Now it is time for the Farmgirl to speak! Even thought she hasn’t been writing much, she sure has been living the farm life!
Here are just a few things about country living: Noisy goats, a crowing rooster, newly laying pullets (Ruby and Diamond!) and fresh eggs daily, cuddly dogs, emergency vet runs, barking dogs, tons of gorgeous kale, colorful stalks of swiss chard, thistles, tree chopping, baby chicks getting picked on and bloody, land clearing to raise a barn, deep purple blueberries, beautiful red and golden beets, deer eating my flowers and making my dogs bark even more, glorious green broccoli, crinkly dutch cabbage, fields of thistle overtaking my garden, five am feedings in the barn, a dog with a broken toe, watching gorgeous sunsets outside with a glass of wine, cute-as-can-be goats, my father’s memorial service, visiting with old friends from 35 years ago (oh my…), hens growing amazing plumes of colorful feathers and following me around the garden, making pickles for the first time. Maybe the best thing is picking a hot ripe tomato off the vine and slicing it to layer on fresh sourdough bread slathered in mayonaisse with a little sea salt, as it dribbles down your chin—that is true eating summer!
So many new experiences on this land, some hard, some easy, some of them trying my patience to no end, some back breaking with additional trips to the chiropractor, all rewarding on some level, and I love them all. All that and dancing too, traveling and teaching at home, dancing with my beautiful caravan dancers who are rocking my world! So much about living my dreams, and making my dreams not a dream.
This tribal farmgirl has had a full summer, and it is not over yet. Earlier, I traveled with Jeff in our TAB camper to the Farmgirl Fourth of July campout in Idaho. Met MaryJane Butters and farmgirls from all over the states. Just how many apron vendors did we see?! We drove through beautiful country full of rolling fields of wheat, old broken barns (of which I photographed like crazy), tasted local cheeses, tofus, coffees, beers, listened to great fiddle music, took the corgis swimming in icy creeks and lakes in the 100 degree heat, and met other like minded folk, who love the ideals of country living, interested in global sustainablility, whether they lived in the country or city, no matter…
My own group, the Farmgirrrl Divas, have had a few gatherings, making cheeses, sewing, making pickles, mostly just chatting it up and hanging out. Very delightful. I am thrilled that I reached my goal of learning how to can, making a couple different recipes of pickles, but the special one is from my grandmother’s recipe. I honored her this morning, pulling that age old recipe out, but I know, no one makes pickles like my granny did…Now I just need to wait a few weeks for that tasting.
