Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

Mine haven’t. But it’s really only a matter of time. I’ve mapped out a place in the backyard for a chicken house and a run. But I’m not in any big hurry. My neighbors may beat me to it. Seems like backyard birds are all the rage. Thanks to a good friend, a New HavenContinue reading “Has Your Child Asked For a Pet Chicken Yet?”

A colleague sent me this video made by a woman about her mother, a Chicago-area farmer and food activist: Debbie Hillman. It’s a sweet little documentary and mommy tribute. Only takes about five minutes to watch. And if you like it, you can vote for it and help the filmmaker Saya and her mom winContinue reading “The 'Humble Strength' of an Urban Farmgirl”

Checked out this story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about a hog farmer who is spreading the gospel of “natural farming.” What does he mean by that? Well, with a growing demand for humanely raised and slaughtered animals, Russ Kremer has come up with a model via Ozark Mountain Pork Cooperative and Heritage Acres. TheContinue reading “Pig Farmer Takes on CFO Model. Is He Winning?”

I’ve been looking for a good UFO post since I noticed a dramatic uptick in traffic on VFG (for me anyway). The draw? A while back, I posted a note about a UFO seen over Kokomo, Ind. Apparently there was a program on HBO recently, UFO Hunters, and I’m getting a bunch of Google referralsContinue reading “Crop Circle Mystery Solved”

I was looking for a family activity this weekend and I found one on my local blogs. Both Vital Information and Chicago Locavores will be at this weekend’s Family Farmed Expo 2008 at the Chicago Cultural Center. So exciting. The schedule is just crammed with great events, including a screening of King Corn on FridayContinue reading “Headed to Family Farmed Expo this Weekend”

I received my Carolee’s Herb Garden newsletter today and was reminded that as I plan my holiday menus, I also have to decide quick whether to plant bulbs so that I can have some bright surprises when winter has worn on me enough to have me thinking of heading south. Carolee did have some goodContinue reading “Before You Dress That TXG Bird, Think Spring”

Bad news from my old pal Phil Kadner at the Southtown: The Summit chicken police are on patrol. Their target? Bob Trzeciak, a 51-year-old who has 9 hens and a rooster in a backyard chicken house he built as a child. No surprise, he got a complaint, even though as Kadner points out, you canContinue reading “Summit 'Chicken Man' Under Attack”

…you have a cardboard box, some duct tape, Lincoln Log sticks and a Mason jar lid? Future Farmboy came up with this make-shift hockey set. I thought he did a great job.

Scouting around for a farm-related post that would honor our country’s veterans, I stumbled across this organization: Farmer-Veteran Coalition. I love the mission: …to mobilize our food and farming community to create healthy and viable futures for America’s veterans by enlisting their help in building our green economy, rebuilding our rural communities, and securing aContinue reading “Vets Trade Tanks for Tractors”

I think it must be the turn in the weather, the sight of flurries that has me in a nesting “let’s get organized” mood. I’ve been that way in the office and I’m clearly that way at home too. I’ve decided to tackle the basement and the boxes and boxes of inherited memories and mysteryContinue reading “Unboxing Sweet Memories”