FRESH AT SAGE’S ACRE
PLANTS
I grow sub-tropicals, California natives, and lots of vegetables then share my experience and thoughts
HOME & GARDEN
The 2024 Tomato Harvest Begins
I was worried that going 5 days without water in our July heat would wipe out my beefsteak tomatoes. Turns out my fears were unwarranted. They did just fine.
Growing Artichokes as Flowers
Artichokes aren't much to look at in the garden, but if you let them flower, they turn out to be quite attractive. Pollinators like bees love them too!
My Hybrid Tomato Experiment
A lot of people dismiss the idea of saving seeds from hybrid tomatoes because they don't breed true. Me, I grow many generations of them to see where they go.
What to plant after early summer crops
Early summer vegetable crops are done, but the veggie garden isn't. Here’s what to plant and how to keep your vegetable garden going through the end of summer
Make a Garden Twine Dispenser from a Gourd
If you use twine in your garden, then you could probably use a twine dispenser. Here's how to make one quickly and easily with a gourd and a few simple tools
Garden Design with Grocery Store Onions
Don't throw out those onions just because they sprouted! Plant them in the garden and they'll reward you with a show of amazing flowers that look like lollipops
HOME & GARDEN
PHOTO GALLERY
There’s always some strange, interesting, beautiful or fun going on here at the Acre, so I carry a camera. Just in case.
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly on a Zinnia
Spotted my first Gulf Fritillary butterfly (aka "Passion Butterfly") lounging in the sunshine on a zinnia in the herb garden. Hadn't noticed these guys before.
FOOD & RECIPES
French Fried Squash Sticks
Battered sticks of squash lightly fried for delicious flavor (just like in your favorite pub, but better!). Serve with ranch dip and / or hot sauce
Pichana Steaks – It’s What’s for Dinner
Who needs a steakhouse when you've got Australian Wagyu Pichana on an oak-fired rotisserie along side fresh sweet corn and baked potatoes in your own backyard?
Bottling Batch 24 Fermented Hot Sauce (Part 1)
After 4 months of fermentation, the peppers seem to have stalled out, so it's time to process and bottle the first half of my Batch 24 slow fermented hot sauce.
FOOD & RECIPES
How to Make Real Old-Fashioned Bacon at Home (Easy)
Homemade bacon is one of *the* great flavors available to a cook. It's also surprisingly simple to make. Here's everything you need to know to make your own.
Batch 24 Hot Sauce Pepper Addition Number 4
Early autumn, unlike the end of summer, has been mild and the Fish peppers are producing more heavily than every. This week's addition will be heavy on them.
Batch 24 Hot Sauce Pepper Addition Number 3
Heat shocked the Cayenne peppers, so my third addition of hot peppers to Batch 24 of the fermented hot sauce will be mostly Hinkelhatz and Fish peppers
Giardinera: How to preserve summer vegetables and enjoy them all year long
Don’t let the bounty of your vegetable garden go to waste! Make Giardinera (aka Italian pickled vegetables), a tasty way to enjoy garden harvest all year long
AROUND THE ACRE
Live Video Stream
What do chickens and ducks do when no one is watching? Find out with ChickenCam! Camera feed is live on weekends from 9AM to 4PM Pacific.
Visit the ChickenCam »
Weathercam
Live camera shot facing west toward the Pacific Ocean, about 7 miles away.
FRESH AT SAGE’S ACRE
PLANTS
I grow sub-tropicals, California natives, and lots of vegetables then share my experience and thoughts
HOME & GARDEN
The 2024 Tomato Harvest Begins
I was worried that going 5 days without water in our July heat would wipe out my beefsteak tomatoes. Turns out my fears were unwarranted. They did just fine.
Growing Artichokes as Flowers
Artichokes aren't much to look at in the garden, but if you let them flower, they turn out to be quite attractive. Pollinators like bees love them too!
My Hybrid Tomato Experiment
A lot of people dismiss the idea of saving seeds from hybrid tomatoes because they don't breed true. Me, I grow many generations of them to see where they go.
What to plant after early summer crops
Early summer vegetable crops are done, but the veggie garden isn't. Here’s what to plant and how to keep your vegetable garden going through the end of summer
Make a Garden Twine Dispenser from a Gourd
If you use twine in your garden, then you could probably use a twine dispenser. Here's how to make one quickly and easily with a gourd and a few simple tools
Garden Design with Grocery Store Onions
Don't throw out those onions just because they sprouted! Plant them in the garden and they'll reward you with a show of amazing flowers that look like lollipops
HOME & GARDEN
PHOTO GALLERY
There’s always some strange, interesting, beautiful or fun going on here at the Acre, so I carry a camera. Just in case.
Gulf Fritillary Butterfly on a Zinnia
Spotted my first Gulf Fritillary butterfly (aka "Passion Butterfly") lounging in the sunshine on a zinnia in the herb garden. Hadn't noticed these guys before.
FOOD & RECIPES
French Fried Squash Sticks
Battered sticks of squash lightly fried for delicious flavor (just like in your favorite pub, but better!). Serve with ranch dip and / or hot sauce
Pichana Steaks – It’s What’s for Dinner
Who needs a steakhouse when you've got Australian Wagyu Pichana on an oak-fired rotisserie along side fresh sweet corn and baked potatoes in your own backyard?
Bottling Batch 24 Fermented Hot Sauce (Part 1)
After 4 months of fermentation, the peppers seem to have stalled out, so it's time to process and bottle the first half of my Batch 24 slow fermented hot sauce.
FOOD & RECIPES
How to Make Real Old-Fashioned Bacon at Home (Easy)
Homemade bacon is one of *the* great flavors available to a cook. It's also surprisingly simple to make. Here's everything you need to know to make your own.
Batch 24 Hot Sauce Pepper Addition Number 4
Early autumn, unlike the end of summer, has been mild and the Fish peppers are producing more heavily than every. This week's addition will be heavy on them.
Batch 24 Hot Sauce Pepper Addition Number 3
Heat shocked the Cayenne peppers, so my third addition of hot peppers to Batch 24 of the fermented hot sauce will be mostly Hinkelhatz and Fish peppers
Giardinera: How to preserve summer vegetables and enjoy them all year long
Don’t let the bounty of your vegetable garden go to waste! Make Giardinera (aka Italian pickled vegetables), a tasty way to enjoy garden harvest all year long
AROUND THE ACRE
Live Video Stream
What do chickens and ducks do when no one is watching? Find out with ChickenCam! Camera feed is live on weekends from 9AM to 4PM Pacific.
Visit the ChickenCam »
Weathercam
Live camera shot facing west toward the Pacific Ocean, about 7 miles away.