Lake Effect Gardener

https://youtu.be/w2WwW714t-o

Episode 114: A Slow Harvest Just returned from a vacation on the beach and now it's time for my first harvest of the season! Music by BensoundRoyalty Free Music: https://www.bensound.co...

The bachelor buttons are really prolific this year! 🥰

Saw the amazing Tori Amos this evening... my seventh time seeing her in concert and she never disappoints!!

Medicinal foraging this morning... my ‘in between’ two big projects. Both with be revealed very soon! Comfrey and plantain on the dry in three different methods- I’ll be interested to see which method turns out best! This I’ll turn into a comfrey/plantain salve. Be sure to take advantage of nature’s apothecary while you can!

I love a good before and after... got this gorgeous oak door for FREEEEE... stripped and stained!

The gorgeous apothecary rose has come into bloom on the patio! Bought this as a mostly-dead close out at Home Depot years ago and it has graced me with gorgeous, old-rose scented blooms every spring since!

The ‘Little Brat Barricade’ is up ready for sweet corn, zucchini, butternut squash and goodness knows what else I’ll be able to jam in there!! Time to break and head to the beach!! Happy Memorial Day weekend, friends! 🇺🇸

May Tour!!

Episode 112: May Garden Tour The garden is ready!!! Memorial Day is always the time to plant in, and I'm chomping at the bit to get things into the ground! I've also finished another pr...

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there and happiest day to my mom who had always been there for me through thick and thin! You had your work cut out for you when I entered the world! ❤️

I’m sure most of you reached this stage a while ago, but the beds are ready to plant into, finally!! The tree roots almost did me in... 😂 onward to planting!!! 🥰

Happy Easter! Artwork by Tasha Tudor... or perhaps a depiction of me telling the bunnies not to eat my crops... 😂

Out with the old...

Episode 110: Saying Goodbye...

Episode 110: Saying Goodbye... ...to my greenhouse!!! Who doesn't love a little clickbait! It's time I dismantled the derelict remains of my well-loved seedling home and set the path for ...

Winter last week, summer today!

Episode 109: March Madness

Episode 109: March Madness March is the beginning of the whirlwind! Both with the weather and with all of my various projects! Knitting, seedlings, garden planning... the list seems t...

Happy first day of spring!! Sun rising in the middle of the backyard!! 🥰

The other side of Jim...

Out now!!

Episode 108: Tasha Tudor and the Flower Garden Tasha Tudor has inspired me to take my flower growing in a new direction this year... she's also inspired me to take on other projects! Come see what flower...

Sunrise- almost in the middle of the backyard...you know what that means... Spring is almost here!!

Welcome, March!! Artwork by Tasha Tudor.

Can you tell I’m hankering for nicer weather?? Cold start, been parked since October... fired right up!!

Episode 107: Veg Seed to Sow for 2023

Episode 107: Veg Seed to Sow for 2023 Time to show you what veg I'll be growing for 2023 for both the cottage garden and the farm!

The whole house shook! 😳

2022 was a bit of a disappointment for me, garden-wise... however, 2023 is here! And with it, a renewed sense of excitement for the new growing season! In this vlog I'm coming clean about 2022, showing you the garden post Snowvember Storm and Christmas blizzard and sharing a lovely gift from a lovely lady.

Episode 106: Big Changes Are Afoot!

Episode 106: Big Changes Are Afoot! 2022 was a bit of a disappointment for me, garden-wise... however, 2023 is here! And with it, a renewed sense of excitement for the new growing season! In t...

I got some readin’ to do!!

Sooooo happy to finally see some sun at last!!

Morning, friends... thanks Julie, for checking in! I’ve had a few messages from friends from the UK who have seen Buffalo on their news! The Blizzard has come and gone, and today it is 50°F... it’s gone from 4’ of snow to about a foot in a few days- i suspect the snow will be gone by the end of the weekend!!

Just a recap on my blizzard experience...The winds were very concerning to me- i have many old, tall trees around my house that were resisting the 70mph winds we were having. Thankfully, their roots are strong (as you well know... I’m always digging them up in my garden beds!) and there were no casualties!! My greenhouse has collapsed from the weight of the snow, but believe it or not, my tunnel still stands!!! I’ll dismantle the remains of the greenhouse and build a new bed come spring!

As I’m located south of the city of Buffalo, this weather is rather typical (minus the winds) for us. The city usually ‘dodges the bullet’ on these weather events, along with the Northtowns... but this storm hit them particularly hard this time around. The melting snow will hopefully aide in their cleanup operation- although now with warm temperatures and rain moving in, there is a fear of flooding. When it rains, it pours.

Thanks for your well-wishes!! We finally celebrated Christmas yesterday, and today I have the windows slightly ajar, the console radio blaring some Gillian Welch and I’m giving my house a good cleaning. Looking forward to nicer, longer days... seed catalogs and planning my 2023 garden!

Wishing you all a lovely New Year’s and hope you’re all safe! Here’s a picture of my childhood home after I plowed my parents out!

Jim # # #

Tufted titmouse pair enjoying the break in the Blizzard. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Brilliant. Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas... Snow hurricane on the way...

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends stateside! Enjoy your family time! Hope your meals are scrumptious and may your trousers be elasticated!