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Here is where you'll find all the posts on how to grow, preserve and cook.
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Fun and Engaging Gardening Activities to Enjoy with Kids
Gardening with kids offers a unique chance to connect with nature while teaching valuable skills. It can spark curiosity, creativity, and responsibility in children. Yet, many parents and caregivers wonder how to make gardening enjoyable and accessible for young hands and minds. This post shares practical, fun activities that turn gardening into a memorable adventure for the whole family. Child planting seeds in a garden bed Start with Easy Planting Projects Young children th

Terri Windover
4 days ago3 min read


5 Easy Vegetables for Beginners to Grow
Starting a vegetable garden can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to gardening. Choosing the right vegetables to grow can make all the difference between success and frustration. Some vegetables are forgiving, grow quickly, and require minimal care, making them perfect for beginners. This guide highlights five easy vegetables that anyone can grow, even with limited space or experience. Lettuce Lettuce is one of the simplest vegetables to grow. It thrives in cooler w

Terri Windover
7 days ago3 min read


Top 5 Fruit Trees Perfect for Growing in Zone 3
Growing fruit trees in Zone 3 can be a rewarding challenge. This zone, known for its cold winters and short growing seasons, requires hardy trees that can survive temperatures as low as -40°F (-40°C). Choosing the right fruit trees ensures a fruitful harvest despite the tough climate. Here are five fruit trees that thrive in Zone 3, offering gardeners a chance to enjoy fresh, homegrown fruit. T&T Seeds in Northern Manitoba is my favourite company to order from and every tree

Terri Windover
Mar 253 min read


Top Perennial Foods for Growing in Zone 3
Growing food in Zone 3 can be a challenge due to its short growing season and cold winters. However, perennial plants offer a smart solution. These hardy plants come back year after year, saving time and effort while providing reliable harvests. If you live in Zone 3, you can enjoy fresh, homegrown food by choosing the right perennial crops suited to your climate. Young asparagus shoots growing in Zone 3 garden Why Choose Perennial Foods for Zone 3 Gardens Perennial foods red

Terri Windover
Mar 223 min read


5 Beginner-Friendly Flowers That Anyone Can Grow
Starting a flower garden can feel overwhelming if you’re new to gardening. Choosing the right plants makes all the difference. Some flowers are easier to grow and care for, even if you don’t have a green thumb. This post highlights five flowers that thrive with minimal effort, making them perfect for beginners. You’ll learn what makes each flower easy to grow and how to care for them so your garden blooms beautifully. Marigolds: Bright and Resilient Marigolds are a top choice

Terri Windover
Mar 183 min read


The Benefits of Raised Garden Beds
Gardening can be a rewarding hobby, but traditional in-ground gardens often come with challenges like poor soil, pests, and limited space. Raised garden beds offer a practical solution that can transform your gardening experience. They provide better control over soil quality, improve drainage, and make gardening more accessible. This post explores the key benefits of raised garden beds and how they can help you grow healthier plants with less effort. Better soil quality and

Terri Windover
Mar 153 min read


Different Types of Garden Trellis for Your Outdoor Space
Garden trellises do more than support climbing plants. They add structure, style, and privacy to outdoor spaces. Choosing the right type of trellis can transform your garden into a peaceful retreat or a lively gathering spot. This post explores various garden trellis types and how to use them creatively to enhance your yard. Wooden lattice trellis with blooming roses Classic Lattice Trellis for Climbing Plants and Privacy The lattice trellis is a timeless choice made from woo

Terri Windover
Mar 113 min read


Mastering the Four Seasons of Gardening for Year-Round Success
Gardening is a rewarding hobby that changes with the seasons. Each season brings unique challenges and opportunities for gardeners who want to keep their gardens thriving all year. Understanding how to work with the natural rhythms of spring, summer, fall, and winter can help you grow healthier plants, save time, and enjoy your garden no matter the month. Peas growing in a spring garden bed Spring: Preparing and Planting for Growth Spring is the season of renewal. As temperat

Terri Windover
Mar 83 min read


Maximizing Your Growing Season in Zone 3: Strategies and Tips
Gardening in Zone 3 presents a unique challenge. With a short growing season and cold temperatures that can arrive early and linger late, gardeners must find creative ways to extend the time their plants can thrive. Whether you want to grow vegetables, herbs, or flowers, maximizing your growing season in Zone 3 requires smart planning and practical techniques. This post explores effective strategies to help you get the most out of your garden despite the climate constraints.

Terri Windover
Mar 43 min read


Planting Spring Bulbs in Zone 3 Gardens
Spring bulbs bring early colour and life to gardens after long, cold winters. For gardeners in Zone 3, where winters are harsh and the growing season is short, choosing the right bulbs and planting them correctly is essential for success. This guide offers practical advice on how to plant spring bulbs in Zone 3, ensuring vibrant blooms that brighten your garden as soon as the snow melts. Tulip bulbs ready for planting in Zone 3 garden Understanding Zone 3 Climate Challenges Z

Terri Windover
Mar 13 min read


Five Must-Have Tools for Every Gardener
Gardening can be a rewarding hobby, but it demands the right tools to make the work easier and more enjoyable. Whether you are planting flowers, growing vegetables, or maintaining a lush lawn, having essential garden tools saves time and effort. This post highlights five tools every gardener should own to keep their garden thriving and their tasks manageable. Garden trowel ready for planting 1. Garden Trowel A garden trowel is a small hand tool with a pointed, scoop-shaped me

Terri Windover
Feb 252 min read


Improving Food Security with gardening
Food security remains a pressing challenge worldwide. Many communities face limited access to fresh, nutritious food due to economic, environmental, or logistical barriers. Gardening offers a practical and empowering solution to this problem. By growing food locally, individuals and communities can improve their access to healthy produce, reduce reliance on external food sources, and build resilience against supply disruptions. A thriving backyard vegetable garden with ripe t

Terri Windover
Feb 223 min read


Pineapple Cranberry Muffins
I can never resist eating before it completely cools. INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup sugar 4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1-2 tsp cinnamon to taste 3 cups All-Bran Flakes cereal 1 540 ml can crushed pineapple with the juice 1/3 cup healthy oil (sunflower is my fave) 1/4 cup fancy molasses 1 egg, slightly beaten 1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins) INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 400F. Adjust by 5-10 degrees if your stove run

Terri Windover
Feb 211 min read


Key Considerations for Choosing Seeds for Your Garden
Starting a garden begins with one crucial step: selecting the right seeds. The choices you make at this stage affect how well your plants grow, how much you enjoy gardening, and the success of your harvest. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced gardener, understanding what to think about when ordering seeds can save you time, money, and frustration. Different seed packets ready for planting Know Your Climate and Growing Season One of the first things to consider is the

Terri Windover
Feb 183 min read


Planning Your Garden Layout
Planning your garden layout is the foundation of a successful and enjoyable gardening experience. Without a clear plan, you might face challenges such as overcrowded plants, poor sunlight distribution, or inefficient use of space. This guide will walk you through practical steps and strategies to design a garden that thrives and suits your lifestyle. A thoughtfully arranged garden layout with diverse plants in neat rows Understand Your Garden Space Before planting, take time

Terri Windover
Feb 153 min read


The Ultimate Guide to Starting Seeds Indoors for a Thriving Garden
Starting seeds indoors gives gardeners a head start on the growing season, allowing plants to develop strong roots and healthy growth before transplanting outside. This method can save money, expand your plant variety, and improve your garden’s success. Whether you want to grow vegetables, herbs, or flowers, learning how to start seeds indoors is a valuable skill that can transform your gardening experience. This guide covers everything you need to know to start seeds indoors

Terri Windover
Feb 94 min read


Planting Dates for Zone 3
So you want to know when to start your seeds. I'm here to help with that! First let's start with some basic information. There isn't a "one size fits all" answer, but with a little time and a paper and pencil it's easy to figure out. This information will work for all growing zones. Find out your last and first frost dates for your specific area. You will need both to figure out how many actual growing days you have. I use the Almanac site . Just drop in your postal code or t

Terri Windover
Feb 83 min read


How to grow BIG onions.
I hope this information helps you grow your biggest onions ever in the upcoming season. Four Acre farm will be selling onion starts (seedlings) for two types of onions. Red Wethersfield and Alisa Craig. (pictured). Once you try this method you will never be satisfied by those mini onion sets again. Supplies will be limited as we test the demand for this product. Let's grow that green thumb together! The frustration is real. We have all seen the pictures. A gardener standing

Terri Windover
Dec 20, 20254 min read


Mama T’s Oven Roasted Tomatoes
I decided to try a new recipe for oven roasted tomatoes as my gardens over flowed this year and I’m entirely sick of canning, preserving, pickling etc. They turned out AMAZING! Super simple. Super delicious. You can make as a side dish for dinner or add to a pasta toss. Or you can freeze afterwards like me. I’ll thaw later and likely purée to make a roasted tomato soup, because soup…😍 INGREDIENTS: 2-3 lbs tomatoes 1-2 tablespoon olive oil ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp fresh

Terri Windover
Oct 9, 20211 min read


Mustard Pickles by Terri
I was never a fan of mustard pickles as a child so I just stopped eating them. Fast forward to age 51. I LOVE MUSTARD PICKLES NOW. Talk about a change in taste buds lol. So I started working on my own recipe. After many tries I think this is the one. **You need to chop the veggies and place in brine for roughly 12+ hours so you’ll need to do this the evening prior. INGREDIENTS: 14 cups of pickling cucumbers, sliced or chunked 5-6 cups onion, diced (white or yellow) 2 pepper

Terri Windover
Sep 2, 20212 min read
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