Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

There is such a thing as too much rain. The water in my basement last week is one reason I know this to be true. But my veggies, flowers and grass don’t seem to mind. Farmers have been far less fortunate, especially in flooded southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. This AP story in the LaContinue reading “CSA 'Clients' Feel Flood Impact”

Loved this story on the front page of the Washington Post about the “Little Pig’s Law of Construction” focusing on straw bale houses. Apparently straw building isn’t limited to the Great Plains and American Southwest anymore. Folks in the Washington, D.C., area have the bug to build out of grain shafts…including a school. Still, theContinue reading “Straw…Not Just for Animal Bedding Anymore”

A cool rainy day is perfect for a lazy afternoon, catching up with the family and cooking. It finally cooled off enough to break out my mother’s famous tortilla soup recipe. The best part was that we could enjoy our own little backyard harvest for the recipe…using some of the peppers I planted for theContinue reading “Mini Backyard Harvest”

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”