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The latest articles from Chelsea Green and our authors: offering tips and techniques about how you can bring our books to life in your kitchen, backyard, or community.
Beat the Heat and Be Good to Your Gut: Dairy-Free Ice Cream Recipes
No summer day is complete without an ice cream cone. Unfortunately, dairy intolerance makes it tough for many to enjoy this seasonal dessert. Try out these dairy-free ice cream recipes to indulge in this frozen treat while still being kind to your gut. The following recipes have been adapted for the web from The Heal…
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Not Level? No Problem. How to Build a Greenhouse on a Slope
Is your yard uneven or sloped, but you want to build a greenhouse? It may not seem like the “perfect spot,” but building a greenhouse on a slope actually comes with a couple of benefits that you won’t get from making one a level site. The following is an excerpt is from The Bio-Integrated Farm by…
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Easy-to-Make Drying Trays
Looking for a new way to enjoy the benefits of your garden all year long? Follow this easy tutorial for making drying trays to expand the lifespan of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The following is an excerpt from Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning by The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante. It has been adapted for…
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Fruity Ferments: End of Summer Fruit Kvass
Fruit kvass is a great first ferment for beginners. All you need is fruit, whey or ginger bug, and jar to hold the ferment. Start this recipe today, and you’ll be enjoying a delicious fizzy drink in about three days! The following excerpt is from The Wildcrafting Brewer by Pascal Baudar. It has been adapted for…
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A Game Of Chicken: The Demand for Real Meat
Meat production can be a tricky business. Everyone wants to consume real chicken and pork, but meeting this demand can be difficult for farmers and food companies. To ensure that we’re eating high-quality chicken and poultry, we must even out the demand for real meat. The following is an excerpt from Saying NO to a Farm-Free Future…
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Start Your Own Medicinal Herb Garden with These 3 Herbs
Want to start your own medicinal herb garden? Passionflower, lemon balm, and goldenseal are the best place to begin! These herbs are not only jam-packed with medicinal properties; they’re also extremely easy to grow in a majority of climates. With a little background information on the proper growing conditions, medicinal uses, and harvesting and drying tips,…
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Wild Flavors to Fire Up Your Grill: Foraging for Wood and Aromatics
If you love grilling, you probably know that various woods add delicious smoky flavors to grilled meat, fish, and vegetables; but where do you find them? Here are some tips on foraging for wood, bark, and aromatics to help you add a wild twist to anything you toss on the grill this summer. The following…
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Lacto-Fermenting: A Faster Way to Ferment Vegetables
Looking for a faster way to ferment your vegetables? Lacto-fermenting, a fermentation method widely used in Japan, involves a special glass or plastic container that has a device for constantly pressing down the vegetables. With this method, you’ll be ready to eat your fermented veggies in as little as a few days! The following is an excerpt…
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5 Activities for Summer Vacation Fun
School’s out for summer! Fill the lull between beach trips and camp with some of our favorite kid-friendly activities for summer vacation fun. From sunrise to sunset, there’s always something to do in the kitchen or the garden that will keep the kids entertained and educated all season long. How to Get Your Kids in the…
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The Radiant Raspberry: Foraging For and Cooking With Wild Raspberries
Raspberries: they’re sweet, flavorful, extremely versatile, and can be found in your own backyard or local forest. Forage for raspberries yourself and use them to create delicious dishes, as well as some lasting memories! The following excerpt is from The Fruit Forager’s Companion by Sara Bir and has been adapted for the web. The Freedom of Foraging For…
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So What Exactly Is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, the most commonly used weedkiller in the world. Nearly 300 million pounds of glyphosate-based herbicides are sprayed on farms (and food) every year, making them almost impossible to avoid. What actually is glyphosate, and what does it do to us? Keep reading to find out more about this…
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I Scream, You Scream, We All Forage For Ice Cream
We’re over plain vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. This summer, we’re craving some new and original ice cream flavors! Forage for your own ingredients and create a one-of-a-kind seasonal dessert. The following is an excerpt from The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora by Alan Bergo. It has been adapted for the web. Spruce Tip Ice Cream…
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All In The Sting: Health Benefits of Honey Bee Venom
Tired of trying different traditional medicines to relieve inflammation and joint pain? Give bee venom therapy a try. Apitherapy and bee venom therapy is an emerging medicinal treatment that uses the stinger of a honey bee to alleviate pain and aid in healing. Bee venom therapy works by catalyzing the body’s natural healing processes. Most…
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Preserving Vegetables in Salt: Whole Tomatoes
Buying fresh produce feels like a waiting game — if you blink, your food will go from ripe to rotten all too soon. Beat this game by preserving vegetables, such as tomatoes, in salt. This process will keep them fresh and ready for sauce, stock, and more. The following is an excerpt from Preserving Food Without…
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From Field to Storage: Grain Storage Container Options
Wondering where to put all the grains you grew? Storing grains accurately is essential for a successful harvest; and how you store them can make or break the quality of your crops. Check out the following grain storage container options to see which is best for your farm or homestead. The following is an excerpt from The…
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How to Cook the Perfect, Tender Grass-Fed Steak
Summertime is here, which means it’s officially grilling season! Whip up a delicious grass-fed steak at your next BBQ to support small-scale farmers, help protect the environment, and give your guests a meal they’re going to be talking about all summer. The following is a collection of recipes from cookbooks by Shannon Hayes, author of…
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The Perfect Slice: Watermelon Radish and Preserved Lemon Gremolata
Gremolata is most commonly used for a final flourish of flavor to add a fresh taste to rich meaty dishes. This traditional Italian condiment is sprinkled over any number of dishes and it will make every mouthful pop with its bright flavor. It is a great addition to grilled meat, roasted or grilled vegetables, and pasta…
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8 Foraging Recipes for Your Perfect Summer Picnic
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a picnic in the sun. Next time you want to go for a picnic, grab your foraging basket first and gather your meal from nature’s bounty! We have everything you need to get started, from foraging recipes and tips to advice on preserving wild food. Foraging for Food: 10…
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Bring On the Brews This Summer: DIY Beer, Wine, & Cider
There’s nothing much better than having a drink after a long, hot day. What could make it better is drinking something that you brewed yourself. Create great drinks all on your own this season with help from these recipes for summer brews! The following is an excerpt from Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz. It has…
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The Seven Layers of A Forest Garden
When you create a forest garden, you give nature the reigns and let it take the hard part off your hands. All you need to do is get to work on creating the seven layers, and the forest will take care of the rest. The following is an excerpt from The Home-Scale Forest Garden by Dani…
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9 Things to Consider When Building Your Own Greenhouse
Daydreaming of extending your growing season and building your own greenhouse? After considering the following factors and making a few additional preparations, you’ll be all set to grow food for you and your family in your backyard greenhouse for years to come. The following is an excerpt from The Forest Garden Greenhouse by Jerome Osentowski.…
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Mint Salt: A Fresh Take on Seasoning
Searching for a new way to use salt and seasonings in your kitchen? Look no further than this recipe for mint salt! This fresh, natural salt is a game-changer that is bound to mix up the way you season your dishes. The following is an excerpt from Salt and the Art of Seasoning by James Strawbridge.…
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Herbal Remedies for Burns, Bites, Stings, and Wounds
There are a number of herbs & herbal treatments that help reduce skin discomfort. Herbal formulas serve as remedies for burns, help fight infection, aid in repairing the skin, prevent the formation of scar tissue, and more! The following excerpt is from Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals, Volume 1 by Jill Stansbury. It has been…
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Panna Cotta With Galium: A Sweet Stand-In For Vanilla
Who needs a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down when you have galium? This wild herb not only has a sugary sweet aroma on its own, but can also add a delicious vanilla-like flavor when added to desserts. Forage for your own galium in the woods or even your own backyard to…
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The Cost of Manufactured Food: Land & Energy
It’s no secret that overly manufactured food isn’t good for our health. The production of these foods is also extremely harmful for agriculture and the environment. The end result of manufactured foods lead to the elimination of many small farms. We must change the way we grow and purchase food to stay healthy and keep…
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