Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

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?”

There’s a great story this week in the Pioneer Press about the front lines of the farm aid debate. The story masterfully draws the battle lines between big-farming operations supported by big subsidies and family farm operations supported by tiny subsidies. In Congress, it’s pitting Representative against Representative. Big farm against small farm. Eastern MinnesotaContinue reading “Big Farm v. Small Farm Battle Lines Drawn”

We had the sweetest corn I’ve had since my grandfather picked it fresh out of the garden and my grandmother dunked it ever so briefly in a pot of boiling water. This corn was so fresh and so sweet, it hardly needed cooking at all. And the best part was we got it for free…atContinue reading “The Sweetest Corn for a Sweet Price”

For a second Sunday in a row, the Chicago Tribune has a Farmgirl featured on the front of one of its print news sections. This week it’s the Q Section’s tug-at-the-heartstrings story of Farmgirl Terry Starks, who coped with the death of her 21-year-old son by nurturing a fledgling organic farm she named after himContinue reading “Farmgirl Combats Grief with Green Thumb”

Looks like more and more urban dwellers are catching on that homegrown eggs are tastier and healthier than mass commercial eggs. But, of course, that means we’ll also see more crowing about this from neighbors who will resist any rural intrusion. I’m still not sure my enlightened neighbors would be thrilled with us having backyardContinue reading “Was that a Rooster Crow or a Car Alarm?”

The Chicago Tribune may need to start a farm section considering all the ink it’s given to farming and farmers markets this year. I especially love the emphasis on sustainable/organic farming. But my favorite part is that the Trib continues to build on its earlier prediction that farmers will be the next rock stars. Indeed,Continue reading “Meet a Rock Star on Your Next Market Trip”