I'm pulling cantaloupe off the vine right now, and every year I forget how different a truly ripe one tastes compared to what shows up in a grocery store bin. Here's what actually goes into getting one from seed to slice. Getting it in the ground I plant seeds directly once nights stay above 55 degrees. Go earlier than that and the seeds just sit there instead of growing. The vines take up more room than people expect, so I give each plant at least three feet of space in soi

If your cucumber plants are suddenly producing more cucumbers than you know what to do with, refrigerator pickles are an easy way to use them up. You get that crisp, tangy pickle flavor without going through the full canning process. For this recipe, we're starting with a convenient Mrs. Wages pickle mix and adding a few simple ingredients to each jar for extra flavor and crunch.

My daughter and son-in-law are moving off their farm and into a house in town. With that move comes a hard reality of small-scale farming, not everything can come with you. Their animals need a place to go, so I'm adopting some of their ducks and geese here at my farm. That means a lot more duck eggs coming through my kitchen. I've noticed that when people try duck eggs for the first time, especially scrambled or fried for breakfast, the initial reaction is usually "these ar

The freezer has become my backup plan for egg season. Whenever the refrigerator starts looking more like an egg cooler than a refrigerator, I spend an hour making breakfasts I can stash away for later. A batch of these egg breakfast bites doesn't take much effort, and they're the kind of thing you appreciate on mornings when there's no time to cook but you still want something homemade. These egg breakfast bites are a simple make-ahead breakfast packed with protein and flavor

I counted thirty eggs in the basket yesterday morning, and that was before I'd even checked the nest boxes by the barn. This is the stretch of the year I plan for. The hens don't slow down, the fridge fills up, and I end up back at the same two dishes I always turn to when there are more eggs than plans for them: hard boiled and deviled. Neither one is fancy. That's the point. When you've got a dozen eggs staring at you from the counter, you don't want a recipe with fifteen i

Hens in our farm are laying like it's their job. Which, I suppose, it is. Long daylight hours push their bodies into peak production, and this time of year I'm collecting more eggs than I know what to do with most mornings. If you keep chickens, you know the feeling. The basket by the door fills up faster than you can plan meals around it, and eventually you start hiding cartons on neighbors and tutoring center coworkers just to keep up. So instead of letting eggs pile up in

Some mornings I go out to collect eggs, and the nesting boxes look like they multiplied overnight. Longer daylight hours push egg production up, and by early summer I'm gathering more than we can eat fresh in a normal week. If you keep chickens, you know the feeling. The basket fills up faster than you planned for, and you start looking for ways to use them before you're tempted to just give dozens away. Mornings on the farm don't leave much time for cooking, so this is the t

I've been doing farmers markets for years. And I'll say this upfront, the first one is the hardest. The nerves aren't really about the selling. They're the not-knowing. What do I bring? How does the setup work? What if no one stops at my booth? This is what I wish someone had told me before I loaded up my first van. The Sign-Up Process Every market is a little different, but most established farmers markets require an application. You'll usually fill out a form listing what

I've had my rhubarb plant for close to 20 years. I've moved it five different times, different beds, different corners of the farm and every single time, it comes back. That kind of resilience earns a place in any garden, and honestly, it's earned a spot on this blog too. If you've never grown rhubarb before, it's one of those plants that asks very little and gives a lot in return. And if you've never cooked with it, paired with strawberries especially, you're missing out on

Right now, our strawberries are doing what they do every June, turning deep red, heavy, and impossibly big. It happens quietly. You walk past the rows one morning and suddenly everything is ready. That's strawberry season for you. We grow strawberries here at Garden Gate Farms alongside our lavender, herbs and animals and it took a few seasons before we really understood what they needed. They're not a complicated crop, but they do have preferences, and once you understand t

If your mind won't quiet down at night and anxiety has become your unwanted bedtime companion, you're dealing with something a lot of people don't talk about enough. We grow lavender for a living, and we'll tell you straight, it's not a cure. But the research behind it is more interesting than people often expect. SLEEP Lying awake, restless, mind running, lavender has been studied specifically for this. Lavender has a long history as a natural sleep remedy, and it's one of t

After years of working this land, cutting lavender, shoveling compost, mowing paths, tending the animals, I've come to believe that the right shoes are one of the most underrated decisions you make on a farm. Most people dress the part above the waist. They wear gloves, hats, and long sleeves. But the feet? Usually an afterthought. Old sneakers, flip flops in a hurry, or whatever was closest to the door. I've done it too. And I've paid for it. Footwear is a tool, and it shoul

Spring is when I give my lavender its first proper cut of the year. Once I see fresh green growth coming in at the base, I know it’s time to get to work. Start With What’s Alive I don’t cut into the old woody part of the plant. Lavender doesn’t grow back well from that. I stay just above it, where the stems are still soft and green. From there, I leave 5 inches of green on the plant and cut off everything else. Enough to keep the plant compact and encourage new shoots. Keepi

Spring is a working season for us here at Garden Gate Farms. It’s when the garden starts moving again, but it’s also when small decisions matter more than people realize. A lot of issues I see later in the year usually trace back to what was done too early or done without checking first. Here’s how I approach this time of year on the farm. What to do now Check your soil before planting. If it still feels heavy or holds too much water, leave it for a few more days. Planting in

There’s a part of the evening on the farm when everything settles without effort. The light softens, the air cools, and the scent of lavender stays close to the ground. That moment is what most people are looking for when they reach for lavender oil. This isn’t a routine you need to follow perfectly. It’s simply a few ways to use lavender oil so it naturally fits into your evenings. Why Some Lavender Oils Feel Different When we distill lavender on the farm, the scent doesn’

At some point, the seedlings you started indoors will tell you they are ready for more space. Roots begin to circle, growth slows, and the soil dries out faster than it used to. That is the right time to move them into a larger container. I like to do this before the plant feels stressed. A gentle transition keeps growth steady and avoids setbacks that are hard to recover from later. Transplanting Into a Larger Container When transplanting, I handle the root ball carefully

Out here at Garden Gate Lavender , the chickens move through the farm as naturally as the wind does. They pass the lavender rows, circle the young trees, and settle where the ground feels right to them. Over time, I’ve noticed they return to the same dry patch again and again. That’s where they dust bathe. It ’s easy to overlook if you’re busy. A chicken lowers herself into loose soil, kicks it up, and rolls slightly to work it through her feathers. It looks rough at first g

Each spring at Garden Gate Farms , I walk the farm and take stock of what needs attention. The lavender begins to push new growth, the trees show their first leaves, and the hens spend longer hours outdoors. This is when I clean out the chicken coop. A thorough spring clean protects the flock’s health and supports consistent egg production. It matters every year, but it is especially important if you use the Deep Litter Method through winter. Deep Litter Method The Deep Lit

At Garden Gate Farms , the fields people walk through in summer begin months earlier on simple tables inside a barn. Most of our lavender, herbs, and many of the plants around the farm start in trays before the ground outside is ready. Starting plants indoors is steady work. You are taking over the job of the season. Light, warmth, and water are now in your hands. When those three are handled well, plants grow strong from the beginning. Here is how I do it. 1. Begin With Go

We bake a lot at home. Partly because we enjoy it, partly because when you grow lavender at Garden Gate Farms , you can’t help but test it in the kitchen. Some recipes are one-time experiments. This lavender shortbread isn’t. It’s the cookie we make when family drops by, when we pack small thank-you boxes, or when we simply want something good to have with tea. I’m sharing it here the exact way we prepare it. The Important Part: Using Lavender Correctly Lavender is easy to m