Gretchen Kruesi

going to seed

Going to Seed: Where It All Began

By Gretchen Kruesi / January 1, 2022 / Comments Off on Going to Seed: Where It All Began

At a young age, Simon Fairlie rejected the rat race and embarked on a new trip to find his own path. He dropped out of Cambridge University to hitchhike to Istanbul and bicycle through India. He established a commune in France, was arrested multiple times for squatting and civil disobedience, and became a leading figure…

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Embracing Hope And Letting Go Of Fear

By Gretchen Kruesi / December 30, 2021 / Comments Off on Embracing Hope And Letting Go Of Fear

We can all get caught up in our own heads sometimes; fall down rabbit holes of fear and find ourselves stuck in situations we don’t want to be in. This can be especially true when it comes to climate change. Often, our resistance to change is a response to our fears of the future. But…

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Potted Plants Need Woodchip Too!

By Gretchen Kruesi / December 28, 2021 / Comments Off on Potted Plants Need Woodchip Too!

Are you growing the majority of your plants out of pots? We have good news! You, too, can use woodchip! Using woodchip in your potted plants is a great way to reduce weeds without spending time hand weeding. The following is an excerpt from The Woodchip Handbook by Ben Raskin. It has been adapted for the web.…

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Quick Start Guide to Year-Round Greens

By Gretchen Kruesi / December 16, 2021 / Comments Off on Quick Start Guide to Year-Round Greens

Cold temps and snow don’t have to mean the end of fresh greens! Follow this quick start guide to year-round greens for fresh salad greens in just a couple of weeks. The following is an excerpt from Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening by Peter Burke. It has been adapted for the web. I teach gardening, and there comes…

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Hungry? Try These Holiday Appetizers (With a Twist!)

By Gretchen Kruesi / December 15, 2021 / Comments Off on Hungry? Try These Holiday Appetizers (With a Twist!)

Adding an appetizer course is a great way to jazz up any holiday dinner. Next time you’re looking to celebrate, try out one (or both) of these delicious holiday appetizers; they’re perfect for the winter season and sure to be a hit with everyone at the table. The following is an excerpt from Black Trumpet by…

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Gift Ideas: 10 Books for the Foodie in Your Life

By Gretchen Kruesi / December 6, 2021 / Comments Off on Gift Ideas: 10 Books for the Foodie in Your Life

Do you love to cook? Does someone close to you love to cook? If you’re struggling with gift ideas for the foodie in your life (or if you’re looking for yourself), look no further! We’ve compiled our top 10 picks for foodies everywhere! Need more gift recommendations for the holiday season? Browse our Holiday Sale and…

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10 Books to Gift a Nature Lover

By Gretchen Kruesi / November 8, 2021 / Comments Off on 10 Books to Gift a Nature Lover

Are you struggling to come up with the perfect gift ideas for the nature lover in your life? Well, look no further! We’ve collected some of our most popular and accessible nature books for you to choose from. From trees to beavers to reindeer; no matter what kind of books your nature lover likes, we’ve…

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The Taste of Herbalism: What Your Tongue is Telling You

By Gretchen Kruesi / October 25, 2021 / Comments Off on The Taste of Herbalism: What Your Tongue is Telling You

If you’ve ever cooked with herbs, you know that taste plays a huge role when deciding which ones to use. It’s much the same when using herbs medicinally. The taste of an herb actually tells us quite a bit about the medicinal properties of the plant.  We’re covering the most common tastes found in herbs…

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A Letter from a Reader: Why We Do What We Do

By Gretchen Kruesi / October 25, 2021 / Comments Off on A Letter from a Reader: Why We Do What We Do

From the beginning, our readers have always been our compass—providing inspiration and direction. Occasionally stories of how our books have made a difference in the lives of our readers make it back to us—be it through customer service phone calls, social media, email—and we’re always thrilled to hear them. We recently received such a letter…

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Not in His Image: Where It All Began

By Gretchen Kruesi / October 20, 2021 / Comments Off on Not in His Image: Where It All Began

Since its initial release to wide acclaim in 2006, Not in His Image has transformed the lives of readers around the world by presenting the living presence of the Wisdom Goddess as never before revealed, illustrating that the truth of an impactful Gnostic message cannot be hidden or destroyed. The following is an excerpt from Not in…

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basket of vegetables

Presenting the Four-Season Harvest

By Gretchen Kruesi / October 14, 2021 / Comments Off on Presenting the Four-Season Harvest

For most gardeners, a typical season begins with planting in the spring and ends with a big harvest in the fall – one that the frugal home-gardener hopes lasts through until spring sprouts again. And if it doesn’t, well, then it’s off to the store to pick up whatever measly, unfresh produce is available. But…

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farmland with hay

Who Are We as Farmers?

By Gretchen Kruesi / October 12, 2021 / Comments Off on Who Are We as Farmers?

Recently, farmers have been making the headlines because of the hardships they’re facing to sustain their farms. With larger, corporate farms running smaller, privately-owned farms out of business, it seems like many farmers are fighting an uphill battle. But, despite the small amount of money, long hours, and constant threats from the “big guys” farmers…

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Bottoms Up! All-Natural Sports Drink (Plus a Recovery Tincture!)

By Gretchen Kruesi / October 11, 2021 / Comments Off on Bottoms Up! All-Natural Sports Drink (Plus a Recovery Tincture!)

When exercising for extended periods of time, we lose large amounts of electrolytes. Instead of picking up a sports drink from the store, you can use Jill Stansbury’s recipe for an Electrolyte Drink to keep you going without the processed chemicals and sugars. And if you’re feeling sore after all that work, try her tincture…

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chocolate cake

Unbelievably Delicious Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake

By Gretchen Kruesi / October 4, 2021 / Comments Off on Unbelievably Delicious Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake

Finding a recipe that produces a flavorful cake without having to compromise the texture is difficult, but this recipe delivers on both flavor AND texture. The unlikely combination of chocolate and sauerkraut yields an absolutely delicious and moist chocolate cake, perfect for your next craving! The following is an excerpt from Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys…

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Fermentation Sensation: Turmeric Mead

By Gretchen Kruesi / September 29, 2021 / Comments Off on Fermentation Sensation: Turmeric Mead

Fermented honey, or mead, is widely thought to be the first intentional ferment. Honey is rarely fermented alone, although it can be. Typically, meads include botanical enhancements. Mead is a perfect way to share the flavors, aromas, and other powers of plants. Meads are also enriched by the additional yeasts and often complementary nutrients that…

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Kick Your Kimchi Up a Notch!

By Gretchen Kruesi / September 20, 2021 / Comments Off on Kick Your Kimchi Up a Notch!

If you’ve been looking to spice up your kimchi game, this is it. Sandor Ellix Katz, author of Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys and award-winning book The Art of Fermentation, is here with a new spin of the classic kimchi recipe. The following is an excerpt from Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys by Sandor Ellix Katz. It…

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Take a Tea Break to De-Stress This Winter!

By Gretchen Kruesi / September 15, 2021 / Comments Off on Take a Tea Break to De-Stress This Winter!

Life can be stressful! Sometimes there’s just no avoiding it. Luckily, taking a moment to brew and enjoy a cup of tea can actually help quite a bit– especially if you’re brewing a cup of Jill Stansbury’s Tea for Stress-Related Muscle Tension. So next time you’re feeling stressed, take a break and brew some tea.…

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apple orchard

Wild Apples, Real Cider, and the Complicated Art of Making a Living

By Gretchen Kruesi / September 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Wild Apples, Real Cider, and the Complicated Art of Making a Living

“Loving apples or cider is not a prerequisite for loving this book. All that is needed is the willingness to follow a vibrant narrative voice driven by the pursuit of dreams.”—Alice Feiring Andy Brennan owns Aaron Burr Cider in New York’s Catskills region.  Since its founding in 2011, Aaron Burr Cider has become well known…

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rewilding

Rewilding: Restoration by Letting Go

By Gretchen Kruesi / September 8, 2021 / Comments Off on Rewilding: Restoration by Letting Go

When it comes to revitalizing the environment, sometimes the best thing we can do is take a step back and let rewilding work its magic. Time and distance often feel like inaction on our part, but removing ourselves from the land is the one action we can take that allows nature the time and space…

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Bugs: The Unsung Heroes

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 27, 2021 / Comments Off on Bugs: The Unsung Heroes

Bugs should be revered for all the vital roles they play in keeping our home inhabitable. Unfortunately, there is a stigma that comes with every bug. Though, without the creepy crawlies, we would be lost and so would nature. Here are a few obscure and iconic bugs that play key roles in nature. The following…

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bowl of kimchi

Foods for a Healthy Bacterial Flora

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 19, 2021 / Comments Off on Foods for a Healthy Bacterial Flora

The food you eat has a direct impact on your gut and overall health. Eating sugary foods feeds the bad bacteria in our mouths that eventually lead to health problems down the road. Probiotic foods are the key to taking care of the important good bacteria in our mouths and intestines. The following is an…

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Fake Meat is not a Miracle Food: Impossible Food

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 29, 2021 / Comments Off on Fake Meat is not a Miracle Food: Impossible Food

Nicolette Hahn Niman on the Fallacy of fake meat, as know as “Clean Meat,” and the Importance of Regenerative Farming The following is an excerpt from Defending Beef by Nicolette Hahn Niman. It originally appeared on Lit Hub. It has been adapted for the web. Faux Meats Silicon Valley-backed “clean meat” is now everywhere. Our…

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Koji for a Touch of Sweetness: Koji Sorbet

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 21, 2021 / Comments Off on Koji for a Touch of Sweetness: Koji Sorbet

The possibilities with koji are endless; cheese, condiments, bread, the list goes on! Let’s not forget about that sweet tooth. It might seem crazy, but koji sorbet is sweet and tangy, making a perfect treat for a warm summer’s evening. If you’ve mastered the simple homemade koji recipe, put your koji to work in this delicious,…

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Defending Bovines, Butter, and Beef

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 14, 2021 / Comments Off on Defending Bovines, Butter, and Beef

Beef and dairy products have received a fair amount of backlash within the last decade or so. We have been told that beef is a big proponent in the increase of obesity and other chronic diet-related diseases, as well as dramatic environmental damage. However, more and more people are speaking out that this is not…

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lemon bars

Luscious Lemons: Classic Lemon Bar Recipe

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 14, 2021 / Comments Off on Luscious Lemons: Classic Lemon Bar Recipe

Everyone loves homemade lemon squares and these refreshing sweet and lightly tart lemon squares are the best. With a buttery crust that is sturdy but tender enough to bite through and a thick and luscious filling with a balance of sweetness and tangy lemon brightness, you can’t beat this recipe. The following is an excerpt…

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