The Cottage Vegetable

Nestled in the lower peninsula of Michigan, growing a garden full of veggies and plenty of flowers to help my family to become healthier has been a passion of mine for years.

Here on the The Cottage Vegetable website, you will find pantry friendly recipes, canning ideas, and gardening tips to help bridge the gap between your garden and your kitchen.

About

My name is Chelsea, and I am a wife and a mom to three children that we currently homeschool. I grow veggies, fruit, medicinal plants, and flowers in my own garden each year. I am passionate about organic gardening, nourishing foods, and natural homemaking without the social media aesthetic being my leading factor! I have worked as a RN for 10 years and through that experience at the bedside, I have been passionate about living a healthy lifestyle through both conventional and holistic pathways.

I am determined to give recipes and tips that are pulled from personal experience. And yes, this website is AI FREE!

We currently live in a beautiful Michigan countryside setting of 3 acres. Along with my family we have a large garden, chickens, ducks, and our dogs named Rex & Starry.

Welcome to The Cottage Vegetable

  • Growing a Cut Flower Garden at Home | Annuals, Perennials, Greenery, Weeds to Grow at home for a Summer Full of Cut Flowers

    Growing a Cut Flower Garden at Home | Annuals, Perennials, Greenery, Weeds to Grow at home for a Summer Full of Cut Flowers

    You can use just about anything as a cut flower; however, the trick is to find flowers that will last a while in a vase (usually a week). Some even search for flowers with long stems to help with flower arrangements, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that for a home gardener. All of Read more

  • Spiced Applesauce | Water Bath Canning

    Spiced Applesauce | Water Bath Canning

    Applesauce is a handy ingredient to have on hand for several cooking adventures such as baked goods, pork dishes, ice cream toppings, or even just fresh eating. In this recipe I explain the ingredients and measurements I used to make my 29 pounds of apples into 21-pint jars of delicious, spiced applesauce (without peeling skins!). Read more

  • Autumn Decorating | What to Grow at Home

    Autumn Decorating | What to Grow at Home

    It’s easy to fall into the fast fashion of trending holiday decor every year, with autumn being no exception. But most of what you see in stores is very similar to what you can do organically at home: wheat stalks, corns stalks, acorns, autumn florals, hops, even pumpkins can all be grown right in your Read more

  • Roasted Tomato & Pepper Pizza Sauce | “Garden” Style | No Straining, Freezer Friendly recipe

    Roasted Tomato & Pepper Pizza Sauce | “Garden” Style | No Straining, Freezer Friendly recipe

    This pizza sauce recipe is from scratch, uses a ton of vegetables that are easy to grow at home, and has great flavor from roasting. This recipe is easy to tailor to what you are growing in your garden or what you can find at the farmer’s market and the best part is that there Read more

  • Freezing Swiss Chard

    Freezing Swiss Chard

    Swiss Chard is one of the easiest greens to grow, even more so than spinach or lettuce. Swiss Chard can withstand the heat better than other greens, tolerate some shade, and gives you a larger harvest by number simply because the plants can grow so large. It’s also one of the healthiest greens you can Read more

  • Canning Ham & Potato Soup | Pressure Canning the Ultimate Pantry Meal

    Canning Ham & Potato Soup | Pressure Canning the Ultimate Pantry Meal

    Home-canned soups has got to be one of the best ‘pantry meals’ you can make for yourself. Here I go into what to harvest from your garden, tools you need, ingredients, and step by step instructions on how to pressure can this hearty ham and potato soup. Let’s Dive In Pressure Canning Ham and Potato Read more

Thank you!


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Disclaimer Page

My Printable PDF Garden Guide:

This 20 page, printable PDF file, is a guide to help you plan out your next garden that leaves behind the fluffy, trendy projects social media pushes, and helps nail down what you NEED to do for yourself.

Like I always say, “a frugal garden is one where every pound of produce is used”. And this 4-step guide is here to help you grow a garden where everything is found useful to your home.

Buy your digital copy today, so you can take use this winter taking your time getting ready for the next growing season!

Gardening for your Kitchen: A practical guide to plan and plant a backyard garden that actually helps you in the kitchen.

Sold through Pay-Hip for $5 (click HERE)

-Chelsea, The Cottage Vegetable


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