Author: Kate Chalmers

Kate moved to Portugal in 2020 and lives with her husband on a half-hectare ‘quinta’ – traditional terraced land with olive trees, grapevines, and a house that seems to be taking forever to renovate! The current menagerie of animals includes an ancient cat, George, and an assortment of chickens of all shapes and sizes. Kate has over 15 years of experience in the UK veterinary industry and is also a passionate gardener. Together, Kate and her husband have turned a barren olive grove into an abundant food forest and vegetable garden that is a haven for wildlife. Future plans include more animals, particularly sheep and goats for milk production to make cheese, butter, and yogurt!
  • Can You Eat a Rooster? Are Male Chickens Edible?

    Chicken meat is a healthy and classic family (and farm) staple! But rooster meat has a reputation for being inedible, chewy, bland, and not worth eating. Is that true? Can you eat a rooster? Or not? The confusion between chicken…

  • 13 Stunning Cascading Plants for Retaining Walls and Hanging Baskets

    If you have a sloped garden, retaining walls can help level your ground and prevent soil erosion, but they often look bland. Turn them into stunning garden features with cascading plants! These plants are also perfect for hanging baskets on…

  • Wood Chip Landscaping 101 [With Pros and Cons]

    If you are landscaping your garden, you may be considering using wood chips as a base layer. Before you do this, let’s find out the pros and cons of this garden landscaping material, and discover the best ways to use…

  • How to Harvest Chives Without Killing the Plant

    Even if you don’t have green fingers, most people find that a herb garden is one of the easiest things to grow. There is nothing quite like cooking with fresh herbs straight from the garden! And if you are short…

  • 9 Homemade Treats for Chickens [Super Easy DIY Recipes!]

    There’s nothing more appreciative than a chicken at dinner time! One of our favorite games is calling the hens over for treats – the way they sprint to us across the meadow like wild beasts of the Serengeti is adorable!…

  • Why Are My Cucumbers White and Are They Safe to Eat?

    If you’re new to growing cucumbers, it can be a big worry when they don’t turn out as expected! You may be wondering: Why are my cucumbers white and are they still OK to eat? As with all homegrown vegetables,…