Happy Thursday, Homesteaders!
Last Sunday, with a to-do list a mile long, I began gathering the supplies that I’ll need for container gardening on my small back porch. A few terra cotta pots, bags of soil and other supplies later, I headed to the Bangor Farmer’s Market on Harlow Street to purchase tomato plants.
It was there, as I purchased a sungold tomato plant and a beefsteak tomato plant, that I discovered an uncomfortable truth: It’s too soon to plant them outside. So, instead of heading home to immediately pour the soil into the pots and plant as I planned, I merely arranged the pots on the porch and began the daily process of setting the plants out in the morning and bringing them in at dusk.
As you probably know, I am from away, so the climate — and the planting season — here isn’t intuitive to me. I am learning a new timeline for growing. I’ve been told it will be safe to plant after the next full moon. Or I can plant now and cover them at night. What do you think? Am I being too safe? Is there a better way to handle it? Should I just plant ‘em now?
I welcome your perspectives anytime. Feel free to email me at scaron@bangordailynews.com.
Best wishes for living a good life,
Sarah Walker Caron
Senior Editor, Features
What’s happening in Homestead
This week, we took a close look at fiddlehead greens. In their new book “Fiddlemainia,” L.E. Barrett and Lin Diket explore the culture of fiddleheads and the many ways that they can be prepared. And while you’re at it, check out a recipe for Garlicky Fiddlehead Risotto on Maine Course.
Our barn story takes us to Blue Hill where a family has painstakingly restored a 300-year-old barn and transformed it into a brewery and tasting room.
And finally, in this week’s column, Natalie Feulner takes a close look at Bangor’s ban on backyard chickens in residential areas. Is it time to rethink it? Find out what she thinks.
Just for fun
- Roasting coffee at home is now easier than ever
- Watch: The DIY rusting cleaning method that requires only a trip to the grocery store
- Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are in season. Here’s what you need to know
What’s coming
In the next week, Homestead will explore a barn that’s been transformed into a coffee roasting plant. We’ll also take a look at spent grains and other byproducts and how they are getting a second life with new uses.