Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

My straw hat is off to Kate Braser, who submitted four dioramas to the Tribune today. Some are more painstakingly detailed than others. But this is by far my favorite, both in its cleverness and simplicity: Of course, I’m holding out hope that readers will submit more law-themed dioramas for this gallery:

Today Hoosier Outsider asked me for a piece of graph paper. Amazingly, I actually have some. It’s leftover from college. Over the years I’ve used it a couple of times to plan changes to rooms or dream about home remodels. But what graph paper is really good for is planning a garden. That’s why IContinue reading “Cool Find: Virtual Graph Paper for Garden Planning”

Clearly it’s time for me to take a step back and examine my spending choices. I’ve been on a Peeps buying spree trying to come up with a good diorama this year. Unfortunately I end up eating my props and have to make repeat trips to Walgreen’s for more. But before I rein in myContinue reading “Movie Night Find: Mad City Chickens”

Feeling the pressures of encroaching urban development, the owners of an early 1800s family farm have protected their 500-acres in Southern Indiana with a conservation easement. The Vincennes-area home that sits on the property, known as Mont Clair, dates to 1806 and was renovated in 1911. The agreement, with Bloomington-based Sycamore Land Trust, ensures thatContinue reading “Historic Mont Clair Forever Protected for Farming”

Before heading out for the day, we were a whirlwind of activity at home. First order of business was clearing out the end of season leaves to let my lilies and tulips through and to clean out my veggie garden. I’m clearly going to have to add some soil to my garden and probably doContinue reading “Is There Really Such a Thing as Carefree, Odor Free Composting?”

I’m not seeing that there will be a First Farmer, but I was elated to see this evening that First Lady Michelle Obama will be planting a vegetable garden on the White House grounds. Wow. What a victory for the organic, locavore movement who pressed for such a symbolic move! This is the first timeContinue reading “Victory for Locavores. Obamas to Plant Veggie Garden at White House”

This short and sweet column in my latest Women in Ag Sampler got me wondering about how my friends and family get recipes for their favorite foods, comfort and day-to-day. The article notes that 60% of us still get recipes from family and friends. When my mother-in-law was alive, I called her several times aContinue reading “How Do You Find Recipes These Days?”

There’s something not quite right about leaving a trendy restaurant, where hors d’oeurves and cocktails are a plenty, then going home to eat a chicken pot pie heated up in the toaster oven. But that’s what I just did after meeting an impressive group of the movers and shakers in the Chicago locavore community. TheyContinue reading “Steppin' Out With The Locavores”

I hardly ever trek east of Austin on Roosevelt, so I didn’t know Depot American Diner existed until some fellow Twitterers threw the name out this a.m. and then proceeded to rave. I had the kids and was doing chores around the house, so I dispatched the iFarmer and a friend to check it outContinue reading “Move Over Krispy Kreme, There's a New Donut in Town”

I couldn’t end the week without noting an on-the-fly food combo that delighted us until our tummies were full: Pot Roast Nachos w/ Aged Cheese & Cherry Salsa. We had a bunch of leftover pot roast from the slow cooker to deal with. I was going to put it in burritos, but the iFarmer rememberedContinue reading “Lefovers With a Bar Food Meets Gourmet Twist”