Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

After a short hiatus – Virtual Farmgirl is getting ready to physically move her family and home – I’m back with word about this exciting urban or should I say waterways farming project in New York City. If you picture sustainable farming in a rural setting, somewhere far from the hustle and bustle of cityContinue reading “Floating Sustainability in NYC”

Diverting from bees momentarily, I couldn’t resist this story in the Berkshire Eagle about chefs who love a good “food story” to add to the allure of their dishes. One New York chef – Dan Barber of Blue Hill– is quoted in the story, “The more we have a food story, the better the foodContinue reading “Chefs & Farmers Raise a Toast to 'Food Stories'”

I promised myself I would not blog about bees for a fifth day in a row, but then my husband came back from an evening event in Chicago full of info about some buzz’n kits we might be able to buy for our Central Indiana farm. From what I can tell, kits like these fromContinue reading “Bee Week Continues with 'Hobbyist' Kits and a Pollinator's Paradise”

As a follow up to recent posts about Colony Collapse Disorder and the mystery of the disappearing bees, Virtual Farmgirl recommends checking out a podcast series “Honeybees in Crisis” produced by Penn State. The podcasts explore a range of topics, beginning with a discussion of Colony Collapse Disorder from January, followed by segments exploring possibleContinue reading “Penn State Podcasts Feature 'Honeybees in Crisis'”

If there is such a thing as a horror-story for agriculture, the mystery of the disappearing bees fits the playbill. After beekeepers in 24 states began sounding alarm bells last year when they noticed empty hives, the general media and government is taking notice. Indeed, the New York Times reported about the vanishing bees –Continue reading “Vanishing Bee Mystery Deepens”

There are some beautiful, touching and out-right hilarious observations in Erika Schickel’s LA Observed blog post entitled “The Swarm.” She relates her experiences dealing with a swarm of bees that has overtaken her sister’s home in Pasadena. Here’s the Virtual Farmgirl relevant passage – complete with lessons about environmental protection, farming and nature. In theContinue reading “Where Have All the Bees Swarmed?”

To preserve the almonds and grapes that grow along the San Joaquin River near Fresno, Calif., families such as the Wattenbargers have sold their development rights and entered a conservation easement, according to this story in the Fresno Bee. Farmgirl Anna Wattenbarger says it’s been her dream to keep the family ranch going for herContinue reading “As City 'Creeps Closer' to Farms Each Year, Families Opt to Preserve Land”

Learn about 70-year-old Navajo Farmgirl Mae Denet Claw and the health of farming in Shiprock, N.M., in this piece in the Farmington Daily Times. The story talks about how in the Shiprock area the older farmers rely on farming for their livelihood, but younger farmers have jobs elsewhere…mines or power plant. There are some insightsContinue reading “Farming Dry Land in Shiprock”

Those attending a FamilyFarmed.org Expo in Chicago this weekend will be treated to a special sneak preview of an exciting new documentary that features four Illinois families who have farmed their land for at least 150 years, according to this piece in the Daily Herald. The film, “Deep Roots: Legacy of 150-year-old Family Farms,” willContinue reading “Film Features 150-Year-Old Family Farms at Chicago Expo”

I saw today in the NW Indiana Times that there’s a new cookbook – “More Recipes From the Farm: Family Recipes and Memories of a Lifetime” (Pediment Press, 2007, $29.95) – on its way from one of the farm-connected journalists in Northwest Indiana. Columnist Phil Potempa writes a “From the Farm” column each week, withContinue reading “Farm-Inspired Recipes in New Book”