Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

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”

How is war related to the aisles and aisles of junk food lining our grocery shelves? Watch Food Fight for the answer. I won’t spoil it here. But I will say that if you get a chance to see Chris Taylor’s new documentary, take a few minutes. If you’re a buy local fanatic, you’ll seeContinue reading “Vote With Your Fork, We Are”

After my post Thursday about root cellars, I picked up a new follower on Twitter: Food Storage Made Easy. It’s an interesting emergency food storage resource site. It’s chock full of ideas for literally shelving and keeping the food you need at the ready. Plus the site is super cute, with a clean design (noContinue reading “Food Storage Made Easy?”

Anyone who doesn’t live in California or Florida who has become addicted to local, fresh food from farmers markets, dreads November and the bitter cold, barren months ahead. In the Midwest, if you don’t have a plan for saving food through the winter or have a CSA that will deliver root veggies until Spring, you’reContinue reading “The Root of the Problem: Food Storage”

I got this note from Hoosier Outsider. It’s been circulating among the sustainable farming enthusiasts. I can totally relate to all of this and I think it essentially applies to life in general…except I don’t have an extension agent to help me with issues in my neighborhood. The note to new farmers is from TracyContinue reading “Advice for New Farmers: Make Friends”

Here we are at the Obama rally in Grant Park.http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swfWe didn’t stay the whole time, just until the kids started getting sleepy and the crowds oppressive. What a night. We’re glad we made it.

Update: I had almost no line at my polling place. If I had asked for a paper ballot, instead of an electronic one I would have been in and out in less than 15. Still, I wasn’t there, line and voting more than 20 minutes. Considering that the iFarmer reported that at 6:15 a.m., afterContinue reading “Didn't Need All These Provisions After All”

I love it when other people do all the work and all I have to do is upload the pictures. Here’s a shot of the kitchen window at The Farm. Look carefully and you’ll see the pioneer-era hand drawn logs (8×12 black walnut) that frame the window. Yes, that’s the original log cabin beneath thatContinue reading “This House is Old”

Thanks to Matt, who’s doing PR for Chevron Delo’s FFA Tractor Restoration Competition, I now have before and after pix from the kids who competed this year. Amazing…check these out. Before:After, the 2008 individual winner, Matthew Dehlinger:Before:After, the winners from the Eufaula H.S. FFA: