garden, banana edition

We've got four bunches of bananas and one bunch of plantains, all in varying stages of ripening.  The bananas represent three different varieties. None of them are Cavendish (the typical grocery store banana), though we grow those as well.

This photo shows the banana plant's inflorescence, which is the big heart-shaped flower spike that grows out of the plant's stalk. The purple bracts (which look like giant petals) peel back to reveal the hands of banana fruit, each of which develops from a female flower that looks like a big snapdragon. The flowers have a faint banana smell to them.

Each banana cultivar has a different kind of inflorescence, and produces differently shaped fruit...

Announcing tin box's new partnership with IKEA

We are pleased to announce that tin box is now an official supplier to IKEA USA! Starting today, you will be able to purchase our sustainably ranched house rabbits, which IKEA will sell under the name Lïvstök. The rabbits are, of course, raised in a free range environment and fed only organic produce from our own garden. Initially, we are offering rabbits in three color schemes, but we are experimenting with new color combinations as we respond to the ever-changing tastes of the Millennial generation.

Rabbits are the ideal pet for small spaces, such as dormitory rooms, apartments, and your parents' basement. Their vegan diet also aligns nicely with many Millennials' cruelty-free lifestyles.

garden, artfully posed harvest edition

It's been a good season. For about six weeks, this was our weekly haul from the front yard. Definitely better than mowing a lawn.

salad

With our garden supplying prodigious amounts of greens, tomatoes, and other vegetables, we've been enjoying a lot of salads. Holly found a brilliant method for making, storing, and transporting up to a week's worth of salads, using Ball jars, and it's been really easy to do. The key is layering...

garden, el niño edition

The massive El Niño event we're going through has produced enormous amounts of rain in Miami this winter. Normally this is our dry season, with lower humidity levels and very little  precipitation. The Winter 2015-16 season, however, has been very wet. Our cistern is full, which means all our drinking water needs are met, and our gardens are bursting with crops. The raised beds in front of our house are filled with greens...