The Top 6 Summer Vegetables to Grow in Israel (and What NOT to Grow)
After 19 years of growing vegetables at home in Israel, I’ve had a lot of harvests. I’ve also had a LOT of flops. After so many years, I have compiled this big list of veggies that are most likely to produce a rewarding harvest in Israel. They tolerate our long hot summer well and are […]
Help! My Tomato Plant is Looking so Sad!
Tomato season reaches its peak in late August-September! The tomatoes we pick now are sweetest! I can never get enough! Every year around this season I get readers asking the same question: “My tomato plant suddenly looks dry or brown or droopy or otherwise sad! What should I do?” The answer is: nothing! Tomatoes are […]
You’re Invited! Wheat-to-Challah Harvest Party for Moms and Kids
It’s wheat harvest season here in the Land of Israel! Here’s on Bloomah’s City Farm our small plot of wheat is fully ripe and ready for harvest! You’re invited to experience the wonder and fun of harvesting wheat and turning it into a loaf of fresh Challah. Yes, you are about to discover that threshing, […]
The Easy Guide to Growing Tomatoes at Home in Israel
Lots of us love the idea of growing our own vegetables and the No. 1 vegetable people usually wish to grow in summer is tomatoes! So I am writing this whole article with a message JUST FOR YOU: Don’t let another summer go by without the wonder and excitement of planting and picking your own […]
I Made Wine in a Week. You Can Too!
Making wine at home in Israel is easy and rewarding – especially this year. A super simple guide to making wine in a week for first-timers.
Make it a Positive Family Summer – With Free Printable Mitzvah Tickets
Summertime is here. That means less structure and much more free time. Some people dread it but I love it. Well, maybe I don’t love EVERYTHING about summer. If you’re a parent like me, you may also struggle with keeping up positive habits for your kids during the free-and-easy summer months. For example, getting up […]
How to Grow a Loofah Sponge in Israel
Today was a big day nine months in the making. Today we picked and processed the loofah sponges that we planted back in April. Anyone who wants seeds to plant their own loofahs next summer should be in touch. I want to turn Ramat Beit Shemesh into the Loofah Capital of the World! (Yes, I […]
How I Made Homegrown Crushed Tomatoes – And Will I Ever Do it Again?
We eat a lot of tomatoes in our family but very few of them fresh. Usually they take the form of canned crushed tomatoes or tomato paste (and, of course, ketchup). Tomatoes are so easy to grow but I never grew many of them because processing them myself seemed so daunting. Last week I was […]
Homemade Fruit Leather: You MUST try this!
If you only try one food preservation project this year – this is the one! It’s ridiculously simple, requires no special equipment and you will be amazed by the scrumptious results! Homemade Fruit Leather Recipe Ingredients: 1 kg of summer fruits – eg. plums, peaches, mango, nectarines. A mix is best. Add a bit of […]
Why I never planted peanuts before – and why I did now
My peanuts sprouted! I have wanted to grow peanuts for such a long time but I never did. Since they are legumes (kitniyot). there is a halachic imperative to leave a big space between them and other vegetables (48-60 cm, depending on which halachic opinion you follow) Beans are also kitniyot – another summer favorite […]