Garden Hacks Book Review

Garden Hacks Book Review

Garden Hacks Book Review by Annie B Kay - anniebkay.com
Shawna Coronado’s enthusiasm is contagious in her latest offering, 101 Organic Gardening Hacks: Eco-friendly Solutions to Improve Any Garden.
She’s going on a journey to reuse, reduce, and recycle in the garden in some wonderfully inventive and a few wacky ways, and she’s inviting you to come along. Overall, this 4-color 160-page guide is a very handy and appealing one for this spring. Every time I open it I get excited, and I learn a little something new.
A hack, notes the author, is just a great idea that’s come to life. It’s the short path to the desired result. Hacks in the book are organized by type (maintenance, edible, seedlings, tools) and they really are great ideas.

Here are a couple of my favs:

  • 101 Organic Gardening HacksHack 43 – Pet tender seedlings to keep them strong and stocky (put thigmotropism to work for you). I’m all over this one and had forgotten that. Grateful for the reminder.
  • Hack 61 – Regrow food from cut kitchen scraps is a great reason to enjoy leeks, celery, or herbs in spring. You can plant them in your garden after dinner! Step by step instructions for increasing your likelihood of them taking are included. I really haven’t done this successfully, but am grateful that a gardener more enthusiastic than I has. I’ll try it again!

There’s a secret about gardens – they don’t have to be hard. You can practically toss seeds at the ground in spring and they will pop up amongst the weeds (and will pop up even better if you take a little time to pull the weeds). But you can keep it very very easy and simple.
That’s why I love Shawna’s new book – it’s in that spirit of whatever you can do. It’s not fancy, not precious. It’s a get-out-there and put-your-hands-in-the-earth (which I swear is a nutrient – hands in earth nutrient) sort of attitude. It’s reuse that plastic container attitude. It’s begin where you are attitude. I love me an expert who has that type of DIY (do it yourself) attitude – not what I call a guru “only I know” attitude.
Happy digging, be it containers on your windowsill, a square in your back yard, or the whole wide world.
Would you like to connect with me in the tropics in February 2018? Check out my Pura Vida Retreat. It’s filling up, so if it sounds like your cup or tea, reach out!
Garden Hacks Book Review by Annie B Kay - anniebkay.com

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Save a Few Seeds

Save a Few Seeds

Save a Few Seeds
As the end of summer rolls around, saving a few seeds connects you with the rhythms of nature and gives you an opportunity to know more than one generation of a plant. I loved my white cosmos this year, and they can be hard to find early in the season. So, I’ve been harvesting, drying and saving their seeds.
I use white cosmos as a 6th and 7th chakra plant – to help with deepening intuitive wisdom and divine connection.  I make flower essences, and used their dried petals in flower baths. 
(I had a video but removed it, hopefully just for a few moments…)
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Minted Snow Pea Recipe

Minted Snow Pea Recipe

Minted Snow Pea Recipe by Annie B Kay - anniebkay.com
Food fresh from the garden doesn’t need much help to taste great and nourish you deeply. Our fresh peas often don’t make it into the kitchen because we snack away right in the garden. Here’s a simple recipe for snow peas with mint.

Minted Snow Pea Recipe

Ingredients

  • Snow peas or fresh spring peas – about 2 cups, cleaned
  • Fresh mint, cleaned and chopped
  • High-quality olive oil (like CA organic cold-pressed)
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

2Directions

  1. Grow peas! Or, locate fresh snow or sweet peas at a farmer’s market or grocery.  They are an easy grow, and I love that they are best planted just as soon as the earth is thawed enough to work. So, either pick your own or you can get them at a farmer’s market or grocery (…growing your own is cheaper though more time-intensive, but the benefits are manyfold).
  2. Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and peas, sauté 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add chopped mint & a squeeze of fresh lemon. Saute another minute.
  4. Dress with salt and pepper and enjoy.

Tip: the key is not to overcook the peas…literally sauté for just a minute or two to keep that lovely sweetness and crispness. Enjoy!

Minted Snow Pea Recipe by Annie B Kay

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