Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

If you are a Chicagoland dweller and haven’t yet joined or signed up for the Chicago Locavore newsletter, give it a shot. I’m slightly biased since I’m the featured member this month. Locavore Blogress Nina made it incredibly easy to participate by shooting me three questions to answer and giving me several days to answer.Continue reading “Almost Famous!”

It’s been a busy couple of days at The Farm and I’ve done my share of photographing garden and local town happenings. (I peeked up at the new flat top roof going down, but I haven’t been made to dip my gloved hand into a tar bucket). I’ll post on all when I’m in aContinue reading “At The Farm…A Brief Text Update”

The Future Farmkids must know their summer days are numbered, that autumn and school is just around the corner. They want to spend just about every minute of daylight “enjoying the outdoors.” “After supper, can we go enjoy the outdoors for a while?” Future Farmboy asked. He got an unequivocal yes. And here is myContinue reading “Gifts from the Backyard”

I had to get a bit creative tonight with supper after I learned that the freezer door was left open and almost the entire lot in my just-filled upright was thawed. So tonight it was gourmet all the way: salmon fillet with petite green beans topped with lemon and apple strudel for desert. The kidsContinue reading “Dealing With a Freezer Disaster”

I’ve been hearing from multiple sources how fantastic this year’s Colorado peach crop is going to be. And coming up this weekend is the 40th Annual Palisade Peach Festival. It’s been 40 years for the official festival, but apparently “Peach Days” has been a popular event in the Palisade area since the 1800s. If youContinue reading “Just Peachy in Colorado”

I need to do some work from home today. But because I don’t have a constant stream of duties, I’m doing some projects around the house, including using up some very ripe bananas. Here’s my first use…an altered version of this banana crumb muffin recipe. I was out of butter (don’t even say it 4-HContinue reading “Working Today…On My Baking”

The New York Times had a story this week featuring a number of farmgirls who took to the land with some sort of niche farming. The small biz lesson from the piece? It’s a great idea to get back to your ag roots, but be smart about it and keep that second income if youContinue reading “Want to Farm? Don't Quit Your Day Job”

The local paper, the Marion Chronicle-Tribune, gave props to the Hoosier Outsider in a short bright recently. The story profiles the Hoosier Outsider’s longtime photography “hobby.” This is my favorite quote:“It’s taking me a long time to start looking back at what I’ve shot,” he said. “With film, if I took 1,000 pictures a year,Continue reading “Mama Don't Take My Kodachrome Away”

Other than recycling, switching from paper to plastic, turning up the AC and down the heat, are you feeling powerless about climate change? There’s now a way you can help scientists figure out what’s going on, by joining Project BudBurst. It’s a fantastic grassroots effort to chronicle the timing of leafing and flowering in specificContinue reading “Citizen Scientists Wanted, Needed to Study Climate Change”

It’s not really a Buy Local find (though it is made in Glouster, Ohio, and I found it while tripping through Michigan). But I’m noting it because I’m addicted after one jar of “all natural” Frog Ranch salsa (medium heat). OMG, it’s, quoting Rachael Ray, “Delish.” It’s just like I’d like to be able toContinue reading “Those Buckeyes Know Their Salsa”