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...

Volunteering at the Orange Cat Community Farm

During my stay in Reedsburg I have been volunteering at the Orange Cat Community Farm, a certified organic vegetable farm owned and operated by Laura Mortimore.  I am interested in working on different organic farms so that I can get an idea of the many different ways to run one.  Each farmer has a slightly (sometimes major) different way of doing things and this way I can pick and choose what I think is best for me if I decide to have an organic farm some day...or at least a super rad garden!

My day at Orange Cat always started by being greeted by the orange cat, Little Anne.  The sweetest, softest kitty.  Laura had a pumpkin carving party and mine is the scary one on the first step.  I was going for a Voldemort feel...

On my last day at Orange Cat Community Farm, we harvested the last of the carrots.  Laura uses a tractor to go over the row.  There is a weighted piece on the back that goes into the ground to loosen the soil and bring up the carrots.  This makes the job go a lot faster than forking, especially when you have many rows of carrots like Laura.  Haley and Katie stood on the piece to make sure it sunk lower into the ground so it would not cut up the carrots.

Then we dig!  Women farmers power!

Carrots and more carrots!

Laura!

Haley!

I have had a fun time farming at the Orange Cat and have made some wonderful friends that will hopefully visit me in Chicago sometime soon!  I am really gonna miss it here.