Author: writerlauramckay
Laura McKay (she, her) is a speculative fiction writer, settler, and editor living and working on Treaty 1 Territory, also known as rural Manitoba, Canada.
Grow Mushrooms, Grow
My green thumb was itching, but it's way too early to start any of my seeds, so I ordered a mushroom growing kit from Grow Mushrooms Canada. 🍄 So far, it seems pretty easy -- the kit came with a humidity tent and misting bottle along with the block with the mushrooms. All we had… Continue reading Grow Mushrooms, Grow
Black-Eyed Susan
My Black-Eyed Susan has started to bloom! 🎉
First Saskatoons of the Season
Mmmm, the first saskatoons of the season. These saskatoons grow wild all over our property, but I'd like to plant other varieties too in the future. Ours are delicious, but not very plentiful, and most grow surrounded by poison ivy. I love to eat mine fresh with just a bit of milk poured on top,… Continue reading First Saskatoons of the Season
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring…
I definitely don't need to water the garden today! I recently bought a new rain gauge, as our old one had cracked, and I wanted a better idea of how much water the plants were getting. I just put it in one of the beds over the weekend, and I've already gotten good use out… Continue reading It’s Raining, It’s Pouring…
Fireweed
This plant has really put the "weed" in "fireweed." I only just planted it with a small seedling about a month ago, and it's already grown to be nearly two feet wide! I can't wait to see the beautiful flowers it's supposed to produce, but I'm definitely going to have to move a few of… Continue reading Fireweed
A Radish Harvest and a Recipe to Try
For my first harvest from the garden, I got to try these radishes this week. They grew quite a bit bigger than I was intending, as they really weren't ready the last time I checked them -- apparently they grow faster than I thought! These were supposed to be a sweeter variety, but they definitely… Continue reading A Radish Harvest and a Recipe to Try
Haskaps for #PollinatorWeek2023
I only just go these haskap shrubs from the greenhouse a few weeks ago, but they came with berries already growing on them, so I got to taste a few this year. The berries are a lot more sour than I was expecting, but not unpleasantly so. I've heard them described in comparison to raspberries… Continue reading Haskaps for #PollinatorWeek2023
A Zucchini Experiment
And we have zucchini making an appearance! I severely overestimated the number of plants I could include in the garden beds this year, and even after adding a third bed, I had to get creative. My solution? Make some hills of dirt and plant seeds in the top as an experiment. If it worked, great.… Continue reading A Zucchini Experiment
Under the Brush Pile
You just never know what you're going to find in the garden. I hadn't gotten around to cleaning up a small brush pile in the garden left from some pruning/brush clearing earlier this spring. I'd just about finished when I spotted these guys -- by nearly stepping on them! Based on the size of the… Continue reading Under the Brush Pile
Playing in the Dirt 