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Christmas, Giveaway

Mavis’ 12 Days of Giveaways – Day 1

By Mavis Butterfield on -

Hello and Happy Friday!

As a way of giving back and thanking you for showing up here on this crazy little blog of mine, whether it’s everyday or every week or just when you need to pop by for a recipe, I thought it would be fun to giveaway 12 unique gifts this holiday season that have brought me a bit of happiness over the past year.

Some of the giveaways will be locally made products I’ve discovered since moving to New England, some will be handmade, and few will be something I discovered long ago but still find myself using year after year {like today’s giveaway}. There will be even one very special item I’ll be giving away over the next 12 days that you’d have to get on a 6 month waiting list {or even longer!} to receive.

These next 12 days of giveaways are my way of saying thank you. Thank you for being a part of this blog. And for being here to keep the conversation going. You rock.

Update: This Giveaway is now closed.

It should come as no surprise that my first giveaway has to do with something I totally love: Gardening! I’m giving away THREE copies of my favorite gardening book: The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food by Tanya Denckla Cobb. I discovered this book nearly 15 years ago when it first came out and I’ve been referring to it ever since.

“This plant-by-plant guide includes profiles of more than 765 tasty varieties of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and nuts. In addition to expert advice on selecting suitable plants and growing, harvesting, and storing them, this invaluable resource includes more than 100 tried-and-true organic remedies that fight off diseases and pests.”

3 people will win 1 copy of my favorite gardening book The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food

All you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment below and let me know what your favorite thing to grow is. Never gardened before? No worries. You can either tell me what your favorite fresh fruit or vegetable is, or what you want to learn to grow.

My favorite? Heirloom tomatoes of course! 🙂

Rules

Comment must be left on the blog to count as an entry. 1 entry per person/ip address. If you cheat, you will totally be disqualified. This giveaway is open to anyone on the planet earth.

This giveaway ends December 10th, 2019 @9 pm EST and all the winners of the Mavis’s 12 Days of Giveaways Series will be announced on December 11th, 2019. Winners will be notified via email and have 24 hours to claim their prize. If the prize is not claimed within 24 hours, the prize will be forfeited.

Good Luck! I hope you win!

♥ Mavis

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Comments

    • shawn lafavers says

      Basil! I can’t kill it. And apparently I can’t kill Christmas cactus either. Or orchids. I think I’ve neglected them enough to die and they keep coming back with blooms, haha.

      • Melissa says

        my new thing to grow was horse radish this year…I try and add something new every year!! Im still learning alot!

  4. Sue says

    Tomatoes. I grow other veg, but homegrown tomatoes-can’t beat the taste of them.

    The ‘Gardeners A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food’- bought it on your recc several years ago. So glad I did!

  6. Robin in WI says

    My favorite thing to grow (aside from flowers) is Cherokee Purple. That heirloom variety has been my favorite ever since our local Walmart sold plants one summer. The flavor is fantastic, and I love the lumpy way they develop.

    • Sharon Rook says

      Very high on the goal list for 2020 is to grow more food in containers on my balcony. This looks like a wonderful resource!

  10. Tracy Soule says

    I love growing basil in the garden. The smell of basil in the hot sun is my favorite scent in the summer.

  19. Sandi Fleury says

    Yes!! Heirloom tomatoes, squash, esp Blue Hubbard and Sweet Meat!! And much more!! Thank you!! Blessings. ❤

  24. Nancy says

    Cherry tomatoes are our favorite thing to grow. Look forward to reading the latest blog post every morning!

  25. Lynne says

    I’m addicted to heirloom tomatoes and plan to expand to zucchini next year, even though I could live on tomato sandwiches all summer long!

    • Amber says

      Basil and marigolds are my favorites. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, I look forward to reading them every day!

    • Wendy Good says

      Heirloom tomatoes are my favorite vegetable to grow. I plant at least 5 different varieties. But I also love growing all kinds of vegetables!

  28. Sharon says

    Herbs……basil, oregano, cilantro, rosemary and others…… but these I can actually easily grow.

  32. Rosaleen says

    I don’t recall meeting a vegetable or salad that I dislike. Probably lettuce and tomatoes would be favorites to eat or grow.

    Thanks. Mavis!

  36. Hope H. says

    I love growing tomatoes in the garden, but this year it was fun growing cucumbers for the joy that the kids in the house got from seeing them in the garden and then becoming pickles.

  38. Jessica says

    My husband is the gardener in our family and I would LOVE to win this for him!! Last sitting here built 12 garden beds completely on his own and I’m just continually surprised at his ability to do anything he sets his mind to.

    I think my favorite things he planted this past year were snap peas (yum!) And potatoes. (So fun to dig up and such a great option to have.)

    Thank you for the giveaway(s) ☺

  39. Jodi Scarpa says

    My favorite thing to grow are cherry tomatoes on our high altitude condo deck here in Colorado.

    • Judith Culp DeWitt says

      This year I was successful, for the first time, growing peas. Loved the dainty little flowers! But I was most proud of the harvest of elderberries from my two bushes. I froze some for a pie for a special friend, made a medicinal syrup for myself & friends, and still had enough to share with a local herbalist who writes a column in the local paper. I left some for the birds to enjoy too. Thanks for all the encouragement you give us daily, Mavis!

  43. Laura Johnson says

    I grow some seasonal flowers but have always wanted to start learning to grow veggies. The few times I’ve tried tomatoes, I was completely unsuccessful ☹️ It’s ALWAYS on my resolution list with a BUST through it each year.

  44. Diane says

    Tomatoes, rosemary, and basil.
    And then, when the tomato is just perfect, put them all between two slices of hearty bread with some Cabot cheddar. Grill. Eat. Yum!

  48. Lynda says

    I love to grow green onions in a container outside my back door. So easy to harvest when I need some.

  49. Laura Wickes says

    I love growing it all. And canning it too. The asparagus and rhubarb for coming back every year. Placing a little seed in the ground and coming back to it in a few days and there is a plant there.

  55. Amanda Bates says

    Oh my, I would love to learn to grow veggies on my little apartment balcony with limited light. But I accidentally grew some tomatoes this year, so I guess I love growing tomatoes!

  56. Anita says

    My favorite thing to grow is sweet corn. I like to grow enough to put away for the entire year, and then we use the corn shocks for fall decorating. That way nothing goes to waste! Thanks Mavis!

  58. Carol O'Connell says

    Oh my! I pretty much enjoy growing ANYTHING! However, I really love growing tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes are the best!

  60. Andrea Duhe says

    And a big THANK YOU for your content! Long-time reader here. Home-grown tomatoes can’t be beat!

  61. Diana says

    My favorite thing to grow are the 8 citrus trees in pots I’ve had for the last 5-6 years. From year to year, you never know what kind of harvest you’ll get. The taste of the fruits are SUPREMELY delicious in comparison to store bought.

    • Peggy says

      Hi Mavis! As for edibles, I’ve become the crazy chile pepper lady! (And thanks for the opportunity to win!)

  64. Julie says

    I love growing tomatoes and cucumbers. They are so much better fresh from the garden than from a store.

  65. Dani McDevitt says

    I always love my veggies but I’ve got to say my favorites are my Comfrey and Calendula that I can use for salves and tinctures.

  66. Michele Cheney says

    Garlic! Love the scapes and the end result. We just have to remember to save enough to plant the nest season!

  68. Amber Timmerman says

    Red Russian Kale. It’s so dependable and versatile and grows all year long. I can’t imagine a garden without it.

  69. Rebecca says

    I love lemon cucumbers, but haven’t had much luck with growing them, yet. I think I’ll try again next growing season. I’d love to plant some blueberries, too!

  70. JoEllen K says

    We grow a little bit of everything and it’s hard for me to pick a favorite, but I think I’d have to say garlic and pumpkins are most enjoyable for me. It’s always satisfying to me to be able to grow something I know weren’t sprayed with a bunch of pesticides.

  74. Jennifer says

    I love growing so many things. But my favorite veg to grow is probably potatoes, though I haven’t had a ton of success with it yet.

  80. Pamela Thornton says

    We have moved a lot in our professional lives and I always start a garden.
    Now we are in Arizona and ready to start a new one….Chives, thyme, and tomatoes with flowers in between. Can’t wait!

  85. Jamie Johnson says

    Tomatoes for the win in our house. The grandkids love to check for ripe ones everyday of the season and it’s so fun for me to see their love of gardening grow from that to planting their own little garden spots as they get older.

  86. Elise says

    Bell Peppers and ah, well…Cannabis for salve making to gift my arthritic friends. And yes, I am in a “legal” state.

  87. Carol jean Kadonsky says

    I love to eat and grow kohlrabi, green beans, cucumbers, etc. I love my garden! Thanks for all your blogs and the give-a ways!

  89. Paula Dearr says

    My favorites to grow are string beans and basil and potatoes.
    Fresh potatoes can’t be beat for flavor!

  93. Debbi says

    My favorite thing(s) to grow is/are tomatoes – any kind.

    You’re awesome, Mavis – I look forward to reading your blog every day!

  94. Kristin says

    My favorite thing to grow are tomatoes! But every year I think of the gourds I grew one year that we used to decorate the house and the thanksgiving table. I even sent some in the mail to a friend. Gourds have never grown well again for me.

  96. Carol says

    Our ever-bearing raspberries- they keep giving and giving. There’s probably a couple out there hanging on right now!

    Just love a good giveaway, and love your writing style and blog.

  97. Julia says

    My husband has the green thumb but he’s having trouble growing cabbage and lettuce which he loves. Maybe it’s because we live in Northern Minnesota…I don’t know.

  100. Beth says

    Love my Roma tomatoes! I have been growing them for over 20 years. They are so hardy, flavorful and versatile. I still have some ripening in my kitchen window as I type this. I pick all the green ones before the killing frost, store them in a big clear Tupperware container on my enclosed front porch and add more to ripen on the window ledge as I need them.

  102. Michelle says

    Honestly, the last two years we’re just grateful for whatever volunteer comes up. Last year squash and tomatoe s, this year, tomatoes and pumpkins.

  103. Lea Ann H. says

    I enjoy growing anything I can make a salad with …. lettuces, spinach, kale, cucumbers, jicama, tomatoes, beets, carrots, sweet corn, and the list goes on and on! Such delicious variety.

  104. Casey says

    This year was my first year growing ground cherries. What a treat! Looking forward to upping my ground cherry game next year!

  105. Laura Arnett says

    Potatoes!! I like the excitement of digging them up not knowing how many you will get- it’s like playing the veggie lottery every time we harvest them!!

  119. Margie says

    I’m right there with you on heirloom tomatoes, black krim, brandywine, and Cherokee purple especially

  120. LeahPeah says

    My favorite thing to grow is cucumbers. Funny thing is, I don’t even like them. Others in my household do though so it all works out.

  121. gallopingcrow says

    Hello everyone! 🙂

    I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday/regular old Thursday, whichever it was to you!

    My husband and I live in a condo in Bellevue, WA – not a lot of gardening space. We do manage to get happy, healthy herbs going well in containers every year, enough to dry and use for the next 12 months. (Thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram and usually an experiment each year, for the curious!) That said, none of these are my favorite things to grow – just a bunch of very close second places. 😉

    What we like to ‘grow’ best are all our dreams for a future garden when we have an actual house and land! We talk about something that is both natural and functional, with fenced in veggies, more herbs, bee-friendly flowers and maybe a water feature or three. Top of the list would be many places for people to sit, relax and soak in nature! (The recent post about Mrs. HB’s garden was like seeing some of our dreams realized, enjoyed that very much.)

    Thank you for the continually excellent blog, Mavis! Even without a giveaway, it’s nice to share these kinds of thoughts with the community you have grown.

    Best wishes,
    GC

  124. Elise in the SF Bay Area says

    I like to grow tomatoes, but then I don’t know what to do with them..I HATE canning them…

    But I LOVE to grown and eat basil (pesto for months) and string beans. We could eat string beans every day in my house 🙂

    • Tracy W says

      Try freezing them in ziplock freezer bags. I freeze sauce, diced, and whole so I don’t have to buy canned through out the year.

  126. laura says

    i “rescued” some rather bedraggled basil from the 50% discount area at a local gardening store and it has done so wonderfully i will track down seeds! it is called purple ruffles and is just beautiful!!

  127. Deborah says

    I love my herbs and veggies but my favorite thing to grow right now are my strawberries. The grandkids love them – fresh, in smoothies or their favorite- “MiMi” jam.

  128. Emily E. says

    Hi Mavis! Thanks for having this fun and festive contest! My favorite thing to grow is carrots! Especially the rainbow and purple colored ones! My hubby even built me an extra deep raised bed so I can grow extra big ones! I just love the feeling of pulling them out of the soil; that final give when the roots let go. I guess that sounds weird but it’s strangely fulfilling! Anyhow, can’t wait to see what your 12 days contest brings!

  130. Tracy W says

    Tomatoes and herbs seem to be the winners here and I agree they are my favorite as well. I can’t wait for the first tomato sandwich of the summer…forget the lettuce and bacon…bring on the yummy homegrown tomato!

  131. Rynda Gregory says

    How exciting! I love to grow pole beans… they give a great garden snack, roasted or fried snack, canned snack, and…they help correct the soil! How cool is that!
    Thank you!

  133. Kay Bowles says

    Hi Mavis! Just so you know…I’m an idiot…. I didn’t think my comment took so clicked again…I really didn’t enter twice…..I am so technologically impaired,,,sigh….apologies!!!

  134. Wendy Lato says

    You introduced me to the excellent Botanical Interest seeds. I have done very well with their Pineapple tomatoes. Thanks for everything you do.

  135. Rachael says

    I like to grow things I can actually get to grow! I’d love to be able to grow pumpkins & squash, but I’ve NEVER had any luck w/ that. & it’s supposed to be one of the easiest things to grow! but I also love the little cherry tomatoes (sun gold) & this year I tried growing a dahlia & that worked well, so I think I’ll add more next year!

  140. Colleen King says

    Strawberries are the only food we grow now and that’s been fun but we’d love to devote some yard space to learning how to grow more.

  141. suzanne says

    Zucchini, tomatoes and herbs. Toms can be hit or miss in my PNW garden but I aways get a good crop of the other.

  143. Melonie Ford says

    While my misadventures at gardening haven’t yielded much, I love growing basil. I love cooking Witt it even more! Since life has moved us to Southern Oregon, my hope is to once agin try to grow more. We shall see what’s the Spring brings 🙂

  145. Mandy Mascaro says

    Definitely tomatoes! They taste soooooooooooooooooooo good and they are so necessary for so many things I cook in my kitchen!

  150. Diana says

    We grow almost all our food on 1 1/2 acres in Southern California. My favorite thing right now is the purple tree collards. They are a perennial and last year after year. There is something so fun about going in the garden for greens whenever I need them.

  152. CherylV says

    Bell peppers, onions and Roma tomatoes for me, slap it down with mozzarella on a hamburger patty with tomato sauce….heaven!

  153. sindy says

    I love growing garlic. It is so much better than when I have bought it in the store. It is so easy. I usually plant 300 and give some away to friends and family. Thanks for your little blog I love it.

  155. Joely says

    While I adore my summer tomatoes and basil my favorites right now are carrots and leeks because I can still pick them out of the garden this time of year!

  156. Kathryn Maxson says

    Herbs are my favorite. They add so much to food and are easy to grow.Merry Christmas Mavis!

  159. Kathie S. says

    Hot peppers. For the last three years we’ve been growing hot peppers on the patio here in New England and they really thrive. My son loves to add them to his chili, marinades etc. Next year I plan on adding four or five extra plants so we can make hot sauce and bottle it to use during the colder months. This year we had Tabasco, Dragon Cayenne and jalapeno.

  163. Sandy C says

    I Love to grow fresh herbs, parsley, basil, rosemary, sage and more for our salads and casseroles.

  165. Sue says

    I’m only commenting about what I like to grow, because I have this book, and purchased one as a gift.
    My favorite are tomatoes , herbs and peppers.

  167. Pam H says

    Chives. You may laugh but they are so faithful and forgiving! They come back every year, deal with being accidentally weeded or intentionally eaten by the kids, put up with me trying to split them up and snip them down. They are the faithful dog of the garden. 🙂

  169. Cindi says

    Rainbow chard. The plants are so pretty, we love to eat it, and it grows really well in my Zone 3, high altitude climate. With babying, I can grow it about 9 months of the year — a miracle here.

  171. Abigail says

    Growing things and seeing them do well is so rewarding. My favorite thing to grow are roses. 🙂

  175. Beth Creal says

    I’m not a great gardener, but I always want to get my hands in the dirt come Spring. Right now we have collards, cabbage and kale. I think one of my favorites, though is a little herb with red flowers that the hummingbirds love to visit.

  176. Sharon says

    I am not a gardener (although my mother and my aunts are all avid gardeners), but I would love to grown things that I personally love to eat and use a lot such as Meyer lemons, zucchini, chives and basil. My dream tree would be a Hawaiian papaya tree (my favorite fruit of all time), but I don’t know if they would grow in Southern California.

  178. Ellen Green says

    I grow many things, but perhaps the plants I enjoy the most are the ones that are planted and thrive in early spring. When all outdoors is wet and gray, it is a joy to walk out to the garden and see beautiful, crisp green kale, leek shoots, turnip greens, mustard greens, and sugar snap peas!!!

  180. Heather says

    Maybe it’s cliche, but tomatoes are easily my favorite thing to grow. It’s not a garden without tomatoes! Basil and carrots are close behind, though.

  187. Richelle says

    Honestly, my favorite things to grow are perennials, but I love throwing in some herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, chives), blueberries, and raspberries, too!

  191. Danielle Diakoff-King says

    I would have to say Tomatoes basil and cucumbers are my favorite things to grow.
    Perfect summer salad.

  192. Deborah Healey says

    I like to grow, tomatoes, eggplant, oregano, basil and mint. Am moving to NC from PA in January so it will be interesting what I can grow in their clay soil. I will have a lot of soil emending to do!

  196. Jessanna Mitchell says

    My favorite thing to grow is…. brussels sprouts! Not only do I love cooking and eating the little green bobbins, but it’s fun to watch the way they grow – they always remind me of a veggie-fied stick of sleigh bells. 🙂

  197. Rubie Morin says

    I love planting herbs . . . it is so nice to take a stroll out in my backyard and bring in the fresh herbs I need for the food I am preparing. Fresh chives to put in goat cheese from our goats! Basil! Rosemary – for cooking, and for my bath. Just love my herbs!

  198. Julie says

    I actually love growing zucchini, believe it or not! I shred it up and freeze it and we have zucchini bread all year long! Plus it’s the only thing that I’m “good” at growing lol!

  199. Tracy says

    I grow quite a few different varieties of vegetables. About 30 last year. But while I love to grow tomatoes and so many other things mentioned by other folks, my favorites are sugar snap peas and tons of herbs. The snap peas are just the best tasting thing around, and I use fresh herbs in almost everything I cook or eat raw.

  201. Donna Sanford says

    I live in NE Michigan and have a huge vegetable garden. The most fun item for me to grow are Tomatillo. I make fresh salsa and also can a Verde salsa that my family loves.

  206. Mary Van Keuren says

    potatoes from Wood Prairie Farm in Bridgewater, Maine, a family-owned company that offers the best seed potatoes I’ve ever found. Potatoes are great to grow because digging them up feels like Christmas, when you’re unwrapping presents and don’t know what you’re going to find–but you know it’ll be good.

  208. Kathy Mosier says

    I have always wanted to grow leek’s. I just love them but have never been able to find any for the garden.

  209. Kathy Lorentz says

    Golden Yellow Peppers; they take months of work from germinating seed in 15-21 days in March until harvest in mid to late September. They are delicious in stir frys and pastas.

  210. Peggy Ann from CT says

    Cucumbers and tomatoes so I can make a summer sandwich with them.
    White toast, a little mayo and salt and pepper. I can taste it now.

  215. Julie says

    It’s tough to narrow it down to just one! Butternut squash will have to be the winner even though I fight squash bugs to harvest time.

  217. Jacqui Gauld says

    Unfortunately haven’t had a garden for a long time but I always grow tomatoes in gro-bags, in my spare room. Have tried other things, but not had much success.

  218. Amy Cooper says

    I love to grow cosmos and zinnias! My vegetable garden leads to heartache many years but the annual flowers never fail.

  219. Susan Sleeman says

    My very favorite thing to grow is peas. Nothing is better than fresh peas for me. Tomatoes are a close second.

  221. Veronica Craig says

    I love to grow basil and zucchini. I haven’t been successful with zucchini because the grubs bore into the blossoms

  222. Elle says

    There is nothing better than a big beautiful heirloom tomato warm and fresh off the vine! I would LOVE to win a book!

  225. Ida says

    I have so many favourites, but if I’m going to go with one I have to say rhubarb. After a long winter it feels like hope return as soon as I see the first stalks break the surface plus rhubarb crisp has been my favourite for as long as I can remember!

  230. Kristi M says

    I love growing zucchini! I never get tired of eating it, and so look forward to making relish, bread and dehydrating slices for winter soup.

  240. Jane Hayward says

    Basil – because you can start seeds in succession, and have it grow all summer long! With fresh tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, you have a yummy salad alternative all summer long!

  243. Karon Monahan says

    I love to grow limes inside, have a twenty year old tree that is healthy, happy and productive! Live on an island in the San Juan’s with western exposure. Lots of daily sun!

  244. wendy says

    I love growing beans. Partly because it drives my nosey old neighbor crazy when I use fallen limbs zip tied together to make a trellis. The birds love it tho and I have been known to eat beans for lunch while picking lol

  249. Darlene Owen says

    My favorite thing to grow is strawberries as that is the one thing that grows good, last year I got 13 quarts and they were delicious.

  252. Shelley Briley says

    I like to grow just about everything. I try something new every year. Recently, I’ve been successful with Get Stuffed tomatoes and Stained Glass dried corn. So pretty.

  257. Linda Reynolds says

    It is herbs that I love to grow…Rosemary & Purple Basil smell the sweetest to me. Kosher salt will draw the oil from the Rosemary and then any hamburger, pork chop seasoned with rosemary salt is out of taste heaven. The purple Basil becomes the most divine salad dressing.
    Now, I must run…have made myself hungry

  259. Dawn Cisek says

    My favorite fruit to grow is tomatoes – several different kinds – primarily Early Girl and Big Beef (I’m not sure if that’s the right name). The reason I love growing tomatoes? My dad came from a family with very little money, and when he and my mom moved to California, they discovered that they could grow tons of things, and the Early Girl was his favorite!!

  262. Katrina says

    Since moving back to southern CA I really enjoy working in the little citrus grove we’ve planted. There are tiny satsuma mandarins which are so fun to eat right off of the tree in December and January.

  264. monica says

    jeruselum artichokes……the easiest, and tastiess, vegetable to grow…..you just toss the tuber where you want to start a new batch and nature does the rest!

  265. Elaine Laverdiere says

    I love all the vegetables grown in my garden (we plant 20 different vegetables). The tomatoes are my favorite with Silver Slicer cucumbers coming in 2nd. This is the first year that I planted the Silver Slicer cucumbers and I did not regret! The best cucumbers I’ve ever tasted!

  269. Pam says

    Love my Heirloom Tomatoes and Juliet (small Roma) tomatoes! With that a good healthy herb garden with Italian herbs and all others I have space for!

  271. Michelle A. says

    My favorite thing to grow is GARLIC! You plant it in the fall and practically forget it until the next June.

  272. Debbie in MA says

    Garlic is by far the easiest food item I grow in my garden. Plus the garlic scape pesto is yummy!
    Debbie in MA

  274. Loy says

    Definitely tomatoes. I enjoy your blog so. Look forward to every post. Thank you for these give-aways.

  276. Angela F. says

    This was my first year growing fruits and vegetables. My favorite was growing the cantaloupe! I couldn’t believe how many grew in our back yard!

  277. Patti says

    Tomatoes, peas, potatoes Tate so different from store bought and are a,omg my favorites, but I miss black raspberries. I haven’t had any success growing them or my favorite herb, French tarragon, but I haven’t given up yet.

  278. Claudia M says

    My favorite thing to grow is eggplant because I love it and seeing those amazing bright purple fruits in my garden makes me smile ear to ear!

  280. Stephanie says

    I love to garden and grow many vegetables and fruits. I planted garlic for the first time this last year and was thrilled with it, but I would have to say my favorite are heirloom tomatoes.

  282. Cathy Minerva says

    Herbs and squash grow so well here in Northeast GA that they have become my favorites…..but I also grow a lot of fruits like cherries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and grapes! And like you, Mavis, I love them ‘maters!

  287. Denise W. says

    I love to grow squash so I grow a lot of different kinds……spaghetti squash, zucchini, crookneck, and Hubbards. I find them so easy to grow.

  289. Candi says

    This was my first year gardening in Maine. Yes the black flies biting inside my ears were terrible. However fresh spring spinach and peas were delicious.

  300. Teresa Young says

    In our former house I had my perennial flower gardens just how I wanted them. In our new home I want to put in a few raised beds and want to have lots of lettuces, tomatoes and cucumbers – salad fixings!

  301. Jennifer says

    Tomatoes are the most rewarding if I can get them to grow. I guess that is why they are my favorite – a challenge for me.

  306. Donna says

    My favorite veggie to grow are tomatoes – a bunch of different varities for flavor, color, and canning.

  312. Vicki says

    Volunteer tomato plants that pop up the next spring in the most unexpected places, especially Arkansas Pinks.

  317. Michelle says

    Herbs for me as well as a constant supply of green beans (bush and pole) for my son. He will only eat beans from the garden because they taste so good.

  318. Linda says

    First of all…the reason we come back to this crazy little blog is because you rock. I have yet to make a recipe from your blog that isn’t good. My husband will even ask, is this a Mavis recipe? if I make something new. I got chickens because after reading about yours, I thought I needed some too. I could go on and on but won’t- my daughter would tell me I sound like a stalker! Ha!!!!!
    So zucchini is my favorite to grow!! Prolific & delicious!

  321. DebbieF says

    Jade green beans might just be my favorite. They just produce all summer and so tasty. And zinnia for eye candy!

  327. Beth says

    Hard to narrow it down but I love growing zucchini, my favorite vegetable. Thanks Mavis for all that you do!!

  329. Sheri Temple says

    Tough one to answer…. Sunflowers, radishes, snow peas, peppers, eggplant, and ground cherries are equally my favorites, but I rate my garden success by how the tomatoes are doing. Nothing beats a home garden grown tomato picked off the vine. So I would have to say that tomatoes are my favorite thing to grow.

  333. JulieP says

    Beans in all varieties can’t wait until next summer to be eating fresh ones, although canned and frozen, if from the garden, are pretty good too!

  336. Tracy L. says

    Love pickling cukes and herbs, but if I have to pick one, it’s tomatoes. Nothing like a homegrown just picked fresh tomato!!!!!

  338. Nancy says

    Brussel sprouts. Some years they grow beautifully, but other years they just won’t grow at all. Haven’t figured out yet just what they need to make them grow well all the time.

  339. Jessi says

    Fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, rosemary) and squash. I think I most look forward to fresh sautéed zucchini every year!

  347. Linda says

    I have so many favorites! If I had to choose just one, it would be herbs. Parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme! There is nothing like going out to your own garden and snipping a few herbs for a dish you are making – farm to table at its best!

  354. Joyce Forbush says

    I love to grow zucchini; I am the woman who gives it away to everyone! I have some packaged in my freezer for bread.

  355. ChristinaJ says

    My favorite thing to grow is tomatillos. I planted them on a whim one year and they were so easy and fascinating to watch grow. Love making my own salsa Verde with these.

  356. Robbin Thompson says

    New to gardening but love growing cucumbers and zucchini! Cherry tomatoes are easy and we love those.

  357. Mary says

    My favorite thing to grow are tomatoes and fresh herbs, like thyme, basil, rosemary and cilantro. It’s great to go out and just grab the fresh herbs you need!

  358. Cass says

    My favorite thing to grow is the latest odd or weird thing I discovered in the seed catalog or nursery in the spring.

    Purple tomatoes? Count me in. Ground cherries? Yup, love ’em. Purple beans that turn green when you cook them? Got them too. Purple Asparagus? Sure, why not? Yellow raspberries? They are yummy. Brociflower? Done it, (wasn’t a hit at my house) Assorted winter squash seeds that yield some WHITE acorn squash? Looked lovely as decoration.

    Not sure what I will find weird or odd for the upcoming growing season….but I am ALREADY looking. Spring is coming, I need to be ready.

  360. Merri Makovich says

    My favorite thing to grow here in Gig Harbor is oregano! It just grows and grows, the bees love it and it tastes and smells terrific…planted next to the tomatoes, it is spaghetti sauce all in one!

  362. Kyle says

    Nothing like home grown tomatoes, peppers, and miscellaneous herbs, along with a dwarf Meyer lemon and a Mexican lime tree…will be restructuring and expanding my raised bed garden before next spring…

  370. Amy leigh says

    My favorite thing to grow is garlic. Easy to plant in the fall, just like tulip bulbs. Then it grows on it’s own pushing up through the snow, and takes no care at all really with exception of some fertilizer. And digging it up in the late spring is always rewarding.

  371. Jessica says

    I don’t know how I could pick! Tomatoes, sweet corn, strawberries, apples, potatoes, everything. 🙂

  375. Paula L. says

    Like many of your other readers, I love growing basil. It’s beautiful and delicious. It’s a joy to smell, share, and cook with.

  376. Patti says

    We grew eggplant for the first time this year and had great success! My favorite ever though was the time I grew cantaloupe. Loved watching it develop and eating the final product!

  378. Dianne Mathews says

    Green beans! I grew 4 different varieties this year and got a huge harvest. My favorite was the Roma Bush beans..yumm

  380. Kathryn Mattus says

    My favorite plant to grow would be the tomato. (sigh…) I eagerly anticipate my first grilled cheese and sliced tomato sandwich every year! So delicious!!

  381. Cynthia Parido says

    My favorite thing to grow is habanero peppers. They are more tasty and juicy than anything you can buy in a store.

  384. Mary says

    Nothing like a carrot pulled fresh from the garden. As a kid I loved pulling a carrot from my Gram’s garden, brushing off the dirt and eating it raw. I’ve never been able to grow any of my own though!

  385. Alex Ventura says

    Right now my favorite things to grow are herbs – mint, lemongrass, basil (not doing so well) and oregano

  388. KL says

    I can’t pick just one favorite! So, I guess it will be whatever is ripening at the time! (Tomatoes, peppers, kale, watermelon, sweet potatoes, okra, peas, …it could be lots of things!)

    • Jennifer says

      My favorite thing to grow is hot peppers, I like to cross-pollinate the varieties. I also love to grow watermelons…so fun to watch them slowly get bigger and bigger until they are ready.

  392. Kyle King says

    Hot peppers… the hotter the better! Carolina Reapers are the only ones too hot for me to eat fresh or grilled. They go in the freezer for hot sauce later.

  394. Bonnie Testerman says

    Oh, my 3 dogs, Martha Marie, Sergio, and Porche are so excited about the dog treats, they just love anything stinky and fishy. Sometimes when I want to make them especially happy, I open a can of mackerel and let them go at it. They are especially anxious to try the yummy, crackly, fish skin. I love your blog and have been following you for years, every day.

  400. Denise Kruse says

    Wow! I am impressed by all of the responses. Gardening saves the planet so it makes me happy to see how many folks out there love gardening too! I think my favorite thing that I grow is my Italian honey fig tree, ” Luigi” Lattarula, a taste that reminds me of my childhood. Thanks, Mavis!

  401. Kristen says

    Tomatoes, herbs, pumpkins, cukes. I read this book back when I started a tiny garden and was so glad to have happened upon it. Thanks, Mavis

  404. Torrie @ To Love and To Learn says

    We’re not GREAT at growing any kind of produce (yet), but we were thrilled last year when our cucumber plant took off, and I’ve really loved having a little herb garden. I also love our strawberry patch, even if our yield is not even close to what we can put down, lol.

  405. Marcia says

    My husband just built two beautiful self watering planters this year. So we planted things for the first time in a long time… our kids were too young before now.

    Tomatoes and cucumbers were the obvious. Two tomato plants went crazy and there are still a few on there. Cucumbers had a slow start, but man they went nuts and are still flowering.

  406. Dianna Morales says

    Since I’m pretty new at gardening I’ve had luck with tomatoes… I would love to grow pumpkins for our chickens though.. 😉 of course zuchinni woukd he great too since this last year we got only a few.. next year will be better though through trial and error.

  407. Caitlin says

    My favorite thing to grow… is greens. Boring, I know, but they’re the gift that keeps on giving–delicious salads for weeks on end.

  408. L. Adkins says

    I love to grow tomatoes & cucumbers and hope to expand my mini suburban garden next year. This book would certainly help!

  410. L Bryant says

    Tomatoes. I look forward to that first summer ripened tomato. I can, dry and freeze them so that the summer goodness lasts the whole year!!!

  413. Nicole says

    Carrots and pumpkins! I love watching my kids get excited see them grow and getting to pick them.

  415. Kim says

    Romaine lettuce. We grow tons of it. There always seems to be recalls on it, plus, nothing is better than a summer salad with vegetables you pick from your own garden.

  416. Heather says

    We love growing blackberries and some raspberries. I want to try to grow spaghetti squash next year.

  419. Tom Friday says

    If I were to win these wonderful tools I would give them to my wife as a present. She is an avid gardener, and would get some great ideas from the book.

  420. Tom Friday says

    If I were to win this interesting book I would give it to my wife as a present. She is an avid gardener, and would get some great ideas from it.

  427. Michelle says

    I’m a newbie to the world of gardening. But I tell you, there is just something about it, that has be hooked… line and sinker. I would love such a valuable resource with everything in ONE place to help accelerate my knowledge so that I can find success faster 🙂 Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind a bit of trial and error… I am just impatient! And… I want to know everything… yesterday haha! This years lesson for me was.. soil health. Um yeah, its a biggy.

  431. Linda Jernberg says

    Canteloupe! I live in the PNW and growing them requires lots of TLC, but they are worth the effort!

  432. Trish F says

    Probably lettuce as I find it is the easiest to grow, I do love zucchinis, though I can’t seem to outsmart the vine borers. Thanks for a great giveaway!

  436. Theresa Lichauco says

    Tomatoes in all forms is my favorite. I love fresh fully ripened by the sun. So yummy.

  437. Maarja shisler says

    I’m new to gardening but love every moment in our backyard garden boxes. I have so much to learn but love growing tomatoes and green beans and watching my kids try new things that they helped to grow!

  439. Gwen says

    My favorite thing to grow in my garden is sun gold tomatoes. They taste like candy from the sun!!

  442. Sheri says

    My favorite thing to grow is Swiss chard. It grows great in my climate and is so easy to grow!

  444. Amber says

    I have two! Peppers (bell because the dogs LOVE them, and jalapeno because I love them), and tomatoes!!! I love to eat those straight off the plant, warm from the sun.

  446. Lillianna says

    Tomatoes provide us with salads all summer , fried green tomatoes in early fall and canned for meals all winter long.

  451. Heidi says

    Good morning Mavis and Lucy!
    My favorite thing to grow are herbs because I love fresh herbs for cooking. 🙂

  452. Robin Martin says

    Cucumbers, I love that delicious crunch fresh from the garden flavor! And trying new varieties of vegetables from my seed catalogs is awesome too!

  454. Dara says

    My favorite thing to grow is brocolli! It’s been a lot of trial and error and to finally have it growing and the kiddos excited to eat it, is a win a few years in the making.

  457. Betsy says

    I love growing everything! This year I successfully grew eggplants, and I was so excited. I guess green beans and tomatoes are my most consistent veggies.

  458. Maria Huntsman says

    Hello. Thank you for doing this giveaway.
    My favorite vegetable is Egg Plant and onions and i would like to learn to grow herbs and onions!

  460. Kim says

    Tough choice — but I’d say cherry tomatoes and basil. My girls and I love to snack on these when we’re playing outside or gardening.

  469. Judy says

    Hi Mavis, tomatoes are my most favorite thing to grow. Can’t beat a fresh tomato still warm from the sun.

  471. Beverly Metcalf says

    My favorite veggie to grow is tomatoes, but I love gardening and eating any fresh from the garden vegetable. Thanks!

  473. Amiee says

    I love growing flowers! I haven’t really had much experience in growing vegetables, but I do love my mother-in-law‘s squash and cucumbers.

  474. Faye Haywood says

    I love home grown tomatoes and growing pots of herbs, like basil, rosemary and chives.
    Tomatoes are truly a gift from the GODS. Nothing tells you it is Summer like a fresh tomato from your garden!

  475. Becky C says

    My favorite thing to grow are pineapple tomatillos (yellow ground cherries). The kids eat them up like candy!

  478. Kathy K says

    I love growing herbs. Fresh is so much better and it’s great to be able to have so many varieties in my herb garden. My second favorite thing to grow is heirloom tomatoes.

Mavis Butterfield
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