Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

All this debate over raw milk made me wonder what’s happening with the organic movements. I had to look no further than the Columbian in Wash. state to learn about the 150 healthy Holsteins at Farmgirl Karen van Tol’s pesticide-free pastures. Despite increasing demand for raw milk, organic daily still brings in a premium. TheContinue reading “White Gold: Organic Milk?”

I was checking out my former paper the [Gary] Post-Tribune and found onetime Farmboy Carrol Vertrees musing about the raw milk of his childhood. I’ve read loads of raw milk stories, but the tidbit about Carrol’s milking expertise is a new one for me: I was adept, udderly adept, being able to squirt milk intoContinue reading “A Raw Milk, Hungry Cat Story”

Just came across this Scarecronie photo from Farmgirl Cyn. She posted this in March: Love it. Not sure what the neighbors around my new urban dwelling would think, but we’ll see if this idea catches on at The Farm.

Word is that the beans are already sprouting in the big field after the first big rain after planting. No photos yet, but check Hoosier Outsider’s Flickr site for more pix of The Farm and field progress. My favorite is this shot of The Lane. It’s the quickest way to the river. Just watch outContinue reading “Sprouts Up”

There’s so much activity, it’s hard to keep up, even virtually. But I’ll take a stab at a summary of the last few days… Hoosier Outsider writes that the artifact hunters haven’t had much luck on “flint ridge” because the fields haven’t actually been plowed, just disked enough for no-till planting of soybeans: Here’s theContinue reading “Planting, Fertilizing, Flint Hunting”

I’m thrilled to be able to provide a first-hand account of the recent Slow Food Picnic at Chapel Hill Creamery. I don’t know whether Slow Food guru Carlo Petrini actually took in some delectable slow Southern BBQ (that’s one thing I sure miss about the South), but the editor of the Carborro Citizen says thereContinue reading “N.C. Paper Creates Food & Farm News Section”

While the fields were in the final prep stages before planting, we hear neighbors were roasting a hog. I had to settle for salmon patties and salad. Can’t wait to see the fields for ourselves.

Thanks to Hoosier Outsider, we get a glimpse, long distance, of the fields being prepped for planting… Notice the first two pix: one taken at 12:30 the nextat 3:00 – he had done a lot more than just clean offthe group of trees in center: Third is what it looks like after digging out trees,pushingContinue reading “Cleaning Up the Fields”

Chefs will break bread next week with innovative farmers…part of a the Slow Food Movement started by Carlo Petrini. He’ll be making an appearance at the exclusive, sold out “picnic” near Chapel Hill. Petrini, who trumpets slow food over fast, you-get-what-you-pay-for fast food, is traveling all over the country hawking his new book. According toContinue reading “Farm-to-Fork Picnic”

It’s a sight I haven’t seen since I was a kid. Way back then, when the farmers would plow, we’d hustle down to the fields…especially after a light rain…and try our luck finding arrowheads or other flint artifacts. I haven’t heard of any finds so far, but I’m sure it won’t be long.