Have you ever wondered which vegetables and herbs to plant seasonably to make the most of your garden? Naturally, certain plants thrive in the summer, while other cooler-weather plants wilt. Don’t waste your time tending to the wrong plants this summer. Instead, focus on these ten veggies and herbs for a garden that’s full to bursting with flavor!

Corn: A quintessential summer staple, corn on the cob is great to grill with burgers and other veggies. Corn requires proper hydration, so make sure you water it regularly, especially during dry patches.

Cucumbers: These thrive on sun, soil, and insects to thrive, making them a perfect fit for a summer garden. You can plant cucumber bushes in containers or plant cucumber vines directly in the ground—as long as you include a trellis for support.

Peppers: Like corn, grilled peppers are a great addition to any grill. They can also be planted early in the year. Make sure they stay consistently watered, and give them full access to the sun for optimal growth.

Okra: Another sun-loving plant, okra flourishes in hot weather—perfect for such a staple of southern cuisine. You can plant okra early in the year, but keep it inside until the end of June when the weather is warm enough to support its growth.

Tomatoes: Like okra, tomatoes can be planted inside and moved outside in consistently warm weather. These babies need hours of sun each day.

Basil:  It’s an annual herb that should be harvested regularly, so if you’re going to be out in the garden anyway thanks to the hot, sticky (I mean, delightfully warm) weather, why not pop some basil seeds in the ground? It’ll grow abundantly, and fresh basil is excellent on summer pasta dishes, cool salads, and classic Italian fares.

Dill: Did you know it’s actually a flower? Though it resembles Queen Anne's Lace, this flowering herb lends an excellent flavor to classic summer dishes like potato salad and fresh fish. Toss some into a bowl with some of your garden-grown cucumbers, a drizzle of olive oil, and some feta cheese for a refreshing side dish.

Cilantro: While cilantro requires some careful monitoring and clipping to keep hungry birds at bay, it’s a great summer herb with a distinct flavor for Mexican-inspired dishes and salsas.

Oregano: Like basil and cilantro, oregano thrives in hot weather and sunshine, making it an excellent choice for your summer herb garden. It’s also a versatile herb that can be used in everything from omelets to lasagna.

Rosemary: This classic herb also flourishes in heat and can be easily transplanted to larger pots, if needed. As an added bonus, it smells wonderful!

With a few complementary plants growing in your garden, you can put together full dishes without ever leaving your home. For instance, tomatoes, basil, and cucumbers chopped and mixed in a bowl make a bright, healthy salad. Add some fresh mozzarella and you’ve got a unique spin on the classic caprese salad.

Happy planting!

We've been dreaming a lot lately at Bright Star Farm, bursting with creative ideas for products, goods, and ideas to create and sell, not only here at the farm but in other outlets, too. 

A recent trip to Wild Birds Unlimited in New Bern proved that others are latching onto our ideas. In fact, they've even asked to feature our Alpaca Fleece Nesting Balls made from 100% natural fleece from our very own alpacas here at the farm. 

So what are nesting balls, anyway? Nesting balls essentially provide fodder for bird nests. Hang one outside and watch as birds pull the contents of the nesting ball -- often horse hair, feathers, or alpaca fleece -- out to build nests of their own. And anyone who knows birds knows they're very resourceful. They'll use whatever they can to create safe, comfortable nests for their little ones.

They're also a great way to attract birds to your home, which is especially appealing to avid bird watchers and nature lovers. Plus, now that we're coming into warmer weather, it's the perfect time to hang one near your back porch and watch birds light on the rail to pull resources for their nests. 

We're very excited and grateful to Wild Birds Unlimited for taking an interest and agreeing to sell our products for us. Make sure you stop by to pick one up and support the store (and the farm!). They're rustic and affordable, and they'll be a great addition to your back yard.

If you've got some flowers left over from Valentine's Day or a recent birthday celebration (or even if you just like having fresh flowers around!), don't throw them away. Try using them differently by making an easy rose & coffee sugar scrub!

This scrub is SO easy and affordable to make. I didn't even have to go to the store for any extra ingredients. Simply  use the petals of a flower (I used a rose), some baby oil (you could also use olive oil), some sugar, and a little bit of ground coffee for that extra kick of caffeine (to kick cellulite's butt!). 

Yes! The recipe is easy to customize, so use what suits you best. It's a great combination of smoothing and exfoliating (thanks to the baby oil and the sugar), and it smells nice to boot. Next time you're stuck inside on a rainy day, 

To read the original post including the recipe, click here. 

Ever picture the perfect setup, only to realize you didn’t have everything you needed? I do that all the time; after all, I’m a newlywed, and we’re still working on stocking our house.

In light of my husband’s birthday earlier this week, I whipped up some key lime cupcakes with cream cheese frosting — his favorite. I wanted to arrange them nicely on a cake stand on the coffee table so he’d see them when he got home. There was only one problem: We don’t have a cake stand.

It’s one of those things that you just don’t need…until you need it.

So I did a bit of rummaging, and I realized I could easily create a clever cupcake display simply by using what I already had. I took a serving platter, three of our Mason jar glasses (a wedding gift more affectionately known as “redneck wine glasses”), and turned them upside down. They were a nice height and the perfect size for holding a some sweet baby cakes.

It’s easy to get caught up in wanting more things — like a cake plate, for instance. But you know what’s even better than finally getting those things? Living simply by learning how to use what you have creatively.

Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for a cupcake.