Grit

▪When I wrote this letter, it was still just warm enough in the lower Midwest to finish painting the shed we built last fall. It’s not a large shed by any means, at 5 feet wide and 8 feet long, but it’s plenty large enough to hold gardening tools and

Even avid flower gardeners have problems getting plants to bloom in their homes. Houseplants need just the right mix of light, temperature, and humidity for dependable flowering. Light is by far the hardest factor to control indoors. Choose the sunni

Did you know that trees have their own beauty pageant? Well, they do. In 1940, American Forests (called American Forestry Association at the time) spearheaded the National Register of Champion Trees to locate the largest living trees throughout the U

My wife, Elsie, and I have been reading GRIT for many, many moons — even back when it was in newspaper form. We both grew up in rural America on small farms in the late 1940s and ’50s. For 45 years now, we’ve had a birdhouse in our backyard. It’s abo

I would love to get the Super Chocolate Pecan Cupcake recipe from a Kitchen Klatter cookbook published in the 1960s. Mrs. John Buller 12424 E. 75th St. N., Apt. 5 Owasso, OK 74055 I currently live in Arizona, and I’ve spent a lot of time in rural Neb

Although collards (Brassica oleracea) originated in Europe, they’ve become known as a specialty of the southern United States, where the cooking influences and preferences of enslaved or Indigenous communities made these leafy greens a regional speci

Sweeping with a handmade broom can connect you to the long history of brooms made out of natural materials, from improvised brooms crafted from broken branches to rural artworks featuring decorative stitches. I’ve been making brooms for several years

One of the most versatile members of the grass family, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) can be grown for grain, crafting, and processing into sorghum syrup. Appropriate sorghum cultivars must be chosen for each use, but all types are as easy to grow as corn

Steamed buns, also known as bao (pronounced “bough”), hum bao, and other names depending on the part of the world, are fun to make and handy for a quick meal or snack. Almost endless variations are possible in the type of filling, method of cooking,

Japanese quail (also known as coturnix quail) are remarkably low-maintenance birds. Even after hatching and brooding several generations of quail, I’m always surprised at how rapidly they grow and adapt to their environment. They’re smaller at hatchi

Even in the Upper Midwest — not known for severe summer storms — we occasionally suffer major damage from tornadoes and straight-line winds. Two years ago, heavy rains combined with winds in excess of 80 mph caused the loss of four large trees on our

As the founder of the Taos Seed Exchange in New Mexico, I receive a lot of interesting seed donations for our annual seed swap. One year, tomato seeds came in from High Ground Gardens in Crestone, Colorado, a few hours’ drive north of my organic nurs

Many people hunt, fish, and forage for food to feed their families. A great deal of the food my family eats is obtained this way. This is a good thing. Now, for those of us who do this, how many of you have heard, “I don’t like that,” “It has a gamey

A goat’s hooves require proper care in order to keep the animal healthy and thriving. Left uncared for, lameness will occur via overgrown toes, hoof rot, hoof scald, and abscesses. With continued neglect, the pain becomes so great that the goat becom

For centuries, the village blacksmith was the local hardware store, contractor, and mechanic all rolled into one. Blacksmiths helped shape their communities through making the hinges, hooks, brackets, and tools their neighbors used every day. In a tw

I first learned to tie flies when I was a boy of 13. After watching a man up the street create beauties with such magical names as “Parmachene Belle,” “Silver Doctor,” “Rio Grande King,” and “Black Ghost,” I couldn’t wait to attempt this old craft. E

Few plants are as useful to humanity as flax. For 10,000 years, people have woven flax into linen fabric for clothing. Paints, varnishes, and enamels made from flaxseed oil – also known as linseed oil — have decorated and protected homes and furnitur

People often ask me what I consider my most important tool. I’ve learned that the most important tool is the one you need at that moment. One item that could be useful to many people is a canoe or kayak. When a disaster hits, your life may depend on

Whether you pilot a canoe or a kayak, you’ll need some safety supplies. First, you must have — and wear — a personal flotation device. It does you no good when it’s strapped to the back of the boat. Second, you’ll need a good first-aid kit. Last but

Versatile, fuzzy mullein is a gardener’s friend, an herbalist’s delight, and an engineering marvel all on its own. The genus Verbascum consists of about 300 species that are native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. It belongs to the snapdragon fa

When Justin and Lucie Stephens settled on their property in Missouri, they wanted to raise an animal that could supplement their income. “We thought cattle, but everybody does cattle,” Justin says. In the end, the Stephens decided on a red-meat anima

ORGANIC WORM CASTINGS, 3 LB BAG If you want to have rich, nutritious soil for plants, it’s crucial to use high-quality, organic compost! This compost is organically made in Tennessee. Your plants are going to love this organic compost, and you are go