Weekly roundup

Steady Work, Steady Rewards

These days are full of small labors—cutting kale, plucking worms, feeding the compost bins—all adding up to meals that feel earned. This week, I’m sharing what’s working here, from harvesting routines to the simplest way to get garden greens on your plate.

Homestead Happenings

A lesson in vigilance: Kale and its stubborn pests

The kale beds have been producing steady, but each picking comes with a side job—finding the cabbage worms that would love nothing more than to turn the whole patch into lace.

Most mornings I’m out early, harvesting leaves for breakfast, only to pause every few minutes to peer close and spot those little green thieves curled up on the underside.

They’ve been hitting hard this year. I keep a jar of soapy water on hand, drop them in one by one, and get right back to it.

It’s a slow grind of patience and paying attention, but it ensures we have enough kale to keep the table green into fall.

👉 If you want to head them off before they show up in numbers, take a look at the Top 5 Kale Pests—and how to beat them naturally. Might just save you from losing your next harvest.

Compost that works while you sleep

Another quiet rhythm around here is feeding the worm bins. They sit tucked away taking in every coffee filter, eggshell, and kale rib that’s too tough to chew.

In no time, those scraps are halfway broken down, thanks to a thousand tiny mouths doing the work while we sleep.

But it’s not just the castings I look forward to. Between full harvests of worm compost, I’ll drain off a dark, rich liquid—leachate—that seeps to the bottom of the bin. Some folks call it worm tea, though true worm tea is brewed differently. This is more raw, straight from the process, and I dilute it heavily before watering it into the garden.

Used right, it’s like giving your plants a light, natural boost of nutrients right when they’re hungry for it. By the time I scoop out the finished castings a few weeks later, the beds have already been getting small sips of fertility all along.

👉 If you’re curious about setting up a small system—especially one that fits a porch or even a corner inside—I put everything you need in this guide on How to Compost at Home.

Kale, Potato & Sausage Skillet

Ingredients

• 12 oz smoked sausage, sliced into rounds

• 3 medium potatoes, diced (skins on or off—your call)

• 3–4 cups chopped kale, ribs removed

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt & black pepper

• Splash of apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage:
   Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high. Add sliced sausage and cook until it’s nicely browned on both sides. Remove to a plate—keep the fat in the pan.

2. Cook the potatoes:
   Toss diced potatoes into the same pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat, then cover with a lid and let them steam in their own heat, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender (about 10–12 minutes).

3. Add the kale:
   Stir in chopped kale. It’ll look like a lot, but it cooks down quickly. Sauté uncovered for 3–5 minutes, letting some edges get a bit crisp.

4. Bring it together:
   Return the sausage to the pan, toss everything together, and cook another minute to heat through.

5. Finish:
   Kill the heat, add a splash of apple cider vinegar, and give it one last stir. Taste for salt and pepper.

Serving tip:

Spoon it hot right out of the pan. This is one of those meals that’s even better with a fried egg on top.

That’s it for this week.

Weekly Garden Tip:

Feed your compost small & often:
Instead of waiting for big scraps to pile up, toss in kitchen bits daily—coffee grounds, eggshells, veggie trimmings. It keeps the pile active and breaks down faster.

The Grounded Homestead