It’s not always about stocking up. Sometimes it’s just one jar.
Let’s be real. In the garden, things rarely ripen on schedule or in perfect quantities. Either you’ve got way too much of something—hello wild garlic season—or just enough for a single spoonful of pesto stirred into warm pesto pasta or tossed through a pesto pasta salad on a slow afternoon. And that’s fine. Beautiful, even.
I still remember that early April with Frida. The woods were filled with wild garlic. I was buzzing around, trying to figure out what to do with all of it. Frida just smiled and said,
“He comes when you’re ready to listen.”
I wasn’t. I was stressed. But I paused. Breathed. Picked a basketful. Then I made one jar of pesto. Just one. No pressure to fill the freezer. No plans to blog it. Just a quiet, green, garlicky moment.
Not a project. Just a kitchen pause.
Making your own pesto doesn’t need to be complicated or loud.
Sometimes, it’s just a quick blend of what you have. No measuring spoons. No exact rules. Only this:
- Fresh herbs: wild garlic, ground elder, basil, arugula, or a bit of everything
- Seeds or nuts: sunflower seeds, walnuts, cashews
- A good oil – I like olive, but use what you love
- Garlic, if you want
- Salt, pepper, lemon juice – just enough to make it sing
That’s it.
Want help with amounts? Use my Pesto Calculator – part of my digital gardening tool. You pick your greens, your nuts, how many servings you want—and it does the rest. Get the full recipe and adjust portions easily with my Digital Garden Tool: Try my Ground Elder Pesto + Pesto Calculator.
Yes, I preserve. Just not always all at once.
I still keep things for later. I do freeze basil. I dry herbs. I bottle tomato sauce when the kitchen smells like August.
But I’ve also learned something else:
It’s not always about the full pantry.
Sometimes, it’s about the joy of making something right now. A single jar because the basil was beautiful this morning. A little pesto because the kids are finally playing outside and I can stir it into warm pasta for dinner. Or because I want to give a friend something I didn’t buy. Something from my hands.
Digital gardening isn’t about control. It’s about freedom.
I don’t use my garden planner to track every seedling. I use it to breathe.
To see when my ground elder is tender. When my basil’s ready for the first gentle cut.
To space my sowings, so I’m not overwhelmed in June—buried in zucchini, lettuce, and three herb jungles.
I harvest in waves. Small amounts. Again and again. And because I know what’s coming, I don’t panic. I enjoy.
Fresh pesto, made in the moment, tastes different. Not more perfect. But more real. More alive. Like something you could never quite write down.
One jar is enough.
So yes, I preserve when it makes sense. When the harvest is big and the season short. But I also let myself make space for the little jars. The five-minute recipes. The “just because” kind of pesto.
Maybe you make one today. Maybe three next week. Maybe it never becomes a habit, just a feeling you follow.
Frida used to say:
“The best things don’t grow in the bed. They grow in the moment you pause to notice.”
I think pesto is one of those things.
Bring the Pesto Calculator to Your Blog or Business – A Tool for Every Garden Lover
If you’re a garden blogger, a slow food lover, or simply someone who loves sharing homemade gifts—I’ve made something for you. My Pesto Calculator is now available as a digital tool for your own website, whether you’re just starting your blog (yes, it’s perfect if you’re exploring how to start blogging) or running a small garden-based business.
Use it privately, offer it on your garden blog, or add it as a smart extra for your customers. It’s designed for small batch joy—just like everything I believe in.
Available in English, German, and French.
You’ll find it here: Visit my Etsy shop and make it yours.
