Yum Yards

04/30/2026

I hate to use this "F" word in May, but it's happened before and may happen again Friday morning and Saturday morning....FROST! They are calling for lows in the upper 30s. With low winds and a specific humidity level we could get frost. Freezing temperatures aren't required; lows around 37 to 42 degrees can produce patchy frost. The prediction is for 39 degrees Friday morning and 38 degrees Saturday morning—definitely in the frost danger zone!

Fortunately your spring gardens are very well along and frost will only majorly damage lettuces and arugula. Frost may affect the tips of the leaves of other plants, but they should not be adversely affected at this stage in their growth.

To protect your lettuces and arugula, lay an old bed sheet or other light cloth over these crops. Do not use plastic though as frost can actually burn plants that touch the fabric. Cardboard is another option; if you have some extra boxes lying around, you could place them over these crops as well.

Maybe your best option is to harvest a good majority of the lettuce and arugula, wash it and dry it very well. Then store it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, covered with a damp paper towel. Leafy greens stored this way will last a week or more easily.

Fingers crossed this is the last frost of the season! Our average last frost date here in KC is April 10th, but we've had patchy frosts as late as Memorial Day weekend! We've also had snow on Mother's Day. Just part of the tribulations of growing veggies!

03/20/2026

A month of extreme weather to say the least! February was pretty cold, but no snow...a rarity for sure! The end of Februaray was unseasonably warm allowing us to get a jump start on spring planting...another rarity!

Then came the first week of March...6 plus inches of rains, a tornado in KC, and some major hail storms. Despite all of this craziness, all of the spring gardens were thriving and many crops of arugula and spinach were near harvest.

Then came the coldest March freeze in recent memory. Lows dipped to 12 degrees and stayed in the teens for almost two days. We got a skiff of snow, but not enough to protect the veggies under the low tunnels. We experienced almost complete loss of everything in most all gardens across the city. Come crops survived...peas, onions, garlic, and some fall planted spinach, but most everything else succumbed to the frigid temperatures.

Never fear though...there will be salads! Yardeners Rhae and Courtney will be re-planting everything in the coming weeks and we'll be back to growing...better late than never right?

I've planted early spring gardens under low tunnels for over two decades and have never had losses like this. Makes you have a bit of awe and respect for how harsh Mother Nature can be. Appreciate the farmers that grow our food for a living...it's a tough job to do!

02/26/2026

Looking like a soggy beginning to March! Spring rains like this usually translate to exceptional spring crops especially when grown under floating row cover tunnels! Bring on the rain...this drought has lasted too long!

02/10/2026

Spring planting time is almost here! There are several crucial factors that have to be taken into account in order to increase your chances of a bountiful salad garden:

Timing is everything! Planting in early March is essential for cool weather loving crops. If you wait until April to plant, your crops will not have a chance to develop in the warmer weather. They will be less flavorful, and can actually turn bitter if they start to bolt (produce flowers and seeds).

Protection is important! The winds, frosts, ad freezes of March can severely damage your young plants. Covering them with a favric tunnel that allows light and water in, but blocks the winds and insulates from frost and freeze is essential. Covers should only be removed for short periods of time to access your veggies until mid to late April.

Water, water, water! Spring crops have very shallow roots and need light, frequent watering to germinate the seeds and grow healthy roots. Watering with a watercan or garden hose shower nozzle every other day very lightly is the best method. Avoid using drip irrigation systems for this task as drip irrigation is designed for deep watering of summer crops and will leave the top portion of your soil dry and your plants will suffer.

Proper Plant Spacing is Essential! We plant most spring crops very close to eachother. A spacing of 1 to 2 inches for most crops is the best practice. Closely spacing these plants allows each plant to support eachother and keeps the leaves from flopping on the soil. Close spacing also conserves water and smothers out w**d seeds resulting in a much more productive and clean spring garden.

01/24/2026

Only 56 days until Spring! Only 35 days until Spring Planting begins! Hang in there!

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01/01/2026

2026 will be our 7th year of growing for the people of Kansas City. Stay tuned for details!

12/05/2025

When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time working with my grandpa. He was a jack-of-all-trades kind of man and he taught me about hard work and keeping promises. The most sage piece of advice he ever gave me was "If a man has a truck and is willing to work, you can make a living hauling things for folks."

When I found this F250 back in the winter of 2021, the price was right and it was a low frills, tough machine...exactly what I needed to grow my business. I got 4 good years out of this beast...hauling countless loads of compost all over the KC metro area filling garden beds with black gold to grow amazing veggies.

Unfortunately, the transmission went out back in February and I didn't see the point in putting $8,000 into it to get it back on the road. I used rental trucks the rest of the spring and summer and those turned out to be a better option than owning a truck. No property taxes, no maintenance issues, no extra insurance costs, and the rental trucks have a bigger payload than this one which saved me a lot of trips to Suburban!

I tried selling it all summer, but only found scammers and people only willing to give a pittance for it. I decided just to donate it to Vehicles for Veterans. Hopefully they fix it and give it to a veteran who needs a work truck or maybe they'll sell it and use the money to support veteran groups. Either way...I hope it goes to good somewhere.

11/09/2025

Kale is the star in the viral (ok, maybe it is the cheese and the dressing!) Either way, it is a great use for your

What you need👇
For the dressing:
1 c mayo
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 t Dijon mustard
1 t red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 anchovy fillets (or 1 tsp anchovy paste)
1/2 c olive oil I used
1/3 c finely grated Parmesan
Salt & Pepper

For the salad:
Kale (massage with olive oil and salt)
Parmesan, freshly grated
Toasted bread crumbs or crushed croutons

What you do👇
Blend salad ingredients together. Toss with Kale. Top with tons of grated Parmesan and a mound of Bread crumbs. Toss and enjoy!
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11/01/2025

Finish up your Eggplant with this easy preparation

What you need 👇
Whole small eggplant
Marinara Sauce
Pesto Sauce
Mozzarella
Italian Breadcrumbs, toasted
Parmesan Cheese, grated
Olive Oil
Fresh Basil

What you do 👇
Roast whole eggplants in a 400° oven until soft. Place on serving platter, while still hot, cut in half and flatten. Layer with Marina, dollops of Pesto, and Mozzarella. Top with breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with Basil leaves and serve.

10/07/2025

Here’s a way to finish up your tiny tomatoes! Tomatoes are slow cooked in a single layer with a generous pour of olive oil, herbs, garlic and salt in a low degree oven

Tomato Confit 🍅

What you need 👇
6 cups of cherry tomatoes
6 – 12 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
Several sprigs fresh herbs,
3/4 cup first press, extra virgin olive oil
1 generous pinch crushed red pepper
2 pinches kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

What you do 👇
Heat oven to 275 degrees F. Put tomatoes in a single layer in a baking dish. Tuck garlic and herbs around the tomatoes. Pour olive oil over the tomatoes, garlic and herbs. Season with crushed red pepper, kosher salt and pepper.

Bake for about 1 1/2 hours until tomatoes just begin to burst. Remove from the oven and set aside. May be done several days to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to use, remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Serve with crusty bread.

Note: When you have eaten all your tomato confit please save any leftover tomato and garlic-infused olive oil for another use. This flavor-infused oil is like liquid gold!