Hands in the Dirt
Stories from a Kitchen Garden Coach and her messy garden.
Why What You Plant Next to Your Garden Matters as Much as What You Plant in It
Companion planting isn't a planting chart to memorize. It's a way of thinking about your garden as a community — where every plant has neighbors that help it thrive, and where the bees, the soil, and the season all have a say. Here's why it works, and what it looks like in a Nevada County kitchen garden.
What to Plant Mother's Day Weekend in Nevada County
Mother's Day weekend is Nevada County's classic planting date — the moment when warm-season crops go in the ground and the season really begins. Here's exactly what to plant, how to prepare, and what to expect in the weeks that follow.
The Spring Secrets I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Growing Food in Nevada County
Twenty-five years of growing in the Sierra Foothills teaches you things no gardening book will tell you. Here are the spring secrets that took me years to learn — and that I now share with every woman I coach in Nevada County.

