The time my special little garden struck gold Story by Schroeder Wilson You would never use the word “spacious” to describe my special little garden. We call it a special garden, because you cannot see the miniature garden from the street. It is only visible when you’re on the front porch. It is a space between the L-shaped sidewalk and the house … sort of an afterthought of the builder, and not good for much. That little patch of soil was walked by every time anyone went in the front door. It was probably the most conspicuous 3-by-4-feet place around. If Oklahoma is a fly-over state then thi ..read more

Imperfect goods are perfectly good Story and Photo by Amanda Ferguson Sears In 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture estimated that nearly 13 percent of U.S. households experienced food insecurity. Estimates are that one in every six Kentuckians is food insecure. One in seven Kentuckians use food banks in their area and 91 percent of Kentucky food bank clients purchase unhealthy food to feed their family. In Kentucky, 67 percent of households served have had to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities.  Meanwhile, farmers often have imperfect or excess vegetabl ..read more

Story and Illustrations by Peter Loewer Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew the magnificent tulip poplar and it’s rare that such a tree that sends up such fast-growing seedlings around the mother trunk would become one of the finest symbols of America’s natural heritage. This tree has many common names, including yellow poplar, blue poplar, tulip poplar, and tulip tree. Most gardeners call it tulip poplar, although it’s not a poplar at all, but a member of the magnolia family. Photo by J. Kappert (CC BY-SA 3.0) The scientific name is Liriodendron tulipifera, from the Greek w ..read more

Grow your own vineyard in Mississippi Story by Eric Stafne Photography by Richelle Stafne Different kinds of grapes grow in the southeastern U.S. A “bunch grape” refers to grapevines having berries that hang as a cluster. The entire bunch is harvested as a single, uniformly ripe unit. Wine grapes (Vitis vinifera mainly) and table grapes (V. vinifera and interspecific hybrids) are bunch grapes. Muscadines (V. rotundifolia) are not, as they bear small clusters of berries that may ripen at different times. Muscadines are often called by common names like scuppernong (this is also a variety name ..read more

Grow your own backyard vineyard Story by Rodney Wilson When you consider the geography of wine’s history, you no doubt think of France and Italy or, going back further in time, ancient Greece. Stateside, California’s Napa Valley immediately comes to mind, with its rolling hills and moderate climate. But did you know that the first commercial winery in the U.S. wasn’t in the Golden State, but actually was right here, in Lexington, Kentucky? Aptly called First Winery, the winery was established by John James Dufour of Vevey, Switzerland, who chose Lexington because of its access to the Kentucky ..read more

Grow your own backyard vineyard Story and Photos by Bob Westerfield I remember growing up we had a large arbor behind our house that supported some type of purple bunch grapes. I can remember bringing the harvested grapes inside, where my mother would make jams, jellies, and grape juice from the delicious fruit. My earliest childhood memory is taking a cold drink of pure grape juice on a hot summer day and how delicious it tasted. Fast-forward to today and I still have my fondness for fresh grapes. Because of the warm climate I live in now, I grow primarily muscadines (Vitis rotundifolia) rat ..read more

Ways to combat our changing weather Story by Theresa Badurek Our climate is changing. If you’ve been gardening for a while, you have probably already noticed this. Seasons and storms swing in with more wildness and strength than before. Long, hot droughts, drenching tropical rains, tidal flooding, exotic pest invasions, heavy winds, and more. How can you nurture a more resilient garden in the face of increasingly extreme conditions? Prepare now for a more successful future garden.  Know your Zone. USDA Plant Hardiness Zones changed in 2012, shifting noticeably north to accommodate warmin ..read more