The Animals Blogs

Gardening zones have changed.  What’s a gardening zone? It’s an average (based on recent years) indication of how cold my winters will be or could be. Why does that matter? For the most part, it doesn’t, as I rarely garden in the winter here in Ont

Can I use the hydroponic system for seed starting?  Last year, I grew some drawf tomato plants in my hydroponic system. It was fun; the tomatoes were cute but they didn’t taste like much. After the last frost date, I decided to put them in my Gr

My gardens, this year, are five main areas:  1. In-ground garden 2. GreenStalks 3. Trellises 4. Hoophouse (covered) 5. Hoophouse (minus the plastic) In-ground Garden This area of my yard has been lawn, and a garden, and lawn, and garden.  Last year,

Evolution - embrace it Evolution is constantly happening.  Over the past 100 years, we have morphed through an era of abundance and consumerism. We explored the lifestyle of having lots, disposing of lots, seeking any and all ways to make life easi

[IMG_6283.png] I have a lot of convenience foods in my house. I admit it. Do I like it? Part of me says “yes” and part of me says “no”. Some items really are a convenience for me. Some items are because Rick likes his “tried and true” faves. Som

As you know, I found a second-hand roaster oven after the holidays and tried it out by roasting a chicken. - loved it.  But will it bake bread? [403140B2-37CB-4CC3-A58B-502EE4D63FA7.jpeg] I tried baking bread this morning. • I put the sourdough into

It has been a long time since I have posted anything about my gardens. It has been a long time since I have been excited about my gardens. This past year has been an interesting one, to say the least, as I’ve been focusing on my 96-year-old mom’s

Plantain Plantain Plantain As soon as our weather shifts (I think we’ve had rain for 3 weeks straight… and it is cold out) I will be searching my yard for plantain!! I know that it is out there and that I have lots of it. I have never pulled it i

From comfy cozy to the realities of life... I start a lot of plants indoors in the spring and, as we enter the month of May, they are ready to get their roots planted into the earth and flourish under the rays of the sun.  My seedlings’ home has bee

Mashkiki-wan is the Ojibwe word for medicinal plant.  “Ntam mashkiki: nbiish.  Eko-niizhing: mashkiki-wan. ” First medicine: water. Second: medicinal plants  This week, I harvested some comfrey plants, just as they were starting their spring growt

Yesterday, the temperature outside was a high of 6C and a low of 3c. That’s chilly. “Cold weather is a great time for researching!” Sourdough This winter, with my very cold kitchen and my new stoneground (and organic) flour, I have struggled to mak

I know that I’m in a Zone 5/6 area and my estimated last frost date is May 24 …. But .. “WHERE IS SPRING?” In recently years, spring has been showing up in late March, early April, and then we’ve just had some winter days tossed in for good measure.