For people who want to grow more food with less work. 🌱 This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribers—here's what one of them had to say: "These are not the regular run-of-the-mill garden-based emails. You actually touch on more unusual tidbits that encourage me to keep growing and learning."
my 7 favorite cover crops you can eat
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I'm a huge fan of cover cropping in fall (and if you read yesterday's email, you understand why). I love the idea of growing something that feeds the soil naturally and puts in more than it takes out. I love the ease of sowing cover crops and being totally hands-off until spring. But what I love most is knowing there are actually quite a few cover crops that are edible—not just the Austrian winter peas and fava beans that you've heard me talk so much about. It's a double benefit that everyone should take advantage of, because if you can harvest a few salads through winter and spring while those same crops are actively building your soil, why not? Here are 7 delicious cover crops you can eat. If you've been following my blog since the "old days," you might remember I was an avid backpacker. My husband and I backpacked all over the Eastern Sierra and along the coast in Big Sur, and after our first child was born, we put that on hold because we weren't wild about carrying an extra 30 pounds. (We're not ones to travel light. 😂) And then we had another baby, so we decided to wait until both kids were old enough to carry their own packs before we took them backpacking. Well, a few weeks ago, our youngest turned 5 and we finally felt they were ready! We went into the Three Sisters Wilderness, a little over an hour from where we live, and introduced the girls (and one of their friends) to their first backpacking adventure. They carried their own sleeping bags, snacks, and a few warm layers, and totally crushed it on the trail! It helped that our trail was astoundingly beautiful, and they wanted to stop every half-mile to explore the creeks and catch thousands of tiny frogs. I'm afraid we've now set the bar too high because I don't know how we'll find another place like this! The girls got the backpacking bug and already want to go back, so that's a win. ❤️ We're now marking new lakes on our maps that we want to hike to next summer! (And upgrading our gear, which is super exciting considering we haven't backpacked in nine years. 😬) If you're the parent of a new baby or deep in the trenches with toddlers and wondering if you'll ever sleep again or move out of diapers, I'm here to tell you that this is what you have to look forward to, and that one day, your kids will carry their own stuff, pitch the tent, and blow your mind with the kind of conversations they start around the fire. 😁 Here's to a new chapter of parenthood. It's onnnn! P.S. Plant these edible cover crops and enjoy salads for the next two seasons while the plants improve your soil! P.P.S. Learn how to store all the vegetables you grow (or buy) with my Fruit & Vegetable Storage Guide. Download the PDF, print out the charts, and save money in wasted food! |
Garden Betty
For people who want to grow more food with less work. 🌱 This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribers—here's what one of them had to say: "These are not the regular run-of-the-mill garden-based emails. You actually touch on more unusual tidbits that encourage me to keep growing and learning."