Tomatoes and veggies are in!

Had to hurry and do this before the rains came and the admiral makes landfall in Newport!

Springtime at Hawxhurst

Tulips and bleeding hearts are showing off. I can hardly believe this garden is so pretty now!

Springtime Signs

Tulips, daffodils, and crocuses are surely signs that winter is over. Temperatures are still frosty but I've started running outside again. The compost survived in winter---as I knew it would---and now, my thoughts turn to ordering pink lily of the valley and bleeding heart. 

Joyce Black, a dear friend, thrives from her garden in Rhode Island year round. Here she's just pulled kale from her garden, tucked beneath the snow. I'll tell you more about Joyce and her phenomenal operation later, after I return from Bald Head Island, North Carolina, a cure for winter weariness.

Compost Bin

Look hard; you'll see the black plastic compost bin eventually; it's behind the tree branch. Now that the thaw has arrived—for the moment, anyway—I can turn compost again! Long live the red wigglers!

asparagus in winter

Bought a new frying pan last night. Now I can saute one of the five bundles of asparagus I bought the other day with cilantro. Hail, winter!

What's Fresh, What's Hot, What's Not

Why do we need each other?

Because farm stands are proliferating, so I'm visiting them, poking, prodding, squeezing, and smelling. And then I come back and share what I've found. This, you fresh produce lovers, is what you need to know:

How does it taste?
How does it hold up in cooking?
Is it worth the price?
Is it organically grown? Does it matter?
How long does it last?
What's fresh from the harvest next week?

I'll tell you what I've found within 10 miles of where I live---Newport, Rhode Island---and you tell me what you've found, from your neighborhood. Just make sure to tell me where you live.