feb 2017, dear cameron. . .
February 2017 Dear Cameron, I know you are busily approaching Spring 2017 with much excitement and anticipation of a full summer garden. You are dreaming …
farm
wintering
I’ve put the gardens to bed and shored up the chicken coop. I’ve stored the tools and stacked the pots behind the shed. I’ve left …
a milestone to celebrate
Last year, I wrote this post on this date and reread it this morning as a reminder for my soul. Five years post surgery in …
lessons learned: putting the gardens to bed
Yesterday, my daughter and I updated our kitchen calendar with events for the next couple of months. In the corner, I noted some projects I …
tips for your next trip to the farmer’s market
So you’ve found your local market, and you’re ready to head out–what’s next? Give yourself plenty of time! There’s so much to see and explore. …
every laugh line on your face, made you who you are today
I like to read and repost this one annually to honor one more year’s travel on the journey~ This is for all you girls about …
lessons learned: grapes and intentionality
Several years ago, I decided I wanted to try my hand at grapes. As you may have read in previous posts, every year, I pick …
lessons learned: on growth, gardening boots, and grace
As I squatted by the trellis yesterday to plant more sugar snap peas, I looked down at the boots I was wearing. I’ve had them …
babying the berries–tips for springtime care
Two years ago, my out-of-control wineberry bushes began bullying my blueberry plants. In an effort to call them off, I trimmed and tugged until the …
10 ways to turn off the technology and turn on nature
With the advent of Spring, I thought this one might be appropriate to repost. Happy Saturday~cameron So last night, our Just Be women’s group met …
lessons learned: weathered spirits
Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before. ~William Butler Yeats This cloudy morning, …
couldn’t get enough? starting seeds part 2
Just put together my Christmas gift to myself–a basic indoor greenhouse kit. It’s small, but it’s one more step towards year round sustainability. And so, …
it’s never too early to start dreaming about seed starts
I just received my seeds for Spring and Summer 2014! Hooray, what an evening of celebration! I’ll be starting the seeds here in the next …
necessities and guilty pleasures for the gardener
So we covered this topic for homesteaders (click here for Part 1 and Part 2), and now that I’m spending my free time outside, I …
dirty hands, peaceful heart
Although this meditation is two years old, I find that it still rings true on many levels. May you engage in “peaceful heart” activities this …
recipes: growing grace farm’s kale chips
I love to hear my child exclaim “Yay!” when I announce I am making kale chips. As thin and crispy as regular chips, we love …
lessons learned: God’s thoughts on compost
This week, I spent time with my spiritual director. She talks with me about my journey with the Creator and cultivates the relationship we have …
lessons learned: on mint and gumption
Reposting this one as two opportunities for reflection this week reminded me why I cherish the word “gumption.” This morning on my brief stroll …
recipes: growing grace farm’s salted maple roasted root veggies
It is always good to revisit the recipes on your blog–I’ll be trying this one later this week! Oh, yeah! What a great feeling to …
tomatoes: drying them for a little summer year ’round
This week, I came across some beautiful yellow and red drying tomatoes at the farmer’s market. Sadly, mine have given way to blight due to …
lessons learned: sun, rain, blight and balance
This farming season began in late January with Mason jars, soil, a sunny spot in the den, and hope. By mid spring, plants warmed their …
lessons learned: tomato cages and friendship
I’m reposting this one today as I’ve recently been meditating on the impact friendship has had on my life lately. ~Cameron Last night, a handful …
blueberry lavender jam: a taste of summer
So, I’ve had some requests for the blueberry lavender jam recipe I mentioned in the “we’re jammin’” blog post. Just a note for those who …
small suburban farming–it can be done!
In the South, Mother’s Day is not only a day to celebrate the women we cherish, but it is also the day we farmers and …
update on mason jar seed starts–3 months out
So back in late January, I got a wild hair to start seeds in all the extra mason jars I have filling up shelves. If …
taking advantage of small spaces in the garden
If you are a front yard farmer like I am or have limited full sun spaces, don’t fret. I’ve been there, and I’m doing that. …
Wisconsin windmills
My sunset drive across Wisconsin brought me to a small town called Brownsville. As I crested the hill prior to the town’s exit ramp, I …
lessons learned: old made new
The year I was diagnosed with cancer, I spent a lot of time by my kitchen door. I would sit on my red stool, drink …
gentle gardeners and creation care
For much of the last century, religious institutions have missed–or ignored–our responsibility as stewards of the creation and to the Creator. However, people of faith …
sugar snap peas–nature’s candy
Last year, I started a batch of sugar snap peas on our deck and in front on the triangular trellis. By late May, we had …
lessons learned: taking down the walls
Those of you who follow this blog know how deeply I connect my time on the farm with time spent with God. I believe as …
so you’ve started your seeds, now what?!
After I pressed two posts on starting seeds, I noticed the trend in lots of posts and pinterest pics focusing on seed starting. Yep, we …
dirty hands, peaceful heart
My hands are small, I know But they’re not yours, they are my own ~Jewel, “Hands” Raising a teenage daughter comes with it many interesting …
lessons learned: on hauling mulch
It’s about that time time of year when we start Spring cleaning our gardens, homes, and perhaps, even ourselves. I thought this one might be …
if there’s dirt under the fingernails, it must be Spring
After two weekends of designing, sawing, and measuring shelving, I had had enough of a project that just wasn’t working out. I finally looked at …
today is the day, celebrate life!
This date holds a special anniversary for me–it is the day that I had my second and final surgery and was told I was cancer …
the world as our garden
If we modern people thought of our world as a garden, if we gardened more, then I think all the other creatures and things that …
lessons learned: what farming can teach us about patience
Life on a farm is a school of patience; you can’t hurry the crops or make an ox in two days. ~Henri Alain When I …