Introducing Presenter Darren Chittick

Here is both a video of and an article by Darren Chittick





There is something about a tomato ripened on the vine, still warm from the sun with a dash of salt and a little cilantro that pleases the palate more than the most complex of French dishes. In Indiana, tomatoes are a summer staple. Local grocery stores are still stocking round, red fruits from Mexico, Canada and California instead of the heirloom goodness local farmers have to offer. Add to that the travel time that those little darlings were picked green and then forced, under duress, to ripen in a truck or airplane, and it’s a wonder they even survive! And that is only the tomatoes!

This understanding has led many to local farmers markets. While this is a great solution, why not plant a garden, too! The very idea of gardening is immediately intimidating to some. It seems to mean a lot of work for a little return. That is because the word gardening is attached to a mental imagining that isn’t always realistic. Many nuvo, urban homesteaders are realizing that gardening can mean a lot of things and can fit any schedule.

The garden of yesteryear, long rows in big plots, is not as applicable to urban life. For the city-dweller, the possibilities are still vast. Vertical gardening, raised beds, and container gardens are just a few possibilities for fresh, organic produce grown at home. These can support something as simple as a salsa garden on the patio to an entire feast of vegetables and fruits from the yard.

Even if you haven’t had a garden all year, mums aren’t the only thing to get into the ground as the weather cools. It’s time to plant garlic that will be harvested next year. It’s still great weather for lettuces, cabbages, broccoli and spinach. Many greens and root veggies, in fact, prefer cooler weather. It’s not too late to consider getting some wholesome food into the ground