Category Archives: the Farm

Spring Greens

Yesterday morning I worked diligently away on the proofs of a book while the classical music station played songs related to May. Ah, May! Glorious spring! Month of full bloom! We can finally put that cruel month, April, behind us. … Continue reading

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Arrival of the Bees

Spring 2013 officially began in Central Minnesota on April 26. Yesterday the temperature went up not just into the 50s and not just into the 60s but actually up to 72. And today, we were all ready. I’m actually relieved I didn’t … Continue reading

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The Mushroom Farm

In 1985, two years before Steve purchased our 80 acres from the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, Kevin Doyle, who was a classmate of Steve’s at St. John’s University, purchased the monks’ old hog farm in Collegeville. These … Continue reading

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Two Months to the Summer Solstice

Most popular blogs tend to be about one thing. They focus on gardening, cooking, culture or politics… And the bloggers who maintain them post frequently, sometimes even daily. If this were a garden blog, each entry for the last two months would read … Continue reading

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April

Hello! I know I need to blog today if only to move the homepage from Easter! We are ten days into the Easter season (Alleluia!) and slogging through the most unscenic time of the year here. We’ve continued to have highs … Continue reading

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Preparations

I love hosting Easter at our house. Steve has hosted lots of family gatherings in this house, and it’s only taken me five years to relax and realize that there is an order to this and everything will work. I … Continue reading

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Vernal Equinox

Hello from the First Day of Spring in Minnesota. We’re having a good old-fashioned winter here, with more snow Monday and more snow on the way and very cold temperatures (single digits) still. When it does warm up, the kids get … Continue reading

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Renovation Central

I know, I know, the posting has been pretty light lately. What can I say? There is still a foot of snow on the ground and a blizzard warning in effect! The seeds I scattered in the cold frame froze … Continue reading

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Seed Scattering

  Yesterday afternoon I walked out through a foot of crunchy snow and put my hand into the cold frame to see if the soil was perhaps thawed enough to work. It was only about 18 degrees outside, but the sun … Continue reading

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Flax

Last year, some folks at the college planted a field of flax with the intention of using the fiber to make paper. The paper hasn’t been made yet, but the artist in residence mentioned to me that they were looking for text … Continue reading

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