Hey friend, Despite what you may have heard, you really don’t need a big garden to grow a little food. A jar, a lid, and a handful of lentils can give you something fresh right on the kitchen counter. That's what I started doing over thirty years ago when I was living in university housing with my two eldest kids. It kept me going until I was able to have a garden again. So even if you're in an apartment or townhouse, you can still start growing it yourself, making it yourself, and cooking...
about 8 hours ago • 1 min read
This newsletter contains affiliate links. Hey friend, When my kids were young, I remember that by this point in July, summer started feeling less like a postcard and more like a running list. Mosquitoes. Weeds. Sticky counters. Leftovers. Food wrappers. Kids in and out. Shoes by the door. That’s when I would reach for the simple, practical things. Not the Instagram-worthy meals and handcrafted baskets. Just small fixes that make the day work a little better. A homemade bug spray. A better way...
2 days ago • 2 min read
This newsletter contains affiliate links Brought to you by The Free Press Get full, members-only access to The Free Press Tired of media that tells you what to think? Join 2M+ readers who get honest, fearless journalism from The Free Press. Think for yourself. And get your first month on us. Hey friend, It's been my experience that by the middle of July, someone in my household always has a bug bite, a scrape, dry hands, or skin irritated by the sun, dirt, weeds, or garden work. This is where...
6 days ago • 2 min read
This newsletter contains affiliate links. Hey friend, Mid-July is a good time to do a quick chicken check. Heat, flies, dry ground, muddy corners, and busy summer days can all make it easy to miss small flock problems. Here are three chicken-care reads to keep handy this week. Chicken First-Aid Kit A simple chicken first-aid kit helps you handle small injuries, sore feet, and surprise coop problems faster. Read the article Calendula Salve I made it for our chickens, but it works on humans...
7 days ago • 1 min read
This newsletter contains affiliate links. Hey friend, This is the part of summer where your garden starts making decisions for you. A handful of berries turns into a mushy mess. A few vegetables turn into a counter full of “I should really deal with that today.” And your "quick prep" stir-fry or salad turns into you sweating away an extra 15 minutes, cutting out all the "bad bits" from your not-so-fresh garden produce. Over the years, I’ve learned that preserving food doesn’t always mean a...
9 days ago • 1 min read
This newsletter contains affiliate links. Hey friend, This is the part of summer where your garden starts making decisions for you. A handful of berries turns into a mushy mess. A few vegetables turn into a counter full of “I should really deal with that today.” And your "quick prep" stir-fry or salad turns into you sweating away an extra 15 minutes, cutting out all the "bad bits" from your not-so-fresh garden produce. Over the years, I’ve learned that preserving food doesn’t always mean a...
9 days ago • 1 min read
This newsletter contains affiliate links. Sponsored by Finance Buzz Get 0% Intro APR + Travel Rewards With This Card Escape high interest with a card offering 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers into 2027. Pay down debt faster, earn travel rewards on everyday spending, and enjoy no annual fee while working toward your financial goals. Hey friend, By mid-July, I want food and systems that work with the season instead of fighting it. That means easy sourdough ideas, simple...
13 days ago • 1 min read
This newsletter contains affiliate links. Brought to you by Butcher Box Free meat. Every box. For a YEAR. For a limited time, every new ButcherBox subscription earns you your choice of Thick Cut Ribeye, Top Sirloins, or Ground Beef + Bacon in every box for your entire first year. Antibiotic and hormone free, and delivered straight to your door. Hey friend, Cucumber season always starts out so politely. One or two on the counter. Maybe a few in the fridge. Then suddenly you’ve got a pile of...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Food Preservation Summit Starts Tomorrow Just a quick reminder in case you meant to sign up for the Food Preservation Summit and haven’t had a chance yet. This 3-day free online event from The School of Traditional Skills focuses on the practical skills many of us are trying to build right now: preserving food, stocking the pantry, making more from what we already have, and wasting less. If rising grocery prices have you looking at canning, dehydrating, fermenting, or building a deeper...
18 days ago • 1 min read
Hey friend, If berries are showing up in your kitchen this weekend, don’t wait too long. They always look manageable at first. Then one day they’re soft, sticky, and begging to be used before they end up in the compost. That’s why this weekend’s newsletter is all about saving the good stuff before it slips away. A few jars now can make winter meals feel a little easier later. Food Preservation Summit July 6 through July 8 Quick note: There’s also a free food preservation summit coming up from...
20 days ago • 1 min read