Parsnips

I have a taste for parsnips.

Peel a parsnip down to the core with a vegetable peeler in long strips, throwing away both the core and the outermost peel. Fry them quickly in hot oil and drain them on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and pepper. It is the fastest and yet most surprisingly delicious potato chip alternative. Even my kids enjoy this one. They go great atop salads and contrast nicely with something with a ginger glaze.

But if you wanted to grow parsnips I suggest maybe checking out the new page on garden-helper.

Bon Apetite!

Fall Garden Chores for Spring Flowering Bulbs

I have written and released a new article entitled Fall Garden Chores for Spring Flowering Bulbs. This article is available for online reproduction and will be available at EZine Articles soon.

Canning Equipment

Our contributor on home canning has created an article about canning equipment needs. There will likely be a follow-up with a section of recommended products in the Shop section soon.
If anyone has canning recipes to share please mail them to admin@garden-helper.com until the Submit a Recipe function is up and running.

I Can Can, Can You?

Q: What do the following all have in common?

• Bread and Butter Squash Pickles
• Squash Relish
• Zucchini in Tomato Sauce
• Freezer Salsa
• Dill Pickle Relish

A: They are all on Garden-Helper and can be seen by clicking here. So now when you look at that mountain of Squash you can also look to us for a few answers on what to do with it.

Much Too Late For Broccoli On The Mind

It is far too late at night to have broccoli on my mind but there it is. And it is also here. At least having it on my mind can lead somewhere fruitful. Vegetableful?

Off to slumber with more coming tomorrow.

Canning and Preserving

We hear the question far too often "What can I do with all this zucchini?".

Well, fear not. Garden Helper is working on that, too. We have just updated the site with some information on Canning Basics. We have a contributor who will be devoted to expanding the offerings for Canning so expect recipes, shopping links, and more articles about preserving your garden harvest soon.

Oh - and by the way - What CAN I do with all this zucchini!?!?

Share your thoughts.

USDA Zone Map Update

Just a quick note to mention that the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is now available on Garden Helper. The regional maps will be released soon.

You can see the tool under the Plan Section or just click here.

I mentioned earlier today I would be writing about pots and container gardening. Expect that article, plus several more updates - possibly even the forums - within just a couple days. Things are really growing fast now!

Be Peace.

Of Earthworms and Bookworms

Fertile garden soil is something we all love. The smell of rich earth and the feel of loam in our hands is hard to beat. As always it is a treasure to discover an earthworm making its' home in our garden.

Fertile minds often uncover worms inside us - bookworms, that is.

I have updated Garden Helper with a selection of Book Recommendations in the Shopping section of the site. You can view the book titles here. If you have other titles you think ought to belong in our list please let us know. The book recommendations start and end today with titles regarding Soil. We will add recommendations for different categories on a regular basis.

What about unpublished books or articles about gardening? Well, as you may know we have been releasing articles on the site with regularity. If you have written something pertaining to gardening that you would like to share, we are looking for more gardening related articles all the time. You will receive credit for your work and a link to your site. You can send any inquiries about sharing your words to admin@garden-helper.com

In my next blog, I will be talking about pots and container gardening. My return trip from down south involved a swing through Washington, D.C. and a visit to the United States Botanic Garden. Unfortunately, for me it was closed by the time we arrived, but inspiring nonetheless.

Be Peace.

On The Road and Fall Gardening

Wow - what a long, long drive from northern Vermont to Georgia. Twenty four hours on the road with too much coffee, not enough sleep and the horrible sorts of food available only alongside interstate highways.

Thankfully though, I have had a partner in the drive and because she drove part of the way I was able to make some updates to the site. And because she has a sister in Atlanta, I am able to publish those updates from the comfort of their home, rather than having to wait until we return to Vermont.

That said, I have added a new article chock full of tips for Gardening in the Fall. You can read this article here. It's a long one so be prepared to spend a bit of time with it.

I also added another article about gardening on a budget. You can read this one here.

There have been many smaller behind the scenes changes going on, as well as preparations for some larger additions coming soon. Expect the Zone Maps and Forums to be up and running shortly.

Thanks to Kelley and Cathy for your comments on Community Gardening. Cathy look for something from me after I have had a chance to finish reading your blog.

Be Well.

Who Can Resist A Carrot?

Given the choice between a stick or a carrot, I'll take a carrot every time. Well... almost every time.

Speaking of carrots ... could not stop myself from adding another plant page. This one is - any guesses? That's Right! Carrots! You can visit the page here .

Funny about carrots and sticks ... and then someone came up with carrot sticks. Imagine that ...

Be Well.

Asparagus

Anyone else love the tenderness and unique flavor of Asparagus? I have added a new page on Garden-Helper for those interested in learning more about this amazing vegetable. This represents the first of what will be many Plant Pages.

It can be visited by clicking here.

If anyone has any tips, recipes hints or corrections to the information please pass it along to me. Forums will be up and running shortly.



I am still leaving for a week, but I was bitten by the Asparagus Bug. Better than asparagus being bit by a Japanese Beetle I suppose!

Be Peace.

Community Gardens

This year has been a fairly unusual year for me leading to less time in the garden than in any I can recall since childhood. There are more weeds, more tall grass and far fewer plantings than before. This all is in result of some tragic personal experiences this year for myself and my children.

What this leads me to thinking about is community and community gardening. It seems to me to be a powerful mechanism to bring people together and to work on a shared and common goal - the production of garden goods and the building of community.

I would be very intersted to hear any comments or stories about community supported agriculture. I will be reading more about this this week and posting again on the topic as I learn more. For me, the concept is a positive one as I expect next year to be only slightly less difficult in terms of getting out into the garden and I wonder if maybe CSA is the way to go or not.

Here in Vermont I know of the Intervale gardening project which has been successful for many years, but is 40 mintues away from where I live.

I am leaving for a week and so I will not likely be blogging or updating Garden-Helper in that time, but will be back at it when I return.

Be Peace.

Starting Out

Hello anyone and everyone. My name is Ed and I run the Garden-Helper.com website. I am just now starting down this path of trying to build both the site and a future for my children and I that will involve more time in the garden and more time in the community.

It is my simple hope that I can build Garden-Helper.com into a community of gardeners both greenthumb and neophyte. There is alot of work to do - just as in the real garden - and I intend to work as diligently as possible while it remains only my side project.

If you have suggestions or would like to contribute content to the site please email me at ed@garden-helper.com

I am interested in all sorts of input and am interested in site sponsorship as well.

Look for gardening related content in my blog beginning with the next post and welcome to the Garden-Helper.com site. Take a look around the site and come back for regular updates. For now as we approach fall I would suggest taking a look at the article Fall Garden Planning for great advice on what you may want to be considering this time of year.

Look for Forums, USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Maps and vegetable fact sheets to be up and running on the site within a month.

Good Luck to you and thanks for stopping by!