3D printers at South County Library
The South County Library put two 3D printers into action for patrons in December of 2017. Recently, staff held a free class that outlined how they work, where to find designs and offered library personnel to help anyone with guidance on designs and production of product. The Friends of the…
Preparing edible perennials & fall plantings for winter
If you’ve decided to save money and time with perennial choices, start thinking about how you’ll help your plants through the colder months. Some need no attention. Most will benefit from some. Others may parish if you don’t take some easy steps to protect them. Herbs Herbs are easy. The…
V.A. $1.95 Cleaners
In recent years, I’ve started to jettison clothing requiring dry cleaning. Laundering costs became so expensive I started calculating how many new outfits I could buy for what I was spending to keep old ones clean. If you’re traveling or living in the area and wearing nice clothes, it’s always…
7 ways to stop vegetable garden loss organically
This year marks my first growing season the Roanoke area (BIG difference from Upstate New York), so it’s required some experimentation as things went wrong. One issue I’ve never dealt with is suburban deer (country deer are a lot easier to discourage or redirect). Another is prolonged heat. This makes…
Virginia Horse Center
This is a massive facility on 600 acres with eight barns that house 750 horses, 19 show rings, a combined carriage driving & five mile cross country course and campgrounds. There’s also coliseum that seats 4000 people. It’s about an hour north of Roanoke, in Lexington, Virginia, right off 81….
5 easy steps for keeping fresh cut herbs tasty for months
Lately, I’ve received a lot of questions about preserving herbs. It’s that time of year. Drying is the first method that comes to mind for most. Few realize that many herbs are easy to freeze – and tastier when preserved with this method. Parsley needs no attention. Simply wash it,…
Roanoke’s Blue Ridge Parkway
You haven’t seen Roanoke right until you’ve spent some time on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Although it extends 469 miles, starting in the south at the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in North Carolina (go there too – it’s a spiritual place, particularly if you land in winter when roads…
Walter’s Greenhouse in Hardy, VA
I first saw Walter’s Greenhouse goods at the South County Farmers Market. The displays were better than others, occupying the largest area. It seemed they were a large conglomerate simply there to push people to their multiple area retail locations . I was wrong. During a later visit toward the…
What is it Wednesday? Wheatgrass
Honestly, I had to look this one up. Since I’m not a juicer, it wasn’t a food choice I was familiar with. Now that I’m growing it, it seemed like an apt time to understand what all the fuss is about. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Wheatgrass provides a concentrated…
Kale & Turnips both taste better with this quick, fun recipe
Kale, turnips and raw garlic are in season now (if you’re further north than Virginia, you might need to wait a week or two but it’ll be soon – so save this one for later). Honestly, I’m not a big fan of kale, but it’s loaded with nutrients and produce…
