Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

We picked up our first box of veggies from the Sandhill Organics CSA drop off. It’s a nice variety. Unfortunately, we won’t have much chance to enjoy it since we’ll be traveling. I tried to barter the bounty for pet sitting, but there was no interest. To avoid wasting the lot, I hope to doContinue reading “1st Summer Share Is In The Fridge, But Will It Go to Waste?”

Oak Park’s new Mid-Week Market starts this week and I have mixed feelings about it. I’m all for more programs and events that draw attention to locally-produced food and help forge relationships with farmers. I’d been led to believe that this Mid-Week Market would be another farmers market, featuring local agriculture and home-grown businesses withContinue reading “Mid-Week Market – Less Market, More 'Street Festival' – Starts This Week”

To feed the dozens of people who streamed in to congratulate Photo Farmgirl Maddy on her graduation from Mississinewa High School, the family and a good friend got up at 4 a.m. and roasted a whole hog. We missed the actual roast, but not the final product – some of the best pulled pork I’veContinue reading “Kohlrabi/Radish Coleslaw to Top Slow-Roasted Pulled Pork”

It’s been so long since I’ve seen someone refer to a farmer as a ‘rock star’ that I almost forgot I had a category for these folks on the VFG blog. Here’s a nice story in the Salt Lake Tribune about three of the Utah’s farmers (and their families) behind the ever-growing community supported agricultureContinue reading “'Rock Star' Farmers Behind Utah's Produce”

If you’re heading to farmers’ markets these days, you’ll likely see piles of a green curlicue with a small whitish bulb in the middle. It looks like a green onion that’s been curled up like scissor curled ribbon. They’re garlic scapes. Farmers are snapping them off the stalks this time of year to let theContinue reading “Garlic Scape Pesto”

Had a delightful visit to The Farm this past weekend to watch my sister complete her 12th year of schooling and walk across the stage at Mississinewa High School. You couldn’t have found a more proud group in gym as this Real Farmgirl moves to the next stage in her life. While we were inContinue reading “Sweet Visit – Diplomas & Berries”

Catching up on my local news, I turned the page of my weekly Oak Leaves and found this nice hometown boy story about Lee DeWyze, the reigning American Idol. Besides the fact that I actually have a music category on this blog, and have posted on the pop culture phenomenon, this story makes it toContinue reading “American Idol Champ Lent Voice to Organics Biz”

I had to share this absolutely delightful Splendid Table interview with Ian Cheney updating us on the Truck Farm he and Curt Ellis have been rolling around the urban East Coast to talk about where our food does and should come from. I just love the part about the guy at a truck stop whoContinue reading “I Swear Officer, Those Are Just Tomato Plants & Veggies Back There”

Just in time for cooler weather and busy fall schedules will be the release of “The Indian Slow Cooker: 50 Healthy, Easy, Authentic Recipes.”  The book is a labor of love and story of mommy-self discovery for Anupy Singla, a former broadcast reporter who I’ve reconnected with via social media. Anupy and I used toContinue reading “Just Pre-Ordered: The Indian Slow Cooker”

Several people have asked me recently about purchasing “shares” of a harvest from a local farm. The shares, usually full – weekly – or half – every other week, are carefully packed in a veggie box and delivered to areas for easy pick up. Last year, we picked up from a relative of the farmer.Continue reading “Not Too Late to Buy a Veggie Share from Local Farm”