Pumpkins have been showing up in our family in all sorts of ways lately. My daughter has been bringing me pumpkins, and last Sunday night, we shared a pumpkin pie made by my son-in-law. He likes to roast pumpkins, puree the flesh, and freeze it for later, so he has pumpkin ready when he wants to bake. I appreciate that kind of planning, especially when it means homemade pie down the road! Choosing and Carving Your Pumpkin Pumpkin season is a good time to visit a local farmers market. You...

Tomatoes are one of those garden vegetables I always like having around because they can go straight from the garden into so many everyday meals. At Garden Gate Lavender, we grow tomatoes along with cucumbers, squash, peppers, greens, and other seasonal produce, so simple recipes like this tomato quiche are a practical way to use what is growing. It starts with a proper pie crust, made from scratch. I know a store-bought crust is tempting when you're already busy with harvest, but a homemade...

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 soil that drains...