Yearly Archives: 2007

Just a quick post this morning to note my pride that the Indiana State Fair has banned trans fats.There’s lots of coverage about this, but the Indy Star notes that the ISF is the first state fair to make such a healthful choice. More details in this USA Today piece, including a trans fats primer.Continue reading “Hoosier State Fair Bans Trans Fats”

Two correspondents in one week! A 4-H Hoosier Farmgirl I know submitted this photo of the Cheese Lady while she was sculpting at the Indiana State Fair. I couldn’t convince her to take money for the shots, so she’ll have to settle for getting published. I’m told that the Cheese Lady put on quite aContinue reading “A Glimpse of the Hoosier State Fair”

I’ve been so busy on the Net for work that I haven’t had much time to focus on finding a new post. But as my Irish (Italian, German and a pinch of French Huguenot) luck would have it, I’ve found a VFG correspondent in San Francisco, who told me about a super cool restaurant. Here’sContinue reading “VFG Lives Vicariously Via SF Correspondent”

I’ve been nearly too busy to post this, which would be a shame since I have a particular affinity for this site. Needless to say, this post on the ABA Journal’s page is irresistible – Somewhat Illegal Substance: Raw Milk The post, which links back to the original article in the New York Times, focusesContinue reading “Prohibition Spawns Raw Milk Speakeasies”

I don’t know that I can ever be a real farmgirl until I’ve actually attended my home state’s state fair. It’s doubtful I’ll make it to the Indiana State Fair this year either. But if I were to go, I would definitely want to check out Sarah Kaufmann, a/k/a The Cheese Lady, and her cheeseContinue reading “Say Cheese!”

I’ve been pretty busy this week, but I wanted to share this cute story from the Brainerd Dispatch about a 19-year-old Minnesota farmgirl whose plan is to take over her family’s dairy farm. Ashley Hyovalti, who was home schooled, has apparently known she wanted to run the farm since she was 13. The farm hasContinue reading “Teen Farmgirl Preps to Take Over Family Farm”

We’re headed for a farm adventure today at Fair Oaks Farm, a large dairy operation about 90 miles south of Chicago between Merrillville and Lafayette. The kids and I were there in October with my mother-in-law. It was the last big family trip the nearly 20 of us took together before she died. [Always upContinue reading “Embarking on a 'Farm Adventure' at Fair Oaks”

Money to research the mysterious disappearance of millions of bees – the country’s prime pollination workforce – was attached to the farm bill thanks largely to honorary Farmgirl Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. She attached her $86.5 million Pollinator Protection Act, to the massive farm bill, which passed the House on Friday, reports the Daily Green.Continue reading “House Feels Sting of Honeybee Loss, Includes Pollinator $$s in Farm Bill”

An exciting new documentary opens today in Sacramento: The Real Dirt on Farmer John. A review published by The California Aggie, notes that the documentary chronicles the “unbelievably dramatic life story” of John Peterson, a farmer in rural Illinois who nearly lost his farm to unscrupulous lenders after reaching a peak in the 1950s. HeContinue reading “Farmer John Movie Opening at a Theater Near You”

I can’t tell you how upset I am that it’s mid-summer and still NO veggie chips at the farmers markets I visit. I may have to start exploring other markets to see if I can find them. I completely miss veggie chips…waited for them all winter. I can find them online at places like NutsContinue reading “Where are the Veggie Chips?”