Real Farmer Jeff

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Six Ways to Protect Your Garden from the Frost

Six Ways to Protect Your Garden from the Frost

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Protecting my garden from freezing temperatures is a constant battle during the spring. I live in a part of Utah (Zone 7A) that is a sub desert, and so even though the days often get warm, the nighttime temperatures can drop by over 20...

Increasing Tomato Yield: How To Pollinate Your Tomatoes by Hand

Increasing Tomato Yield: How To Pollinate Your Tomatoes by Hand

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.If you’ve ever struggled to get a good tomato harvest (especially during hot, dry summers) hand-pollination might be the secret weapon you’ve been missing. Even though hand-pollination goes above and beyond what the average gardener...

The Benefits of Raised Beds for Gardening (Hügelkultur)

The Benefits of Raised Beds for Gardening (Hügelkultur)

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.As you may know, my garden has three steel raised beds. In fact, two of my raised beds are almost three feet tall and would have needed a massive amount of soil to fill - but I used an alternative method that I'll share in this blog...

Seed Libraries Guide (How to Get Free Seeds!)

Seed Libraries Guide (How to Get Free Seeds!)

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.In 2025, I learned from one of my followers (shoutout Alyssa!) that you can often find free seeds at local public libraries.I was so intrigued that I checked out several libraries where I live. About half of the public libraries that I...

10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Garden Location

10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Garden Location

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Before planting a garden, one decision matters more than almost anything else: where you put it. Even great soil and fertilizer cannot fully compensate for a poor location. Sunlight, wind exposure, and accessibility all play a huge role...

How to Build My Favorite Tomato Trellis

How to Build My Favorite Tomato Trellis

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.As many of you know, my favorite garden vegetable/fruit to grow are tomatoes.I’m sure many of you have used the classic cone-shaped wire trellises. Unfortunately, they don’t work that well for tomatoes. There are several types of...

My Top Essential Garden Products

My Top Essential Garden Products

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here. My goal for this blog post is to save you money by explaining need-to-have's vs. nice-to-have's for gardening products so that you are prepared to create your own successful, luscious garden this year. Let's do this!These are all...

How to Build a Homemade Trellis Using Cattle Panel

How to Build a Homemade Trellis Using Cattle Panel

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.This season, I built homemade trellises made from cattle panel! I have the perfect corner in my garden to put them that is currently unused. They're a great way to support climbing plants like cucumbers, beans, peas, and even melons...

The 3 Best Garden Containers for Every Gardener

The 3 Best Garden Containers for Every Gardener

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.In this blog post I will share the 3 main types of garden containers that I use and recommend. Note that I use many types of containers, but these are my favorite ones!I will also list out the pros and cons of each so that you can...

Starting Seeds vs. Buying Transplants

Starting Seeds vs. Buying Transplants

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Starting your own garden is an exciting adventure, but before you start, you will need to do some planning. One of the main reasons many gardening efforts fall short is due to lack of proper planning. In this article, I will help you...

Comparing Grow Boxes: Garden Patch Grow Box vs. EarthBox

Comparing Grow Boxes: Garden Patch Grow Box vs. EarthBox

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.I love grow boxes and have used them heavily for years! My grandparents were the first ones to introduce them to me many years ago. They're especially valuable for beginner gardeners, small space gardeners, people growing on decks or...

The Original Way to Make Dill Pickles: Lacto-Fermented

The Original Way to Make Dill Pickles: Lacto-Fermented

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.Being a gardener, I am always looking for ways to preserve my harvest. I love growing cucumbers, but sometimes they go bad before I can even have a chance to figure out what to do with them. This is where pickling comes in handy!Before...

How to Amend Your Soil for a Thriving Garden

How to Amend Your Soil for a Thriving Garden

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.An obvious fact that’s often overlooked is that the quality of your soil plays a major role in the size of your harvest.So how do you improve the quality of your soil? By amending it. Amending your soil means improving its quality by...

How to Make Biochar for Your Garden

How to Make Biochar for Your Garden

Hey all! Real Farmer Jeff here.If you're looking for a simple, low-cost way to improve your garden’s soil, biochar may be your answer. Biochar is added to soil to improve its physical and biological properties. Unlike compost or fertilizers, it does not feed plants...

Jeff has a deep passion for gardening. Each year, he cultivates hundreds of pounds of vegetables—along with the occasional fruit—turning his garden into a thriving and productive space. Combined with Kyrié’s cooking, together, they create exciting meals using Jeff’s harvest.

Real Farmer Jeff