P. Allen Smith’s

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SPRING ISSUE

VOLUME 1 2016

SAVE THE DATESATURDAY

JUNE 11, 201610 a.m. - 4 p.m.

MOSS MOUNTAIN FARM$90 per person

Spend a day on the farm and discover the simple 1–2–3

of Backyard Homesteading

All you need is a little homespun inspiration,

comfortable shoes and a love for the outdoors.

Space is limited. Visit www.PAllenSmith.com, email gardenhome@pallensmith.com or call Joyce at 501.519.5793 to make your reservation!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GARDENHOME

Grow14 BEST HERBS AND VEGGIES FOR KIDS

Create13 GARDEN MARKERS

18 STEPPING STONES

22 PAINTED PLANTERS

7 ALLEN’S LETTER

Design8 KIDDIE POOL RAISED BED

Travel33 JOHNNY CASH’S CHILDHOOD HOME

28 MARKETPLACE

Cook24 EASY PEASY PIZZA

26 STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

8 22 14

We Made This!

Guard of the CoffersPam Holden

Ideas ManMike Mueller

Keeper of the Head CheeseLaura Leech

Emissary to Our PartnersBrandi Moran

Task MasterMary Ellen Pyle

Photography HoarderSuzanne Selby

Social ButterflyHeaven Mercer

The Creative MindsKatherine Laughlin

Katie Hassell

Stylists Extraordinaire Laura Grimes

Mandy ShoptawShannon Lloyd

The Internet ArtisanTodd Orr

Hucksters of Fine GoodsLaura Grimes

Chance SlaughterShannon Lloyd

Head CheeseP. ALLEN SMITH

ScribesP. Allen Smith • Amy Gordy

Makers of Video MagicPatrick Green • Jeff Cerino • Christie Kratz • Heaven Mercer • Chip Simons • Brent Walker

ShutterbugsDonna Evans • Mark Fonville • Karen Segrave

Farm SentinelsJoyce Smith • Chris Smith

E V E R Y T H U R S & F R IApril - June

$90 per person

Grab your friends and come visit us. Tour the opulent gardens and Allen’s private home. Then sit down to a garden-to-table dining experience selected from Allen’s best-selling cookbook.

“ I came to Moss Mountain after my mother visitedhere last fall. She told me it was a MUST for my trip from Colorado to Alabama – she was so right; just beautiful.

- Rob Overall, Denver, CO

“

Moss Mountain Farm

LUNCH TOURS

Space is limited. Visit www.PAllenSmith.com, email gardenhome@pallensmith.com or call Joyce at 501.519.5793 to make your reservation!

Allen’s LetterWorking in the garden can offer many educational opportunities for kids. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of seeing a seed you planted and cared for come to fruition. Gardening teaches patience and responsibility—and life doesn’t get better than having permis-sion to get dirty!

Involving kids in the garden duties is a great way to get them out of the house and breathing the fresh air this spring. Kids love learning about the plants sprouting up from the ground, and all that goes into cultivating them. There are so many tasks kids can be involved in, from digging and weeding to plant-ing, watering, building and more. If dirt and water are involved, it shouldn’t take much coaxing to get them away from the television on a sunny day.

To help get you started, we’ve compiled a collection of great, hands-on garden projects, recipes for kids and ideas for easy herbs and veggies for a beginner’s garden. Plant with the little ones and once the veggies and herbs are ready to

eat, the lesson becomes one on where our food comes from. Kids will taste the difference and delight in the satis-faction of growing and eating their own foods. The opportunities to teach and grow are endless, and it’s always a treat to have some help and laughter in the garden with you!

Cheers,Allen

BUY

LOCAL SUPPORT YOURLOCAL FARMER

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Raised BedGive that plastic kiddie pool your brood has outgrown a brand new life as a raised bed. This is a fun, earth-friendly project the kids will enjoy, and it’s a great lesson in gardening for young minds.

These summertime toys are fun when the kids are small, but cumbersome and tough to get rid of once they are done splashing around in them. If you have one lying around the garage, you can easily transform it into a raised bed for veggies, herbs or flowers. Its size makes it perfect for little ones to pitch in! Encourage your kids to get creative in this raised bed and experiment with some of their favorite plants.

Supplies: • Plastic pool • Garden soil • Brightly colored plants and herbs • Acrylic paint • Brushes • Wood paint stirrers

Directions:1. Plants need good, well-drained soil, so flip the pool upside down and drill drainage holes in the bottom.

2. Find a good sunny spot (if that’s what your plants call for) in the yard and place the pool there before you fill it.

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Kiddie Pool

Raised Bed ChecklistGood DirtPlants need nutrient-rich soil to really thrive, and sometimes your average garden center soil just won’t cut it. It’s a good idea to amend your soil with organ-ic matter to really give plants the boost they need. Good Dirt Soil Conditioner™ is a unique soil conditioner that includes a mix of peat moss, a nutrient charge from an organic based plant food, and a dose of plant probiotics to help your garden perform to its maximum ability. This soil conditioner is light and airy, and provides added air and drainage to soils using BogBits™, a recycled by-product from North American peat bogs that provides added air space for great root growth. It’s an excellent product to keep soil rich and loose, so plants have all they need to grow. Learn more at fullcyclegardening.com.

A.M. Leonard ToolsThere is nothing worse than being right in the middle of a garden project only to discover you don’t have a tool you need! Before you get start-ed on any project, take inventory of what you’ll need and grab any of these dependable tools from A.M. Leonard. This company has been cre-ating professional-grade lawn, garden and land-scaping tools since 1885, and are some of the best on the market. Here are a few things you’ll need for this project:

Kid’s Ducky Gloves

The Gardener’s Hollow Leg Jr.

One Gallon Root Pouch (Recycled, Reusable & Kid Sized!)

3. Turn the pool back over and fill with soil leaving an inch or two at the top. For nice, nu-trient-rich soil use one part garden soil and one part compost, or add a soil conditioner like Good Dirt Soil Conditioner to give your soil the added nutrients it needs.

4. Plot out the plants your child has chosen from the garden center, making sure they each have enough room to grow.

5. Let the kids dig, plant and water the plants making sure to label them with plant mak-ers (see instructions on page 13) so you can watch each plant grow.

Watch the video on Page 13

It’s important to know what’s growing in your garden so you can learn and understand the plant as it develops. Kids especially need a point of reference when learning about gardening. Plants can look very different, and labeling them can help kids see the differ-ences in size, growth rate and fruit or flower production of their favorite plants. These garden markers are fun, easy and a great guide for a beginner gardener to get a han-dle on horticulture.

Supplies: • Wooden paint stirrers • Acrylic paint • Paintbrushes

Directions:1. Talk about all the plants you’ve pur-chased for your garden and decide which colors to paint their corresponding stirrer sticks. Red markers relate to tomatoes and red peppers, and yellow is great for mari-golds and squash.

2. Once you choose your color scheme, let kids get creative with the paints and help them to write the names of the plants clear-ly on each marker.

3. Place the markers in the bed so you can know what they are as you watch them grow!

Plant Markerscreate

Painted

Easy Herbs & VeggiesBuilding a garden is great fun at any age … especially when you get to taste the fruits of your labor! Creating an herb and veggie garden is a great way for kids to experiment with differ-ent, fresh flavors and learn where their food comes from!

Some plants are easier to grow than others, and it’s important you pick the right ones when introducing kids to gardening. If the task becomes too difficult, high-maintenance or if a plant fails to produce, then kids can be easily discouraged by their new hobby. There are tons of plants that are perfect for green thumb beginners. Here are a few we suggest you try…

Baby Broccoli ‘Aspabroc’ This delicious, miniature vegetable is known as Broccolini® in the produce section of your grocery store. It has a mild taste with a small broccoli head and thin asparagus-like stalk. It’s easy to grow and requires very little space. Eat them raw with a dip, or steam them for a perfect homegrown side with dinner.

Sweet Pepper ‘Right on Red’ These red peppers produce a fun flat-tened fruit with high yields. The peppers hang on top of 18 to 24-inch plants and are great for stuffing or pickling.

Melon ‘Lilliput’ Kids love anything personal-sized, and these miniature melons are a crowd-pleaser. The dark orange flesh of the fruit is very sweet and aromatic. The round melon matures to about 5 inches in diameter. It’s the perfect snack-size!

For Kidsgrow

Cherry Tomato ‘Red Robin’ This compact, well-branching plant produces a high yield of delicious cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes are a beautiful bright red and approximately 1 inch in diameter. Perfect for snack-ing or to use in marinara sauce or on pizza.

Mint This fast-growing herb is great to perk up tea or lemonade. It produces a strong scent, and a little will go a long way with this spreading plant. Plant it in its own container unless you want it to take over your garden. Snip the leaves and wash them when you are ready to use.

Basil This popular herb is easy to grow and great in just about any dish. Serve it up in a Caprese Salad with mozzarella and tomatoes, in your pasta sauce or atop a crispy Margherita Pizza. It is highly fragrant, and a staple in any herb and veggie garden.

Pineapple SageFill your garden with the tropical scent of pineapple with this edible, flowering herb. It is a late bloomer that will grow up to 4 feet tall as it sprouts spires of red blooms in the late summer and fall. It’s scented foliage is best used fresh in cold summer beverages like herbal teas, cocktails, or juices. Chop it and add it to fruit salad for a delicious tropical taste.

Bonnie Mega-Cabbage (OS Cross) Turn heads in your neighborhood with this fun, oversized cabbage. It produces exhibition-sized heads that can grow 30-50 pounds. Give them at least 3 feet of space on either size and watch them grow. Kids will delight in charting the growth until it’s ready for harvest.

Arugula Plant this high-yield cool season annual in early spring or fall. It produces peppery, mus-tard-flavored leaves that are great in salads or on pizzas and sandwiches. These leafy plants grow 6 to 12 inches tall in the harvest stage. Younger leaves have a more desirable taste, so start picking leaves as soon as they’re large enough for use.

StrawberriesEvery kid loves strawberries! They are great on their own, added to strawberry shortcake, sliced in your morning cereal or frozen for making smoothies. Nothing tastes better than a strawberry harvested right from your garden, and they are easy to grow! The first fruits ripen in spring, and after a short rest in the late summer, you may get a second burst of fruit in the fall. Plant them in beds, hanging baskets or containers.

Homegrown with Bonnie Plants

The smartphone app that makes it easy to plant, grow, track, and share!

No Wi-Fi required.Available for iPhone and Android.

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Stepping

StonesStepping stones are a great way to guide guests through the lawn while subtly encouraging them to keep off the grass. There are many ways you can create your own stones to add a personal touch to the garden. I like to incorporate colorful stones, shells and tiles in my pathway to add an extra burst of color and interest to the garden that will stay year-round. Making stepping stones is great fun, and a good way to get kids helping in the garden. Here’s an easy way to make your own!

Supplies: • 10-inch plastic molds • Ready-to-use concrete mix • Decorative stones, shells or tile pieces • Water • 5-gallon bucket • Protective eye wear • Face mask

Directions:1. First, you’ll need to plot your garden path to be sure you make enough stepping stones for guests to reach their destination. Set out a few planters or buckets that are approximately the same size as the stones—about 10 inches in diameter. Once you’ve established how many stones you need, the fun begins!

Continued on the next page

stePPing

2. Grab your 5-gallon bucket and emp-ty your concrete mix into it.

3. Follow the directions on the bag and add the appropriate amount of water.

4. Stir until it’s mixed well and thick.

5. Pour concrete mixture into the molds.

6. Gently shake the molds to level the concrete mix and remove air pockets.

7. Add tile pieces, stones or shells to the tops of the molds, and press them into the wet cement so the top is flat.

8. Allow to dry for 24 hours before re-moving the mold.

9. Stepping stones will be fully dry and ready to place in the garden in 4-5 days.

Be More ExoticOrder summer bulbs now

for spring planting.

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PlantersGet the whole family involved with a project that encourages creativity in kids of all ages. These painted planters are great, visual garden markers—perfect for little ones who are still learning to read. Talk with your kids and let them choose the fruits and veggies they are most interested in growing (tomatoes, peppers and strawberries work well). Decorate the pots to match the plants and you have works of art to decorate the garden year after year!

Supplies: • 2 Large terra cotta pots (18-inch) with 2 saucers • 1 small terra cotta pot (10-12-inch) and saucer • 3 small paintbrushes • Red, green and black exterior paint • Pencil

Directions:1. Using a pencil, draw a tomato on one of the large pots and a pepper on the other. Draw a strawberry on the smaller pot.

2. Use a small brush to outline the drawings with black paint.

3. Fill in the inside of the outlines with the red and green paint. For example, you may use red for the body of the vegetable or fruit and green for the leaves and stem. Allow to dry.

4. Fill the pots with potting soil, and plant each plant in the container designated for it.

5. Water the plants.

6. Add a tomato cage or small trellis for the tomato plant and a stake for the pepper plants.

7. Place a saucer under each of the planted containers and group them in a sunny spot.

8. Water as needed.

• Potting soil • Tomato plant • Pepper plant • Strawberry plant • Tomato cage or small trellis • Stake (for pepper plants)

Painted

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Grilled PizzaCelebrate your harvest by preparing a delicious, savory pizza using your fresh ingredients. Kids will love helping to create this recipe and delight in experiencing all the flavors they helped produce in the garden! Head out to the garden and snip some basil and a handful of cherry tomatoes and let the kitchen fun begin.

Ingredients:1 cup plain Greek yogurt1 ½ cups self-rising flour2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon sea salt1 tablespoon chopped oregano1 ½ cups pizza sauce

Directions:1. Fire up the grill, and place pizza stone on the grill to heat.

2. In a bowl, combine yogurt and 1 cup of flour to create dough, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of flour on the counter and knead the dough for 5 minutes.

3. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly on a floured work surface. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt. Dust the pizza stone with cornmeal to prevent sticking and slide the dough onto the pizza stone. Grill for 5 minutes.

4. Stir the oregano into the pizza sauce and coat the rolled out dough with the sauce.

5. Next, place sliced cherry tomatoes on the sauce and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the tomatoes. Cook and additional 10 minutes on the grill or until the cheese has melted.

6. Remove the stone from the grill, sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half8-ounce package fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese2 tablespoons chopped basilCornmeal for dusting pizza stone

easy Peasy

LemonadeThere is something about the combination of sweet strawberries and tart lemons that makes this drink absolutely heavenly. Head to your garden to collect a pint or so of homegrown strawberries and a few sprigs of mint to create this absolutely refreshing combination. It tastes like pure nectar and is a favorite of all age groups.

Ingredients:2 cups water1 ½ cups sugar1 tablespoon grated lemon zest1 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:1. Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

2. Once the mixture is bubbling, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Add the lemon zest and juice, stir, and then re-move the pan from the heat.

4. Let the mixture cool completely, and then pour it through a strainer into a clean pitcher.

5. Puree the pint of hulled, halved strawberries in a blender and add the puree to the lemonade. Stir well to combine, and refrigerate until nice and cold.

6. Just before serving, add the chilled sparkling water and stir well. Pour into glasses filled with ice, garnish each one with a mint sprig and a strawberry and serve.

1 pint fresh strawberries, washed hulled and halved 2 cups chilled sparkling water or club sodaIceFresh mint sprigs, for garnishWhole strawberries, for garnish

cook strawberry

"Exceptional gardens and landscapes are created

with exceptional plants. SunPatiens, because of their

extraordinary genetics, offer a variety of colors and texture that thrive in both

sun and shade." - P. Allen Smith

P. Allen Smith & SunPatiens ®

FRAMED COW COLLAGEThis eclectic mix of bright, colorful patterns converges to create a Framed Cow Collage that’s perfect to add some lively livestock to your decor. This flower crown adorned cow brings earthy browns and rosy pinks together in a perfectly picturesque palette. Hang it over your sofa, dining table or in the kids’ playroom. Art includes a black frame. Con-structed of individually cut patterned paper. shop.pallensmith.com

SPRING MEADOW GOAT’S MILK SOAPFreshen up with the crisp, floral scent of a field of fresh flowers after a soft rain with a bar of handmade Spring Meadow Goat’s Milk Soap. This mild, 4-ounce cleansing bar is made with all natural ingredients including coconut, olive, and rice bran oils, vegetable shortening, lye and 25 percent fresh goats milk. It will leave your family smelling flower-fresh, and give your skin a soft, natural glow. Handmade on a small, farm-based business in Arkansas. shop.pallensmith.com

KIDS GARDEN TOOLS Kids will love working in the yard with these hardworking tools that are just their size. This sturdy set comes with a garden rake, hoe, shovel and bamboo leaf rake to take on the tough jobs. They are sized to fit ages 6 and up and come with a lifetime guarantee. forsmallhands.com (Photo credit: Forsmallhands.com)

P. ALLEN SMITH CANDLE COLLECTION BY AROMATIQUEFill your home with an intoxicating aroma when you light this delightful peony scented candle from the P. Allen Smith Candle Collection by Aroma-tique. This 8.5-ounce candle is made with premium wax and a cotton wick for a long lasting, clean burn. This heavenly floral scent will fill your home with the sensation of walking through one of P. Allen Smith’s own peony gardens at Moss Mountain Farm. shop.pallensmith.com

BULL FROG ULTIMATE SHEER BODY SUNSCREEN, SPF 30This gentle sunscreen scores a 2 with the Environmental Working Group’s sunscreen safety guide. Download their app or check their website to find out what’s really in the sunscreens on your shelf and how safe they are for your kids. ewg.org

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lace Marketplace

TRUDROP SELF-WATERING CONTAINER BY CRESCENT GARDENWatering has never been easier with this first self-watering system by Crescent Garden. It has double wall construction, a water level indicator, and capillary action that allows for plants to be watered from the roots up for mess-free and less frequent watering. Great for indoor or outdoor gardens, and available in a variety of sizes and colors. crescentgarden.com

WESTROCKFill your cup with a rich, robust, sustainable coffee. This international company is proudly based in Arkansas with origin export facilities in Rwanda and Tan-zania. Westrock works with smallholder farmers around the globe to create some of the finest coffees in the world. The company offers complete transpar-ency to consumers and fair, honest trade to their farmer partners. In turn, these partnerships impact the farmers, their families and their entire communities. westrockcoffee.com

CHICK ME OUT KIDS T-SHIRTHelp your little ones promote local growers with this P. Allen Smith exclusive Chicken T-Shirt that proudly displays the cute slogan, “Chick Me Out!” This hand-drawn chick is on a slate blue 100 percent cotton shirt. The P. Allen Smith Garden Home logo adorns the sleeve. Available in kids sizes X-Small through X-Large. shop.pallensmith.com

OLD FASHIONED TREE SWINGLet the kids swing from the branches of your favorite tree on this handmade old-fashioned tree swing by Peg & Awl. It’s made from responsibly-sourced Cypress and finished with a beautiful tung oil. Sturdy 25-inch ropes with 4800-pound breaking strength and tied with a five-loop fisherman’s knot are included.etsy.com (Photo credit: Esty Shop PegandAwl)

CHILD’S WHEELBARROWGet your kids involved with this fun, child-sized garden toy. They can rake up the leaves, pile them in and tote them across the lawn. This durable wheelbarrow is just like moms and dad’s with a metal frame, solid wooden handles and rubber tire. It’s crafted to last! lehmans.com (Photo credit: Lehmans.com)

Available at select gift shops, Dillard’s stores & online at Shop.PAllenSmith.com.

Introducing

Garden Home Candle Collection by Aromatique®

Enjoy the best of the

garden inside your home!

WE STROCK CO�FEE WORKS WONDERS. Euery delicious sip is an inuestment in real people, working communities and a shared future. See how Westrock Coffee puts you.r purchase power to work through direct trade and foundational origin suppprt for a cup that really works wonders.

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Simply GlamorousWhether you’re looking to create an inviting front entrance or add a splashy pop of color to your patio, it’s easy when you start with stylish, dependable plants. Pick up this simple yet stunning three-plant combination from your local retailer or create your own magic with Proven Winners today.

Discover FREE gardening tips and ideas online or by requesting our all-new 36-page Proven Winners Gardener’s Idea Bookat www.provenwinners.com/xxx. Or talk with one of ourgardening enthusiasts by calling 815-895-8130.

FREE 36-page Gardener’s Idea Book

Arkansas is full of historical treasures, and one that is dear to my heart is the Johnny Cash boyhood home in the Delta town of Dyess. This unique community was created under Roosevelt’s New Deal as a way to help families suffering in the Great Depres-sion. Cash’s family, along with 500 other families, settled in this colony in 1935, and helped the area to thrive.

The restoration of Cash’s boyhood home gives a fascinating glimpse of the typical lives of those who lived in this colony along the Mississippi River. The home is full of relics including Mama Cash’s piano, the original floor cloth the Cash children played on and more. Visit the home and the Dyess colony to understand how this tight-knit Delta community shaped the legendary artist known as “The Man in Black.”

travel

(Photo credit: dyesscash.astate.edu)

(Photo credit: :rockandrollphotogallery.com)

Discovering Dyess

• Lightweight, no kink under pressure

• SwivelGrip™ fittings attach easily

• Superior O-ring connects leak-free

• Extreme all-weather flexibility

• Drinking water safe

• Lifetime warranty SwivelGrip™ Connections

watercolorscollection.com

®By

Stylish new Garden Hoses from P. Allen Smith

“Enjoy your lawn, garden or just about anything with the ease of using this lightweight, stylish, no-kink garden hose inspired by my Water Colors Collection.”

-P. Allen Smith, Lifestyle Expert and Television Host

35 | fall 2014

Be Sure to support your local 4-H/FFA

chapters and to visit your county, state and regional livestock and poultry shows to help

further the cause.

SPONSORED BY: Hubbard® Life & Hubbard® Homestead answer: Silkie

If you want to get your kids involved in backyard poultry, this is a great starter breed. While they aren’t the best egg layers, these chickens are excellent pets. Docile and friendly, they will come to you when called and like to be held.

visit us at PAllenSmith.com to find more of your favorite

recipes and creative tips.

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”

- Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden