Hummingbird Moth

I was enjoying looking at some Prairie Phlox when I saw this fuzzy, colorful creature hovering over the flowers much like a hummingbird.  I was confused about what it was and meant to ask someone.  Then amazingly enough, later that night I was looking in a Martha Stewart magazine and the Hummingbird Moth had been illustrated on the page.  Thanks Martha...

I followed it around for about 5 minutes.  Its colors and wings are incredible and it's about 1.5 inches wide!  

The Blue Jay Eats the Rooster's Meal

The Blue Jay Eats the Rooster's Meal, 13 x 15 inches, feathers, fabric, thread, 2013

Good Morning.

Squash and Cucumbers!  If you don't harvest squash often they will balloon (like the one in the middle) and become too big to saute but great for Zucchini bread (which Lauren and I made last night)!

Sunday Market and Tomato Bite

Yesterday morning I was selling organic vegetables from the Wormfarm at Thunder Valley Inn Farmers Market in a Roadside Culture Stand. I love being at markets and sharing my love of veggies with everyone.

My very first bite of a tomato since last summer. Yum! I have learned that waiting to eat foods when they are actually in season is very rewarding. They taste how they were meant to. Full of flavor. And the wait makes it even better. In the next few weeks I will gorge myself on tomato everything, bruschetta, salsa, pasta sauce...to the point that I will be ready to say goodbye again until next year! And I will make sure to can and freeze some as well.

A Monarch on a Milkweed plant. Milkweed is a very important plant for Monarchs.

Saturday afternoon reading in my winter jacket on a strangely cold day.

Potluck Sunday!

I made a Blueberry Tart.

Blueberry Picking!

Naomi and I went blueberry picking at Blueberry Hills in Reedsburg yesterday.

I had never seen a blueberry bush. The combination of greens, pinks, blues and purples was such a beautiful thing to see on that breezy sunny day!

I picked almost 5 pounds.

Getting the blueberry jam started.

And I made a blueberry and blackberry tart with coconut whipped cream.  Yum!

My plate from last weeks potluck. Another incredible meal. I brought some beets I pickled with cinnamon and ginger and some garlic Sriracha green beans.

I love this little Crook.

Harvesting Garlic for the First Time

I have been working on organic farms for 3 years and have always missed the garlic harvest. But not this time!

Jay went down each row forking the garlic to loosen up the soil and roots. Eleanor, Naomi and myself went after tugging the garlic out of the soil. It makes a lovely crunch sound when the roots are torn from the soil.

We gathered them into bunches of about 30 and tied slip knots around them.

We gathered em up to hang them in the barn to cure, this way they can last a longer time.

They smell so good!

Creating a Corn Maze

Yesterday a group of us created a corn maze for Farm/Art DTour. "The Farm/Art DTour is a self-guided 50-mile loop through scenic farmlands punctuated by temporary art installations, farm stands, roadside poetry, field notes, and more. Artists explore the timeless connection between land and people." Farm/Art DTour and Fermentation Fest will take place October 4-13 and you can get lost in the corn maze. I sure will even though I helped make it.

Counting corn rows.

I felt like a Power Ranger destroying my evil enemy.

With a good kick they snap in half.

We had trouble getting out of the maze even with the corn not yet fully grown.

Straw Hats, Black Caps and Chicken Cards

Group photo of the straw hat wearing artist farmers.  Eleanor, myself and Naomi.

Then Crook came along.  He is a cuddly one!

I went foraging for blackberries for 2 and a 1/2 hours.  I was covered head to toe to avoid being eaten alive by mosquitos.  I was dripping sweat and my hands and arms have many scrapes from the brambles but it was worth it!

Three pounds of blackberries!

And I made Wild Blackberry Jam! A couple weeks ago I made Rhubarb with Rosemary and Honey Jam and it was incredible.

I love searching through the garden to figure out what to make for dinner.  There are so many veggies growing now!

I have been making chicken business cards.

Jake Visits Reedsburg!

Words can't express how happy I was to see Jacob for the first time since the end of April.  He is my best friend and I miss him everyday.  We reunited in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and enjoyed an amazing dinner at Comet Cafe.

Homemade pancakes with homemade strawberry syrup.  This boy misses my cookin'.

We visited Dr. Evermor's Sculpture Garden.

I didn't want him to do this out of fear we'd get caught but he insisted.

Making Mint Juleps!

Potluck Sunday was delicious as usual.  Jake and I made Mushroom Marsala and Cajun Fries.

Jacob gardened for the first time!  Harvesting some kale.

This just might be the last time I get him to work on a farm.  I think he prefers to work on his illustrations and eat the kale rather than harvest it.

Picking snap peas.

Crook came out to join us.

Jacob climbing a falling down structure.  I never knew he liked to climb...but I guess that's because there isn't much to climb in Chicago.

I will be visiting Jake in New York in November.  It's far away but we are super busy people.  Before we know it we'll be back together again.