Farm/Art DTour: A Weekend In Reedsburg With Friends

Bubble Pub created by Jenny Hale and Gail Katz-James

My friends, Jami, Aaron, Molly, Betsy, Robin and I visited Reedsburg, Wisconsin earlier this month to see Farm/Art Dtour-a 50 mile drive through Sauk County with temporary art installations, local food vendors, performances and more!

On the way to Reedsburg from Chicago! Betsy and Molly in my glasses. :)

Invasive Species by Isabelle Garbani 

View above the corn.

Robin in a Farm Form titled, Listening-The Lost Art created by The Craker and Mittelstaedt familes

Too Much Pig by Brian Sobaski

An animated Robin.

Robin found this mushroom for me! Fungus!!!!!!

We visited Wormfarm and of course I was welcomed into the chickens home.

The Corner Pub. This picture expresses how good the day (and the beer) was.

We camped at Orange Cat Community Farm. Acorn squash at night!

In the morning a chicken got out and she liked being cuddled.

So we cuddled her.

Molly, Betsy and their corn. Waiting for the Amtrak home.

Passing through Milwaukee. A place I hope to visit next!

Summer 2014 Visit to Wormfarm

I visited Wormfarm for the first time since January with Jami, a friend and fellow artist-in-residence from last summer. It was a short visit but we got to say hello to Jay and Donna, and meet Lawton, a musician and current artist-in-residence, as well as this years Residency Manager, Loey, a flower essence therapist.

The Magical Barn-my home.

The swallow painting Pilar made last year. I thought it was fitting to photograph Pilar's favorite kitty, Jem under her work.

Dear Crookshanks.

I somehow forgot what a great friend he was to me last summer but he made sure I remembered.

Honey, lookin' a mess. I think she was molting.

Little Relly Belly (the black one) always looking so startled.

Dino.

Sunbathing!

This guy...Turkey the rooster was killed and eaten while this rooster remains...

We worked in the garden in the morning like old times.

Wormfarm from across the neighbors corn field.

Jami and Trouser.

Jami and I went foraging for black caps.

We visited Orange Cat Community Farm to see our friends, Laura, Katie and Little Anne (pictured above) and made delicious pizza with fresh ingredients from the farm!

Jami and I spent the night staring at the stars (and lighting sparklers with Lawton) and the day soaking up the sun (and meditating with Loey).

I am a Fartist. A farmer/artist. My friend, Nick gave me the title!

In the garden where we got our hands dirty every day last summer.

I was sent home with these beauties! I have only had one dozen eggs since I left Wormfarm last October. I don't see the point of eating eggs if they don't taste like these.

But not really...

Honey Bunny on a Cow Pie

Page 11 of my 18 x 24 inch fabric book titled, Farmer Kim and The Feathery Ladies is complete!

"There golden yolks are the outcome of their freedom to roam wherever they choose, enjoying compost, greenery and scratching through cow pies for bugs and larvae."

Honey's foot in a cow pie.

They enjoy eating, greenery, bread, ants, bananas...

...worms, strawberries, noodles, watermelon...

...apples, spiders, broccoli, onions, egg shells...and just about anything!  

*They also like (love) dead mice but I thought that would be too graphic...

Reedsburg, I miss you!

It's official.  I am back in Chicago.  I have moved into my new place and unpacked my boxes once again.

On my second to last day, Trouser and I took a walk.

We dared to trespass through the neighbors corn.  I kept looking back thinking I heard someone but it was the corn rustling with the wind.  Then Trouser came running down a row of corn next to me and burst through to my row, scaring me.  He was very pleased with himself.

I sat down for a while to think about my time here in Reedsburg and the many goals I have accomplished.  I also thought of what I want to achieve in Chicago.  I am a different person from when I got to Reedsburg in May.  I feel stronger and more confident in myself.  I have a clearer idea of what I am working towards.  Only recently I realized that we are never done growing and learning. At first that scared me.  But now it excites me and makes me want to experience and do as much as possible!

Jem came out to flirt.  Right before I left for Chicago I went to say goodbye to Jem and Crook.  They were so loveable and clingy that I stayed an extra half hour, unable to leave them.

Brahma Mama, a very sweet, gentle lady.

And dear little Relly Belly soaking up the sun.

Wowee, this summer was AMAZING.  I have made so many awesome friends, made tons of art and ate a lot of really good food.  This is the first summer where my diet was almost entirely local and now that I've experienced that I can't imagine buying a zucchini from the grocery store in February.

Thank you to Jay Salinas and Donna Neuwirth for the incredible opportunity to be the Residency Manager and Farm Manager at the Wormfarm.

And of course, before I left Reedsburg I made sure to stop at St. Vincent's and I found this goofy sweater for $2.50.  Reedsburg, I  miss you and I'll see you sometime soon!