Category Archives: the Farm

Braciole for the New Year: Fancy Peasant Food

 My favorite Christmas gift this year was the book Frankies Spuntino: Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual, a cookbook that is more a “how to make your own fine Italian restaurant” by Peter Meehan and the two Frankies (Frank Falcinelli and … Continue reading

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Christmas Tree Video

I’ve written about our Christmas tree before, but each year it does fill me with total pride and unearned nostalgia. The tree came from Steve’s grandfather’s hardware store in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, brand spankin’ new in 1965. That is also … Continue reading

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Ice

We’ve got our first long blast of cold weather. It’s been discouraging to see open water still on the small lakes around here. When it’s cold, I want ice! Time to skate! On Friday night, we went to some friends’ house … Continue reading

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To the Chicken Soup Factory

Chickens from the same flock who didn’t even make it to the laying stage at the scene of an earlier slaughter… Tim and Annie’s seven chickens, who have entertained us for several seasons and lived peaceably and productively on the … Continue reading

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Big Projects

Last year, it was the kitchen rehab. But this year, Steve could barely contain himself in finishing the last of the landscape projects before he got to his Big Project– renovating one of the hog barns into a furniture-making shop. … Continue reading

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Garden to Bed

 4 new beds make a total of 12, and the dock for my pump out of the water   The newly landscaped garden includes a long plowed bed  for potatoes, beans and onions.   I am officially a … Continue reading

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Tamarack

tamarack and pine trees I pass on my way to work Throughout my adult life, there have been times I have been criticized for not being more engaged with nature. The harshest came from Denise Levertov, who thought it was … Continue reading

Posted in Park Forest, St. Joseph, the Farm | 1 Comment

Migration

We’re in the midst of some amazing migratory activity here. Yesterday, I swear, a giant flock of seagulls was circling over the prairie for hours, completely silent, swooping up insects but never landing. Saturday I was reading on the porch … Continue reading

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Prairie Bouquet

Here’s a photo of today’s prairie bouquet. It’s very tempting to cut flowers from the prairie, but each year I realize how fragile they are when you pick them. They can sway out there in the pairie pummelled by wind for weeks, … Continue reading

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Locavore

It’s easy to be a locavore come July in Minnesota. Between the garden, the St. Joseph Farmer’s Market and our new Minnesota Street Market Co-op that carries Forest mushrooms grown right up the road and local, organic milk, I’m even making local pizzas! Friday … Continue reading

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