Homestead and Hearthcraft Archives

Your Witchy Kitchen Garden

Morningbird Morningbird's Garden

I think every witch should grow a garden. It puts you in touch with energies and cycles that people who don’t garden just don’t know about. If you grow food or magical or medicinal herbs, they are just that much more potent from the energy you put into them. And, if you are learning about […]

Harvesting and Using Wild Grape Leaves

Morningbird Homestead and Hearthcraft, Morningbird's Garden

There are many species of wild grape in my area and the grapes they produce are small, few, and not very tasty. Their leaves, however, are large, abundant, and delicious. I like to gather them in late spring and early summer over the course of a few weeks and then ferment them in brine to […]

Garlic Mustard – Wildcrafting

Morningbird Food, Homestead and Hearthcraft, Kitchen Witch Corner, Morningbird's Garden

Garlic mustard is an invasive species that can be found throughout the US. It enjoys moist, shady areas but can grow just about anywhere, displacing native species. It is one of the first plants to appear after winter and it may release chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants. Finding and Identifying Garlic Mustard […]

Get Your Plants Ready for the Garden- Hardening off

Morningbird Homestead and Hearthcraft, Morningbird's Garden

If you’ve started some plants from seed or purchased some from your garden center, you’re probably eager to get them in the ground. If you want to get them off to the best start possible, however, it pays to take a few days to get them ready. What is Hardening Off Hardening off is the […]

Survival Gardening- Choosing Seeds for Speed

Morningbird Homestead and Hearthcraft

It is a good thing I ordered the bulk of my seeds months ago and saved many from last year because I have noticed that many of the seed companies are on delayed shipping and some have even shut down ordering for the time being due to demand. It seems seeds are going the way […]

Planning Your Garden: How Much to Plant

Morningbird Homestead and Hearthcraft, Morningbird's Garden

This is just a little chart to give you an idea of how much you’ll need to plant of each different type in your garden. Plant recommendations are Per Person you are feeding. If you are only growing for in-season eating, select the number from the “eat fresh” column and multiply it by the number […]

2019 Pepper Review

Morningbird Homestead and Hearthcraft, Morningbird's Garden

This year was to be the year of the pepper. I am afraid I am not very good at peppers. Our local weather conditions aren’t the best for flavorful peppers. We just don’t get a lot of heat out of them. My research suggests that I water them too much and that our weather is […]

2019 Tomato Review

Morningbird Homestead and Hearthcraft, Morningbird's Garden

I tried a variety of tomatoes in our Great Lakes region garden this year. Here are the best and the worst.

Getting Started with a Simple Herb Garden

Morningbird Kitchen Witch Corner, Morningbird's Garden

Gardening can be intimidating and, for those of us who do not have our own patch of dirt to tend, it can seem nearly impossible. But growing and using your own herbs is quite satisfying and can only improve our magical relationship with them. And if you don’t have your own patch of dirt, many […]

Growing Tomatoes

Morningbird Morningbird's Garden

Tomatoes are among the most popular garden plants. Store bought tomatoes cannot compare to the flavor and texture of fresh, homegrown tomatoes, still warm from the sun and there are few vegetables (fruits!) more versatile in the kitchen. While tomatoes are a popular plant for beginners, they can present challenges if conditions aren’t just right. […]