Farm My Yard

08/19/2026

Learn to grow food without irrigation! Yes, you can.

These heirloom tomatoes are sweet and juicy with no irrigation, at all, since we got the starts.  Wait, I thought tomatoes needed lots of water?  Nope.  They are native to high, dry deserts in the Andes.   Heavily watered fruits will be softer, which some people prefer and some people….don’t...

08/05/2026

Learn to dry, can, and ferment your garden produce from the experts at Handmade Gardens

Pears in the solar fruit dryer. Want to see it in action? Come to class. Next week, Tuesday August 11, 6 pm. https://handmadegardenspdx.com/schedule-classes-tours/class-8-food-preservation-methods/

07/30/2026

From the Wayback Machine. This effort went pretty far, and it should have gone before the Portland City Council, but it was blocked. I thought it was worth sharing in case anyone wants to pick up the torch and run with it. Maybe I will.

07/27/2026

Learn to preserve your harvest....from the experts. Ferment, dry or can - which works for you?

While we relish our fresh summer salads and luscious fruits, we’re also looking ahead to winter when the garden-fresh food is pretty much kale, kale and kale.  The solar dryers are full of pears and figs, there’s pear butter simmering in the solar oven.  A crock of pickles fermenting in the b...

07/22/2026

What to do with all that fruit?

Our ultra-early pear tree is ready to pick!  Come learn tips for telling when a fruit is ready, and special needs of the pear harvest.  Plus fill up the solar dryer to see how it works.  Learn ideal slicing technique for drying.  And of course you can harvest fruits, flowers and veggies to take...

06/23/2026

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06/23/2026

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06/23/2026

Learn from the experts!

And what are we planting?  Endive, escarole and radicchio.  These hardy chicories sweeten after frost and will give us delicious and beautiful salads through the winter.

06/08/2026

Time for a reading group.

PCEF wanted to better understand how urban farming in Portland can help address climate change, food access, and community well-being. We worked with researchers, community members, and experts to gather information and identify smart ways to invest in the future of regenerative urban agriculture.

05/29/2026

A few weeks ago it was 90 degrees.  Last week it was 60 and raining.   Today it's 86…what's next?  I’ll keep my raincoat and sun hat by the door.  Rollercoaster weather is the hallmark of climate change: extremes at both ends, with rapid change.