Before I can fully jump into savoring all the tempting, fresh flavors of the spring garden, there’s one last chapter I need to wrap up from last year’s growing season:  finishing up what’s left in the freezer.  My taste buds may be craving that tender new asparagus, but my rational mind reminds me to first finish that shredded zucchini, Swiss chard and whatever else may be lingering in my freezer first.

Frozen shredded zucchini is not a bottle of nice red wine.  Age does not improve the zucchini, it only ushers in freezer burn.  On my family’s Wisconsin farm and B&B, Inn Serendipity, I typically freeze most of our garden harvest for the simplicity and efficiency.

All summer long I shred, blanch, or tray freeze my garden goodies, packing the produce into square freezer containers and lining them up in our thirteen cubic foot chest freezer in the basement.  Chest freezers, when full, can run quite energy efficiently as not as much cold air escapes when you lift open the lid, versus the vertical type freezers.  All winter long we defrost and eat through our garden harvest, ideally letting these freezer containers slowly defrost for a few days in the refrigerator, using the defrosting process to cause our refrigerator to run less.  As we “eat through” the freezer and space opens up, I fill the empty space with recycled milk jugs filled with water to help the freezer run more efficiently.

By this time of year, I’m down to the last few freezer containers and a freezer in need of a good clean out, but need a dose of culinary motivation to use up those last lingering items from last year.  Here are three strategies I use for that that final “freezer finale”:

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And please remember: Rebecca's always on the lookout for new tips. Please submit your to the Discussion Forum we've created for them, and she'll make sure you get credit for your contribution.

For those of you needing your Tip fix, don't forget our archives are overflowing with great green tips.

UPDATE: Rebecca enjoyed her day off so much that she requested another one… and we're happy to oblige.  She'll definitely be back tomorrow…

• While nothing beats charcoal for flavor, gas and electric grills are the top choices for energy-efficiency and cost.
• If you can't live without that charcoal flavor, look for all-natural briquettes (made from plant materials) or wood briquettes that come from sustainably-produced wood sources. You may have to dig a bit: these are easier to find in countries other than the US.
• Avoid the quick-light charcoal, or lighter fluid: chimney or electric starters work just as well or better, and don't produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Choose greener foods to throw on the grill: organic or locally-produced meats, or even meatless options. Fresh vegetables are wonderful grilled out.
• When cleaning the grill, avoid toxic cleaners: vinegar and a little elbow grease work wonders!

Got other tips for green grilling? Do share! Thanks to Thriftyfun.com and the Green Guide (a GO advertiser) for the great information.

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden has published a number of selections from Stevie Daniels' Easy Lawns that show homeowners around the US how to replace more popular grasses (which are often imports from Africa, Asia and Europe) with indigenous varieties. Depending on where you live, you may have several options available: buffalograss, sedges, and fescues are among the most popular native grasses, and most are indigenous to many areas of the country.

Of course, each grass will have specific requirements for optimal growth. Buffalograss, for instance, is a summer growth grass, so it doesn't need to be planted until late April. Fescues, on the other hand, are cool-season grasses, and will do better in early Spring; according to Daniels, they stay green longer into the Fall, and some varieties are even evergreen.

Native grasses will often produce a look that's a bit different from the traditional "manicured lawn"; that doesn't mean, though, that they're unattractive. Most can be cut, but don't necessarily need it: buffalograss, for instance, grows 3-8 inches in height.

Jeff says: I'm giving buffalograss a try this year in my backyard. I plan to dig up what remain of my very pathetic bluegrass lawn, and plant the native seeds later this month. I'll publish occasional posts on my success (or lack thereof) with this approach.