Gabe, a rancher and farmer in North Dakota, has managed with careful use of some basic techniques to more than triple the organic content and fertility of his soil. How he did it step by step and why he doesn’t care for the term “sustainable.”

We've been away from the farm for a week. We got basically no rain, so Amanda's potted plants went down hard. The grass kept growing, and the okra - which needs to be well-picked at all times - frolicked out of control

Biochar can dramatically improve the tilth and fertility of soil. Dr David Domermuth and his team at Appalachian State University are researching ways to convert wood chips into biochar economically

We think it’s pretty cool that this is our 200th podcast. Our program covers why we love growing in the fall, how we prolong the growing season, choosing what to plant, preparing your garden for fall, planting, timing, and harvesting

The weather seems to get weirder every year, not necessarily hotter and drier; just weirder. It’s not good, because it means we gardeners know less of what to expect each year. How can we adapt to that?

We welcome Jim Davis, a natural beekeeper. Jim shares what he does, how he learned about bees, and what it takes in money and time to have bees of your own

We will plant 12 pecan trees of four varieties (all rated well for scab resistance) on 50 foot spacing. We will use drip irrigation and use geotextile fabric to control weeds. It will be 10 years before we see any appreciable pecan crop

We thought it helpful to talk through a “typical” day for us. I’m up early, but not to work outside. We start our day slowly, and Amanda tends to pour on the energy later. And of course it is a most atypical day when I miss my midday nap!

It's surprising that we have so many cucumbers after the voles got more than half of them. We have them at every meal, and yesterday Amanda cut up a big batch of them for pickles. Today's program is shorter so we can baby Amanda's voice

Do plants have spirits? Why is Lee finding himself listening to them more and more? Are we just becoming foolish in our old age? Or are we opening ourselves to a reality that has been there all along and that we are just now beginning to experience?