This site is an archive of ChiotsRun.com. For the latest information about Susy and her adventrures, visit the Cultivate Simple site.
Thank you for all your support over the years!

Quote of the Day: Ellen Ecker Ogden

December 2nd, 2012

A kitchen garden may just be a fancy name for a vegetable garden located near a kitchen door, filled with tender greens, aromatic herbs, and select fruits that are harvested on a daily basis. Yet it can also be a way of life. A successful kitchen garden engages all of the senses through a rich tapestry of colors, fragrance, and ultimately flavors. When you cultivate a kitchen garden, you actively engage with your source of food and integrate with your natural surroundings in a way that far surpasses the experience of purchasing food at the market. Growing your own food is truly the next logical step beyond “local”.

Ellen Ecker Ogden from The Complete Kitchen Garden

My first seed catalog arrived in the mail last week, it was from High Mowing Seeds. Each year, I choose a new garden company to order seeds from, I want to try them all. As I was flipping through the catalog I was dreaming of my 2013 edible garden.

The coming years are full of possibility, I have more space and can finally grow some of the things I’ve dreamed of growing for so long but haven’t had space to grow. I really love how edible gardening connect you with your food. It also gives you a deep appreciation for the food that you do get from elsewhere. After you’ve grown your own food, you know exactly how much work goes into it.

Have you received your first seed catalog yet?

18 Comments to “Quote of the Day: Ellen Ecker Ogden”
  1. Colleen on December 2, 2012 at 5:15 am

    Yes! I received the High Mowing catalog as well, and the Seed Savers Exchange catalog arrived on Friday. I have been circling things as if I have 5 acres instead of .25 acre, but that’s the fun of garden dreaming.

    I agree — edible gardening makes you appreciate your food more. When you’ve worked hard to bring in your own harvest, it makes you see the kind of work that goes into growing food, and you appreciate farmers even more.

    Reply to Colleen's comment

  2. daisy on December 2, 2012 at 7:14 am

    Yup. Just got the Seed Savers catalogue this week. So many choices! What’s great is knowing that you have the power to keep heirloom varieties going by purchasing a few seed packets. It’s like being part of history!

    Reply to daisy's comment

  3. Wendy on December 2, 2012 at 8:17 am

    Yes! I got my Seeds of Change catalog a couple of weeks ago!

    Reply to Wendy's comment

  4. jennifer fisk on December 2, 2012 at 8:21 am

    I have received my High Mowing catalog and certainly Johnny’s can’t be far behind. I wait until after the New Year to begin perusing and planning. I think I like that to look forward to after the Christmas craziness.

    Reply to jennifer fisk's comment

  5. Kathi Cook on December 2, 2012 at 8:28 am

    Yes I have already received three. It seems earlier than ever to me! I also get a little carried away circling half of the seeds in the catalog,then having to narrow it down when I actually order. Even as a child, I loved looking through the seed catalogs at all the possibilities. High Mowing seeds are great! I have purchased them at Garden shows before.

    Reply to Kathi Cook's comment

  6. Ann on December 2, 2012 at 9:13 am

    I got my Johnny’s catalog yesterday and have already read thru it 5 or 6 times. I think my favorite catalog is from Baker Creek Heritage seeds but really, except for the cheapie companies, I love them all.

    Reply to Ann's comment

  7. Anne-Marie on December 2, 2012 at 9:14 am

    FedCo arrived yesterday. I took a quick look but am saving it for when the weather gets worse.
    I usually order most of my seeds from them.

    Reply to Anne-Marie's comment

  8. Sue on December 2, 2012 at 10:06 am

    Yes, Seed Savers Exchange arrived the other day. Husband has been taking it to bed as his nightly reading!

    Reply to Sue's comment

  9. Laura on December 2, 2012 at 10:17 am

    I’ve had four arrive in the past week. I need to find time to sit down and go through them. I also need to investigate to make certain the company I order from is a non-gmo company (as well as organic).
    blessings
    ~*~

    Reply to Laura's comment

  10. Jaye on December 2, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    No! -.-

    Waiting (not so) patiently though….love to spend winter nights dreaming over the catalogs!

    Reply to Jaye's comment

  11. Lexa on December 2, 2012 at 1:59 pm

    Yes, the High Mowing was the first to arrive and this week they came flooding in the mailbox. Seed Savers, Johnny’s, Seed of Change..ect. I think at this point I am only missing Territorial & Baker Creek. Let the fun begin!

    FYI, I also received my new Down East magazine this week Suzy. There is a new book out called The Maine Garden Journal by Lisa Colburn that I thought might be of interest to you. It looks like it is packed full of good garden info, especially since you will be growing in a new Zone for the first time.

    Reply to Lexa's comment

  12. Sierra N Hampl on December 2, 2012 at 3:15 pm

    I received my seed catalog too. Isabella and I had so much fun when we started our plants from seeds a couple years ago, and now I feel I don’t have it in me to maintain a garden. I failed at gardening this summer, so I don’t know that it is fair to give it another shot. I’m always so impressed to read your posts and see what you are able to accomplish with gardening and baking. You’re an inspiration! I don’t know if I ever told you, but when Walter and I were dreaming up our first ever garden, a couple years ago, that was when I stumbled upon your blog and thought, “I can do this!” And now I’ve been reading it ever since, and oddly enough we met (randomly) at a wedding. Life is so fun!

    Reply to Sierra N Hampl's comment

    • Susy on December 6, 2012 at 10:48 pm

      It is funny how life goes sometimes and how we meet seemingly random people that turn out not to be so random. So glad we met that day!

      Gardening can be a challenge, it does get easier though. I should do a series on easy gardens for people who don’t have time to maintain a big garden. I’ve learned a few things along the way to save time.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  13. judym on December 2, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    I’ve also received High Mowing. Hubs us looking for a “not so much mowing” grass seed for our acres. Me? Looking for good stuff to feed the chickens! Believe I’ve gotten a couple of other catalogs but hubs is hiding them – still in clean up fall stuff mode. teehee.

    Reply to judym's comment

  14. Ron on December 2, 2012 at 7:51 pm

    Yes! I got my Baker Creek Heirloom catalog. This will be my first time with heirlooms. I’m very excited about (probably almost in an un-manly sort of way). I share a 600 sq.-ft. plot with our neighbor and this year I put in two 20’x4′ raised beds right off our back deck. I also plan on starting with chickens in the spring. I’ll be busy next year!

    Reply to Ron's comment

  15. Donna B. on December 3, 2012 at 3:04 pm

    HMM! I haven’t received my High Mowing catalog yet!
    Maybe it’ll be there soon… soon I hope! I need some cover crop!

    But I got in my Baker Creek catalog! Oh gosh, there are so many new varieties! I’m going to be so overwhelmed… hehe!

    Reply to Donna B.'s comment

  16. Sue on December 3, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    I’ve gotten the seeds of Change, and the Pinetree Seed catalog. I always order from at least three catalogs because I can’t limit it to one! I have to order from Pinetree, it is based in Maine, and is a small company. I love Baker Creek so much! Then I order potatoes from Maine Potato Lady. I might even add another one. And it’s not like I have a lot of land. Only my small less than 1/10th of an acre lot which my house and garage stand on.

    Reply to Sue's comment

  17. Brenda on December 4, 2012 at 12:30 pm

    Pinetree for me too. It is probably a cheapie company (?) but it seems down home to me. I like their offerings.
    I’m thinking about feeding my poultry and livestock too, so will likely branch out into some of the above mentioned companies. Besides pasture mixes to frost seed, I’m thinking about comfrey and siberian pea. Must research and request catalogs :)
    Richters in Canada has been a very interesting catalog to peruse in the past.

    Reply to Brenda's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

Admin
Read previous post:
Packing Up for Good

Yesterday Mr Chiots and I headed back to the old house in Ohio to pack up our remaining things. We...

Close