It’s summer in Minnesota, and that can mean many things to many people.  For me, it’s not really summer until the road side stands pop up offering cucumbers, melons, potatoes and, of course, sweet corn.  Now, it can’t be just any kind of sweet corn.  You see, I grew up spoiled.  My Uncle Duane had a farm in Southern Minnesota where he raised beef cattle, soybeans and sweet corn, and when the corn was ripe, he’d call my dad and we’d grab a stack of paper bags, head... more

When we were considering what to fill our raised bed garden with this spring, one of the things that made the list and was on the “must have” list were chub cucumbers or pickling cucumbers. Chubs are smaller cucumbers. They’re like the short, stumpy cousin to the long, lanky cucumber most of us are familiar with. If you pick them early, they look like a pickle, but if you leave them, they fill out and get this pudgy shape. They’re also a little bit firmer than your regular,... more

It’s here. The 4th of July happens to mark my favorite point in the summer. My lilies are in full bloom, the hydrangeas just started, balloon flowers are popping. Outside of my garden, marshmallows are roasting, fireworks booming in the sky. We start off our 4th of July at a potluck picnic in the park surrounded by family. We end with another potluck in a backyard with fire pits and lawn games and bomb pops, and then, when the time is right, we meander down the street to stake claim to... more