My corn is a thousand years old. So are the heirloom beans I use for red beans and rice, the Friday school lunch staple I grew up with. I have garlic that’s 30 years old, winter squash that’s 20, a lima bean that produces perennial plants, and a lovely, ancient lavender purple bean from the…

Poppy seed bagels could become a threat to military readiness after recent studies found that those who eat the seeds could test positive for drug use. The U.S. Military guards against substance abuse by its service members, and regards substance abuse as a threat to troop safety and the overall readiness of the military. Now,…

Often, in carrying out intentional acts of grace and goodness, we blindly give a part of ourselves to those around us. A teacher, for example, may inspire a student while remaining entirely unaware of the effect or the consequences. Known for the acting talents he brought to films such as “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “The…

Growing plants from seeds is budget-friendly, allows you to select from more varieties than just those available at the local garden center, and lets you get a jump on the growing season. By following a few simple rules, you’ll significantly improve your germination rate—starting with quality, fresh seeds. While many people save leftover seeds from…

Many gardeners like to start vegetable and flower seeds indoors during the winter months. It gives us a chance to shake off the winter blahs, keeps us focused on our favorite hobby and we get to eat tomatoes and peppers before our bought-seedlings-at-the-nursery-center neighbors do. To the novice, seed starting can be intimidating, but it’s really…

Q: I saw an article that you wrote that said there were garden vegetable seed catalogs available at the Direct Gardening Association website. I can’t find that site. Can you help? A: Well, that group ended last year during the pandemic. So, to help you out, here are my favorite vegetable seed catalog companies. Jere…

I can’t tell you how excited I am to start garden seeds indoors while there’s still a blanket of snow on the ground. Watching seeds germinate and seedlings grow, and looking forward to summer crops and beautiful blooms while the weather is dreary, brings life to an otherwise gloomy winter. Aside from helping me to…

Do you garden? Enjoy going to local markets or shopping stores that carry locally raised products? Have you noticed a decline in available fruits, vegetables and some varieties of florals in the markets- especially the farmers markets? The lack of readily available seed is very real. It has stopped many avid home gardeners in their…

“There is no joy in possession without sharing.” — Erasmus Williamsburg, Va., artist Ashley Seutter (nom de plume, Sally St. Rose) has been gardening for the last several years on her small plot of land as well as organizing a neighborhood community garden. She dries seeds each fall and saves them for spring planting. But…

Chinese top politicians are facing a tough bottleneck issue, how to develop China’s stock of seeds and breeding animals, at the two sessions—the Chinese Communist Party’s most important annual political conference from March 4 to 11. “China faces a similar dilemma in the seeds and breeding animals industries as it does with semiconductor chips,” China…