Comfort foods-Maryland style
As the heat of summer subsides, our yearning for lower humidity and cooler temperatures tends to grow stronger. And so, it seems, do our cravings for some good old-fashioned comfort food. Getting through those foreseeable “r” months before catching any signs of spring...
Delmarva’s late, great tomato canneries
Whether picked from your garden or purchased from local produce stands, fresh tomatoes are hot off the vines this time of year across Maryland. At their peak, fresh tomatoes are prepared in a number of ways such as in gazpacho, salsas, sauces and salads, while many...
Hellebores known to be early bloomers
Hellebores, also known as Lenten Rose, can bloom as early as January in some parts of USDA Hardiness Zone 7, even when there’s snow on the ground. In a recent GrowerTalks webinar sponsored by Pacific Plug and Liner, long-time hellebore breeder Bart Noordhuis offered...
Find holistic energy savings for the ‘whole house’
The costs related to home energy use keep rising, both in terms of dollars and environmental impact. Worse yet, on average more than a third of household energy consumption is wasted through so-called “phantom power” use and small inefficiencies that snowball into a...
Let your kitchen cool off, too
Things are always heating up in the summer, but that doesn’t mean your kitchen has to! While winter calls for warm hearty meals, summer calls for light and fresh — not to mention easy. To ease the dinner and meal rush, take advantage of slower days when you have time...
A common-sight, roadside delight
The signs of summer are many on the Eastern Shore and the opening of roadside produce stands ranks high for many people. Being able to indulge in such a plethora of fresh local fruits and vegetables throughout the season is well worth the wait. While driving along a...
Upstarts egg-static over new ventures
Farmers’ markets are wonderful sources for fresh, local edibles, but also, surprising finds not on everyday supermarket shelves. Many vendors delight in offering more than the expected fare, even when it comes to staples such as eggs. Two such innovative area smaller...
Summer music fills the Mid-Shore air
Summer is time to do just about anything outside, especially taking in some great music. Whether you like to listen and lounge or hit the dance floor, there are lots of local spots to check out. Head to downtown Easton for their annual concert series happening many...
Hospital’s horticulture therapy program raises much more than plants
Many people think of their gardens as a calming place, a quiet area that helps think through problems and relieve stress. For a select group of patients at the Eastern Shore Hospital Center in Cambridge, gardening and horticulture is an actual form of therapy and...
Be on guard to thwart common tomato pests
Tomatoes are the most popular plant grown in home vegetable gardens and like other vegetables, there are any number of problems that can interfere with growing a good crop. In Maryland, tomato plants are susceptible to several diseases, pests, and, at times,...
Lipscomb fund continues to leave mark
In 1963, Elizabeth Sheer Lipscomb was a founding member of the Garden Club of the Eastern Shore and served as its first president from 1963-65. She left her club with an endowment which came to be known as The Lipscomb Fund, and its continuing purpose is to be used...
Grow a new gardener: Summer activities for youth
You may be sharing the load when it comes to looking after young grandchildren this summer, and with up to three months to fill with attention-occupying activities, gardening ideas can keep them entertained and instill a love of growing plants that could last a...
Daylilies a real-life color-by-numbers
Daylilies got their latin name, Hemerocallis, from greek terms for “beauty” and “day.” They surely are beautiful but don’t let that “day” part throw you off! They are easy to grow and while a bloom might not last long, the plants produce plentiful blooms to add color...
Woodworkers: Live on edge with ‘higher power’
Making anything out of wood takes tools and plenty of hand work to reach a finished product. Local woodworkers add maintaining a live edge aesthetic to projects also relies on a higher power. Having part of the piece, whether it’s a cutting board, a desk or counter...
Wildflowers ‘make magic’ for wedding
The joy and hard work associated with growing things has always been second nature to Emily Jackson, the namesake of iconic Dorchester County family farm business, Emily’s Produce, now in its 24th season. Even as a youngster, she and younger brother Kyle were involved...
An age-old practice able to track nature’s “new normal”
Each growing season, gardeners yearn to learn the crucial dates indicating spring planting and first frost in fall. Seeking reliable guidelines, growers have regularly referred to the color-coded zone maps printed on the backs of seed packets, or their state Extension...
Summertime’s soundtrack
When summer rolls around, even if you can tucker your kids out enough to hit the hay, there’s still plenty of sounds around from all the critters. “Peepers” can be fun to listen to, but could you actually pinpoint what a “peeper” was? What about the other noises in...
It’s that berry sweet time of the year
Strawberry season is so close we can almost taste the juicy sweetness! While berries get trucked up from the south for the winter and spring, May is when Maryland’s you-pick fields and produce stands wow us with their field-fresh taste and flavor. For the months when...
Frases make ‘flowertainment’ their business
There’s some new entertainment in town, and it sure is colorful! As owner Kate Frase, owner of Vintage Family Farms in Hurlock, says, it’s “flowertainment!” Kate and husband Eric’s venture hopes to not only show off their sustainably grown flowers, but to become a...
Peonies a longtime staple in landscaping
Peonies have long been a garden favorite. In fact, some peony plants themselves have long been a favorite in the same garden for up to 100 years! Beautiful, fragrant and with hardy varieties, once a peony settles in, it can become a long-term piece of a home’s...
Perhaps overlooked, ranunculus can’t be forgotten
Ranunculus surely doesn’t roll off the tongue like “rose” or “daisy,” and might not be the first flower people can identify, but to gardeners and florists, they are a household name. Chances are, even if you aren’t sure what one looks like, you’ve seen them in...
