Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

That distracting Chicago Tribune almost derailed my entire day today with its 145-plus Peep diorama slide show. They are absolutely hysterical. If I can keep from eating all the Peeps, I’ll try to come up with one or two dioramas this weekend. But, for now, here are my favorites from the Trib submissions… I thinkContinue reading “A Sweet Distraction”

OK. I confess. I bought David Cook’s single, an alternative interpretation of Lionel Richie’s “Hello.” He’s now one of my two favorite guys…David and super hottie Michael Johns. Among the girls, my standout favs are Carly Smithson and Brooke White. Oh…and as much as I like Wham [Yes. I have them in vinyl. And, IContinue reading “Doing Some Idol Shopping Tonight”

It’s Wednesday night and we’re still not all recovered from this weekend’s flu assault. By Sunday we were all sick as dogs. All four of us. We were a sight. Our babysitters…Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Curious George and My Friends Tigger & Pooh…proved to be our only salvation during the weekend. The shows gave the iFarmerContinue reading “On the Mend? We Hope”

I read story after story about people who decide they want to live the rural life, then fight like hell to sterilize nature. Apparently the Farm Bureau folks in Utah have noticed this, in part because a farmer spent $70,000 defending against a nuisance suit brought by neighbors, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. “People moveContinue reading “Are Farms a Nuisance?”

After a few days of feeling nauseous, it’s becoming painfully clear…I have the flu. And I even had a flu shot. Actually all of us did. But this is no ordinary late-winter cold. All but Future Farmboy have been struck. I thought, no way could we have the flu. But I woke up this morningContinue reading “When Will This Winter End?”

I finally got my copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day from Amazon. I’m eager to try out the recipe for Olive Bread in the Peasant Loaves section. And I know the family will like it if I test out the Pecan Caramel Rolls. I have a good idea of what I willContinue reading “Getting a Rise Out of Fresh Bread”

For the raw milk enthusiasts, there was Making Their Case for Raw Milk, in Sunday’s New York Times. The article notes that continuing and unwavering warnings from the FDA, its popularity continues to grow. Connecticut is one of only a handful of states that leads the pack in raw milk sales, making it possible forContinue reading “Connecticut Embraces Raw Milk”

This article in the Chicago Tribune — Farmer Bob turns water into swine — wins the prize for the most captivating story featuring agriculture v. urban sprawl. Here’s the gist. Farmer Bob, aka Bob Wargaski, is fighting a proposed water tower that city planners hope to erect near his Island Lake area property. At aContinue reading “Pigs or Clean Water? Neighbors Pick Pigs”

I’m hoping to be around next weekend so we can attend the Winter Farmers Market in Austin, which is one of the westernmost and among the most troubled neighborhoods in Chicago. Apparently we’ll be able to buy organic lettuce, herbs, meat, cheese, syrup and soaps…in the dead of Winter! I was feeling like it’s tooContinue reading “A Farmers Market to Tide Me Over Until Spring”

Love this story in the Chronicle-Telegram about Oberlin, Ohio high school students who trek to school once a year aboard their farm machinery. How cool is that? The coolest car anyone drove at my high school was an old hearse painted green. But I digress. About 20 students drive tractors to Firelands High School duringContinue reading “Forget the Beemer Dad, Buy Me a John Deere”