Living Against the Current

06/04/2026

Leek moth larvae tunnel into garlic, onions, and leeks, causing distorted growth and reducing plant vigor.

One effective biological control is BTK (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki), a naturally occurring soil bacterium that targets caterpillar larvae when they feed on treated foliage. For best results, apply BTK when moth activity begins and reapply according to the label, especially after rain.

Hopefully I treated early and my crop will not be affected.

06/04/2026

BREAKING: My longtime nemesis has returned. The asparagus beetles are back, and they have once again declared war on my asparagus patch. I declared a soapy war on them!

06/03/2026

Nothing fancy—just a glass of mead on the deck, a little sunshine, and a chance to slow down for a while. If you're looking for me, this is where I'll be. Any takers?

06/03/2026

The newly emerged Queen Bees have successfully mated!

Nucs will be ready soon

05/27/2026

Removing rhubarb flower stalks helps the plant focus on growing more harvestable stalks instead of producing seeds.

05/27/2026

Made a template for burning holes in landscape fabric and it made setup so much faster.

Uniform spacing and different configurations. This just works!

05/25/2026

Rendering tallow is a simple way to turn beef fat into a versatile, shelf-stable product that can be used for cooking, baking, soap making, and more.

A little time, a little patience, and a whole lot of value from something many people throw away.

05/22/2026

Marketplace can be dangerous for gardeners…

You go looking for one thing and come home planning an entire new greenhouse setup.

05/21/2026

Pickled up something new to us this week...any guesses???

05/21/2026