First Sighting in the Wild & Ten Years!

It’s a big week over here as my new book, “Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces” (I’m already an expert at saying the title super fast) hits bookstores TODAY! Except that we spotted it at a Chapters/Indigo here in Toronto last night. If you pre-ordered a copy, it should be arriving any day …

Grow Great Grub: Twitter Giveaway

Hey, guess what? My new book, “Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces” hits stores in less than a week! To commemorate its impending release, Clarkson Potter has agreed to do a pre-launch giveaway of two copies of the book via twitter. To enter to win, simply go to The Twitter and follow me: …

Preordering Grow Great Grub

About two weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised by the arrival of a copy of my new book, Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces, fresh off the presses. I had a hand in every facet of making this book, from writing to photography to designing the layout. The wear and tear on my …

Taking a New Look at Carnivorous Plants

I just read a fascinating piece via the Telegraph UK that is absolutely blowing my mind. Researchers at the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew have conducted a study looking into plant behavior, specifically carnivorous plants, and are concluding that there are hundreds more carnivorous plants out there in the world than previously realized. Many of which …

Storefront Gardens

My pal Barry and I started a new, collaborative internet website (aka “blog” if you must) called Storefront Gardens, documenting the various shop window gardens we pass by in our day-to-day lives and travels. Recently, while enjoying our new favourite espresso-based coffee beverage, cortados, we discovered a mutual fascination for these unusual botanical window displays. …

Extending the Harvest

This piece was originally published in The Globe & Mail over the weekend as a part of my series on kitchen gardening. Regarding using burlap and burlap sacks: Just to be clear, do keep them away from the crowns of your plants since they can get awfully heavy when wet. In fact, they are best …

7 Things Giveaway Deadline & Update

Oops… I never did assign a firm deadline to the 7 Things giveaway. So let’s say 1pm EST on Wed. October, 21. Keep them coming! ————- Update: I’ve notified all of the winners. I decided to give out seven prizes in keeping with the 7 theme. Congrats to: Elaine Van Bladerunner Stephy Darla Blake Mrs. …

Snack Foods for the Apocalypse

This is how I see canning: making snack foods for the apocalypse. Because in truth, with the exception of the plain tomato jars and sauces, many of the items I put up tend to be condiments, pickles, and intense fruit preserves — food I could probably live without. If, say, we were to suffer through …

Assorted and Sundry for 09/08/17

The Vine-Ripened Lie – What do you think? Vine-ripened versus off the vine. Fight! Wet-year Tomato Troubles – We’re all starting to get anxious about this year’s tomato crop. Handmade Berry Colander – Love these pottery colanders for straining berries by Jeanette Zeis. Show & Tell Harvest – Lots of gorgeous photos popping up in …

Edible Container Garden Show/Contest

Hey Toronto! Withrow Park Farmers’ Market is holding an Edible Container Garden Show/Contest this Saturday, August 8, 2009. The event goes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. I’m going to be a judge so see you there! Details from the Toronto Balconies Bloom website: “Bring one to three containers in which you’ve planted edibles for …

Assorted and Sundry for 09/07/30

Urban Farming Around the World – An inspiring pictorial. A Hairless Beast is Roaming My Neighbourhood – Hint: It’s not the Chupacabra. We haven’t seen it yet, but it’s become our favourite threat. Ultimate Veggie Peeler – I made cucumber soup this week in an effort to pretend that this is really summer and not …

Grow Great Grub

As I mentioned earlier today it’s been a L O N G year. Actually, it’s been a long year and a half. Or two years. Where am I? I’ve mentioned it briefly here and there but was finally given the go-ahead today to speak freely(ish) about the main project that has been taking up so …