As far as fresh vegetation goes, organic produce seems to be all the rage. Organic foods are free of common artificial enhancements used in processed foods, and can be found in any new-age grocery store or restaurant. Organic gardening is the freshest form of vegetation, and whether you are growing a garden in a small space or on a bountiful farm, maintaining organic produce is possible from almost any location. These top 50 blogs go into detail on how to grow and maintain successful organic growth. The blogs are broken up into the following categories: Farming, urban gardens, spiritual growth, organic recipes, global gardens, and unique imagery. Each blog has a bit of its own flair, and out of all the organic bloggers out there, these 35 blogs seemed genuinely interested in maintaining their garden’s purity.
Farming – Top 5: These farming blogs focus life on the farm as an organic farmer. Regardless of the size of the garden, these bloggers know how to grow in quantity and quality.
1. Four Green Acres - Four Green Acres explores life on a Maine farm, enjoying fresh foods and associating those foods with memories. This blog’s main author, June, is a former city girl turned farm girl, and writes up to date posts about family life on the farm.
2. Starworks Garden – STARworks Garden features the Starworks CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) as a way to connect the consumer and grower, each making a commitment to the other. This program allows consumers to buy a piece of a farm for 32 weeks, watching their own organic produce grow each step of the way.
3. The Female Farmer - The Female Farmer is a blog written by Peggy Lynn Marchett of Madison Creek Farms in Tennessee. Peggy keeps an up to date blog of her life (and work) on the farm. As a third generation organic former, Peggy was raised to know anything and everything about organic farming.
4. Moon Meadow Farm - Moon Meadow Farm is a lovely blog that follows a family’s adventures in sustainable produce. The blog features many photographs that show this North Carolina farm’s true charm.
5. Providence Acres – This farm blogs gives great instructions on maintaining a sustainable farm, while focusing on “living frugally and minimalizing.” A charitable bonus: this farm donates its excess produce to the Salvation Army Kitchen.
Urban Gardens – Top 6: Gardens and the city! These blogs go into detail on how to keep your urban garden healthy, even in the smallest of spaces.
1. Homegrown Evolution – Homegrown Evolution is the journal of two urbanites becoming farmers and gardeners. Authors Erik Knutzen and Kelly Coyne explore this “new movement” of city folk growing green in the city. A well-written blog, these two authors already have a strong following.
2. Seeds in the City - Seeds in the City is a Bay Area blogger’s quest to live the simple life in the city. The author also is a home wine maker as well, and has an interesting take on California produce.
3. 66 Square Feet - 66 Square Feet is a unique blog that chronicles a terrace garden’s growth in New York City. For those who think that gardening in the Big Apple is impossible, check out this blog to see just how easy it can be.
4. Rebecca’s Urban Farm -Rebecca’s Urban Farm is a blog with beautiful imagery, depicting the multitudes of fresh organic possibilities at her farm. Organic gardening is her passion, and it shows with every personal post.
5. Carleton Garden – Skippy’s Vegetable Garden features a gardener who is using organic sustainable methods while maintaining a community plot and a small personal garden. While Kathy, the author, started gardening because she thought the garden was beautiful, she has now realized the importance of growing organic.
6. Veggie Garden Blog - Veggie Garden Blog is an excellent source of “How to’s” for any curious gardener. The beautiful imagery depicts the freshness of the produce, proving that you can trust this blogger.
Spiritual Growth – Top 4: These blogs focus on enhancing gardens, while also enhancing your soul. These bloggers do a great job of correlating happiness and satisfaction to growing your own garden.
1. The Green Divas – Megan McWilliams and Jenifer O’Neill are the original ‘Green Divas’ and can talk about anything from produce to green product reviews (as long as it’s “low stress sustainable living” related!). They have a talk show, on top of their blog, where they discuss the latest green issues.
2. Give A Girl A Fig – Michelle, of Northern California, is on a spiritual quest to learn about God and growing her own food. Her ultimate goal is to find a healthy way to grow both spiritually and physically.
3. The Clean Green Homestead - The Clean Green Homestead is all about cleansing the body, mind, and soul. This blogger uses her fresh herbs and spices not only in her cooking, but in her homemade soaps as well. Visit this mini-sanctuary for some comfort and feel-good posts.
4. Jen’s Shangri La - Jen’s Shangri La is a “creative living” blogs that focuses on growing both produce and children. Jen provides up to date posts about her creative life and features a special section on fruit and vegetable gardening.
Organic Recipes – Top 4: These organic gardening blogs provide a plethora of recipes to utilize all of your homegrown, fresh produce.
1. How Kelly’s Garden Grows - How my Garden Grows is a blog that gives excellent tips on how to maintain the prefect garden, while including delicious recipes for said produce. This blogger also maintains a solid section on healthy soil and seed stock.
2. Blossom HIdeaway – Blossom Hideaway is a Californian blogging from a small, quaint town called Idyllwild. This blog provides many recipes using fresh homegrown produce, sure to have you salivating before you finish reading the ingredients.
3. Things We Make -Things We Make is a collection of recipes that uses mostly organic components for delicious eating. Each recipe is readily available and easy to follow.
4. Double Danger – Double danger is an interesting blog that is “equal parts gardening and BBQ.” The gardening section provides many tips and “how to’s” in order to maintain your best organic growth. If you’re ambitious, you can mix your fresh produce with BBQ!
Global Gardens – Top 7:These international gardens stood out among the rest, as they add an extra spice to the average garden.
1. 1Stop Organic Gardenign -1Stop Organic Gardening is a well-organized blog focused on organic sustainability. The author, Julie, lives in Australia, and blogs to encourage others to improve their lives by growing an organic garden.
2. Kitchen Gardeners - Kitchen Gardners is a “global community cultivating change,” focusing on change around the world, starting with the way we grow our food. Check out this blog for interesting facts and tips, as this blog is a wealth of knowledge that sources writers from around the globe.
3. Soilman – A journalist and self-proclaimed vegetable enthusiast, this blogger is all about brutal honesty when it comes to giving advice. Follow his APPROVAL plan to figure out which products are actually “organic.”
4. Mas Du Diable – Mas Du Diable is a sustainable 12th century farm, magically set in the North Eat foothills of the Cévennes Mountains in Southern France. While you may assume that this farm is only aesthetically pleasing, there is much to learn from this historical, continuous-working farm.
5. Annie’s Kitchen Garden - Annie’s Kitchen Garden has chronicled her journeys to foreign lands, as she studies the various produce from far away lands. Annie has also included recipes for all of her documented fresh produce.
6. Mot Vrt - Mot Vrt is a Croatian blog written by Vrtlarica that is constantly updated with beautiful images of fresh produce. This blogger gives the blog a unique spin, as articles are in both English and Croatian.
7. Nutty Gnome - The Nutty Gnome chronicles both gardens and travels, and on the special occasion, they will coexist in a post. This blog features beautiful pictures of various gardening hotspots around the globe.
Imagery – Top 5: These bloggers have managed to do an excellent job depicting and portraying their fresh produce and well-groomed gardens. 1. Perrone - Horticultural is a fascinating blog that features the components of growing your own garden. From compost and fertilizer, to the necessary tools, this blog has all the tips to getting your perfect garden started.
2. Amy Stewart – Dirt: A Blog by Amy Stewart features the wisdom of Amy Stewart, author of many award-winning books about gardening. Steward is a traveling speaker, so if you’re lucky, you can hear her in person. Currently she is sharing a sneak peak video of her new book, set to hit stores May 2011.
3. Red Gate Gardens – Red Gate Gardens chronicles a busy mom who is all about growing organic. Her beautiful photographs will make any eager gardener go out and start planting.
4. A Growing Tradition - A Growing Tradition has followed a blogger’s journey from a concrete jungle to greener pastures. Finally growing the garden he has always dreamed of, Thomas provides readers with beautiful images of his fresh produce.
5. Garden Help - Garden Help is a useful website for any residential gardener. There is a group of “Garden Mentors” who are ready and willing to customize anything from a simple organic garden to a sustainable home garden.
Informational – Top 8: While most gardening blogs are full of tips and facts, these blogs in particular offer the all-around basics for anything organic-gardening related.
1. Organic Garden – Organic Gardening News and Advice is exactly what the title describes: All the latest news and tips on keeping your garden fresh and organic. This blog has been previously noted as a top organic blog, so check it out for the latest up to date news.
2. The Organic Gardener -. The Organic Gardener has all the practical garden tips that are essential to staying “organic.” A useful link is the “organic essentials” columns that define the basics of growing organic.
3. Northcoast Gardening – North Coast Gardening is an informative blog written by Genevieve, a busy-bee gardener who knows any and everything gardening. Genevieve’s personal recommendations (through her own videos and book reviews) will have any novice on their way to being a professional gardener.
4. Basic Info – Basics of Organic Fertilizers guides you from the ground up. If you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran, this blog will teach you the preliminary steps to achieving the ultimate organic garden.
5. Organic Gardening Books Review - Organic Gardening Books Review is a collection of book reviews that will help you choose the perfect book for your personal garden. The reviews range from small gardening books to large organic farming books.
6. Suite 101 – Jamie McIntosh’s Blog gives helpful insight when switching from a regular garden to a purely organic garden. While it seems that it would not be difficult, Jamie gives helpful tips on making the transition easy as saying ‘organic.’
7. Dirty Garden Girl – Organic Gardening for the Clueless is a helpful blog that teaches those who are in fact “clueless” to reach outside the box and go organic. The Author features many new spices and herbs that she has recently grown.
8. Green Talk -Green Talk is a public forum set up for discussing “green” items, focusing on organic food and produce (Green Living, Cooking). Author Anna Hackman hopes to help out any green enthusiast, whether they are a seasoned green chef or completely new to cooking green.
