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.
Keeping the Garden Cool in a Heatwave
An overhead gourd garden will keep raised beds cool in late summer. The beds stay 15 degrees cooler than full sun so you can start fall crops 60 days earlier
HOME & GARDEN
How to Make an Easy Compost Turning Tool
Got a small compost pile that’s a bit of work to turn? Here’s a simple tool you can put together in a couple of minutes that’ll make it easy to do.
Don’t Toss Those Pepper Plants!
Summer might have ended, but that doesn’t mean your peppers have to. Here's how to easily overwinter pepper plants and have fresh peppers again next spring!
Root Beer Plant (Piper auritum)
A lush Central/South American native Piper auritum has root beer scented leaves and a peppery-licorice flavor. Also known as Mexican pepperleaf or hoja santa
The best zucchini varieties for home gardens
We grew three different heirloom zucchini varieties and rated them based on space, productivity, and flavor to find the best combo for our home vegetable garden
Vegetable Garden Trials: Carbon Black Heirloom Tomatoes
Two thirds of the way through the growing season, Carbon Black Heirloom Tomatoes have been a standout for the size and quantity of the tomatoes they produce
A Mid-Summer Stroll Through the Hanging Gourd Garden
Mid-summer's heat can be brutal on plants in the vegetable garden. To help protect the plants that don't do well in heat, we plant a hanging gourd garden
HOME & GARDEN
FOOD & RECIPES
Old Fashioned Cornbread Recipe
A super easy cornbread recipe made with sweet corn kernels and bacon. It's sweet, moist, and practically irresistible! Great for Thanksgiving and other meals.
Tapas Time!
Got a few extra veggies but don't know what to do? Make pinchos de encurtidos (a type of tapas). Easy & delicious, they're great with cheese and charcuterie.
Go Ahead, Pickle It!
Long before refrigeration pickling was the way to preserve food and keep it flavorful. Super simple, you can create any great pickled food yourself. Here's how
FOOD & RECIPES
Thanksgiving Day Prep – Homemade Stuffing
We don't grow wheat or make flour, but we do make bread, and, along with some herbs from the garden, a base for amazing for stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey. The recipe is simple and straightforward. Once you've made your own croutons you'll never go back to store bought.
Bakery-Style French Bread Recipe
Ever wonder why bakery fresh French bread is so dang delicious? It's an old baker's secret, pre-fermented dough. Here's how to make amazing bakery-style French bread at home.
How to make deli-style Italian sandwich rolls
Here's the recipe for chewy, crunchy, flavorful sub sandwich rolls so good your family and friends will have a hard time believing you made them.
Making Summer Pickles
If you love authentic dill pickles, there's nothing better or simpler to make than old fashioned deli-style summer pickles. This recipe dates back to 1900 and uses just a few spices and natural fermentation to make some of the best homemade pickles you'll ever taste. No refrigeration or fancy gadgets required.
AROUND THE ACRE
Live Video Stream
Visit the ChickenCam » (Tip: There are actually more ducks than chickens)
Make a live backyard or wildlife camera just like Chickencam for less than $50. It’s easy!
Weathercam
Live camera shot facing west toward the Pacific Ocean, about 7 miles away.
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.
Keeping the Garden Cool in a Heatwave
An overhead gourd garden will keep raised beds cool in late summer. The beds stay 15 degrees cooler than full sun so you can start fall crops 60 days earlier
HOME & GARDEN
How to Make an Easy Compost Turning Tool
Got a small compost pile that’s a bit of work to turn? Here’s a simple tool you can put together in a couple of minutes that’ll make it easy to do.
Don’t Toss Those Pepper Plants!
Summer might have ended, but that doesn’t mean your peppers have to. Here's how to easily overwinter pepper plants and have fresh peppers again next spring!
Root Beer Plant (Piper auritum)
A lush Central/South American native Piper auritum has root beer scented leaves and a peppery-licorice flavor. Also known as Mexican pepperleaf or hoja santa
The best zucchini varieties for home gardens
We grew three different heirloom zucchini varieties and rated them based on space, productivity, and flavor to find the best combo for our home vegetable garden
Vegetable Garden Trials: Carbon Black Heirloom Tomatoes
Two thirds of the way through the growing season, Carbon Black Heirloom Tomatoes have been a standout for the size and quantity of the tomatoes they produce
A Mid-Summer Stroll Through the Hanging Gourd Garden
Mid-summer's heat can be brutal on plants in the vegetable garden. To help protect the plants that don't do well in heat, we plant a hanging gourd garden
HOME & GARDEN
FOOD & RECIPES
Old Fashioned Cornbread Recipe
A super easy cornbread recipe made with sweet corn kernels and bacon. It's sweet, moist, and practically irresistible! Great for Thanksgiving and other meals.
Tapas Time!
Got a few extra veggies but don't know what to do? Make pinchos de encurtidos (a type of tapas). Easy & delicious, they're great with cheese and charcuterie.
Go Ahead, Pickle It!
Long before refrigeration pickling was the way to preserve food and keep it flavorful. Super simple, you can create any great pickled food yourself. Here's how
FOOD & RECIPES
Thanksgiving Day Prep – Homemade Stuffing
We don't grow wheat or make flour, but we do make bread, and, along with some herbs from the garden, a base for amazing for stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey. The recipe is simple and straightforward. Once you've made your own croutons you'll never go back to store bought.
Bakery-Style French Bread Recipe
Ever wonder why bakery fresh French bread is so dang delicious? It's an old baker's secret, pre-fermented dough. Here's how to make amazing bakery-style French bread at home.
How to make deli-style Italian sandwich rolls
Here's the recipe for chewy, crunchy, flavorful sub sandwich rolls so good your family and friends will have a hard time believing you made them.
Making Summer Pickles
If you love authentic dill pickles, there's nothing better or simpler to make than old fashioned deli-style summer pickles. This recipe dates back to 1900 and uses just a few spices and natural fermentation to make some of the best homemade pickles you'll ever taste. No refrigeration or fancy gadgets required.
AROUND THE ACRE
Live Video Stream
Visit the ChickenCam » (Tip: There are actually more ducks than chickens)
Make a live backyard or wildlife camera just like Chickencam for less than $50. It’s easy!
Weathercam
Live camera shot facing west toward the Pacific Ocean, about 7 miles away.