Meg McConahey

1 month ago | pressdemocrat.com | Meg McConahey

The Garden Conservancy is holding an Open Garden Day May 25 in Marin County with invitations to visit two Stinson Beach gardens with spectacular views. One is a hillside garden on 3.5 acres with views to the Pacific in one direction and Mt. Tamalpais in the other.

1 month ago | petaluma360.com | Meg McConahey

“We were all very close. My grandma would also cook very typical meals from her childhood. I grew up knowing okra was like a staple in our household and dal, (a lentil curry), different types of curry and a lot of vegetable dishes.”But the okra commonly grown and sold in the U.S. is not the same variety as the okra from South Asia, and which give traditional dishes their distinctive flavor. Lilani grows authentic Indian okra, a big draw among the South Asia communities in The Bay Area.

1 month ago | pressdemocrat.com | Meg McConahey

What: Sonoma County Farm Trails Spring Farm TourWhen: May 17-18Where: Participating farms and farmstands throughout Sonoma County. Cost: Free with registration at Farmtrails.org. Registration includes details about the participating farms, locations and activities. Kula Nursery: One of the stops along the farm tour, located at Tara Firma Farms, 3796 I St., Petaluma. People are invited to buy plants and seed at the nursery and explore the farm.

1 month ago | pressdemocrat.com | Meg McConahey

People have been saving seeds for thousands of years, preserving some of the seeds of the most productive crops of the season to plant the following year. It’s still a good practice to save your own seed from plants that have the best traits like fruit quality, yield, maturity date and disease resistance. The West County Community Seed Exchange is offering a free class (donations accepted) May 24 giving an overview on the basics of saving seed from your own backyard.

1 month ago | pressdemocrat.com | Meg McConahey

Anderson took care to use and reuse materials wisely. Boards from an old back fence were cut and repurposed into a picket fence that separates the front yard from the sidewalk. Bricks from a crumbling kitchen fireplace were used to make a patio in the back. Old objects like ger great-grandmother’s two cast iron kettles, used in the 19th century to render lard and make soap, have found a new purpose as planters. She initially planted bunch grass as an alternative lawn in front.