. The result is a flavorful, lower calorie dessert that sparkles with the essence of the…
What to do with fresh figs? Well, you can eat them, of course. If you are growing figs in Virginia or anywhere else, one thing is clear: the harvest begins in late summer and continues into the fall. The abundance from one or two small fig trees is astonishing. Here’s what to do with fresh…
What is mushroom compost? This complete guide to mushroom compost will explain what this soil amendment is, what it does for your vegetable garden, and its many benefits. We’ve used mushroom compost in the past here at Seven Oaks Farm, the inspiration for Home Garden Joy. In the past, we purchased bags of it from…
When the opossums eat it, of course. One of the first questions I had this summer about my new patch of cantaloupe growing in the raised bed garden was, “How to tell when cantaloupe is ripe? How do you know it’s time to pick it??” Of course, I searched online for the answer. “It will…
Denise D Hammond, CGFM-Retired
Oh how I long for the tomatoes of my youth. Such flavor. I buy heirlooms when I see them in the market.
Jo
I am familiar with Heirloom tomatoes and I 100% agree with what you said about the grocery tomatoes we mostly get foisted on us. Having been alive in a time when tomatoes really tasted good and had access to them subsequently at some farmers markets, I miss them.
I didn’t know Heirloom could be applied to other fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Jeanne Grunert
Hi all! Yes, Jo, they’re now using the term heirloom for older varieties of flowers too, and I’ve recently seen the term applied to livestock. I’m more familiar with the term “heritage” livestock breeds when referencing older breeds.
Denise, thanks for leaving a comment!
Damaria Senne
Your post reminded me of an incident back in the day. A fellow-journalist was still single and she bought a bunch of tomatoes from a retailer that really emphasises the quality of their foods. The tomatoes were fresh, pretty… My colleague kept meaning to use the tomatoes in something but she was so busy she’d end up just buying something on the run. You know: the joy of a single life where you’re just chasing career advancement. THREE weeks later, she wanted a salad and remembered the tomatoes. The scary thing is they looked as fresh as when she first bought them. Fresh, pink, no blemishes, no sign that they were going off. In the middle of summer. She threw them in the bin. We laughed so hard when she told the story, wanting to know: what in heaven’s name did they breed into those tomatoes?