Rumor Has It

Vampire Repellant (Garlic) Harvest

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:53:19 0000

There was a protest of sorts at our house.

Apparently this group of protestors does not embrace change.

Apparently this group of protestors does not see the “improve” in improvements.

Yes, that's Raggedy Andy.

And Mickey Mouse was involved too.

Summer Living

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:23:23 0000

Summertime, and the living is easy

Fish are jumping, and the cotton is high*

George Gershwin (From Porgy and Bess, 1935)

I remember summertime now. I forgot all about the easy “summer living” when I told you last fall that summer was last on my list. I know I said it is far, far, far behind autumn, spring and winter for me. But now that it’s here?

Ah yes, I remember summer now.

I don’t know a thing about the cotton being high or the fish jumping, but I do know that “summer living” is easy. It’s different than any other kind of living.

Summer living is lighter…

A-Maze-Zen

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:14:11 0000

I’m driving my daughter to a drama program the other day; it’s a place we've never been before. I pull up to park the car. And what is that right in front of me?

Well, before I get into all that, let me tell you about my daughter and drama. She loves drama, but actually might not be in need an official program. You see, she’s had drama down since she learned to talk. My husband thinks it’s pretty funny that she takes these drama programs. But he does agree that it provides great experience for her learning to speak, sing and dance in front of an audience. And, yes indeed, she loves to be on stage. Putting on a show.

I have no idea where she gets that from. Probably her dad.

Anyway. I pull up and park. In front of me is something that I had never seen before but I knew exactly what it was when I saw it. Cool.

Who me?

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 04:03:06 0000

Who me? A Farmgirl?

I guess it’s about time we talk about this again. Head on. About me calling myself a “Farmgirl.”

Well, I am. And you can be one too. Or “Farmguy” for that matter if you’re a guy. (I try to be gender-neutral, but for ease here, I’m mainly going to be referring to “Farmgirls.” Just know I’m including “Farmguys” too.)

MaryJane Butters founded this Movement some years ago. It is an important one. And it is one that can positively impact everyone.

This movement is all encompassing. There are no requirements for membership. There is no oath or creed. It does not discriminate against those who are farm-poor. Or farm-rich. It does not discriminate if you live in the city or in the country or anywhere in between. All are invited…

Not My Grandma's

Sun, 31 May 2009 17:04:43 0000

Menu items that begin with “Not Your Grandma’s” always crack me up. Is that supposed to be good? ‘Cause I don’t know about your Grandma, but my Grandma knew her way around the kitchen. She had to. She had 10 children to feed.

So what is the designation “Not Your Grandma’s” supposed to mean? New? Inventive? Fresh? Modern? Creative?

No thanks.

I’ll take “Exactly Like My Grandma’s” when it comes to eats.

I mention this because I have been making a certain recipe for yeast rolls for years now. Light, fluffy, easy. They are called “Granny’s Rolls.” But, alas, they are Not My Grandma’s rolls.

And I'm sorry to say that I can’t tell you whose Grandma this recipe belongs to.

Life Scapes I

Mon, 25 May 2009 15:33:43 0000

There are two postings to this. Life Scapes I. And Life Scapes II. I don't know which one will pop up first, so just to let you know: there are 2.

I got to church earlier than usual on Sunday. I sat there in peace and quiet contentment.

Soon I heard a family coming down the aisle beside me. They scooted into the pew in front of me.

I looked up from my solitude.

It was a white-haired woman. Her husband, with matching white hair, had taken his seat beside her. They had two grown-up sons with them. One son had on blue jeans. The other had on dress blues.

Life Scapes II

Mon, 25 May 2009 10:23:37 0000

Here's Life Scapes II. Life Scapes I is in a separate post, either before or after this one.

Life Scapes II is altogether different. Light, breezey, airy. No choking up. Maybe they'll be a Life Scapes III too. Who knows?

I've decided that life just doesn’t get any better than this.

I touted the grandness of ramps in my last post, right? How I wanted to be the Ramps Queen?

Well, the end to ramp season arrived. (Their season is far too short for me.) As I ate the last of my ramps, I savored every last tasty bitey-bite. It will be next year before ramps come back. But, don’t you worry. I’ll be wearing my crown all year long.

But before I had time to even contemplate the end of ramp season, what did I notice? Before my breath could recover from the "ramp breath" of recent weeks, what did I find? Right in my garlic patch?

Ramps Queen

Thu, 14 May 2009 04:00:05 0000

“Ramps Queen”…ah, I wish.

I really do wish there was a “Ramps Queen” title or crown or sash. I’d go for it. I think it would be fun to be in parades and show up at fund-raisers with a tiara of rhinestones and “ramps” on my head. I mean, I’ve heard of Miss Sweet Potato and Miss Vidalia Onion, can’t I be the “Ramps Queen”?

Do you know about them? Ramps?

I hadn't; not until we bought our farm in the Smokies. Our first spring there, someone mentioned the Ramps Festival in a neighboring town. It’s one of those words you’re not quite sure you are hearing correctly….”Sorry, the what festival? Ramp? Well, I guess ramps are handy. There’s wheelchair ramps, exit ramps, boat ramps, car ramps…might was well have a festival for them…”

But these ramps, the ones to celebrate, are plants that grow in the forests of the mountains.

Here's.....

Tue, 5 May 2009 06:45:18 0000

Here’s……………

(Let me try that again, this time I’ll give you my very best Johnny Carson impression.)

“Here’s…………………

Rene!!!!!!”

Yep, it’s true! Did you see the Rural Farmgirl Blog here at MaryJanesFarm? We’ve got two blogs now, the City Farmgirl and the Rural Farmgirl. You’re going to love Rene’s adventures and stories. Many of you already know her as the MaryJanesFarm Sisterhood Coordinator. She’s just fabulous!

Here’s the link to her new blog.

It’s so nice to have a partner in crime! Especially one as much fun as Rene!

And, here’s a fun fact:

Farm Hands

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:50:51 0000

I sometimes wish I was more handy. I wish I knew how to do things and fix things around the house. How does one learn that kind of thing? I’ve just never known.

We had been planning for the past several weekends to go up to our farm, but something or another would get in the way at the last minute. Well, this past weekend, we finally did it. We headed up at last.

I think I’ve told you before, that this farm-thing is mine and mine alone. I’ve always had a certain pull towards wide open spaces and a house in the country like Grandma’s. Not so much the case for my husband. He goes along with it, like he goes along with my cats, because he loves me. I love cats and he loves me, so he puts up with them. I love farms and he loves me, so he puts up with it.

But back to my general lack of handy-ness. Well, no. First let me tell you about the drive to our farm. It was such a pleasurable drive and I was beyond excited to finally be going. And of course, spring is a beautiful time of the year to be out and about. I couldn’t believe all the different shades of green on the trees on the passing hillsides. If someone had painted them, it would be look surreal. It was simply a perfect trip there, all four hours of it filled with singing and goofing and having fun.